Page 29 - UPAAA GRC '21 Souvenir Journal

CLOSING MOTIVATION

PANELISTS

J G , MD graduated with a BS Zoology Degree (cum laude) in 1981 from UP
Diliman and with a Doctor of Medicine from UP Manila in 1985. He had his residency
training in the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilita on at the Philippine General Hos-
pital from 1987 to 1989. He prac ced Rehabilita on Medicine in major hospitals in Davao
City from 1991 to 2002, aside from being the Dean of the Davao Doctors College School of
Physical Therapy and a faculty member in Neuroanatomy at the Davao Medical School. At
present, Joel is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine,
teaching Gross Anatomy with human cadaver dissec on, and an Associate Professor at
West Coast University School of Nursing.

L S (G ) M , RN, is a dedicated, mul -
awarded visionary who has dis nguished herself as an effec ve organizer and community
leader. She is a licensed Registered Professional Nurse who holds a bachelor's degree in
Nursing from UP Diliman (1958) and a master’s degree in Professional Studies in Health
Care Administra on from C.W. Post Long Island University, New York (1975). She went for
graduate studies in Nursing at New York University. Luz worked at Sloan Ke ering Memo-
rial Center for Cancer and Visi ng Nurse Service of New York. In 1963, she joined the
Cabrini Medical Center as an opera ng room nurse, was later promoted to Vice President
for Pa ent Services un l she re red as Assistant VP for Opera ons in 1996.
Luz is past president, member, and board of director of several non-profits including the
Philippine American Associa on of Nevada, UPAA Nevada, Filipino American Heritage
Founda on, and Na onal Federa on of Filipino Associa ons in America. She founded the
Philippine American Charity Founda on (2001) in Nevada. A recipient of various cita ons
for exemplary community service and social ac vism in promo ng Filipino culture, values, and heritage, Luz was
commended by the Philippine Consulate Generals in New York and Los Angeles for volunteerism and civic respon-
sibility, and for ensuring the success of the Philippine Independence Day Celebra on in New York and Consular
Outreach in Las Vegas. The most pres gious of these awards started with the New York Governor's award for Out-
standing Asian American in 1994. Other awards are: Twenty Outstanding Filipinos Abroad (2009), 100 Most Influ-
en al Filipina Women's Network (2007), and Presiden al Banaag Award (2012). During the 2008 UP Centennial
celebra on, Luz received from UPAA the “Interna onal Alumni Achiever” and from UP College of Nursing the
“Dis nguished Alumni Achiever” awards.

J M Z , MD is a pediatrician in Northwest
Florida. She has been providing care to the underserved popula on for over 20
years. A graduate of UP (BS Zoology 1986) and University of the East Ramon
Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (Doctor of Medicine), she trained at Long
Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. In 2018, she was a Congressional
candidate for the US House of Representa ves, FL-1 as a strong advocate for
healthcare for all. She was the CEO of Kids’ Care Pediatrics for over 17 years be-
fore joining a mul -specialty group whose mission is to make healthcare within
reach for everyone in the community. As an adjunct professor for Florida State
University, she mentors medical students and physician assistants as they pur-
sue careers in community healthcare. Dr. Z, as she is known to many, is the first female, the first Asian,
and an immigrant of Filipino heritage to ever run as a major poli cal candidate in NWFL for a US Con-
gressional seat. Dr. Z is the proud mother of three children. She is married to Jay, a Jewish American
from New York. Her second son is now training to be an Orthopedic doctor in the Army.