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A Night of Pride and Excellence: Filipino American Nurses Honored at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC

 The Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC, shone brightly on 15 October 2025, as it hosted the Pagdiriwang ng Kahusayan (Celebration of Excellence), an inspiring evening that honored the 2025 class of Filipino American Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN).

Co-hosted by the Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) and the Embassy of the Philippines, the event brought together distinguished leaders, scholars, and advocates from across the United States to celebrate Filipino excellence in nursing leadership, education, and practice.

The 2025 honorees included seven outstanding Filipino American nurses: Dr. Tony Umadhay (Florida, Barry University School of Nursing), Dr. Marife Aczon-Armstrong (Hawaii, Chaminade University of Honolulu), Dr. Patrick Simon Soria (Minnesota, Abbott Northwestern Hospital), Dr. Jamille Nagtalon-Ramos (New Jersey, Rutgers University), Dr. Giancarlo Lyle-Edrosolo (North Carolina, Advocate Health), Dr. Gloria Beriones (Texas, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center), and Dr. Ivy Latoja Pacis (Maryland, Veterans Affairs Capitol Health Care Network).


Photo courtesy of the Philippine Nurses Association of America


Their induction into the American Academy of Nursing represents a powerful affirmation of the Filipino American nursing community’s influence on health care delivery, policy, and research across the United States. Each honoree embodies the spirit of kahusayan (excellence) and malasakit (compassion) that defines Filipino nursing worldwide.

The event was gracefully hosted by Dr. Franz Vergara, with special messages from Dr. Brad Goettl (ANE Chief Nursing Officer), Dr. Nancy Mannion (NOBC Board Chair), Dr. Marlon Saria (PNAA President 2024–2026), and Dr. Leo-Felix Jurado (PNAA President 2008–2010).

The Philippine Embassy, led by Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, extended its warm hospitality, joined by Consul General Donna Rodriguez, Consul Mark Lim, and Ms. Mavel Cuevas-Celle, ensuring the evening reflected both elegance and deep national pride.

As the night concluded, applause and laughter echoed through the halls of the Embassy—a celebration not just of individual achievements, but of a shared legacy of service and excellence that continues to elevate Filipino nursing on the global stage.

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