Organizing communities for civic and cultural power
Advocate.
Nonprofit Founder.
Community Builder.
Dr. Angelica [Gel] Cortez is an award-winning activist and leading voice in the Filipino American power building movement. Following a successful career in policy advocacy and human services, she founded LEAD Filipino a decade ago. Over the past 10 years, she has grown the organization into the premier voice for Filipino advocacy nationwide. In 2024, she led the expansion of the organization into Nevada and Texas.
Since 2015, Dr. Angelica Cortez has grown LEAD Filipino into a premier power building organization for Filipino Americans. From spearheading the first Filipino Cancer Study with Stanford Health Care, to passing AB 490 The Justice for Angelo Quinto Act, and developing infrastructure that has trained hundreds of Filipino canvassers, organizers, and health educators, she is the mind behind multiple coalitions, voter turnout efforts, and cultural initiatives.
Dr. Cortez’s work has been featured in news media and academic publications. She has also been recognized as a Silicon Valley 40 Under 40 and Woman of Influence. In 2024, she guest spoke at the White House.
Speaker & Guest Lecturer
Dr. Cortez has spoken with Fortune 500 companies, public agencies, healthcare organizations, and colleges and universities across the country.
Long before establishing LEAD Filipino, Dr. Cortez had a career in policy advocacy and human services. In Silicon Valley, she worked to protect funding for social safety net services and in Los Angeles, she organized for immigrant rights. She often intertwines these early experiences with power and systems—including her own family’s story—into her speeches and keynote talks on Filipino civic leadership, movement building, political activism, and social entrepreneurship.
Advocacy & Cultural Initiatives
Voting Rights with Dr. Angelica [Pt 1] on the Only in San Jose Podcast
In this episode, Ellina Yin speaks with Dr. Angelica Cortez about the history and power of voting and civic participation, and a little bit about the Upcoming 2024 Elections.
Queer Silicon Valley Interview
Dr. Cortez sits down with former Santa Clara County Supervisor and BAYMEC founder, Ken Yeager, and shares her personal story, the early days of LEAD Filipino, coming out as openly lesbian and her continuous motivation for building and sustaining civic and political infrastructure for Filipinos and communities of color.