IN honor of Filipino American History Month, get to know seven more Filipino Americans who are serving across the Biden-Harris Administration, from the office of the Vice President to government agencies.
Continued from Part I: Fil-Ams in the Biden-Harris administration
Loni Cortez Russell
Deputy Associate Administrator
Office of the Administrator, Office of Public Engagement and Environmental Education, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Russell spent over a decade leading local, state and federal advocacy campaigns to fight for climate action and public health for major environmental organizations across the country including as the head of public engagement for the Climate Action Campaign, a coalition of national climate organizations working to advance federal climate policy. She was born and raised in Los Angeles and credits her Filipino American heritage to her commitment to public health and the environment.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
I grew up in a Fil-Am household in Southern California surrounded by strong women who centered their family and heritage in all parts of our lives. My Ama, or grandfather, was the former governor of our province, and my mother was involved in local politics in the Philippines. Filipino values, such as family, community, respect, hard work (and having a good time!), have always been core to my personal and professional identity.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
Since day one, the Biden-Harris administration has centered the actions of the federal government around the need to prioritize the most vulnerable and fight for social equity, especially in responding to the multiple crises of a pandemic, economic uncertainty and racial injustice.I was attracted to and am proud of my work at EPA leading and embedding this commitment to justice and equity in how the agency works with all its stakeholders like frontline communities, businesses, NGOs among others. As a Fil-Am, our culture is diverse, complex and rich with strong traditions of taking care of the most vulnerable and it is honor to work for an administration that shares those traditions and emphasizes diversity as core to public service.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
It’s an honor to recognize the deep history and diversity of the Filipino American experience. Fil-Ams have been an important yet under-recognized in American culture. There are so many incredible contributions that Fil-Ams have shaped and influenced in this country. Fil-Am History Month is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate our stories and people.
Michael C. George
Senior Advisor for Policy to the Vice President
Hometown: Los Baños, Laguna
The son of immigrants from the Philippines and India, George is a senior policy advisor for Vice President Kamala Harris. He comes into the role with non-profit experience, serving in roles like program officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led a $30 million investment portfolio to support low-wage workers.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
My mother is originally from La Union in the Philippines and met my father while studying at the University of Hawaii. After I was born in Honolulu, we lived in Los Baños, Laguna until I was 14 years old, so almost all of my childhood memories are of the Philippines. Growing up abroad always made me reflect on how lucky I am to be American, and how one of the things that makes the United States a great country is its diversity.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
The President and Vice President took office at a critical moment – in the middle of an economic downturn and the height of the COVID-19 pandemic – and I wanted to help support our country. Being able to work for a history-making Vice President – the first woman, African American, and Asian American to serve in the role – is a huge honor. The President and Vice President are truly committed to building an administration that “looks like America,” from the most junior staff to the most senior, because they want to lead a government that stands up for all Americans of all backgrounds. And you can see that in everything they do – like when they spoke out against the rise in Anti-Asian violence during the pandemic and when the President signed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act into law.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
Filipino American History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the deep ties between the Philippines and the United States, reflected in the ties between so many families like mine and the traditions and cultures we share.
Angela Dela Cruz Perez
Deputy Press Secretary
U.S. Department of Commerce
Hometown: Woodside, Queens, New York
Perez joined the U.S. Department of Commerce after working as a press assistant at the White House Press Office. She was on the Biden-Harris transition team and worked for the campaign as a communications assistant.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
I’m lucky to be born and raised in Woodside, Queens, a very diverse neighborhood in New York City with a strong Filipino immigrant population. My mother, who was quite new to this country, empowered me to pursue an education and a career in something I was truly interested in, while also making sure I didn’t forget where I came from.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
President Biden made a promise to build an administration that looked like America — and he kept that promise. As one of many Filipino Americans within the administration, I’m proud to be part an administration so aligned with my values.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
To me, Filipino American History Month is a celebration of Filipino Americans past and present. Whether it’s celebrating the activism that helped create the Asian American movement in the 1970s, noting the Filipino American community’s countless cultural contributions to American film, art and music, or honoring the tireless Filipino American healthcare workers, Filipino American history is being made every day.
Geri Sanchez Aglipay
Regional Administrator
U.S. Small Business Administration Great Lakes Region (Region V)
Hometown: Skokie, Illinois
A second-generation American and daughter of a veteran, Aglipay became the first Filipino SBA Regional Administrator and the first Pinay appointed by any president in a cabinet agency senior regional role. With over 20 years of experience in policy development, program administration, and workforce development, she was appointed by the White House to oversee SBA programs and financial operations across offices in six Great Lakes states.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
I’m a Filipino American woman who has grown up as the child of immigrants. I’m grateful to have experienced many opportunities and privileges in America, but I have also experienced classism, sexism, racial bias and stereotypes. I understand the concerns faced by communities of color, women of color, and those who are low income, working and middle-income households who work hard to make a better life and obtain financial, home, and health security. These factors have influenced my career path, including how I navigate social norms and intercultural communication.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
I joined the Biden-Harris administration to lend my expertise and experience for inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and help support the Administration’s and SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman’s goal for a new economy that works for everyone, especially from the bottom up to the middle out. The pandemic highlighted a multitude of disparities that many socioeconomically vulnerable and at-risk communities faced pre-pandemic, including Filipinos. So, it’s meaningful to me to be in this role to representing my community to support recovery.
What does Filipino American History Month me to you?
To me, Filipino American History Month, which was established by [the Filipino American National Historical Society], is about the struggles, achievements and history of Filipinos in the United States as impacted by forces not only in the Philippines, but especially on American shores. It’s a month to share writings by Carlos Bulosan and Dr. Dawn Bohulano Mabalon; learn about Larry Itliong, and the pensionados; and continue a legacy of economic impact like the first Filipino credit union in Illinois. Knowing history impacts how we navigate our community, which is important for times where critical thinking and historical context impacts our future.
Christian Bato
Southwest Intergovernmental Specialist
Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs,
U.S. Department of Energy
Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga, CA/Las Vegas, NV
The son of Filipino immigrants, Bato joined the U.S. Department of Energy after working for U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and serving as the Nevada Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris campaign. He began his career working for SEIU’s iAmerica, which advocated for immigrant justice in the AAPI and Latino communities.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
My identity as a Filipino American has been THE driving force for my career in public service. I began my career advocating for immigrant justice in the AAPI and Latino communities and I did my best to help people navigate the complex immigration system in our country during that time. I continued along that path by helping all Nevadans work with the federal government as Senator Cortez Masto’s AAPI outreach representative in her Las Vegas Office. I find myself doing that today as I help key stakeholders and communities across the Southwest United States access important federal dollars and resources at the Department of Energy, especially after the historic steps taken by the administration in form of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Serving and helping others is an inherently Filipino trait and it’s something I try to do every day in my role with the Biden-Harris Administration.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
I joined the Biden-Harris administration because it was a great chance to help President Biden make good on the promises he made on the campaign trail. We were, and still are, at an inflection point in our country and I wanted to make sure I did my part to help push the nation in the right direction, particularly when it comes to combatting the climate crisis. I felt that I was my duty as an American, but also as the son of Filipino immigrants, to use my talents to help make a difference for the collective good. My parents sacrificed a lot to move to this country and my service in this administration, at the highest level of government, is something that I feel justifies their decision.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
Filipino American History Month provides a great opportunity to uplift and highlight the often-overlooked voices of our ancestors who impacted the rich history of our country. It’s also a time to authentically embrace our heritage and display it proudly. Most of all, it’s a time to build our power as a community through organizing and educating. We are an integral part of the fabric of the United States of America, and it is important that we take this month to celebrate that.
Russellie Boñgolan
Deputy White House Liaison
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Hometown: Hacienda Heights, CA
Russellie Boñgolan was recently named Deputy White House Liaison to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). She was first appointed by the current administration the USDA’s Research Education and Economics Mission Area, where she worked to promote key priorities such as equity, modernization and climate smart agriculture. Prior to her appointment, she served as Political Director for Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and as Georgia Deputy Director of Coalitions for the Biden-Harris campaign.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
My grandmother was the first to teach me about civic engagement and public service, which ultimately set me on this career path. I have vivid childhood memories of following her around as a little girl as she volunteered at the polls for many years. While she would set up the polling stations and help direct voters, she’d tell me about her own immigration story, and tell me how lucky we were to be both Filipino and American.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
After working on the campaign in Georgia, I saw firsthand that the Biden-Harris administration is committed to serving all Americans. As a Filipino American, I think about my own grandfather, who’s first job as a new immigrant was to harvest asparagus in the fields of Central California. The fact that, just two generations later, I am a White House appointee to the USDA is truly a testament to America’s promise.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
Filipino American History Month is a time to celebrate our history, our contributions and the fact that we are writing the next chapter. It is not lost on me that I stand on the shoulders of so many history making Filipino Americans who came before me like the Delano manongs who advocated for themselves alongside Larry Itliong and in coalition with Cesar Chavez.
Trisha Ann Castaneda
Confidential Assistant to the Director
Office of Management and Budget
Hometown: Irvine, CA
Castaneda entered the political world during her senior year of college as an intern for Rep. Doris Matsui and subsequently served as a junior staffer in the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies. She joined the Office of Management and Budget in June 2022.
How has being Filipino American shaped your identity and career path?
The Philippines and Filipinos are always associated with being hospitable. I have always strived to make sure everyone I meet in my life and in my career is met with kindness and care, no matter the circumstances.
Why did you join the Biden-Harris administration, and what does it mean as a Filipino American?
I joined the Biden-Harris administration because I believe that everyone deserves a seat at the table. As a Filipino American I am proud to represent my community, whose history is so deeply intertwined with the United States.
What does Filipino American History Month mean to you?
Filipino American History Month is an opportunity to showcase my country and my culture to a wider audience. Not everyone has the ability to interact with and experience Filipino culture – the food, the music, the art, the people – and I believe that once they do experience it, they’ll develop an appreciation and, as a result, an understanding.
