4.2 Million Filipino Americans currently live in the U.S.
Yet, there is a lack of visibility, representation, inspiration, and community support for Filipino American entrepreneurs throughout the United States.
These challenges can stifle dreams and delay or prevent Filipino Americans from believing in their potential and taking action.
We are catalysts for economic progress and success in the Filipino American community.
We understand the profound value of representation and community support in helping FilAm aspiring entrepreneurs and changemakers reach their goals.
We are passionately devoted to providing Filipino Americans with a network that caters specifically to them - offering mentorship programs, development courses, guidance, and resources – all designed to empower individuals on the path toward success.
Founded, run, and inspired by entrepreneurs, leaders, and FilAm supporters and advocates, the Katalista Framework connects rising Filipinos with the resources and support they need to thrive as entrepreneurs across all industries.
As catalysts, we work on challenging boundaries, prompting creative thinking, and identifying successful strategies that work to empower Filipino Americans to turn their entrepreneurial leadership dreams into reality.
the Filipino American community through the success stories of those who have overcome struggles and achieved their dreams
ELEVATE
individuals by sharing these stories and mobilizing our community to provide support and connections
ENERGIZE
EMPOWER
rising Filipino American entrepreneurs and leaders to achieve their goals and create tangible economic opportunities
As a Filipino woman who understands the challenges in achieving economic prosperity, I founded this organization. Witnessing the determination and resilience of our community, I was motivated to create a platform that empowers Filipino Americans with resources, mentorship, and educational opportunities, so they don’t have to go through the same challenges I did. Let's shatter the glass ceilings that have held us back for too long and pave the way for a brighter future together.
-Nicole
Nicole Cacal
Founder and Executive Director
Get Inspired by Other FilAms
Looking for inspiring stories to build a community around? Welcome to our collection of remarkable narratives that celebrate the triumphs and resilience of Filipino Americans.
TEAM & BOARD MEMBERS
Katalista Founder & Executive Director
Nicole Cacal
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Nicole Cacal is a highly regarded leader in the tech and entrepreneurship fields, with a passion for advancing the Filipino community. She is the Founder and CEO of Forbes Ignite, a consultancy advising global companies on how to innovate at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and social impact. A dedicated lecturer at the Parsons School of Design and a visiting professor at the Pratt Institute, she teaches courses on financial management, business models, social innovation, and strategic technology to the next generation of diverse leaders. She also engages in-depth conversations with mission-driven individuals who are redefining success through the Forbes Ignite podcast, “Inner Wealth.”
Nicole holds a BBA in Finance & International Business from the University of Hawaii, an MSc in Strategic Design & Management from the Parsons School of Design, and an MSc in Technology Management from Columbia University.
She is an international speaker on topics such as design thinking, technology for good, and reciprocal mentorship. A trained classical pianist, in her free time, Nicole enjoys photography, painting, writing, traveling and expanding her collection of signed 1st edition books.
Nathalie Capati
Co-Founder and CEO at Jasmine Energy
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Nathalie Capati is a patented engineer, experienced leader, fintech founder, and a Forbes 30 under 30 lister. From improving li-ion battery manufacturing and safety at Apple and General Motors, to orchestrating growth as a leader across global enterprises, her dedication to scaling clean energy is coupled with her commitment to building sustainable teams worldwide. Backed by Y combinator, she is the cofounder and CEO Jasmine Energy, a trading platform that accelerates climate financing through the power of efficient markets. With a keen eye for systems design and a passion for cultivating people, she joins Katalista to help early stage Filipino founders find "founder market fit", digging deep to define their domain expertise and identifying the unique skill sets to refine an idea or reiterate on their product or business plan that will give them that competitive edge.
Will Thompson
Chief Strategy Officer at Forbes Ignite
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Will Thompson is the Chief Strategy Officer of Forbes Ignite, the innovation consulting arm of Forbes Media. Forbes Ignite taps the collective intelligence of the Forbes network to help companies and governments around the world innovate for sustainability and social impact. Before joining Forbes Ignite, Will served as Senior Vice President of Insights and Strategy at Forbes Media, the parent company, where he led their technology research division, published the first major media publication on machine learning (Forbes AI) and advised the world’s largest organizations on their thought leadership, marketing, technology and innovation strategies. Prior to joining Forbes, Will held roles at The Economist and was a founder or principal in a number of communications and publishing organizations for the financial services industry.
Al Cuizon, Jr.
Katalista Social Media Manager
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Al is a Filipino-American, 1st Generation aspiring entrepreneur and leader within the Filipino Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. A 19-year-old who has interests in international public policy, politics, law, and business, with aspirations of going to Harvard University after community college in Illinois.
As Katalista's Social Media Manager, he focuses on providing information that is clear, concise, and to the point of completing Katalista's overall mission, building a tight-knit community of fellow Fil-Am entrepreneurs and to move our mission forward, one idea at a time. He does all of this while balancing internships, his personal Medium blog site, and working on a couple entrepreneurial projects on the side.
With Al's proactiveness, we hope to continue growing and moving forward in completing our 10 year mission of becoming one of the largest AAPI Entrepreneurial Communities on the internet.
Lorenzo Santos
Partner at TAP Group
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Lorenzo Santos is an entrepreneur, investor, advisor, and growth/gtm expert. After co-founding an agency in college helping Chinese manufacturers build and scale their products direct to US consumers, he transitioned over to SAP.iO (SAP's Venture arm) holding roles as an Entrepreneur-in-Resident, GTM Manager, and Venture Partner in order to help build and scale new enterprise products to prevent the innovator's dilemma as well as co-running the Intrepreneurship program in the US. At Operate (VC Firm) and Tap Group, he helped early-stage portfolio startups do whatever it takes to "escape velocity" from strategy to execution.
For his passion projects, Lorenzo continues advising and building the two non-profit organizations he founded while in college and during his fellowship under Stanford University - Sigma Upsilon Mu (SUM) and Student Innovation Collective (SINC). Together, these organizations have helped over hundreds of college students build applicable business skills and become university change agents through innovation, intrapreneurship, and entrepreneurship.
Lastly he's also been building out filipinoangels.com, the largest directory of Filipino angel investors, venture capitalists, and founders.
Liza Adams
Managing Partner at GrowthPath Partners
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Liza Adams is a seasoned marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry, working with high-growth global companies such as Juniper Networks, Smartsheet, Pure Storage, Encompass Technologies, Brocade, and Level 3 Communications. Currently, Liza holds the role of founder and managing partner at GrowthPath Partners. In this capacity, she serves as a fractional CMO and executive advisor to multiple technology businesses. Her profound passion for innovation is evident, driven by a commitment to fostering connections that positively impact the way people live and work.
Her leadership principles revolve around purpose, passion, possibilities, positivity, and people. She strongly believes in the power of diverse teams and their ability to achieve outstanding results through complementary skills. Hailing from a humble upbringing in the Philippines, she fearlessly leverages business as a force for positive change, nurturing future leaders and inspiring others along the way.
Liza resides in Boulder County, Colorado with her husband, two children, and two fur babies. She enjoys family vacations, adventure travel, fitness classes, sports, home decorating, and making boxtumes (costumes made out of boxes) for Halloween, which have been featured on the Today Show and the LIVE with Kelly and Ryan Show.
Evelyn Swaim
Limited Partner at Stage 2 Capital
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Evelyn Swaim is a proven senior marketing executive known for propelling businesses from $10MM-$50MM to over $1B in scale. With extensive experience in B2B, B2C, and B2B2C SaaS technology companies, she collaborates closely with C-suite executives to craft powerful go-to-market strategies.
Currently serving as a fractional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for SecureCo and an advisor for Stage 2 Capital, Evelyn's expertise has profoundly impacted the tech industry. Her digital-first, data-informed approach yields scalable and efficient strategies for predictable and profitable growth.
A sought-after speaker and thought leader, Evelyn shares her knowledge and experiences to inspire the next generation of marketing professionals. Her reputation as a visionary and collaborative leader makes her highly sought after by companies seeking transformative results in their marketing endeavors.
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