Advocate of the Year Award

Southern California Edison Company

Born in the Philippines and raised in Los Angeles, Marissa B. Castro-Salvati comes form a small family with only one sister. Her parents were both working professionals-her mother, Lulu, a retired LAUSD teacher and her father, Enrique, a retired State Employee. She is a product of the Los Angeles Unified School District and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from UCLA. She has resided in the same are in the City of Los Angeles for over 33 years. She is currently a Deputy Director of Public Affairs for Southern California Edison. She was formerly the Director of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs for then Assembly Speaker Willie Brown. Her interest in politics began early while she was in junior high school continuing on to UCLA. She had her share of working for various elected officials Former Assembly Members Curtis Tucker, Jr. and Mike Roos; former City Council Members Joy Picus, and late Gilbert Lindsay; major political campaigns of Presidential candidates-U.S. Senator Paul Simon and Governor Michael Dukakis and gubernatorial candidate Mayor Dianne Feinstein and many others.

She is actively involved in a number of community organizations and to name a few: Current Chair & Immediate Past President of Asian Business League of Southern California, Past President and current Board Member of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA); current Board Member of Chinatown Service Center; Advisory Board Member of Asian Pacific Family Center; Founding Member and Past President of the Asian Pacific Community Fund; Board member of Asian Youth Center; Advisory Board Member of Asian Rehabilitation Services; Former Chair and Past President of the International Visitors Council of Los Angeles; Past President of the Friends of the Los Angeles City Commission on Status of Women; Past President of the Asian Pacific Women's Network; Past President and Founding Member of Philippine American Los Angeles Democrats; 1987 Dinner Chair, 1988 and 1989 Dinner Co-Chair, and 1990 overall Committee Chair for the Los Angeles Mayor's Asian Pacific American Heritage Week; Founding member, Past Vice President, Past Board of Trustees Member and current Advisory Council Member of the Asian Pacific Women's Center; Past Vice President and former Chair of Public Affairs Committee of Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles; Past Board Member of Bellflower and Artesia Chambers of Commerce; Past Vice President & Past Presidential-Elect of Cerritos Chamber of Commerce; Past President of Lakewood Chamber of Commerce; Co-Chair of Monterey Park Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee; Board Member of Alhambra Chamber of Commerce; Past Vocational Service Chair of Lakewood Rotary; and Past Advisory Board member of the League of Women Voters of Los Angeles Education Fund.

With the kind of job Marissa has, she constantly meets different people to whom she often offers her assistance. Although her work keeps her fairly busy, she still has time to devote herself in as much time as she can in making sure women and most especially the Asian Pacific and Filipino communities are recognized accordingly in respective segments of the society. Just recently, Marissa co-chaired the Asian Pacific American Gala Reception at the 2004 Democratic National Committee Convention in Boston, MA.

Marissa continues to be instrumental in a number of feats in the community. Marissa along with trusted colleagues and women's groups were successful in retaining the position for an Asian Pacific woman in a key city commission instead of appointing a male counterpart. While President of Asian Pacific Women's Network (APWN), Marissa successfully established the first pro-choice group in Los Angeles. She is a proud founding member of the first domestic violence transitional housing in the Asian Pacific community for women and their families. In the summer of 1993, Marissa and a close colleague founded and launched the first internship program of its kind in the Pilipino American community (statewide and nationwide)-Summer Program for Empowerment and Leadership (SPEL). The program proved to be an inspirational medium and premiere model for the Pilipino community.

Marissa has been awarded numerous achievements for what she has accomplished and to name a few: 2005 Community Service Awardee for Search to Involve Pilipino Americans; 1992 "Women For:" Achievement Awardee along with other prominent women such as Linda Bloodworth-Thomason; Honoree for the 1994 Asian Pacific Family Center; 1999 American Council of Youth Political Leaders, etc. She is also included in different publications: the premiere edition of the "Who's Who Among Asian Americans," 7th Edition of the 2,000 Notable Women in America, 1995 Edition of "Most Admired Men and Women," and International Biographical Center.

Marissa is a people-oriented kind of person. That's why meeting and helping individuals or groups make her job worthwhile. She has actively participated and spoken in numerous conferences, rallies, and seminars. With her range of connections, she has remarkably developed relationships among all the different sectors of our society and known to be someone who can deliver. In addition, Marissa lends her voice to Channel 18 for public service announcements, commercials, and commentaries. She also is frequently asked to host special shows produced by KSCI-TV or ICN (i.e. Mt. Pinatubo Telethon, Special Philippine Elections, etc.) and to be a guest on radio and television talk shows.

During her spare time, she enjoys karate, river rafting, skydiving, mountain biking, hiking, playing pool, going to the movies, and restaurants, shopping, traveling and especially spending some quality time with husband Gary, family, and friends.