Saturday, August 3, 2013, Hyatt Regency of Orange County, Garden Grove, CA

During UPNAAI’s 34th reunion, its members elected the seventeen (17) members of the Board of Directors for 2014-2015. The Chair of UPNAAI’s Nomination & Election Committee, Maggie Ongkiko, BSN’73, announced the names of the newly elected members of the board at the Chapters’ breakfast meeting on Saturday, August 3, 2013. Forty percent (40%) of them are from CA while the remaining sixty percent (60%) are from the following states: FL, NJ, NM, NV, MI, TX, &VA. At the dinner dance that Saturday evening, Dr. Araceli O. Balabagno, MN’71, PhD, Dean of the University of the Philippines Manila College of Nursing, duly inducted the new UPNAAI Board of Directors.

On Saturday, December 14, 2013, during the board meeting in Irvine, CA, the Nomination & Election Committee conducted the election of the officers of the board. The new board unanimously elected Jesusa “Toots” Santa Barbara Czach (CA), BSN’79 as UPNAAI’s 17th President, which she graciously accepted. She was the immediate past 3rd Vice-President and Chairman of the Membership Committee for 2012-2013. The other elected officers are: Dr. Edmund JY Pajarillo (NJ), BSN’79, 1st Vice-President & Chairman of the Education & Research Committee; UPNAAI’s 15th President, Emerita “Emy” Geluz Goodrich (CA), BSN’74, 2nd VP & Chairman of the Program Committee; Gloria Amayun Smitka (VA), GN’69, BSN’70, 3rd VP & Chairman of the Membership Committee; Marilou Torres Lacson (CA), BSN’79, Recording Secretary; UPNAAI’s immediate past president Perry Camilon Francisco (VA), GN’69, BSN’71, Correspondence Secretary; Iren Bobis Roldan (CA), BSN’69, re-elected as Treasurer; and Marilyn Ubaldo Boots (CA), BSN’73, Auditor. Elected as board members are the following: Theresa Liboro Abad (NJ), BSN’81; Zayda Bulala Aberin (CA), GN’67; Dr. Marlene Cataylo Chance (FL), GN’75, 2013 JV Sotejo Medallion of Honor Awardee; Evelyn Gonzalez McLaughlin (CA), BSN’76; Erlinda Cruz Paguio (VA), BSN’72; Carmen Perez (MI), GN’69; Ida Robillon Santos (NV), GN’68; Lachme Trivilegio Sullesta (NM), GN’68; and Susan Vicencio-Garaygay (TX), GN’68.

During Jesusa “Toots” Santa Barbara Czach’s tenure as the 3rd Vice-President & Chairman of the Membership Committee for 2012-2013, UPNAAI experienced a 12% surge in membership, a gain of 76 life members and 7 annual members. By the Aug. 2013 reunion, UPNAAI’s membership reached a total of 705 members (698 life members and 7 annual members). Toots Czach expresses her profound gratitude to those who contributed to the success of UPNAAI’s 2012-2013 membership recruitment initiative. Since joining the board in 2009, Toots Czach remains an active class 1979 coordinator and has served UPNAAI in various positions including Auditor, Business Manager, Chairman & Managing Editor of the UPNAAI News Editorial Board, Chairman of the Website Committee, Editor-in-Chief of the 2013-2014 UPNAAI Yearbook Editorial Board, and others. She served as the 2012-2013 Managing Editor of the Philippine Nurses’ Association of America’s Journal of Nursing Practice & Reviews of Research (JNPARR) and currently serves as JNPARR’s Executive Editor. Toots shared her presidential goals & aspirations at their first board meeting held in Diamond Bar, CA on January 11, 2014 – they are listed in the 2014 President’s Message on page 3 of the Winter 2013-2014 edition of the UPNAAI News.

Saturday, August 3, 2013, Hyatt Regency of Orange County, Garden Grove, CA. Dean Cel Balabagno inducts UPNAAI Officers 2014-2015 L-R: Dean Araceli Balabagno, Ida Robillon Santos GN'68, Lachme Trivilegio Sullesta GN'68, Dr. Marlene "Pinky" Cataylo Chance GN'75. Marilyn Ubaldo Boots BSN'73, Peregrin "Perry" Carilon Francisco GN69, BSN'71, Theresa "Tatess" Liboro Abad BSN'81, Gloria Amayun Smitka GN'69, BSN'70, Iren Bobis Rolda BSN’69, Jesusa "Toots" Santa Barbara Czach BSN'79, Emerita "Emy" Geluz Goodrich BSN'74

UPCN Dean Araceli Balagano, Floresinda Castelo (UPNAAI's First President) and guest speakers Luz Barbara Dones (UPCN Professor & Head, Teaching Program) & Imelda Mangaser (Deputy Director for Nursing, Philippine General Hospital) with the UPNAAI Board of Directors, Advisors, Consultants, and Chapter Representatives from UPN-EC & DELMARVA at the Chapters’ Breakfast Meeting.