President & CEO

Cora has over 30 years of experience helping Canadian companies, non- profit organizations and public sector entities to make sound business decisions based on detailed research and analysis, and helping firms implement strategic and business plans to achieve business objectives effectively and cost-efficiently.

In Canada, Cora served for thirty years with the Government of Ontario, twenty years of which were focused in business practices and commercial relations, including the administration of consumer protection statutes. Cora worked with Ontario–based companies, in the promotion of good business practices to make them grow and sustainable. She also worked with Business Development Canada (BDC), a Government of Canada federal crown corporation, to help create and develop Canadian businesses through financing, growth and transition capital, as well as venture capital, focused on small and medium sized companies (SMEs), including start-ups.

As an entrepreneur, she led a business school in Southeast Asia, providing international education, training and research through student exchange, faculty development, international marketing, collaboration and partnerships with education and training community, industry, business and government. For over 15 years, she operated an IATA accredited travel agency in Toronto, with branches in two major cities, to serve the growing special interest groups in facilitating travel, education, business and trade missions to Asia and from Asia to Canada.

As a consultant, she has delivered consulting services to a diverse group of SMEs, NGOs and government agencies. Sectors involved in travel and tourism, call centers and BPO outsourcing, training centers, bereavement industries and the facilitations of business, trade and investment missions.

In the Philippines, Cora served as the National Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (CanCham) for five years, with offices in the National Capital Region in Makati City, the Visayas Region in Cebu City and the Mindanao Region in Davao City. She then became the Senior Advisor for National Activities, promoting CanCham’s mission to promote, support and represent Canada-Philippines’ business interest. She identified and qualified specific business opportunities in both countries, organized and led trade, technology and investment missions, established strategic partnerships and linkages, provided business advice and assistance, matched buyers and decision- makers to sellers, and played a variety of roles leading to sales of goods and services, capital equipment, technologies and professional services.

Cora has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in the Philippines. She is also a graduate of Bachelor in Administrative Studies at York University (BAS), and has Honours in Tourism and Hospitality at Seneca College, Toronto, Canada. She is a mentor to youth and young adults interested in international business, in promoting women’s entrepreneurship and newcomers to Canada. 

While active in various community groups promoting business and entrepreneurship, Cora led a local chamber of commerce in Toronto as President (Philippine Chamber of Commerce-Toronto), dealing in local, national and international business development. She was also the founder and President of the first Can-Phil travel and tourism industry association (Canadian Association of Philippine Travel Agents), promoting travel and tourism between Asia and Canada. She was a recipient of the Business and Public Service Award category organized nationwide by the Canada-Asian Network, held in Parliament Hills, Ottawa in October 2009. In October 2017, she was recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World, receiving an award presented by the Filipina Women’s Network, held at the FWN Leadership Summit in Toronto, Canada.