Francis Aquino

Excited to share that I’ve joined as the Senior Director of Global Workplace Experience.

I’m energized to help build environments and experiences that support wellbeing, spark collaboration, and foster a strong sense of community as Alo continues to grow.

Here’s to meaningful work, thoughtful spaces, and what’s ahead. 🖤

culture wellbeing leadership gratitude

💜 K-Pop Demon Hunters was everywhere this Halloween — especially Rumi.
Including my own little girl.

Seeing her (and so many others) proudly wear a hero rooted in Asian storytelling hit differently.
Growing up, I didn’t see faces like mine on screen. Now she does — not as the side character, but as the hero.

Representation isn’t just visibility — it’s possibility.
It shapes how kids see themselves, and how the world sees them back.

Huge thanks to Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation for bringing stories like this to life — for creating heroes our kids can see themselves in.

🎃 Any other parents stress about braiding Rumi’s purple braid?! 😅 I know I did!

🎃 Horror Stories: Workplace Edition. Forget haunted houses, have you ever managed an office? 👻

Here are the real scary stories that keep workplace and facilities folks up at night:

💀 The HVAC dies… on an all-hands day.

🧟‍♂️ Someone books a 20-person meeting room… for one.

🕸️ The coffee machine breaks right before Finance arrives.

💡 Flickering lights no electrician can explain.

🚽 The one restroom everyone avoids… but no one will admit why.

💾 The AV system that only fails when the CEO’s presenting.

🪞 A calendar invite titled “Quick Sync” that lasts two hours.

🧛‍♀️ A “quick favor” that turns into a 6-month project.

🎢 Leadership announces an office expansion… before you’ve seen the lease.

🫠 And the ultimate fright: “Can we do this cheaper and faster?”

To all the workplace and facilities pros keeping the chaos at bay, may your Wi-Fi be strong, your HVAC stay cool, and your budgets live to see another fiscal year.

What’s your scariest Facilities horror story?

An amazing dinner event with the Epoch Team!

The only selfie I took during my Anaheim Adventure

October is Filipino American History Month 🇵🇭

Growing up Filipino American in Southern California meant community was everywhere … family parties that felt like reunions, Titas and Titos (Aunties and Uncles) who treated you like their own, and a culture rooted in hospitality, resilience, and care.

Those values are something I carry into my career today. They guide the way I design workplaces that feel welcoming, lead with empathy, and build communities where people want to belong.

As a Q***r Immigrant Filipino American, I sometimes felt different and invisble since I didn’t see many leaders who look like me. This pushed me to step up and make my voice heard to create a little more room for the next person to step up too. I’ve often reflected on what our culture brings to the workplace:

🇵🇭Hospitality and care – we’re raised to make sure people feel welcomed, fed, and taken care of.
🇵🇭Resilience – navigating challenges with humor and heart is practically second nature.
🇵🇭Community-first values – we thrive when we lift others up alongside us.

This month, I’m proud to celebrate with SoCal Filipinos, a community amplifying our stories and ensuring our culture continues to thrive across generations. Filipino American History Month isn’t just about honoring where we come from, it’s about recognizing how our heritage continues to shape the future of culture, leadership, and work.

Mabuhay to my fellow Filipinos and everyone celebrating this month. 💛

Ahhh! I couldn’t wait to write about a new friend that I met!

Just had the joy of meeting Lee Kim at WorkX Boston. She is the Design and Change Management Lead at Pfizer and wow she radiates pure positive energy, creativity, and confidence.

And yes, she wears those crazy hats everyday. But here’s the incredible part: for the past 8 years, Lee has been creating a new hat every single day as part of her project called Wearable Tracy. The one she was wearing when we met was hat number 1,911! Even more inspiring, she wears each hat all day, and then gives it away to a lucky person at the end of the day as her way to create relationships and spread happiness.

In just a short conversation, I walked away inspired to be a Lee Kim advocate: to spread joy, embrace playfulness, and most importantly, always show up as my authentic self.

Lee’s story (and her incredible hats!) is such a beautiful reminder that workplace culture isn’t only about the spaces we design—it’s also about the spirit and personality we bring into them.

If you haven’t read about her journey, I highly recommend this New Yorker piece: Wearable Tracy and Connections Forged Through Funky Hats.

Here’s to more moments of joy, connection, and authenticity in the workplace! I hope one day I am worthy enough to own a Wearable Tracy.

Thanks for the sick fade .c