Please join FWN for Pinay Afternoon Tea on Saturday, May 9th, 2015 from 1:30-5:00 pm at a special event "Circles of Influence: Mothers & Daughters Together in HONOR of Mother's Day" @ the beautiful Crown Room on the 24th Floor of The Fairmont San Francisco.
Our guest of honor is Ms. Mariza Bensurto, amazing wife of our recently appointed Philippine Consul General San Francisco, Henry Bensurto, Esq. (scroll down to know more about Mariza). Attending with her are the awesome women who make the San Francisco Philippine Consulate ROCK!
- Cecile Ascalon
- Philippine Tourism Director Pura S. Molintas
FWN Members who will share their Circles of Influence stories - the women who have influenced their personal and work lives are:
- Alicia Fortaleza, President, Philippine Nurses Association, Northern California
- Elena Mangahas, co-Chair, Little Manila Foundation
- Hazel Dolio, Tag-at, WTAS, LLC
- Mae Cendaña Torlakson, Ambrose Recreation and Park District
- Marian Catedral-King, Chevron
A special session on tea etiquette with Celebrity Speaker& Leading Etiquette Trainer, Syndi Seid, will complete our time together.
Please note: for those who would like to bring their daughters, nieces, and young Pinay friends --- this event will be appreciated by those age 13 and older.
We have limited reserved seating, so please RSVP now and before May 5, 2015. VIP Tables of 10 available at http://www.ffwn.org/event-1924391.
About Mariza Sanchez-Bensurto
Ann Mariza Sanchez-Bensurto is a passionate advocate of children’s education and welfare. She is a volunteer at the Museo Pambata, was an active promoter of the New Parent’s Educational Program, and was also a parent coordinator in PAREF Southridge School for boys in the Philippines. Her current project is to promote Filipino cultural heritage to Filipino-American children by linking the Museo Pambata to American-based organizations and schools. She is also a member of the League of San Francisco Consular Corps.
This reflects Ms. Sanchez-Bensurto’s belief in the importance of building solid foundations for children and families. Her only son, Matthew, is a self-assured thirteen-year-old who is proud of his Filipino Heritage. Matthew shows promise as an artist – he is currently a member of the San Francisco Boy’s Chorus and recently portrayed Jesus Christ in a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross. His performance was so moving that he earned the admiration of his school and the parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus Parish. Ms. Sanchez-Bensurto’s, husband, Consul-General Henry Bensurto, leads the legal team presenting the Philippine case on the Kalayaan Islands before an Arbitral Tribunal of the Law of the Sea in The Hague and is well-respected for his knowledge of international law.
Before coming to San Francisco, Ms. Sanchez-Bensurto worked in the Philippine Foreign Service Institute, the premier training institution for foreign service officers and a key think tank of Philippine foreign policy. Ms. Sanchez-Bensurto studied in Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University; she was also the recipient of several scholarships from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Universitas Sebelas Maret in Indonesia and the Centre for Applied Studies in International Negotiations in Switzerland. Ms. Sanchez-Bensurto a native of Butuan City is fluent in Bahasa Indonesia, Cebuano and Ilonggo.