Dr. Angelica “Gel” Cortez is the Founder and CEO of LEAD Filipino, a national civic, cultural, and advocacy organization advancing Filipino American leadership across California, Texas, and Nevada.

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 has spanned immigrant rights advocacy in Los Angeles, legislative policy in Sacramento, and equity initiatives with Silicon Valley–based healthcare and civic 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 the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), and was a 2024 Democratic National Convention Delegate. Dr. Cortez holds degrees from San José State University, the University of San Francisco, and the University of Southern California.

She splits her time between San José and San Antonio.