WHO WE ARE
We are a group of volunteers who are committed to helping children achieve better quality of life. Together with other volunteers, donors and sponsors, we continue to share the gift of education and assistance to numerous indigent children. Executive Director
Phil-Asia Assistance Foundation Philippine international Aid
We invite you to join us in this endeavor.
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Chair and Founder
Mona Lisa Yuchengco
Mona Lisa is the founder of Philippine International Aid (PIA). She is also the founder and former publisher of Filipinas Magazine, the only nationally circulated, glossy magazine for Filipinos in North America. She is also a founding member of New California Media, a federation of ethnic publications. Mona Lisa serves on the boards of the following non-profit organizations: Center for Asian American Media (CAAM, formerly NAATA), Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP, Inc.). Asian Pacific Fund and the President’s Council Advisory Board of Skyline College. Until recently, she was also a board member of the University of San Francisco’s Center for the Pacific Rim, Asia Society Northern California and Seton Medical Foundation. Yuchengco served for two years as a Kiriyama Distinguished Fellow at the University of San Francisco where she developed and administered media fellowship programs for young Filipino journalists.
James Tecson Lim
James joined PIA as a member of the Board of Directors in 2003 and as Executive Director in 2010. James was an active community-based mentor in the SF Big Brother Program. He collaborated with San Francisco public high schools and Cal State University East Bay in a mentorship and internship program for students interested in the hotel industry as a career. He attended Cornell University and graduated magna cum laude from Golden Gate University with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management. For two decades, he has worked in the hospitality industry for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Marriott International and presently with Joie de Vivre Hotels. James is currently an Executive Committee member of the Berkeley Convention & Visitors Bureau. Recently, he has renewed his passion for photography and has shared his works on www.thefotoarts.com.
Board of Directors 2010
Eliza D. Duerme, Vice-President
Eliza has been a member of the Board of Directors since 1989 and is currently the Vice-President of PIA. She is currently a Sr. Program Manager at Smith Micro Software driving engineering teams to deliver mobile applications for major telecommunication carriers.
Eliza has over 20 years experience in the software arena at Silicon Valley including 6 years at Cisco Systems. She received her BS Statistics degree from the University of the Philippines. Eliza enjoys traveling, hiking and supports other Bay Area non-profit organizations.
Sonia Delen, Secretary
Sonia is Senior Vice President at Bank of America Leasing, a subsidiary of Bank of America. She is a two-time recipient of Bank of America Spirit of Excellence Award. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the St. Ignatius Pacific Asian Club, Archbishop Riordan Pilipino American Club, and is President of the School Board of St. Gabriel School. Being a parent of a blind and hearing-impaired son, Sonia is a strong advocate of children and adults with special needs. She has served multiple terms on the Board of Director of Support for Families of Children with Disabilities and the Blind Babies Foundation of San Francisco. She is a co-owner of ‘Intramuros’, a highly acclaimed Filipino restaurant in
Teddy Diaz De Rivera
Teddy is the Executive Vice President of the Internet Services Group for Wells Fargo. In his role, Teddy is responsible for managing overall strategy and execution of key initiatives for the online banking and investment platforms. Prior to his current position, Teddy was head of Online Customer Service for wellsfargo.com and chief technology officer of HR Systems & Service Delivery. Before joining Wells Fargo, Teddy was Deputy Manager, Planning and Analysis for Barclays Bank of California and Assistant Manager, Foreign Department for Citicorp in the Philippines. Teddy received his MBA in Finance from the University of Florida in 1984 and BSBA from the University of the Philippines where he graduated cum laude in 1980.
Susan Po Rufino
A PIA board member since 1987, Susan has been a full-time licensed real-estate agent since 1991 specializing in sales of residential and investment properties in San Francisco & the Bay Area. She is also active in other organizations such as REEF of the California Academy of Sciences (Executive Committee), the Fil-Am Political Action Committee (Board Member) and the Treasure Island Development Authority as a Board Member for almost seven years, two years as its Vice Chair & Secretary. Susan was a delegate to the COMSTE Forum on Renewable Energy & the U.N. Industrial Development Organization in September 2009. She graduated from the University of the Philippines, Diliman in International Relations.
Leopoldo Briones, Treasurer
Dr. Agnes Y. Alikpala
Tomas Consunji
Shirley B. Dimapilis
Eleanor Sebastian
Cara Subijano Wong
Cara, a UC Berkeley graduate, was the former news anchor of TFC/ABS-CBN’s Balitang America. She spent a number of years in the Philippines as a fashion model and reigned as Bb. Pilipinas-World in 1994. Cara is now on her 14th year in quality assurance and is currently managing the Quality Document and Records Management Department for Thoratec Corporation's Cardiovascular Division, where she is also six-sigma greenbelt certified. While working, she is also in pursuit of her Masters of Science in Technical Communications at Northeastern University. As an outlet for her creative passions, she frequently shares techie tips with her friends, works on her home-based book design business called Boo Publications and writes for her blog http://www.cara.onsugar.com.
Diana Tayag Lerma
A U.C. Berkeley graduate, Diana was the original member of the Barangay Dance Company in San Francisco, a founding member of the Larawan Philippine Dance Company, and a performing member of the Likha Pilipino Folk Ensemble. This never-ending passion for Philippine culture and dance led her to become part of American Center of Philippine Arts (ACPA) where she continues to promote Philippine culture through dance and other forms especially among Filipino-American children. Diana is a full-time mom for her two young children and currently serves part-time as the dance and costume coordinator for ACPA.
Dr. Edmundo Duldulao
Edmund is a practicing physician with the Kaiser Medical offices in Pleasanton, CA. His specialty is Internal Medicine. He completed his residency in Family Practice at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Edmund loves playing golf, basketball, cooking, tinkering with cars, photography, scuba diving, and playing the guitar. He is an active member/instrumentalist of the highly- regarded Simbang Gabi choir at St. Joan of Arc Parish in San Ramon, CA.
Rene Astudillo, CMP
Rene is a Certified Meeting Professional with expertise in non-profit management, communications, fund development and all aspects of convention-planning. He is presently the Executive Director of the Lupus Foundation of Northern California. Prior to that, he was the Executive Director of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). He has written for various publications such as The Filipino Guardian, Filipinas Magazine, Bay Area Reporter, Philippine Courier of Honolulu and Hawaii and Island Lifestyle. Present and past affiliations include the American Society of Association Executives, Professional Convention, Management Association, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Asian American Journalists Association, National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, LGBT Advisory Committee of the San Francisco Human RightsCommission and Filipinos for Affirmative Action.
Presy Psinakis, Chair
Yvonne S. Yuchengco, President
Juanita M. Medalla, Consultant
Leah C. Canlas, Administrative Assistant
Maria Fe. G. Beltran, School Worker
5226 Diamond Heights Blvd.,
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