Who is FAEW and what is our story?
The Filipino American Educators of Washington (FAEW) is a professional organization of educators and those involved in education that promotes and advocates for the recruitment, growth, development, advancement, and contributions of Filipino Americans in the schools and communities they serve.
The Filipino American Educators of Washington (FAEW) was founded in 1972 by four Seattle Public School educators: Obdulia (Dolly) Rigor Castillo- Physical Education Teacher, David Daranciang- Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher, Gloria Ysmael Adams - School Counselor, and Rodrigo Magat - Mathematics Teacher. Together, they promoted the presence of more Filipino American educators in administrative, certificated, and non-certificated positions in both public and private school systems. They envisioned a collegial approach in fostering support, guidance, and a passion for learning.
FAEW celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 with surviving founder Gloria Ysmael Adams (Auntie/Manang Glo) on October 29, 2022, at DoubleTree Suites Southcenter. At the Golden Anniversary, founders Auntie Glo and Auntie Dolly were honored. Auntie Dolly was represented by her daughter Mimi Castillo.
FAEW is currently an approved Clock Hour Provider by OSPI. They provide regular professional development opportunities for educators and the community at their monthly meetings. They also provide other professional development through grant funded programs. FAEW received a grant through PESB in 2021-22 and a grant from DEEL in 2022-2023 that focused on educator advancement in culturally responsive teaching, social emotional learning, and the advancement of a Filipinx American History curriculum.
With the DEEL grant, FAEW is building capacity and sustainable practices that will prepare our organization to expand on the programs and supports offered to educators, students, and their families. We are revisiting our by-laws and working on both building our membership and fundraising strategies in order to better our organization. If you are interested in being a part of this growth, become a member!
FAEW 50th Anniversary Celebration
The yearlong preparation for this FAEW milestone was filled with camaraderie during monthly meetings of young and retired educators who came with bright ideas to commemorate FAEW’s successful journey of 50 years. It’s theme “Capturing the Past, Inspiring the Future” was executed by a program that represented the educational vision of our past leaders and members and continued to inspire our young Filipino American educators today. Inspirational keynote addresses by Dr. Third Andresen, Dr. Rick Bonus, Tianna Andresen and Delano Cordova gave us a hope and a positive outlook into the future. Recognition of our founders, Dolly Castillo and Gloria Ysmael Adams was presented by Nolette Serra. President Annabel Garcia Andresen gave the welcome address, preceded by a Land Acknowledgement by Will Depusoy.
October 29, 2022 Hilton DoubleTree Southcenter, Seattle
The Mistresses of Ceremonies were Misha Abalde and Genevieve. Ramon Costales and Misha Abalde led in the singing of “Lupang Hinirang” and “Gaano Kita Kamahal”. The blessing of the food was given by Minda Conde Wilson.
The event also held a Fundraiser with a successful silent auction organized by Lila Chain and Annabel Garcia.
For many it was a a reunion of old friends and acquaintances, a celebration of excellence in education as well as overcoming its many challenges. The evening was filled with fun, gaiety, and dancing.
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Meet the Officers
Annabel Garcia-Andresen
Annabel started her education in DoDEA schools until her father retired from the U.S. Navy. She then attended public schools in the Philippines and eventually attended middle and high school on Guam. Go Islanders! She moved to the mainland U.S. for college at the University of Washington where she received a double degree: BA in Speech Communications and BS in Speech and Hearing Sciences. She has a Masters of Education in Special Education in teaching students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Go Huskies! Annabel is also a National Board Certified Teacher. She has been teaching in Seattle Public Schools since 2006 as a special education preschool teacher. Annabel is on the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports team, Multicultural Celebration team, Poetry Slam team, and after school musical and creative arts program at her elementary school.
Annabel has been the President of FAEW since 2018. Her focus has been on creating, maintaining, or expanding our collaborations with other organizations, securing funding for our projects and programs, providing space for community discussions, and working on the Filipinx American curriculum. She is the proud mother of Tianna Mae, Amarra Marie, and Aleeyah Liwanag and shares these amazing children with her husband Dr. Third Andresen.
President (she/her)
Marissa Winmill
Boundary spanner, enabler, talent developer, life enricher, multilingual, Marissa Winmill is a National Board-Certified Teacher and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. Marissa has been teaching ELLs for almost 3 decades from the Philippines, Texas, to Washington. She leads the Equity Team and the Girls Who Code club in Kent-Meridian HS. She leads regional cohorts of educators of color and co-founded the Kent Educators of Color Network. She is one of the Washington Education Association TPEP Student Growth Goal Trainers of Trainers, Implicit Bias and Microaggression trainer, BEST peer mentor, and a PGP facilitator. As an emeritus board member of the Washington state Professional Educator Standards Board, she’s actively engaged in diversifying the educator workforce through PGP cohorts around the state. She’s also the vice president of Filipino American Educators of Washington. Marissa is a relentless advocate for justice, excellence, and equity for her students and community. She recently earned her doctorate in education. Her research field focuses on BIPOC women leadership. She is also one of the recipients of the 2022 Golden Apple Moment Award. She continued to be a champion for equity, excellence, and uplifting the BIPOC community.
She spends her free time with her family of three multi-talented children Mara, Theresa, and Jeffery, and husband, Lance, who’s also an accomplished educator and a sports coach.
Vice President (she/her)
Melissa “Misha” Abalde
Melissa, who goes by Misha, grew up in Baguio City, Philippines. She attended Kindergarten and first grade in the Philippines and learned Tagalog, English, and Ilokano. In 1993, she and her grandmother immigrated to the U.S. in Charleston, South Carolina, where her father was stationed as a U.S. navy officer. After a year, she and her family moved to Federal Way, Washington. She graduated in 2004 from Thomas Jefferson High School and then lived in Chesapeake, Virginia, for several years. She attended Old Dominion University, where she had the honor of Magna Cum Laude and earned her Masters of Science degree in Elementary Education in 2014.
Misha first fell in love with teaching in first grade. She always enjoyed school, had a desire to work closely with children, and felt a calling early on. Misha began teaching as a long-term guest teacher in the Auburn school district, before accepting a 1st grade teaching position at Zeiger Elementary in the Puyallup school district. She taught 2nd grade the following year and decided to teach closer to home in the Federal Way school district. Misha has been teaching at Sunnycrest Elementary for six and a half years and has taught in a single language classroom as well as a dual language program (Spanish-English). At Sunnycrest, she is a member of the Social Committee and the Multicultural Committee.
Outside of teaching, Misha has served as a secretary in FAEW since 2020. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, shopping, reading, writing in her journal, cooking and baking. Those close to Misha describe her as resilient, intelligent, hard-working, energetic, generous and caring.
Secretary (she/her)
Genevieve Fernandez
Genevieve Fernandez’s love for education began in 2004 as an Assistant de Langue en France (TAPIF) in Beauvais, France, a program managed by France Education International. During that time, she taught English to French elementary students. In 2009, she received her Master in Teaching from Seattle University, and taught French at the high school level in Highline Public Schools and Seattle Public Schools. In 2016, Genevieve earned her Washington State Principal Certification from the University of Washington Danforth Educational Leadership Program. After completing the program, Genevieve worked as an assistant principal of an elementary school in Federal Way Public Schools. Currently, Genevieve serves as the Dean of Students at Shorewood High School where she works closely with administrators and other staff members to provide educational support to students, focusing on promoting key critical reasoning skills, as well as emotional and social growth.
Outside of her job, Genevieve has been involved with the Filipino community and has served as the Treasurer for the non-profit organization Filipino American Educators of Washington since 2019. In addition, she is part of a community board focused on the implementation of Filipinx American History Curriculum for Seattle Public Schools, where she collaborates on writing lesson plans for middle school and high school. Genevieve is passionate and excited to be part of Filipinx American History curriculum planning and the impact it will leave with our current and future Filipinx American generations to come.
Genevieve enjoys spending her free time with her eight-year-old daughter Ellie Joy, her husband Ramil, and their English bulldog Ida Rose. Together they love exploring Washington State, visiting various towns and cities in the northwestern areas of Washington, including the San Juan Islands.
Treasurer (she/her)
Sharlyn Santiago
Sharlyn Santiago is a dedicated community organizer whose roots are from Zambales. It all started in college where she was on the Executive Board of the Filipino American Student Association at Central Washington University. From there, she has been carrying out youth work with elementary to college level students across Washington. She strives to create spaces for youth where they can learn Philippine history, celebrate our culture, and become empowered advocates in their communities. She is now helping to lead Kabataan Alliance, a national alliance of 50+ Filipino youth organizations fighting for the rights and welfare of Filipinos in the U.S, the Philippines, and around the world.
Sharlyn started her role as Auditor in June 2022 and has been excited to help with FAEW’s professional development workshops for educators, design work, and in pushing forward the Philippine Human Rights Act.
Sharlyn enjoys here time doing yoga and being a human and dog auntie.
Auditor (she/her)