Today’s top 6 influential and forward-thinking Filipino Americans
Filipino Americans have made significant contributions to culture, politics, and society.
Here is the top 20 list of the most influential, forward-thinking, and significant Filipino Americans of today.
It also includes those with notable mentions in the American media. They are the ones who are reshaping the future.
Dado Banatao
An entrepreneur and engineer are credited with developing the first 10-Mbit Ethernet CMOS used by IBM. He earned his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Stanford University. He joined the Homebrew Computer Club, where he met Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
His company’s emphasis on technological innovations propelled the Philippines into the modern era, where its economy can thrive competitively as a result of the foundation of his work.
One of the first Filipinos to receive billions of dollars in funding for a technological start-up business idea.
Monique Lhuillier
She is a fashion designer, and creative director is known for her ready-to-wear lifestyle brand that was first established in Los Angeles, California.
Lhuillier is known for celebrity weddings and carpet gown designs. Her list of famous clients includes Taylor Swift, Melania Trump, Blake Lively, Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Obama, Emma Stone, Lea Salonga, and Jennifer Lopez.
Bruno Mars
He is a singer, songwriter, and record producer of Filipino descent. He rose to prominence in 2010 as a result of the success of B.o.B.'s "Nothin' Nothin’ on You” and Travie McCoy’s “Billionaire,” both of which featured his vocals.
Mars is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 130 million records worldwide.
Eight of his songs have charted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and his concert tours are among the most profitable in history.
Among other honors, he has 15 Grammy Awards (including three Record of the Year wins), four Brit Awards, eleven American Music Awards, 13 Soul Train Awards, and three Guinness World Records.
Lourdes Duque Baron
In 2011, Lou Baron garnered the most nods at the Los Angeles and Phoenix Music Awards, including Record of the Year for her single “Feeling Good at Any Age,” Hot AC Artist, and Female Vocalist of the Year.
Lourdes Duque Baron is also the author of the award-winning books “Scripted in Heaven” and “I Called Myself Cassandra.”
On January 10, 2013, she was nominated for the Sidney Hillman Foundation Award. She also received the EOTM Award for Outstanding Literary ( Inspirational, True Story, Biography) for her book “Scripted in Heaven."
In the same year, “Scripted in Heaven” also won the 2013 MoneyCytec Achiever Awards Night in New York.
She is also a singer, actress, and film producer. The short film in which she starred, “Tombstone Pillow,” won over 34 international film awards in countries such as Sweden, Japan, Paris, Amsterdam, and India.
Also, a beauty queen, she finished third in Mrs. Asia USA 2011.
Lourdes Duque Baron holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Far Eastern University (FEU) and a dual master's degree from the University of La Verne where she earned her Master of Health Administration and Master of Science in Gerontology.
Lourdes Duque Baron is a lifetime member of the FEU Medical Alumni Foundation, founder of World Medical Missions, and founder of the Gregg Robinson Baron Foundation for Autism, with an upcoming book, “ When Silence is Not Golden."
She is a humanitarian and stem cell advocate.
Another upcoming book of hers, “ New Breed of Homo Sapiens,” is focused on building awareness for revolutionary stem cell therapies, including how stem cell therapy holds a potential solution for the world’s biggest problem, which is depression.
Cristeta Comerford
is a Filipino-American chef who has been at the White House, as executive chef, since 2005. She is the first person of Asian origin to be assigned to this post.
In 2005, Comerford was promoted to White House executive chef by First Lady Laura Bush; she was the first woman and the first person of Asian descent to hold this position. Comerford has worked at the White House under presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden. She is married to fellow chef John Comerford, with whom she has a daughter.
Joseph Glenn Herbert
Also known as stand-up comedian Jo Koy, began his stand-up career in 1994 at a comedy club in Las Vegas.
Soon after, he moved from open mic night to a regular spot on the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino’s show Catch a Rising Star.
After performing at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, he rented the Huntridge Theater and went door-to-door selling tickets to his comedy shows.
Today, the comedian tours across the US and can be heard as a weekly guest on the podcast, The Adam Carolla Show.
Jo Koy has done two highly-rated and successful comedy specials on Comedy Central: Don’t Make Him Angry and Lights Out. His third comedy special, Jo Koy: Live from Seattle, a Netflix Original was released on March 28, 2017, worldwide.