In The Pocket

When NFALA de facto fashion advisor and data privacy rock star Anna Mercado Clark moved from the Philippines to the United States, she was old enough to have strong reservations about it--but too young to have a say.  Interviewed in this episode by Heidi Hennig Rowe, Anna discusses the path that led her from cultural duality challenges--to courage and heart that she quite literally wears on her terno sleeve.   Anna not only supports the Fil-Am legal community--she currently serves as the Northeast Regional Governor on the board of NAPABA.

Corporate immigration law rock star and NFALA Young Lawyers Network Chair Beth Olivera bonds with host June Casalmir on the topics of lumpia and Peloton workouts as she recounts growing up in a multicultural Midwestern family.  Beth talks about her friendship with her sister Emily and provides her thoughts on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s legacy. Beth is currently an associate at Cozen O’Connor’s Chicago office and also serves as Board Secretary for NFALA affiliate FALA Chicago.

East Coast or West Coast?  Bulalo or nilaga?  Interviewed in this episode by Jonah Toleno, Tracy Badua charms us all with her low-key sense of humor, making it all seem effortless. She recounts growing up in L.A. County, graduating from college in three years, and moving across the country to D.C. and then back again.  Finally--and most incredibly--she talks about being a working mother in the midst of a pandemic.  Tracy is an attorney in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is a past President of the Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego.

So much in one episode:  trial successes, service to underserved communities, laughter, and record-from-home interruptions.  Listen in as Heidi Hennig Rowe interviews San Francisco Fil-Am O.G. lawyer goddess and chief-of-everything, Abigail Rivamonte Mesa.  Abi is Chief of Staff for Supervisor Matt Haney in District 6 in San Francisco and has also served as a criminal defense attorney and deputy public defender at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.  

Recorded last November in Austin, Texas, this interview with Christine Pompa takes us through her life growing up as a young performing artist in the Detroit suburbs, her college years at Wayne State University, and then through her journey through the legal profession to her current job leading the intellectual property team at YETI.  She and June Casalmir talk through what it means to succeed as an in-house counsel, and what women of color can do to support each other in the legal profession. 

Heidi Hennig Rowe interviews Lieutenant Colonel Rob Vasquez (Ret.), who is currently seeking a culinary arts degree.  Rob talks about the impact of family on his choice to enter the military, his years of leadership in the U.S. Army, and food as both an individual expression of culture and a means for building bridges.

Recorded live during the height of pre-NFALA Gala festivities in November, Jonah Toleno’s endearing interview with Eric De Los Santos traces his path from his childhood years in Hawaii to his current role as the lead employment lawyer at a publicly-traded company.  Note:  No Crossfitters were harmed in the recording of this interview.

Recorded live as preparations for the 2019 Gala of the National Filipino American Lawyers Associations were underway, this interview with Chad Hartley delves into his relationship with his husband and 2018-19 NFALA President Eric De Los Santos--and with the NFALA community as a whole.  We talk Blu-Ray discs, rainy-but-blessed weddings, rotating Christmas tree stands, and so much more.

In this episode, members of the Filipino American Lawyers Association of New York remember Robin Mangaser Tizon, a devoted member and past Co-Chair of the Public Relations Committee and Co-Chair of the Young Lawyers Network of the National Filipino American Lawyers Association.For information about Robin's scholarship, email info@falanewyork.org.