NEC 2026 Speakers
Dante ang II
Friday Keynote Speaker
Biography
Dante “Klink” Ang II is a veteran journalist, media executive, educator, and public official. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. appointed him in October 2024 as the Chairperson of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), with a Cabinet rank of Secretary. Since taking office, Secretary Klink has focused on diaspora engagement to advance Philippine development.
His career in public service includes appointments as a Director of the Clark International Airport Corporation (CIAC) in 2023 and as Chairperson of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) in 2019. His early international public service also features a stint as a Foreign Information Officer for the Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, Canada, from 1993 to 1997.
Previously, he served as Chairman and CEO of The Manila Times from 2021 to 2024, driving its modernization into a multimedia platform and securing accolades such as “Asia’s Leading Newspaper of the Year.”
Secretary Klink is a recipient of several leadership awards, including “Outstanding Publisher”, the “2026 Outstanding Public Servant” award conferred by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and the “Distinguished Alumni Award” from his alma mater, East Texas A&M University in 2017. Under his leadership, the CFO also earned significant organizational honors, including “Freedom of Information (FOI) Champion” (1st Runner-Up) awarded by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in 2024.
Rodel Rodis, Esq.
Friday Speaker
Biography
Rodel E. Rodis is one of the original founders of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) and has served since its founding in 1997 as the General Counsel of the organization. In 2012, he was elected to a six (6) year term on the NaFFAA Board of Governors (BOG). Under his initiative and leadership, NaFFAA hosted the First Global Filipino Networking Convention held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco in August of 2002, which attracted 4,000 delegates, and which has continued in biennial global Filipino summit conferences since then. He is the President of the Global Filipino Diaspora Council (GFDC) that was formed in Manila in 2013 and the national president of US Pinoys for Good Governance which has been leading the global opposition to China’s invasion of Philippine territories in the West Philippine Sea.
Rodel has been a member of the California Bar since 1980. He is also a syndicated columnist whose weekly column, Telltale Signs, regularly appears in Filipino community newspapers throughout the US. His online weekly column, Global Networking, also regularly appears in Inquirer.net and in Philnews.com. He is the author of “Telltale Signs of Filipinos in America” (Ina Press, 1992).
Rodel was the first Filipino to be elected to public office in San Francisco when he was elected to the San Francisco Community College Board in 1992 and reelected in 1996, 2000 and 2004, serving three terms as president of the San Francisco College Board. He also served as California state chair of the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and was also the first national president of the Asian Pacific Islander Native American Trustees Association (APINATA). Rodel was also the first Filipino to be appointed to a major city commission in San Francisco when he was appointed president of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission in 1987.
Rodel taught Philippine History and the History of Filipinos in America at San Francisco State University and at Laney College. He has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS).
Loida nicolas lewis
Friday Speaker
Biography
Atty. Loida Nicolas Lewis is a philanthropist and a leader within the Filipino-American community, is one of the founders of NaFFAA. She helped establish the Asian American Legal Defense & Education Fund (AALDEF), and is a co-founder of the US Pinoys for Good Governance (USP4GG), which was organized after Benigno Simeon Aquino III was elected President of the Philippines in May 2010.
Loida was Chair and CEO of TLC Beatrice International, a $2 billion multinational food company with operations all across Europe, after the death of her husband, Wall Street financier Reginald F. Lewis, and won over a skeptical business community by moving quickly to sell assets including the corporate jet, paying down debt, downsizing the New York corporate staff by 50 percent and increasing earnings. After successfully running the company from 1994-2000, she sold TLC Beatrice and its related businesses in 2000.
Loida chairs the Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, which has donated millions of dollars to Harvard Law School, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland’s African-American History and Culture, and Virginia State University.
Loida supports the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Asian Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Asian Pacific American Film, Asian American Arts Alliance, Asian American Federation of New York, Asian American Foundation, Diversity Theater and Ma-Yi Theater.
In 2023, Loida published her memoir, “Why Should Guys Have All The Fun? An Asian American Story of Love, Marriage, Motherhood, and Running a Billion Dollar Empire” which was a sequel to her husband’s autobiography, and warmly received by Filipinos all over the globe. Her experience on tour prompted her to write her next book, “Look Younger When You’re Older: No Botox, No Surgery.” Loida is also available for tele-consultations on Intro.co/loidalewis where she continues to give advice on business, leadership, and building generational wealth.
gloria caoile
Friday Speaker
Michael dadap
Friday Speaker
Biography
Michael Dadap is a world-renowned Filipino guitarist, composer, conductor, and co-founder of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA).
Born in Hinunangan, Leyte, to a family of musicians, he immersed himself in church hymns and classical repertoire early on, starting as a jazz and folk guitarist before dedicating his career to classical guitar. A University of the Philippines graduate, he relocated to New York in 1971 for advanced studies in music theory and classical guitar at Mannes College of Music, followed by composition and conducting at The Juilliard School. His acclaimed 1974 Carnegie Recital Hall debut propelled tours across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, cementing his status as a global Filipino musical ambassador.
Maestro Dadap pioneered the Philippine rondalla tradition in America, serving as founding music director of the Iskwelahang Pilipino Rondalla in Boston, Massachusetts. There, he mentors youth, composes original works, and elevates plucked-string ensembles to world-class levels, showcasing Filipino artistry. He also leads as artistic and music director of New York’s Children’s Orchestra Society, crafting curricula and nurturing diverse young talents. His compositions – like suites, Visayan serenades, and methods for bandurria – infuse Filipino folk idioms, languages, and rhythms into concert repertoires, preserving cultural narratives.
As a NaFFAA co-founder, Dadap forged a vital platform uniting culture, advocacy, and leadership for Filipino Americans. NaFFAA celebrates his visionary guidance and unwavering dedication to traditional music as a tool for empowerment. From the organization’s inception through landmark anniversaries, his performances, workshops, and calls to action have urged communities to safeguard heritage while pursuing excellence. His mantra – “carry on the history of music-making and teach our younger children” – fuels NaFFAA’s youth programs, leadership training, and advocacy efforts. Through it all, Dadap proves Filipino music bridges generations, homelands, and American society, embodying pride and unity.
Dr. Michelle Mras
Friday Keynote Speaker
Biography
A globally recognized transformational leader, international best-selling author, executive coach, and United Nations Ambassador of Peace, Dr. Mras has inspired audiences worldwide through her remarkable journey of resilience, courage, and authentic leadership.
Riezl Baker
Friday Speaker
Biography
Riezl Baker is an accomplished entrepreneur, nationally recognized real estate leader, and co-founder of Luxury Lake Oconee Real Estate Group, one of Georgia’s premier luxury real estate brokerages. Through visionary leadership, resilience, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, she has built a highly successful business while redefining luxury real estate in one of the Southeast’s premier luxury markets.
A sought-after speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, and business growth, Riezl has been recognized nationally for her achievements and community impact. She is the recipient of numerous honors, including being named one of the Top Outstanding Filipino Americans (TOFA), recognizing the nation’s most influential Filipino Americans for their exceptional leadership, professional success, and service.
Beyond her business accomplishments, Riezl is passionate about philanthropy and civic leadership. She has led and supported numerous initiatives benefiting healthcare, education, the arts in her community and supports charitable organizations nationally and internationally. She was appointed and serves as Trustee for the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), helping advance initiatives that empower and strengthen Filipino American communities across the United States.
As an entrepreneur, and community leader, Riezl’s journey exemplifies the power of resilience, service, and purpose-driven leadership. Through her work and speaking engagements, she inspires others to build successful businesses while making a lasting difference in their communities and beyond.
As a speaker in the session “Bayanihan in Business: Pioneering the Future of Entrepreneurship”, Riezl brings both personal experience and entrepreneurial insight celebrating Filipino-American founders and executives who are redefining today’s business landscape. Having successfully built and scaled a recognized luxury brand, she understands the challenges of taking calculated risks, building trust, creating opportunity, and transforming passion and hardwork into lasting impact. Her story embodies how the spirit of Bayanihan can drive innovation, strengthen communities, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to achieve success while giving back.
sara moore
Friday Keynote Speaker
Biography
Sara Moore serves as the Executive Director of Colorado Dragon Boat, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building bridges of awareness, knowledge, and understanding between diverse Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities and the broader public through cultural education, leadership development, and athletic competition.
With more than a decade of nonprofit executive leadership experience, Sara has led major organizational growth initiatives, large-scale community events, fundraising campaigns, and strategic partnerships. Under her leadership, Colorado Dragon Boat has expanded its year-round programming, strengthened its financial sustainability, and continues to produce the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival, the largest dragon boat festival in the United States, welcoming more than 200,000 attendees annually. She also oversees the Colorado Dragon Boat Film Festival, the AANHPI Emerging Leaders Program, and the Riverdale Regional Park Dragon Boat Regatta & Night Market.
A yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese American), Sara is passionate about preserving and sharing AANHPI stories and creating spaces where communities can connect, celebrate, and thrive. Her family’s history deeply influences her work, particularly the experiences of her grandfather, Masamichi “Mac” Suzuki, who was incarcerated at Tule Lake during World War II and later served in Hiroshima with the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission.
An avid hiker and rock climber, Sara believes that strong communities are built through intentional relationships, shared purpose, and collective action. Her work reflects the belief that meaningful change begins by harnessing the strengths, experiences, and leadership that already exist within our communities.
ron falconi
Saturday Keynote Speaker
Biography
Ron Falconi began his term as Mayor of Brunswick in 2014. Originally, he was appointed to the Council at Large seat in 2008 among a group of 14 applicants. He successfully defended the seat and won a full term in 2009.
Falconi was born and raised in northeastern Ohio. He received his diploma from Padua Franciscan High School. He went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts degree from John Carroll University, where he majored in political science with a concentration in international studies. Subsequently, he received his law degree from the University of Akron, and he has a license to practice law in this state.
He is the first Filipino-American mayor in the State of Ohio. In 2017, he was picked as one of ten Asian American Leaders from across the country to travel to Japan as a guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss politics, culture, business, and international relations.
Ron married his wife Geny in 1998 and they have two adult children.
He has been active in the community. He was a former member of the Brunswick Board of Zoning Appeals and served on that board from 2004 to 2007. Falconi is also active at St. Ambrose Church, where he is a lector. He served as the government liaison officer for the Fairway’s Homeowners Association. He also has served as a Guardian ad Litem in both Medina and Cuyahoga Counties.
During his time on city council, he had served at one time or another on the following committees:
- Economic Development (Chair)
- Planning and Zoning (Chair)
- Safety Committee
- Finance Committee
- Building and Building Code
jack rushford
Saturday Speaker
Biography
Jack Rushford is a dancer, director, educator, and choreographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, with over 16 years of dedicated practice in Waacking and Punking culture. His work sits at the intersection of artistic excellence and cultural stewardship—rooted in the belief that teaching the form means teaching its history.
Jack is a member of Hella Waacks Dance Collective, a Bay Area Waacking collective whose mission is to promote the cultural preservation of Waacking by highlighting dancers, workshops, and events dedicated to the style. Through this collective and his broader teaching practice, Jack has created ongoing spaces for community connection across the Bay Area, having taught at In the Groove Studios, Full Out Studios, On One, City Dance, Enjoy (EDS), and LNGDS Dance Studio.
Jack’s own training lineage reflects a deep commitment to learning from the source—shaped by time with legendary Waackers and Punkers including Jee Wee Kalua, Archie Burnette, Lorena Valenzuela, Viktor Manolo, and Kumari Suraj, among others.
Whether in a workshop, a classroom, or on stage, Jack brings a pedagogy that is community-centered, culturally grounded, and energetically alive. He are passionate about passing on not just the movement, but the meaning behind it.