Mission
We want to elevate Filipino culture in the greater Boston area by creating and collaborating around Filipino and Asian American content / events / educational programming.
Current Team
Trish Fontanilla
Co-FOUNDER / CEO (Chief energy officer)
Where you’re from: A lil town in New Jersey
Favorite Filipino Dish: Because dessert, always, I'd say turon (saba bananas, jackfruit, rolled in brown sugar then wrapped in a spring roll wrapper and fried).
Favorite Boston spot: Myers+Chang! It’s one of my restaurants in Boston, and I just really love the team and vibe. I’ve spent the last 10 birthdays there!
Find Trish on:
Reina Adriano
blog contributor
Where you’re from: Quezon City but I have Bicolano roots in Legazpi, Albay.
Favorite Filipino Dish: Pork Sisig!
Favorite Boston spot: Boston Public Library
Find Reina on:
Katie Milliken
Podcast Host / content contributor
Where you’re from: San Jose, California
Favorite Filipino Dish: I am constantly dreaming about pancit palabok!
Favorite Boston spot: Grabbing a book and reading at Brookline Booksmith, or taking a walk at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, or my apartment. They're all tied!
Find Katie on:
Hyacinth Empinado
multimedia content contributor / editor
Where you’re from: I am a proud Cebuana. I was raised in a town called Minglanilla.
Favorite Filipino Dish: My mom’s dinuguan. Hands down. A very close second is sisig.
Favorite Boston spot: I love getting ramen at Santouka. You can also never go wrong with dumplings at the Gourmet Dumpling House.
Find hyacinth on:
We’re always looking for more team members / contributors, and you can check out our anniversary post here to see what roles we’re looking for.
Collaborators
It takes a village to raise a community, and these amazing people have helped BOSFilipinos grow. We’re especially grateful for Leila and Bianca who helped start BOSFilipinos and were very instrumental in the first year, Matt who designed our logo and first website, and Roland who was the chef at our first pop up!
Leila Amerling
Co-FOUNDER / events / blog contributor
Where you’re from: Born in Florida. Grew up in Manila, Philippines. Mom is Ilocana, Dad is a Jewish New Yorker. You can call me a Jewlipino.
Favorite Filipino Dish: Tortang talong with banana ketchup, and pinakbet
Favorite Filipino Recipe: Pretty much anything from Panlasang Pinoy.
Find Leila On:
Bianca Garcia
co-founder / marketing / blog contributor
Where you’re from: Manila, Philippines
Favorite Filipino Dish: My family’s pork and beef adobo
Favorite Filipino Recipe: I'm trying to cook more Filipino food myself, and I'm really proud of my Avocado Ice Cream. And I'm obsessed with my family's adobo.
Find Bianca on:
Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn
Matt Nagy
Founding BRAND DESIGNER / blog contributor
Where you’re from: upstate New York
Favorite Filipino Dish: sinangag with itlog / picadillo / lumpia
Favorite Boston spot: Hojoko
Favorite Blog / Podcast / Etc: I might be biased but I have to pick my wife's blog, Confessions of a Chocoholic.
FinD MATT On:
Roland Calupe
pop up chef / blog contributor
Where you’re from: Chicago
Favorite Filipino Dish: So many! If savory, chicken or pork adobo with garlic fried rice and spicy suka or a fresh cooked Illocos empanada. If something sweet, suman latik or leche flan really hit the spot... I want this now!
Favorite Boston spots: This really depends what I'm in the mood for, but I'd say these restaurants cover it Sarma / Les Sablons / Row 34 / Alden and Harlow / Life Alive / Giulia / Dumpling House / Peach Farm / Toro / Ittoku
FinD Roland On:
Christine Del Castillo
blog contributor
Where you’re from: Manila
Favorite Filipino Dish: Taho, bibingka, ice cream from your neighborhood sorbetero.
Favorite Boston spot: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Kendall Square Cinema
FinD Christine On:
Philjay S. Solar
Events contributor
Where you’re from: Dedham, MA
Favorite Filipino Dish: Any type of Lechon.
Favorite Boston spot: Parks: Fan Pier Park, North Point Park, Rose Kennedy Greenway, Castle Island. Other: Top of the Hub, Del Frisco's: Seaport, & Chinatown.
FIND PHILJAY ON:
Helena Berbano
blog contributor
Where you’re from: ’m from Boston, by way of Bronx, NY and Winter Park, FL.
Favorite Filipino Dish: Kare Kare hands down. It’s savory, funky, and decadent.
Favorite Boston spot: Food: The Beehive (South End), Avana Sushi (Chinatown), Eldo Cake House (Chinatown), Le's (Allston), Thinking Cup (Downtown), L’Espalier (Back Bay), and many more.
Melissa Obleada
marketing contributor / liaison
Where you’re from: New Jersey
Favorite Filipino Dish: 100% my mom's lengua in a mushroom sauce, then my mom's arroz caldo with generous fried garlic, lemon, and fish sauce, then pandesal on Christmas Day with leftover ham & cheese from the night before.
Favorite Boston spot: The Esplanade and Harvard Square.
Find melissa on:
Mark Kcolrehs Cordova
Events contributor
Where you’re from: Binan City, Laguna
Favorite Filipino Dish: Adobo, Sinigang na baboy/hipon, Tinlong manok
Favorite Boston spot: I really love the feel and vibe in East Boston and Boston Common.
Mihaela Hinayon
design contributor
Where you’re from: Batangas, Philippines
Favorite Filipino Dish: My all-time faves are kaldereta and buko salad but right now I'm definitely craving pancit canton and lumpia.
Favorite Boston spot: New England Aquarium