Donessa Arbas

Donessa Arbas is a visionary  woman leader dedicated to entrepreneurship, humanitarian work, and philanthropy. As the Founder and President of Growthnity Group, she excels in education, consultancy, PR, real estate, and beauty products. Her commitment to women’s empowerment, youth leadership, and cross-sector collaboration led her to establish the Donessa Arbas Growthinity Foundation, Inc., promoting inter-generational impact and gender equality. Additionally, she co-founded the International Socio-economic Leadership Congress (ISELC) to inspire collective action among government agencies and private entities, fostering socio-economic development and global collaboration.

With a professional background in teaching and corporate training, Donessa has served as a governess and private coach to a royal member (sheikh) of the ruling royal family in the UAE, and as a coach and mentor to C-level executives and managers. Her dedication to personal growth is evident in her certifications as a Master Neuro-linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, and Self-Breakthrough & Life Coach.

In September 2023, Donessa was crowned Mrs. Universe U.A.E Global Ambassador, representing the Philippines and securing a place in the top 8 among 38 candidates worldwide. This accolade underscores her commitment to women’s empowerment on an international scale. Donessa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education from Silliman University and a Diploma in Language and Literary Education from the University of the Philippines. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Development Communication at the University of the Philippines.