(L-R Bottom) Janette Alberto, Dr. Marilyn Umali-Dizon, DPT, Demi Kondracki, Mariejoy Mendoza, Karlene Grace P. Binuya
THE Pan American Concerned Citizens Action League, Inc. (PACCAL), a Jersey City-based (501) (C3) community service-oriented organization has been annually observing this monumental event for years, worthily distinguishing the full potential and incredible achievements of the female populace.
This year’s PACCAL International Women’s History Month Gala and Awards Night is slated on Saturday, March 30 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Newark, New Jersey to celebrate and seal the global observance of this significant event.
Meet the last batch of the 2019 PACCAL Women’s History Month Achievers:
Lirazen Rose
“Excellence in the Performing Arts”
Lirazen Rose (or Ara, to friends) is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and a Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in Music Production and Entertainment Technology from The City University of New York. She has been performing around the Big Apple’s entertainment circuit and various Fil-Am events since her foray in the music arena in 2011. Ara has ably opened shows for a number of Filipino artists like Aegis, Ariel Rivera, and Jennifer Cuneta. In addition, Ara is also an audio engineer, video editor, and a private music and voice teacher who’ll represent NY to the 2019 WCOPA talent Olympics come July in Long Beach, California.
Janette Alberto
“Excellence in Nursing Management”
A Nephrology Nurse by profession in the State of New Jersey, Janette previously held a Nurse Manager position at DCI (Dialysis Center Incorporation). She is a Transplant Designee for organ donation and transplantation. Janette’s mother is currently a kidney transplant recipient now on her second kidney transplant. Janette supports various humanitarian organizations: she’s formerly Vice President of Ocean County Right to Life, serves as a liaison to promote human life especially for children, and just recently, in partnership with Jojo Sayson of Project Michel Angelo, she created the “Mission Braille” for the blind in the Philippines together with her younger daughter Ysabella Marie Alberto.
Benilda Ramos
“Excellence in Health Service”
A BSN alumna of Perpetual Help University and BSA from Far Eastern University, Benilda Ramos was already equipped with technical and practical know-how in the field where she has passionately devoted her life. Her long list of pragmatic and hard-earned knowledgeable skills have distinctively proven her worth as a compassionate and nurturing health providing practitioner, having gained initial experiences from the Veterans Memorial Medical Center as a Registered Nurse in ICU, CCU, Recovery and Operating Rooms, followed by gaining more from a military hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where she became the one of the Senior Nurses, added her being a nurse in Cardio Thoracic for both adult and pediatric and in Fort Tryon Nursing Home in Manhattan.
Demi Habon Kondracki
“Excellence in Nursing Profession”
A registered nurse and BSN degree holder from the Far Eastern University, Demi Habon Knodracki was affiliated with St. Luke’s Hospital for 2 years before re-establishing her roots in the US in 1973 that took of at the Temple University Hospital. A multi-tasker and expert juggler, she expanded her career at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. She developed clinical expertise in various fields in nursing, received numerous awards and recognitions, steadfastly involved in various religious and community outreach activities, and journeyed far profoundly honored, and emulated, not to mention her earnest involvement in various fundraising events and being a Eucharistic Minister. Demi’s other side reveals her world of Glitz & Glam with impressively distinct titles graciously attached to her moniker: Ms. Glamorous Phil-USA 2009, Ms. Ageless, Timeless Queen Phil-USA 2017, Ms. Prominent Senior Ageless Timeless Queen Phil-USA 2018, and many others. Currently Demi is blissfully married to Architect Joe Kondracki, blessed with two professional daughters and two grandkids.
Karlene Grace P. Binuya
“Excellence in the Teaching Profession”
Grace arrived in the United States in 1995 freshly armed with a Bachelor of Science Degree, (major in General Science) from the Philippine Normal University where she romped off with a Cum Laude distinction. To further pursue her career, she took a master’s program for Early Childhood Education at City College that paved way to her employment at the NYC Department of Education for permanency and security. P.S. 48 in the Bronx gave her the first break to become a strong and influential teacher to students and colleagues. She took up another master’s degree in TESOL at City College of New York and later obtained a professional license for TESOL and eventually became part of Bilingual/ESL Teacher Leadership Academy (BETLA) scholars at Bank Street College for two years. Recently, she passed the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for English as a New Language. Currently Grace is affiliated with the Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood Education as an instructional coordinator.
Dr. Marilyn Umali-Dizon
“Excellence in Physical Therapy”
One fast-rising name in the field is Dr. Marilyn Umali-Dizon, a native of Quezon Province and co-owner of Silver Lake Therapy Clinic in Belleville, New Jersey. The confidently caring physical therapist received her Bachelor of Science degree from Calayan Educational Foundation in Lucena City (2009) and her doctoral degree in Physical Therapy from Utica College in New York (2012). For her selfless commitment to excellence in her chosen career, plus her up-to-date knowledge, effectual practice, and caring ways, she was commended with “Top Doctor” award by New Jersey’s NJ TOP Docs and was once again recognized as one of NJ Top Docs Living Well Providers for 2019.
Jeanette Marco
“Excellence in Social Media & Event Producer”
A graduate of Mass Communications from the University of the Philippines, and acquired her Master’s Degree in Business and Marketing from the University of Liverpool, Jeanette has scrupulously molded herself to be a marketing strategist whose passion for writing drove her to pursue a career in journalism. Jeanette is an event producer and organizer with 17 years of masterful experience in publication, travel and hospitality industry both in New York, UAE, Japan, and Australia. Aside from being the producer of a lifestyle reality show “Get Reel TV,” she is currently the President of the Basilia Women’s Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports victims of domestic violence; the Executive Director of Marco Art NYC and Marco Not Polo; the Global Advisor of Project Pearls which helps the poorest of the poor children in the Philippines; Director of Events and Special Programs of Manup Campaign; National Director of the World Championships of the Performing Arts-(WCOPA); the Marketing Director of the International Film Festival of Manhattan, elected Presidential Advisor of the JCI in Queens, New York; and a volunteer host of a feeding program for the homeless at the C.H.I.P.S Soup Kitchen in Brooklyn, New York.
Joy Mendoza
“Excellence in Entrepreneurship”
The power to venture into business turned Mariejoy’s maiden obsession into a thriving industry. She took the path that her heart dictated after heeding to her mother’s request for her to take up nursing at St. Louis University in Baguio City. She disposed of her nursing practice with a heavy heart and treaded the path to where her instinctive inclination was leaning to, which was buy and sell business. She successfully managed to distribute office supplies for five years throughout the Ilocos Region. Joy innately possesses that right attitude towards building company with keen determination, straightforward focus, and genuine clench. Her strong business sagacity and exceptional display of public camaraderie urged her to seek for luck and fortune in the US in 1997. With the same level of intensity in product distribution, Joy conscientiously invested her hard-earned capital in buying and delivering / shipping all sorts of goods in-demand not only here in the US but also in the Middle East and Europe.
Cherry Marmes Smyth
“Most Influential Woman of the Year.”
A beauty queen with a magnanimously generous heart, a dynamic community leader and organizer, an open-handed philanthropist, and an enterprising businesswoman, Cherry Marmes Smyth is incredibly a renaissance woman. Independent and business-minded Cherry (now Griswold, Connecticut-based) is innately charismatic. Her altruistic and philanthropic ways easily create for her a gigantic image that make her stand much taller than what she actually is. Seeking to promote the welfare of others through generous donations and fundraising events, the indefatigable KIDS Philippines, Inc. (KPI) founder finds joy and fulfillment having accomplished her personal mission to her countrymen, together with the able support of her equally benevolent husband, KIDS Philippines, Inc. is fast becoming one of the most reliable among the many youth-oriented organizations providing quality education to children in need, helping and guiding them reach full potential that they may be instruments to diminish, if not totally eradicate, poverty and juvenile criminality in the next generation.
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