Dr. Angelica [Gel] Cortez is a lifelong advocate, community organizer and nonprofit founder who leads multi-state efforts to advance civic leadership, health equity and cultural advocacy through her organization, LEAD Filipino. Her work is grounded in nearly 15 years of public policy, politics and advocacy with deep roots in coalition building, DEI and health and human services.

Dr. Cortez’s work is shaped by her lived experience as an openly lesbian Filipina American and her family’s journey to the United States, where mental health, substance abuse and economic hardship influenced her earliest interactions with public systems. Dr. Cortez holds degrees in Political Science and Humanities, her Master of Public Administration and Doctorate in Education.

She has held executive leadership roles with policy advocacy and health organizations, where she directed regional and statewide advocacy efforts focused on DEI, health equity, human rights and economic development.

In 2015, Dr. Cortez founded LEAD Filipino, a nonprofit that has grown from a grassroots project into a national civic and advocacy organization with chapters across the United States. Under her leadership, LEAD Filipino has launched statewide boards and commissions trainings, partnered with Stanford Cancer Institute to research Filipino American cancer outcomes, and hosts the annual Filipino Advocacy Day in Sacramento. She is also founder and owner of FancyHeadz, a social enterprise that merges creativity with impact.

Beyond her professional initiatives, Dr. Cortez continues to mentor young organizers, speak nationally on race equity and political leadership, and contributes to local and national movements. Whether testifying at the State Capitol or speaking at the White House, she brings a bold, culturally responsive and community-first lens to everything she does.

Now serving full-time as CEO of LEAD Filipino, Dr. Cortez is focused on building a national movement that empowers Filipino American, Asian American Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+ and broader communities.