On 30 October 2009 in the Claremont Hotel Club and Spa in Berkeley, California, the Filipina Women’s Network's second nationwide search for the 100 most influential Fililino women in the US culminated at a recognition awards gala. This working recognition award is a key initiative of Pinay 2012, aiming to double the number of Filipina women leaders by 2012. On the same night, the “Womentoring Pinay Circle” was launched. This aims to provide professional and personal development for women leaders, exposing them to critical public and private sector issues affecting Filipina women and enhancing their competitive knowledge from state, national, and global perspectives. It also connects Filipina leaders from across the US with each other and with decision makers, thinkers, and practitioners, and promotes creativity and innovation through the sharing of ideas and best practices. The Pinay Circle members are empowered to contribute more fully to the communities and companies where they live and work.
The gala night was organized to honor Filipina women in their capacities as chief executive, president, executive director, and/or founder of a company, community organization, nonprofit, or business venture that they helped start, build, or significantly grow.
AFE’s Ethel Luzario, who worked at ADB from 1976 to 1981, was among the recipients of the awards for the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US, in the category, “Founders and Pioneers.” She was recognized for her roles as cofounder of The 3000 Club, a food rescue and medical assistance, nonprofit organization; international relations chair for Lions Clubs in Arizona; and president of the Philippine-American Chamber of Commerce of Arizona.
Ethel Luzario: Pioneering Filipina in the US.
Ethel has led medical outreach missions to various countries, including the Philippines. Recently, she spearheaded a successful fund-raising concert in the Fil-Am community in Phoenix, Arizona for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy. The Philippine Chapter of AFE–ADB was chosen as one of the 23 NGOs to channel financial and material help to people severely affected by the floods.