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Jelly, as family members and friends fondly call her, was born Angeles Violeta Ramos Carandang in Batangas, the

eldest of six siblings, followed by four boys and a sister. She has three nephews and three nieces, all with strong personali-

ties as she does. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Commerce, Banking & Finance Major, from the University ofSanto Tomas, and took Masters in Accounting at Roosevelt University in Chicago. She migrated to the U.S. in 1972 and

retired as a corporate auditor/program specialist from the State of California Franchise Tax Board after over 21 years of ser-

vice.

She has been a NaFFAA member since 2003, after attending the Regional Confer-

ence held in Troy, Michigan that year. She was elected as NaFFAA Illinois secretary (2004 -

2007), vice chair (2007-2009), chair (2009-2013), appointed national secretary in 2010, sub-

sequently elected to the same position in 2012, which she held until 2014. She currently

chairs Region 3 West, covering Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, and Wisconsin, and

a member of the Board of Governors (2012 to 2018).

She continues to help and inspire women by promoting the Circle of Empowered

Women, a sub-committee of NaFFAA Illinois, through advocacy and education. As a

NaFFAA officer, she is able to help victims of domestic abuse and violence, by providing

direction and guidance as to what social agency or department they could go to. Her net-

working and collaboration with various organizations has helped her identify the group that

could help in any given situation. On the national level, she continues to emphasize the

importance of having an open line of communications, accountability, honesty, and trans-

parency.

Her involvement in community activities in her Village of Skokie, after the death of

her mother in 1998, reinforced her determination to make a positive difference and strength-

ened her leadership abilities. Her earlier appointment to the Skokie Human Relations Com-

mission by Mayor George Van Dusen led to her appointment to the Skokie Plan Commission in 2005, a position she holds

to the present. Jellys community service transcends local geography. She coordinates a biennial humanitarian mission to

the Philippines that provides free medical, dental and optical services to the needy and medicines, supplies, and equipment

to needy areas in the Philippines.

She strongly believes NaFFAA's national identity, if managed properly, will help our goal of leading our people on-

ward and upward. By being on the forefront of developments on educational, financial, political and social issues, we will be

able to be where we want to be: the strong voice that will be heard nationally and globally.

Jelly has always believed in leading by example, earning her the Philippine Presidential Banaag Award in 2008 and

UST Outstanding Alumni Award in 2013. Her message to other NaFFAA officers and members and the FilAm Community at

large: "Always remember that wherever you are and whatever you do, you are representing not just yourselves and your

families, but our community, our people, and our country. Make everyone proud, and be an inspiration to the future genera-

tions of Filipinos and Filipino Americans, everywhere."

Jelly arandang

Member, Board of Governors

eader on the Spot

Whats Inside

Meeng in CA.

Educaon Seminars

Meeng in Wash DC...

R1 and R2 Events.

Membership Form...

Happy New Year Everyone

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Washington, D.C. We are elated that Nani Coloretti is now serving as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing an

Urban Development (HUD), making her one of the highest-ranking Filipino Americans serving the U.S. administration, says J

Mallonga, National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). Her recent confirmatio

by the U.S. Senate attests to her excellent record and more than 20 years of experience in management, budget and financeIt gives us a great deal of pride to know that talented and dedicated individuals in our community a

recognized and given opportunities to bring their skills and can-do spirit to leadership positions

government.

Ms. Coloretti, who hails from Hawaii, has served for five years in the Department of Treasur

first as Deputy Assistant, and later as Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget. Prior to h

post at Treasury, she worked in the San Francisco Mayors Office for four years and in the citys D

partment of Children, Youth and Their Families for six years.

Ms. Coloretti is a recipient of the National Public Service Award, the Public Policy and Inte

national Affairs Achievement Award, the Government Finance Officers Association Distinguished Budget Presentation Awar

and the Federal 100 Award.

She received a B.A. in Economics and Communications from the University of Pennsylvania anan M.P.P. from the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California at Berkeley.

In pushing for her confirmation, Mallonga highlighted her impressive credentials and exemplary record of pu

ic service. Other Filipino American leaders, notably KAYA Co -Chair Romeo Ymalay, noted that Ms. Coloretti is more tha

qualified and capable of being a significant part of HUD s efforts to create strong and inclusive communities across the countr

Nanis nomination demonstrates President Obamas commitment to diversity and great talent in his cabinet. Her confirmatio

would ensure the representation of the Filipino American community and the greater AAPI community in developing policie

that impact us.

Mallonga adds: We wish Ms. Coloretti well as she assumes her post, and we want to assure her of our community

support.

NaFFAAs Pacific Region Cha

Rudy Asercion and Legal Counsel Rod

Rodis were among those invited to spea

on a conference that discussed the fo

mal inclusion of the historical significa

contributions of Filipino WWII veteran

and Filipino farmworkers in the curricu

lum of Californias public school system

The conference was held in Sacramento

CA on December 16, 2014. State Supe

intendent of Public Instruction Tom To

lakson, who was present at the confe

ence was quoted, "I am proud to be

supporter of AB 199, the Filipinos

WWII Social Studies Curriculum Act.

have been supporting its implementatio

and look forward to seeing more resources made available to our schools.

believe we must do all we can to ensure our history is taught as accurately and completely as possible."

NAFFAA CONGRATULATES NANI COLORETTI

NaFFAA Leaders Participate in Forum on

Inclusion of WWII Filipinos in Public School Curriculum

CA Superintendent of Public Instrucon Tom Torlakson (3rd from R) is joined by NaFFAA leaders

Rodel Rodis and Rudy Asercion (4th and 5th from R), with other forum speakers.

https://www.facebook.com/rudy.asercionhttps://www.facebook.com/rudy.asercion

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In response to President Obamas Executive Order on Immigration Reform, NaFFAA spearheaded two educational semnars to address mainly the question on, What are your rights? The first seminar was held on Dec 6, 2014, at the St. Elizabeof Hungary at Linden, NJ. This was organized and sponsored by the Union County Apostolate, headed by Dwight Malapit aNaFFAA New Jersey State Chair Nimfa Tinana. NaFFAA National Chair JT Mallonga was the main speaker. He explained trights of qualified, undocumented Filipinos who are covered under the 2014 Immigration Reform. Assisting the National Chwas National Director for Advocacy Merit Salud, who was also representing FALDEF. The second seminar was held on Dec.2014 at Vorhees Public library in Vorhees, NJ. It was sponsored by the Philippine American Federation of PA, NJ and Deware headed by Dr. Wilhilmina Dumo and Ms. Gwen Devera, Special Liaison of Camden County to FilAm community. At

Merit Salud explained that there are no implementing guidelines issued by the INS on the Presidential Executive Action at thtime. He warned the public not to fall on scams especially on people who would ask for money, with a promise to handle thcase. The public is encouraged to work with legitimate immigration professionals. This forum is a joint project of the PhilippConsul General New York, Filipino American Legal Defense and Education Fund and NaFFAA.

NaFFAA Holds Education Seminars on Immigration Reform: Know Your Rights

December 6 Seminar, Linden, NJ

December 7 Seminar, Vorhees, NJ

NaFFAA Pacific Region Chair Rudy Asercion thanksthose who signed the petition calling the California Public Utili-ties Commission (CPUC) to change the current policy by re-quiring a separate driver and tour guide on the tour buses. Onthe morning of Thursday, October 23rd, 68 year-old PriscilaMoreto -known as Precy to her many friends, associates, andneighbors -was killed by a tour trolley driver as she walked ina crosswalk in front of City Hall. NaFFAA responded to Pre-cy's death by starting a petition against CPUC. Seniors, peo-ple with disabilities, and minorities are disproportionately thevictims of serious or fatal injuries. Deaths like Precy's are pre-ventable by holding professional drivers to the highest stand-ards.

NaFFAA Petitions CPUC

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NaFFAA Meets with Philippine Ambassadors and Consul Generals in Washington, DC

NaFFAA leaders met with the Philippine Ambassador to

the US and Philippine Consul Generals in the US on Decembe

3, 2014 at the Philippine Embassy Office in Washington, DC

This meeting has unveiled NaFFAAs intent to be an active part

ner in implementing the Assistance-to-Nationals (ATN) Program

of the Offices of the Ambassador and the Philippine ConsuGeneral. The NaFFAA contingent is composed of National Chai

JT Mallonga, Bing Branigin, National Director for Legislative Af

fairs, Jon Melegrito, National Director for Communications, Eric

Macalma, Region 2 Deputy Chair (also representing NaFFAAs

young professionals) and Merit Salud, National Director for Ad

vocacy.

NaFFAA National is a monthly newsletter with t

goal of circulating information on NaFFAAs advoc

cy events and projects, appointments, messages fro

leadership and other related activities in the Filipi

American community.

Editorial StaffRyan Tejero

ryantejero@yahoo.com

Eduardo Ed Navarra

ejn0115@aol.com

Please forward event announcements and news artcles in your community for January issue by the 25tSubmission must be in word format and pictures ar

in jpeg or jpg formats.

Thank you to all December contributorsPle

NaFFAA EMAIL Distribution List reminders

If you have contacts in the community who wish to join the NaFFAA email distribution list, pleaslet them forward an email expressing their intent to be added in the list to the Executive DirectoGiselle Rushford at email: Giselle@larush.com.

Immediate Past Region 6 Chair Gus

Mercado received his Presidenal Award for

Banaag Category on December 5, 2014 in

Malacanan Palace, Manila Philippines. The

Presidenal Awards for Outstanding Filipinos

and Organizaons Overseas is organized by

the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. The

Banaag Award is conferred to Filipino individu-

als or organizaons for their contribuons

which have signicantly beneted a sector or

advanced the cause of overseas Filipino com-

munies. Gus Mercado is recognized as found-er of the wireless engineering business enter-

prise, Datalogix and a Filipino-community

leader in Texas who assists distressed Filipino

migrants.

Congratulations Gus Mercado

Philippine Presidential Banaag Awardee

mailto:Giselle@larush.commailto:Giselle@larush.commailto:Giselle@larush.com

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NaFFAA Region 4 Participates in

Pasko at Fiesta sa Atlanta

Region 1 Celebrates ChristmasWith Lantern-Making

NaFFAA Region 1 Chair Aida Navidad alsochairs one of the most active FilAm organizationsin Philadelphia the Philippine Folk Arts SocietyInc. (PFASI). To celebrate Christmas/Pasko amongFilAms in the community, PFASI launched onceagain its annual Parol-making contest on Decem-ber 7, 2014. There was a variety of colorful andhand-crafted and Filipino-inspired lanterns thatwere displayed at the end of the day. PFASI offic-

ers would like to thank everyone who supportedthis years event. It was truly an accomplishment ofpromoting Filipino arts and culture.

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