Small-island girl.

Big-world ideas.

Small-island girl. Big-world ideas.

You can’t grow if you stay in your comfort zone, right?

Here’s my story

I was born in the Philippines, and moved to Guam with my family when I was three years old. My parents were very supportive of me and my brother, and they raised us to be hard-working and ambitious.

My first language was Tagalog, and I didn't speak English well until I started school. Because of this, I struggled to make friends, so most of my time was spent reading books. One year, a teacher put me in charge of a large bulletin board in school to promote a reading program, and it sparked a fire in me for marketing that never went out.

I had top grades in every subject. After high school, I decided to get a bachelor's degree in Communication, specializing in public relations. Now, looking back on it all—the hard times as well as the good ones—I'm grateful for everything that has brought me here today.

Despite falling in love with marketing, I found that what really filled my heart was volunteering. I was thriving in my career, but I wanted the success I gleaned to ripple through the community. I didn’t mind working hard, but I wanted it to matter. That’s when I left my corporate marketing job to work in a nonprofit organization. Working with volunteers presented its own unique challenges (i.e. motivating people to work for free), but it was the most fulfilling job I had ever had. Not to mention, that’s where I met my now boyfriend of 4 years.

Making it matter

Ultimately, my private sector work inspired me to get my Master’s in Public Administration. I went back to a corporate marketing job, this time focused on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). I found this position to be a beautiful pairing of both my private sector background and my public sector passions. My proudest achievement was establishing an employee volunteer program (EVP) at the company, which later became the subject of my graduate capstone project.

Connecting the dots

My Graduate Capstone Project

Employee volunteer programs (EVPs) had great potential to enhance the quality of organizational culture and brand likeability. In my capstone project, I examined the EVP I had implemented at the company and found that the program positively impacted the organization internally and externally.

Video summary of my Capstone Project

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Education

  • Earned June 2012 | University of Guam, Guam

    Achievements include: Cumlaude Graduate ● Dean's List ● Regent Scholar ● Founding Member of Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society ● Communication Society Vice President ● Logos.Pathos.Ethos. Newsletter Creative Editor ● Businesswoman of the Year Scholarship Recipient (2011)

  • Earned June 2022 | American Public University System, West Virginia

    GPA: 3.9

    Capstone project: Improving Organizational Culture and Brand Likeability Through Employee Volunteering

    Achievements Include: Dean’s List (2019-2022)

    Completed Courses Include: Public Administration in Society, Public Writing, Ethics in Government, Public Policy, Public Finance, Law & Public Policy, Organizational Management, Organizational Behavior, Organizational Development, Program Appraisal, and Public Management.

Certifications & Other Learning

Work Experience

Get to know me better.

A lot of who I am is what I have done. Learn more about my work experiences and find some free samples!