Board of Directors
Meet the Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance Board of Directors
Catherine Uy
President
Catherine Carandang-Uy
Catherine Carandang-Uy is currently the President of Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). She is a multi-award-winning global sales leader with a strategic mindset and exceptional business relationship skills. Catherine is a successful entrepreneur in the hospitality and entertainment industry. They once owned the renowned Asian Fusion Restaurant, Kubo, and founded SCAT Productions, an entertainment company that brought groundbreaking performances by Jabbawockeez, Sarah Geronimo, Beat Freaks, MYMP, and others to New Jersey.
Catherine has been deeply involved in the community since the late 90s. She has served as a Chairwoman for organizations such as PAFCOM (Philippine American Friendship Community), PIDCI (Philippine Independence Day Council), Harvard Graduate Commons Program, and the First Filipino Culture Club in Harvard University.
Catherine and Satrick are the founders of Harvard Square PhilAm Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Harvard Square that is dedicated to addressing societal challenges and promoting education, equality, and empowerment.
With an impressive career and a genuine commitment to making a positive impact, Catherine continues to inspire others through their leadership, creativity, and unwavering dedication to both their professional and community endeavors.
Satrick Uy
Vice President
Satrick Uy
Satrick Uy is currently the Vice President of Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). He is a dedicated individual with a passion for organizing and coordinating special events. As the Director of Banquets at Harvard University, Satrick brings his expertise and creativity to ensure memorable experiences for the university community and its guests.
Before his tenure at Harvard, Satrick honed his skills in the hospitality industry, working as Restaurant and Room Service Manager at esteemed establishments such as the New York Palace Hotel, W Hotel, Regent Wall Street Hotel, and RIHGA Royal Hotel NY. His experience in managing restaurant service operations and banquet services equipped him with a keen eye for detail and a strong sense of customer satisfaction.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Satrick has actively engaged with various organizations and initiatives. He played a pivotal role in SCAT Productions, contributing to the success of the entertainment company. Satrick’s passion for community-building and cultural awareness led him to found several Filipino-American groups, including the Cambridge Fil-Am Group and the Boston Fil-Am Group. These organizations, including TGIF (“Thank God I’m Filipino”), aim to celebrate Filipino culture and foster a sense of belonging within the Filipino-Americancommunity.
Satrick’s most recent venture, the Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA), showcases his commitment to creating a platform for the Philippine-American community within the Harvard Square area. As the founder of HSPAA, Satrick spearheads initiatives that promote cultural exchange, education, and advocacy.
Satrick Uy’s diverse background, combining expertise in event management, hospitality, and community engagement, makes him an invaluable asset to the non-profit organization he represents. Through his tireless efforts and dedication, he continues to make a positive impact on both the Harvard University community and the broader community he serves.
Gretheline Bolandrina
Treasurer
Gretheline Bolandrina
Gretheline Bolandrina is currently the Treasurer of Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). She holds a doctoral degree in health administration with 36 years of experience working in nursing and nursing education with expertise in rehabilitation nursing. Gretheline is passionate about volunteerism, cultural awareness, and healthcare advocacy. Gretheline is a powerful force in the Filipino-American community and uses her networking skills and tireless energy to help promote the positive image of the global Filipino citizen. She served as past Vice-president for the Philippine Nurses Association of New England, past publishing editor for Planet Philippines New England, and is the volunteer signs & supplies coordinator for the Pan Mass Challenge. She is a recipient of the National Prism Award for Women of Style and Achievements, given by the Gintong Pamana (Golden Heritage) Awards Foundation in cooperation with the publications PhilippineTIME-U.S.A. and The Fil-Am Weekly MegaScene. She also received the US FWN100 Behind the Scenes Leaders Award in San Francisco. Gretheline is inspired daily by her husband Joseph and their children Jessica, Gino, Lilly, and Max (all graduates of the Iskwelahang Pilipino, Boston). In her free time, Gretheline likes to write, paint, bricolage arts & crafts, and indoor container gardening propagating sampaguita (jasmine), gumamela (hibiscus), and the Tan Hua flowers.
Satrick Camerone Uy
Secretary
Satrick Camerone Uy
Satrick Camerone Uy is currently the Secretary of Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). He is a dynamic individual with a zest for cultural affairs, cooking, and fashion. Currently working as a business analyst at an energy company, Camerone‘s professional acumen is matched by their dedication to promoting cultural awareness and fostering meaningful connections within their community. With an innate passion for diverse cuisines, Camerone savors the flavors of different cultures, finding inspiration in culinary traditions. His love for food and fashion fuels their creativity, enabling them to appreciate and celebrate the unique expressions of style found across cultures. Camerone‘s commitment to making a positive impact through their involvement with community building and making food for others reflects their deep belief in the power of cultural exchange and the transformative potential of shared experiences.
Nela Charade Galang Puno
Board Member
Nela Charade Galang Puno
Charade works at the intersection of healthcare transformation, social entrepreneurship and innovation. She graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2023 with a Master’s in Public Administration.
She is the Co-founder of Green Hero Corporation, a product development company committed to championing Philippine medicinal herbs through science-based nutrition.
“Everything we develop and produce aims to champion Philippine therapeutic herbs in partnership with our network of communities —“real people” making products that bring meaning and connection to your home.”
Being a cancer survivor, she has been in constant pursuit of ethically sourced therapeutic herbs and an advocate on preventive health.
As the Deputy Secretary General for Health Legislation for the National Unity Party (NUP), she consults on government efforts focused on universal healthcare.
Her engagement with Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA) as an advisory Board Member lies on her belief that strengthening the Filipino- American community through networking and outreach events gives a stronger sense of inclusiveness, independence and pride- because empowered people become agents of change in their own lives and actors of their own development.
She has over 15 years of experience in regulatory affairs management, operational transformation and business development having occupied leadership positions in the private and public sector. In this regard, she has led strategic engagements in business turnarounds, process reengineering, organizational change, best-practices accreditation and digital revolutions.
Charade was the first woman Director-General of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appointed by the country’s President. She has successfully steered the national agency through its challenging stages of reform, restructure and operational expansion in public service delivery. Under her leadership , FDA accomplished such important milestones in the streamlining of regulatory processes and procedures (anti-red tape) , the roll-out of enforcement (fight against counterfeit, corruption) and the decentralization of regional offices (better access to public service ), all these enabling the FDA to be a more responsive, citizen- centric public health authority. Charade is also a recipient of the 2018 Best-M Government Service award at the World Government Summit in Dubai. When she’s not working, you can find Charade traveling and diving into pharmacies, going to the beach, or taking care of her dog and three cats.
Josephine Jalandoni
Board Member
Josephine Jalandoni
Josephine Jalandoni is currently a Board Member of the Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). A tireless advocate of Filipino heritage, Joji, as her close friends fondly call her, has facilitated cultural shows for the Filipino American community in New York for about a decade. Her most memorable feat was the 2018 Philippine Independence Day Parade on Madison Avenue, where festival performers from Iloilo City and Guimaras province regaled New Yorkers with colorful imagery and dance, a feat no other Filipino-American leader has done. A nurse by profession, Jalandoni promotes cultural shows to keep Filipino heritage alive for future generations.
She is known among New York City Ilonggos as “the Mother of Dinagyang and Manggahan Festivals in the New York City Philippine Independence Day Parade.” A New Jersey-based nurse, originally from Victorias City, Negros Occidental.
Jalandoni, who has a Master’s degree in Hospital Administration/Nurse Executive Program from the Teachers College at Columbia University, has gone above the regular duties of a nurse and currently holds the position of infection control and associate prevention director at her place of employment.
Jalandoni has served as president of the Philippine Independence Day Council, Inc. (PIDCI) and the Silliman University Alumni Association New York-New Jersey Chapter, where she has worked in many community activities.
Lidy Chan
Board Member
Lidy Chan
Lidy Chan is an accomplished, veteran leader in the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. She started her community service when she was in elementary school in Cebu, Philippines by tutoring students and providing free school supplies to underserved students in her school. She continues her community involvement when she came to the United States in early 1990 and decided to reside in Boston, Massachusetts.
Lidy serves as a Board Member of the Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HPAA), Culture and Arts Director for the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), a member of NaFFAA Massachusetts Dance Troupe, Director of Philippine Mainstream Advocacy of Non-partisan Associations, Inc (PAMANA), a Board member of Foxborough Cultural Council (FCC), a member of St. Mary’s Choir. Advisory Board member as well as Immediate Past President for the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) Boston Chapter and Treasurer for Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition (MAWOCC).
Lidy works at Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) as a Risk Financing Manager. In addition to her day-to-day duties overseeing the Risk Management and Insurance Department, she is involved in MassDOT’s many programs serving as a mentor, Partners in Transportation Diversity Planning Committee member, Chair of AAPI Heritage month celebration, a founding member for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Employee Advisory Council, a member of the MassDOT Employee Resource Group (ERG) Council.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce with minors in Economics, Banking, Finance and Marketing at Southwestern University, Philippines. She attended a finance continuing education at Northeastern University, Boston and completed her associate in risk management designation at Insurance Institute of America. Lidy resides in Foxborough with her husband Jeff, two children Julie & Jessica, and a toy poodle Winston.
Dr. Tomas Vergel Jamir
Board Member
Tomas Vergel “Tom” C. Jamir, Ph.D.
Dr. Tom is currently a Board Member of Harvard Square Philippine American Alliance (HSPAA). Coming from a family of fishers, musicians, U.S. Navy sailors, soldiers, and educators, Tom began his marine science career early, first, as a Fisheries Extension Agent working in remote Philippine rural fishing communities and later as Chairman of the Department of Marine Fisheries and Assistant to the Dean for Training and Research Ship Administration at the University of the Philippines.
Tom came to the U.S. to pursue his doctorate in Oceanography from Oregon State University where he concurrently earned several masters degrees and received the OSU Outstanding Employee and Excellence in Teaching Award. Continuing his interest in innovative marine science education, he worked as Director of the Center for Marine Resource Studies where he implemented a successful business turn-around strategy for the fledgling Caribbean Branch of The School for Field Studies. He also partnered with Boston’s Ocean Challenge Corporation to successfully launch “Sites Alive!,” a pioneering on-line science education venture, and with Darden (Red Lobster) Restaurants on a community-based citizen science resource management project.
After his stint in the Caribbean, Tom went back to the U.S. and worked for the commercial fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing industries of the southeastern United States, first, as Program Director of the Gulf & South Atlantic Fisheries Foundation, Inc., then as Executive Director of the Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center based at the University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth. Later, he joined the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Miami where he initially served as Science Liaison to the Southeast Regional Fisheries Management Councils before moving back to New England as Facilities Manager, Strategic Planner, and Safety Coordinator for the Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO). Currently, Tom is GARFO’s Learning Coordinator and Senior Adviser for Organizational Excellence, Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Accessibility. He is also on the Executive Board of the Caring for All Races and Ethnicities (CARE) Employee Resource Group (ERG), Generations with Genius ERG, and Asian American and Pacific Islander ERG. Under his leadership, the latter two ERGs ranked among the Top 25 Best ERGs globally and honored with the “Diversity Impact Award” in 2021 and 2022, and 2023 respectively.
Tom earned his B.S. Marine Fisheries and M.S. Physical Oceanography degrees from the University of the Philippines at Diliman, and an M.S. Marine Resource Management, Master of Agriculture (Aquaculture & Agricultural Economics), M.A. Resource and Economic Geography, Master of Business Administration (Strategic Planning and Project Management), and Ph.D. Biological Oceanography from Oregon State University. He is also a Certified Master Gardener with the University of Connecticut’s Agricultural Extension Service.