The Team
The CEO
Joven Villavert is the visionary co-founder and CEO of Bright Light Lane, Inc., a U.S.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering dignity, opportunity, and sustainability across borders. Alongside co-founder Emily Villavert, Joven launched Bright Light Lane with a bold commitment: to harness their personal resources and global perspective to deliver meaningful, community-focused solutions in countries like the Philippines.
Bright Light Lane isn’t backed by institutions or long nonprofit résumés—it was born from the belief that heart, humility, and bold action can be enough to start something extraordinary. As first-time nonprofit founders, Joven and Emily stepped into this work not with all the answers, but with a deep resolve to learn, listen, and lead alongside the communities they aim to support. That spirit of shared growth is now woven into every initiative the organization pursues.
From the beginning, Bright Light Lane’s impact has been driven entirely by personal commitment. Joven and Emily have provided housing, funded scholarships to culinary schools, and offered financial stipends for food and transportation—removing barriers so students can pursue their education without compromise. Several students were also fully funded to travel to Vietnam for a cultural and culinary immersion experience, gaining firsthand exposure to Southeast Asian food traditions, markets, and professional kitchens. To ensure hands-on training and entrepreneurship readiness, they’ve invested in capital equipment, including food trucks and commercial-grade kitchen and baking appliances, giving scholars a place to hone their craft and envision sustainable careers.
Joven brings visionary leadership and strategic clarity to every effort, shaped by a lifelong commitment to service. His path includes eight formative years in the United States Marine Corps—enlisting at age 17 in 1996 and receiving honorable discharge in 2004—followed by a career in healthcare and ongoing volunteer efforts rooted in compassion and community care. Today, he channels this diverse experience into Bright Light Lane, blending ingenuity with deep respect for local wisdom and driving initiatives that honor both personal conviction and collective possibility.
Through Bright Light Lane, he cultivates partnerships that build lasting impact—inviting donors, collaborators, and communities to take part in a movement defined by shared possibility and long-term transformation.
Director of Strategic Development
Edward Christian “Ed” V. Frugalidad is a seasoned consultant with nearly three decades of experience in multi-occupational and diverse segments. He graduated with a Master’s in Management degree from the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao and a Bachelor of Science in Information Management. He also gained immersive learning in Development Administration (PhD Program), Computer Science, and Civil Engineering studies, and various training while working in the private sector.
Ed brings to Bright Light Lane Inc. (BLL) a strong foundation in business information systems and organizational development, built through years of consultancy and leadership roles in the USA, UK, Middle East, Australia, and Vietnam. His global exposure and professional expertise strengthen BLL’s systems and strategies, aligning the organization with international best practices while staying grounded in local realities.
In December 2024, Ed made a value-adding transformation to the structure, systems and standardization of Bright Light Lane as a Management Coach, and a few months later was elected by the Board of Directors as Director for Strategic Development. His insights, core competencies, and applied skills have helped strengthen BLL’s systems, with a focus on Consulting and Training, Business Development & Strategy, Project Management, Digitalization and AI, and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Management System implementation. He has applied this expertise across diverse settings—including academia, businesses, cooperatives, government agencies, social organizations, MSMEs, and nonprofit foundations—building synergy and practical solutions for community impact.
These cross-industry business information systems and investment development experiences are supported by more than 15 years of employment in the agribusiness, agro-industrial, manufacturing, food & beverage, bakery chain, export, transportation, smart living, home improvements, hospitality, real estate, and construction & engineering sectors, as well as ISO management system certifications that bring altogether an inclusive change to partners, employees, and communities.
Moving forward, Ed’s focus is into forging partnerships for BLL fueled by the Founders’ Joven and Emily’s personal commitment inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of empowering and scaling community-based programs through its partner BLL Tuklas Sinag Philippines Inc. Ed dedicates his energy and time in guiding the organizational balance together with the shareholders. Keeping an agile, humble and service-centric Oversight, and Functional Management Teams on track towards achieving BLL’s vision, mission, goals and core values and a sustained positive impact among self-reliant communities of Bright Light Lane.
