She was comptroller of their U.S. food trading business, holding executive/supervisory financial management positions including in what is now The Filipino Channel. She shifted to the legal field, where she has focused on immigration these last 21 years.

A parish leader growing up in Malabon, she continued involvement at St. Stephen parish, later representing the Filipino laity to the Ethnic Ministry. At the Archdiocese of San Francisco, she was secretary, then vice chair of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, concurrently member of the Advisory Board of Catholic San Francisco newspaper and Board of Regents of St. Patrick Seminary and University, though it is now reorganized.

Her upbringing, education, and faith experience set the stage for her raising awareness of the merits of healthy relationships and preventing abuse and violence.