Dr. Angelica “Gel” Cortez is an award-winning activist, founder and community builder. She is the Founder and CEO of LEAD Filipino, a national civic, cultural, and advocacy organization advancing Filipino American leadership with offices in San Jose and San Antonio.

A queer Filipina American community builder shaped by San José’s civic culture, Ethnic Studies, and Filipino American organizing traditions, Dr. Cortez brings more than 15 years of experience in public policy, racial equity, and organizational development. Her work spans immigrant rights advocacy and justice, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives with trade associations and healthcare institutions.

She founded LEAD Filipino in 2015 as a voter registration project in San José. Today, the organization operates across multiple states and leads initiatives in civic engagement, leadership development, and health equity.

Dr. Cortez has been featured by NBC and ABC News and has spoken on Filipino and AAPI political engagement at the White House, universities, and Fortune 500 companies. She is a recipient of numerous honors, including Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 and Woman of Influence, the Larry Itliong Legacy Award, and the Stanford Health Care Community Health Advocate Award.

She serves on the boards of the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Campaign Board, Sacred Heart Community Service, and as a National Trustee with the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS). Dr. Cortez holds degrees from San José State University, the University of San Francisco, and the University of Southern California.