| Estela Gustilo Igpuara-Dorn Mobile, Alabama AN EXTRA ORDINARY SUPER ORGANIZER |
"Through her untiring efforts she made the International
Festival of Mobile a cultural voyage around the world."
For the past three years, Mobile, Alabama has been experiencing
mega-big success in attracting tourists by the thousands. The
City's "Passport To Adventure," a fun-filled journey that's not a
world away with thousands of adventurers on their quest to
experience the traditions and cultures of over 50 nations around
the world. Spearheading and providing unequaled leadership in
management, organizational and public relations skills is a
dynamic diminutive Filipina who first came to the United States in
August 1979. Maria Estela Gustilo Igpuara Dorn, Estela for short,
is the undisputed General Chairperson of Mobile International
Festival held this year from March 18th to 19th with almost the
entire population of the State of Alabama participating in the two
fun-filled days.
Estela's task was mainly to harness the participation of at least
fifty different group of peoples from fifty different countries.
Requiring super skill in public relations and ample room of
patience, Estela was very successful in forming an international
festival in 1993 which grossed over $75,000.00. She organized
Festival of Mobile a cultural voyage around the world."
For the past three years, Mobile, Alabama has been experiencing
mega-big success in attracting tourists by the thousands. The
City's "Passport To Adventure," a fun-filled journey that's not a
world away with thousands of adventurers on their quest to
experience the traditions and cultures of over 50 nations around
the world. Spearheading and providing unequaled leadership in
management, organizational and public relations skills is a
dynamic diminutive Filipina who first came to the United States in
August 1979. Maria Estela Gustilo Igpuara Dorn, Estela for short,
is the undisputed General Chairperson of Mobile International
Festival held this year from March 18th to 19th with almost the
entire population of the State of Alabama participating in the two
fun-filled days.
Estela's task was mainly to harness the participation of at least
fifty different group of peoples from fifty different countries.
Requiring super skill in public relations and ample room of
patience, Estela was very successful in forming an international
festival in 1993 which grossed over $75,000.00. She organized
cultural exhibits, world bazaars, food booths, and continuous entertainments from all over the world. Since
1985, she has been active with the Festival serving as chairperson of the Cultural Exhibits Committee.
Needless to say, because of the immense success of her first year as president and chairperson of the
event, the following year, 1994, she was again elected to be the Festival's president and chairperson. This
year, the job of being president and chairperson was indispu-tably hers once again, and for sure, until
Estela gives up, she will be the perpetual president and chairperson of the future.
The City of Mobile started recently a mammoth preparation for the 300th year anniversary of the founding of
Mobile which will take place in the year 2002. A Tricentennial Committee was formed by the State of Alabama,
and unanimously appointed Estela Dorn as Chairperson of the International Relations Committee,
authorizing her to appoint her own 5 committee members. Jay Higginbotham, Chairman of the Mobile
Tricentennial, Inc. noted: "While the Tricentennial will be festive, celebrative and educational, the event and
the years leading up to it can also serve as a vehicle by which to improve our community."
The citizens of Mobile, headed by its mayor, have high praises for Estela. An annual Certificate of Appreciation
from the mayor is presented to Estela, extolling her "in recognition of your worthwhile contribution and as an
expression of gratitude and thanks for your unselfish efforts and devotion."
"She is truly a role model and an inspiration to the Filipino-American communities, especially to the Fil-Am
youth," observed Marina Espina of nearby New Orleans, Louisiana, a 1991 TOFA awardee who successfully
lobbied Estela's selection to this year's TOFA award. "For more than a decade, Estela has been highlighting
positive Filipino-American image. We're proud of her."
Active with the Filipino-American Association of Greater Mobile, Estela unselfishly offers, pro bono, her
services to all humanitarian projects of the Fil-Am Association as well as the other various groups she is
affiliated with. For almost a decades, she has been a speaker on various subjects about the Philippines
before school's classrooms and civic organizations. "It seems that whenever people in the Deep South would
like to know about the Philippines, Estela I. Dorn is the first person being asked to deliver the message,"
commented Marina. "And Estela is a good speaker."
Estela has traveled extensively in the Philippines, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Central America and the
United States. Her knowledge and actual experiences with the countries she visited gave her better
understanding in approaching the more than fifty countries that actively participate with the Mobile International
Festival.
Educated in Catholic schools and private universities in the Philippines, she graduated high school from St.
Paul College in Manila, and acquired her Associate in Business Administration from the University of the East
in Manila. Working mostly with advertising agencies, her stint with McCann-Erickson (Philippines) Inc., one of
the best known and largest advertising agencies in the world, Estela gained expertise in PR with her
affiliations with the ad agencies. She met her husband, Weems C. Dorn, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, when
she was under contract with Imperial Iranian Air Force in Tehran, Iran.
Born and raised in Manila, Estela is the only child of Ramon de la Vina Igpuara of Guimaras, Iloilo and Criste
Hormillosa Gustilo of Manapla, Negros Occidental. Estela is currently a full-time housewife --"just taking care
of my husband."
1985, she has been active with the Festival serving as chairperson of the Cultural Exhibits Committee.
Needless to say, because of the immense success of her first year as president and chairperson of the
event, the following year, 1994, she was again elected to be the Festival's president and chairperson. This
year, the job of being president and chairperson was indispu-tably hers once again, and for sure, until
Estela gives up, she will be the perpetual president and chairperson of the future.
The City of Mobile started recently a mammoth preparation for the 300th year anniversary of the founding of
Mobile which will take place in the year 2002. A Tricentennial Committee was formed by the State of Alabama,
and unanimously appointed Estela Dorn as Chairperson of the International Relations Committee,
authorizing her to appoint her own 5 committee members. Jay Higginbotham, Chairman of the Mobile
Tricentennial, Inc. noted: "While the Tricentennial will be festive, celebrative and educational, the event and
the years leading up to it can also serve as a vehicle by which to improve our community."
The citizens of Mobile, headed by its mayor, have high praises for Estela. An annual Certificate of Appreciation
from the mayor is presented to Estela, extolling her "in recognition of your worthwhile contribution and as an
expression of gratitude and thanks for your unselfish efforts and devotion."
"She is truly a role model and an inspiration to the Filipino-American communities, especially to the Fil-Am
youth," observed Marina Espina of nearby New Orleans, Louisiana, a 1991 TOFA awardee who successfully
lobbied Estela's selection to this year's TOFA award. "For more than a decade, Estela has been highlighting
positive Filipino-American image. We're proud of her."
Active with the Filipino-American Association of Greater Mobile, Estela unselfishly offers, pro bono, her
services to all humanitarian projects of the Fil-Am Association as well as the other various groups she is
affiliated with. For almost a decades, she has been a speaker on various subjects about the Philippines
before school's classrooms and civic organizations. "It seems that whenever people in the Deep South would
like to know about the Philippines, Estela I. Dorn is the first person being asked to deliver the message,"
commented Marina. "And Estela is a good speaker."
Estela has traveled extensively in the Philippines, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Central America and the
United States. Her knowledge and actual experiences with the countries she visited gave her better
understanding in approaching the more than fifty countries that actively participate with the Mobile International
Festival.
Educated in Catholic schools and private universities in the Philippines, she graduated high school from St.
Paul College in Manila, and acquired her Associate in Business Administration from the University of the East
in Manila. Working mostly with advertising agencies, her stint with McCann-Erickson (Philippines) Inc., one of
the best known and largest advertising agencies in the world, Estela gained expertise in PR with her
affiliations with the ad agencies. She met her husband, Weems C. Dorn, a retired U.S. Air Force officer, when
she was under contract with Imperial Iranian Air Force in Tehran, Iran.
Born and raised in Manila, Estela is the only child of Ramon de la Vina Igpuara of Guimaras, Iloilo and Criste
Hormillosa Gustilo of Manapla, Negros Occidental. Estela is currently a full-time housewife --"just taking care
of my husband."
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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