New York, NY - February 29, 2008 – Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. (SIA) would like to congratulate Captain Ariel Batungbacal, H. Pikaki for receiving the Captain of the Year Award for her entire base, composed of 441 Captains!

Ariel Batungbacal is a Captain in the United States Air Force (USAF) stationed in Los Angeles, CA. She recently returned from her second tour of duty to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Originally from Atlanta, GA, Captain Batungbacal graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a B.A. in Chinese, and a B.A. in Government and Politics in 2001. In 2005, she graduated from Norwich University with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on Chinese foreign policy). She has been stationed across the globe, to include the Republic of Korea, Italy, the Middle East and North Africa.

Regardless of the intensity of her work, Captain Batungbacal feels strongly about being a civic leader within the community. For example, she is an active member within the Junior League of Los Angeles (JLLA), a non-profit whose mission is women building better communities. Additionally, she is heavily involved in leadership forums to train more effective volunteers for the JLLA/LA Junior Chamber of Commerce's Volunteer Leadership Forum 2007, undergraduate advisor to SIA’s Alpha Zeta Chapter/California State University at Dominguez Hills, and co-chair to a project teaching Aviva Children and Family Services' at-risk teenage girls about the wonders of the globe.

Captain Batungbacal continues to exemplify true leadership, commitment and courage and SIA could not be more proud to have such an amazing hermana!

About Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc. (SIA):
SIA was founded in New York on September 29, 1990 by thirteen Latina women with the purpose of creating an organization that would help their communities, unite women, promote the Latino culture and uphold a set of distinct goals. Our dedication to scholarship, service and professional development within the Latino community has grown beyond New York, with chapters in several states including: New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Texas, Illinois, Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.

We are more than a sorority; we are a family and network of professional, strong and dedicated women leaders. We are also a 501(c)7 tax-exempt organization and we work in conjunction with the Solidaridad Inspiracion Amistad Community Foundation, Inc.- a 501(c)3 Community Foundation committed to scholarship, service and professional development within Latino communities nationally. Together, we administer a national scholarship fund for incoming college freshmen who demonstrate academic merit, service to communities in need and exemplary leadership capabilities. For more information, please visit www.hermandad-sia.org.

Contact: Wendy Toribio
Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc.
marketing@hermandad-sia.org
www.hermandad-sia.org