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).

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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.

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Gloria Caoile

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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.[6][7][8] 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.[8] Through it all, Dadap proves Filipino music bridges generations, homelands, and American society, embodying pride and unity.