Arlene is the founder and head of Sentro ng Kultura at Wika ng Austria at Pilipinas / Zentrum für österreichische und Kultur und Sprache – Center for Austrian and Filipino Culture and Languages (Sentro), a non-profit organization promoting Filipino culture and intercultural dialogue in Austria. Her vision is to empower the next generation of Filipino migrants as part of European diversity, grounded in mutual cultural respect.
She is the editor and publisher of Common Diversities: Junge Filipin@s im deutschsprachigen Raum and Common Diversities 2: Filipino Europeans Remaking the Past, Shaping the Future, pioneering publications that amplify the voices of second- and third-generation Filipinos in Europe. In 2021, she led the launch of KUBŌ – Kultur Bayanihan Österreich, a cultural initiative celebrating Filipino creativity and heritage through art and community festivals, inspiring young Filipino creatives and leaders across Europe.
Arlene was nominated for the 2014 Banaag Presidential Award for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas. She currently serves as an international civil servant at the OPEC Fund for International Development. Arlene, an alumna of St. Mary’s University, Bayombong, was born in Echague, Philippines, where her commitment to community engagement and cultural advocacy first took root.