Acting President
GRACE BARRIOS
Mary Grace Barrios has served as PALAD President since March 2019. She was previously PALAD's Vice President of Outreach since 2013.
Grace is an LA County Democratic Party Alternate Delegate for former Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas (AD 54) and presently, for Assemblymember Sydney Kamlager-Dove (AD 54). She is also a California Democratic Party State Delegate and she was a Delegate at-Large at the DNC Convention in Philadelphia in 2016, 1 of 10 Filipino American delegates in California and 1 out of 14 nationally.
She is the only Filipino American Boardmember for Region 1 Los Angeles County in her SEIU Local 2015 Union Executive Board. She is the Filipino Team Organizer in SEIU 2015 and represents SEIU 2015 at the LA County Federation of Labor. Grace is also a member of the West Hollywood/Beverly Hills Democratic Club.
She was elected Nogales High School Site Councilmember in 1993 until 2003 in Rowland Unified School District and Special Education La Puente Area Boardmember until she was appointed West Covina Community Services Commissioner. She was appointed as the first Filipino American Chair of West Covina Community Services Commission and Public Arts Commissioner.
She worked on the first Capital Improvement Program grant of $300,000 from the City of West Covina to West Covina Schools in Rowland Unified School District.
She was the APAICS (Asian Pacific American Institute of Congressional Studies) Fellow for Class 2014 in Washington D.C.
She’s a licensed insurance broker for 24 years specializing in estate and business planning.
She is a mother of 4 daughters. She is a 42 year old member of SGI-USA and SGI Buddhist organization.
Acting Executive Vice President & Founder
JOSELYN-GEAGA ROSENTHAL
Joselyn Geaga-Rosenthal, L.C.S.W. is a licensed psychotherapist by profession. She received her B.A. in Social Work at UCLA in 1969 and her Masters in Social Work at USC in 1971. She has been licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Science Examiners as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 1973. She is a published author of articles in the mental health field and has been a faculty lecturer at the Cal State University Los Angeles, Department of Social Work.
Joselyn worked in three Los Angeles County departments between 1971 and 2006, and these provided her opportunities to research and study best practices in both direct patient care and management systems. Currently she is in private practice providing psychotherapy at student health centers in community colleges in the Los Angeles area.
Her volunteer community work over the past decades has earned her numerous awards and recognitions such as Pioneer Woman Award from the Los Angeles City Women’s Commission (2005); 100 Most Influential Filipina Woman in the USA (2009) and Global 100 (2013), awards from the USA Filipino Women’s Network; Community Service Award from the Philippine Consulate General of Los Angeles (1990).
She served on many nonprofit boards and citizens commissions including the Los Angeles County Mental Health Commission (1994-2006), Asian Pacific American Friends of the Center Theatre Group, Los Angeles Music Center (1992-2004), Friends of the Echo Park Branch Library which established the only collection on Philippine heritage and culture in the L.A. City Public Library system (2014 to present) and is Mayor Eric Garcetti’s appointee to the Board of Building and Safety Commission (2014 to present.) She brings to this last position her decades long interest and passion in safeguarding our planet’s resources and reversing climate change through principles of permaculture and sustainability.
She draws inspiration from the lives and community service of her late parents Jose V. Geaga and Remedios V. Geaga. The corner of Temple and Alvarado Streets in Historic Filipinotown was named “Remy’s Square” in honor of her mom.
Acting Controller
RUBY DE VERA
Ruby de Vera is a long time community activist in the City of Los Angeles. She landed a job as Senior Field Deputy for Council District 14, Community Advocate for Council District 13, and as Office Manager for Council District 1.
In 2005, she ran for office in an open seat for council district 14 and placed 3rd among 10 candidates. The Filipino community took pride in seeing Ruby as a possible candidate in other areas including the City of Glendale and Council District 13 where Historic Filipinotown is located.
A recipient of many awards, Ruby was Woman of the Year for Assembly District 55, Founding President of the Filipino American Kiwanis of Glendale, Past President of the Los Angeles Filipino American City Employees, President of the Filipino American Business Association of Glendale, who will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary this year, on the Civic Advisory Board of Glendale Adventist Medical Center, Democrat of the Year for the 45th District and Board of Regents of Holy Family High School in Glendale. She has also received many recognitions from the City of Los Angeles, State of California, County of Los Angeles, and the U. S. House of Representatives for her community service.
On April 2010, Ruby decided to retire from the City of Los Angeles after 16 years of service and spends time running Don Glenn Heating & Air Conditioning Company, a family business since 1984. She finds time to do her community service in Glassell Park as the Chair of the Glassell Park Neighborhood Council. She has also chaired the Annual Northeast Veterans Day Parade for the past ten years.
On September 22, 2010, Ruby received the Women Achiever Award from the tri-cities of Glendale, Burbank, and Pasadena together with 20 other women who were picked from 350 candidates. In 2012, she was recognized as one of 100 Outstanding Filipinos in the U.S. an award which raised $25,000 for Bantay Bata in the Philippines.
Ruby lives in Mt. Washington with husband, Andy, and daughter, Theresa. She also has a son, Randy who is married to Patricia and two grandchildren (twins) Pax and Zoe.