Ambassador MaryKay Loss Carlson was nominated by President Biden on February 4 as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of the Philippines. She was confirmed by the Senate on May 5. Ambassador Carlson is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister-Counselor.

She previously served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Prior to her assignment to Argentina, she served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires in New Delhi, India, and held the position of Principal Deputy Executive Secretary for the Secretary of State in Washington, D.C. A Foreign Service officer since 1985, she has served at U.S. Diplomatic Missions in China (twice), Ukraine, Hong Kong, Mozambique, Kenya, and the Dominican Republic. Her domestic assignments include Director of the Secretary’s Executive Secretariat Staff and Deputy Director of Korean Affairs.

A native of Little Rock, Arkansas, Ambassador Carlson received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and International Studies from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. She holds Master’s Degrees from Georgetown University (International Relations) and the National War College (National Security Studies). She is married to retired Foreign Service officer Aubrey Carlson, and they have two daughters.

She is currently the Deputy Executive Director for Operations of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). DD Balmes has vast experience in government service, serving as an elected local official prior to her stint in the Commission, and championing various advocacies, including but not limited to, climate justice, renewable energy, empowerment of women and girls, and promoting gender equality. In the Commission, she serves as speaker, resource person, key informant, and represents the Commission in various international and national engagements, boards, steering committees, and inter-agency initiatives.

She also oversees the Operations cluster as they work towards ensuring the implementation of the Magna Carta of Women, especially in PCW’s priority sectors, one of which is the Women, Peace and Security Sector, where she participates in engagements and activities conducted with the Department of National Defense (DND), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), as well as the review and updating of the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAPWPS).

Aileen is the President and Country General Manager of IBM Philippines

Aileen is the first homegrown Filipina CGM of IBM. She is currently responsible for overall P&L and business growth of IBM in the Philippines. Aileen started her career as a technical Systems Engineer and worked her way up across various technical and senior leadership roles within the country and throughout the Asean and broader Asia Pacific region, managing talent across various countries.

Aileen has pioneered initiatives that have helped deliver outstanding business outcomes, retain high- value talent, and ensure skills are relevant now and in the future. A digital transformation champion and an advocate of diversity and inclusion in various fora by committing to move the Filipino talent especially women into key leadership positions and get the underserved, under-motivated external young breed into the STEM track.

In her current role, Aileen works with her executive and senior leadership peers across the APAC region and interacts with 12 nationalities in the workforce of IBM in the Philippines. Aileen chairs the Board of the various IBM group of companies in the Philippines and is a Trustee of external Boards related to Educational and talent programs among others.

She is also the Vice-President of the American Chamber of Commerce and the Makati Business Club Chairperson for the Women-In-the C-Suite Committee. Aileen received her Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in Ateneo De Manila University.

Heather Ramos is currently the Chief Operating Officer at Capital One Philippines (C1PH). In her role Heather leads the Strategy, Risk and External Affairs functions for the business of 4,000+ associates.

Heather began her career at Capital One, where she has held a variety of roles in her 17 year tenure including Operations, Training and Development, Product Management, and Strategy roles. Having began her career as a Customer Service Agent, she has a passion for elevating experiences for both Customers and Employees alike. Heather is a forward leaning innovator whose leadership style and strategic focus is steeped in values and higher purpose. She is a passionate advocate for empowering female leaders and is deeply committed to lifting the communities in which she works as she continues to invest in local organizations such as The Haven for Women, SOS Children’s Villages, Planet Water, and more.

Heather moved to the Philippines in July 2022 with her family (husband Victor, children Bella and Chase, and their two huskies, Kiko and Leo), while her oldest son remained in the States as he began his freshman year of college. Heather is an avid runner and believes in the power of movement and fitness as a way to take care of her mental health and help balance the demands of her family and career.

Her unique combination of expertise in customer experience, strategic project, process, and operations management, coupled with her most recent experience as an expat, have only strengthened her belief in the opportunities ahead here in the Philippines. She is committed and focused on enabling the vision of becoming the world’s number 1 experience hub for digitally-enabled and customer-centric services while driving inclusive and sustainable economic and social growth for the Philippines.

Ms. Ruth Yu-Owen is recognized by Bloomberg as one of the top women leaders in the country’s energy sector. She is included in the Top 100 Most Influential Women on LinkedIn.

She is the co-founder of Connected Women - a social enterprise with over 100,000 members focused on creating opportunities for women in the online workforce and the future of work. She is also the President of Upgrade Energy Philippines which offers renewable energy and energy efficiency technology to various industries.

She is a First Honoree of USAID'S ASIA's Southeast Asian Women Energy Champions. She is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustee of Ateneo de Zamboanga.

Rosemarie P. Rafael is the Chairwoman and President of several Philippine companies such as AIC Group of Companies Holding Corporation (Airspeed Group] and Sycamore Food Ventures, Inc. She is currently on the Board of Directors of Amazing Philippines Digital Economy Corporation, Line Corporation, TGL Trans Global Logistics, Inc. (independent), and Axelum Resources Corp. A well-known figure in the logistics industry, she was the first woman president of AirCargo Forwarders of the Philippines Inc.

With her dedication, passion, and exemplary leadership, she has been recognized by local and international award-giving bodies such as APEC Best Awards, ASEAN Business Awards, Asia Leaders Awards, and ASIA CEO Awards. Truly, Rosemarie embodies a Global Filipina, always ready to take on the challenge and lead without hesitation.