Director and Associate Research Specialist Faculty, University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa 

I am honored and excited to represent our state and the University of Hawaiʻi at a national level with an organization that promotes inclusive excellence in STEM. Dr. Chang is a research specialist faculty in the Pacific Bioscience Research Center, School of Ocean, Earth Science and Technology (SOEST), University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa (UHM). She earned her master’s degree in public health education, and a doctorate degree in indigenous health systems at UHM. Dr. Chang’s career has focused on reducing health disparities and increasing access to academia and STEM career pathways for Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and other minoritized groups. She has served as PI on three independent NIH student diversity & research mentoring programs and led an NIH RCMI-funded Native Hawaiian community-based diabetes epidemiology program. Dr. Chang served as recruitment and retention coordinator on the IGERT, NSF program. She is a founding member of the Kuali’ i Council that advises the campus Provost on Native Hawaiian advancement and challenges in academia. Dr. Chang currently serves as a Co-PI on an NSF Catalyst grant entitled: Advancing kaulike (equity) focusing on STEM intersectional experiences at the UHM. This is a self-assessment project among professionals including those from marginalized populations who seek advancement in the highly valued science workforce.

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Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

I am the inaugural Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Officer at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL), a biomedical research institute on Long Island, just east of New York City. Since 2019, I’ve been building the CSHL DEI Office from the ground up so it serves everyone at CSHL with programs and policies designed to ensure the working environment is accessible, equitable, inclusive, and just. In that capacity, I lead and manage structural change in areas such as faculty hiring, faculty development, campus communications, and professional development for staff members. My scientific training is in statistical and population genetics. I earned an undergraduate degree in mathematics from MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a PhD from the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, and I was an NIH IRACDA postdoctoral fellow in Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. To date, my career has spanned many aspects of science administration: from grant writing, program development, program evaluation, and scientific communication to postgraduate teaching and education. I am Haida & Tsimshian from Southeast Alaska on my mother’s side and, on my father’s side, I am Cajun from southern Louisiana. My professional style and approach is continually shaped by the fact that I walk in the space between worlds: Between the Pacific Northwest and American Southeast when it comes to my family; between computational science and bench science when it comes to my scientific training; and, most recently, between biological research and the social science that underpins DEI work.

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Senior Data Scientist Advisor, SMESenior Data Scientist Advisor, SME, National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) 

Dr. Romie Morales Rosado is a dedicated Data Science Advisor with a passion for driving advancements and fostering innovation in the realm of national security. Leveraging her profound technical expertise, she plays a pivotal role in the research and development mission of the National Nuclear Security Administration's Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. Her proactive engagement involves close partnership with leaders from the Office of Proliferation Detection and the Office on Nuclear Detonation Detection. Additionally, she collaborates with the National Laboratories, collectively contributing to the forefront of progress in safeguarding national security.

Formerly, Dr. Morales Rosado served as the manager for the Foundational Data Science Olympic team at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), applying an interdisciplinary approach that encompassed quantitative modeling techniques, statistical inference, machine learning/deep learning, optimal control, and dynamic optimization tools. She is also the visionary behind the Bridging Opportunities for Leadership and Training in STEM program (BOLTS), Dr. Morales Rosado has established a mentorship initiative facilitating collaboration between PNNL researchers and students from local underserved high schools. Her contributions have been recognized including the Business Award for Outstanding STEM Researcher, the Business Award for Creative Organization Contributions for Diversity Outreach, and the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce STEM Professional of the Year.

Dr. Morales Rosado earned her Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and Statistics from Arizona State University in 2016, an M.S. in Applied Mathematics from ASU in 2012, and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico. 

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Shannon Manuelito, Ed.D., is an appointive biology faculty member at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) located in Avondale, Arizona. She is an advocate for education and hopes to transform future generations through the scholarship of teaching and learning.

Shannon attended New Mexico State University (NMSU). After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, she worked as an educational assistant at a local school on the Navajo reservation where she was raised. This experience would later prove to be pivotal in her motivation to support underrepresented groups in STEM education.

Shannon returned to NMSU to study the inner ear. She conducted tissue culture explant experiments and earned her Master’s degree in Biology. She also continued her involvement with the American Indian Program and worked as a teaching assistant for the NMSU Biology Department.

Dr. Manuelito joined the EMCC residential faculty ranks in 2009, teaching biology. She earned her Doctorate of Education (Ed.D.) in Innovation and Leadership from Arizona State University (ASU) researching self-regulated learning. In addition to teaching, Dr. Manuelito is an advisor for the EMCC AISES chapter, is an LPSLI alumna, chaired the Native American Heritage Month committee, and was instrumental in establishing a student mentoring program at EMCC. Additionally, she served as the EMCC Faculty Senate President and Life Sciences Division chair.

Throughout her career, Shannon has maintained her commitment to supporting underrepresented groups through STEM education and mentorship.

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Juan Amador, FASAE, CAE, is the executive director for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and responsible for leading the country’s largest multicultural and multidisciplinary STEM diversity organization.

Juan is adept at developing strategic partnerships and collaborations and championing strategic efforts within broader organizational goals and priorities, and his expertise and passion for association management focus on building the capacity of organizations to better serve communities that are historically underrepresented and underserved.

He also enjoys traveling with his family, watching tennis, and cheering his daughter at swim meets.

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LeManuel Lee Bitsóí (Diné/Navajo), EdD, is a critical ethnographer and bioethicist who specializes in guiding institutions and organizations to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive for equity seeking students and scholars.  Dr. Bitsóí currently serves as Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Brandeis University.  In addition, he served as Associate Vice President for Diversity Affairs and Special Advisor to the President for Indigenous Affairs at Fort Lewis College.  He has served in administrative and faculty roles at Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Rush University and Stony Brook University.  In addition, Dr. Bitsóí serves on various national boards and associations, including the Editorial Board for INSIGHT into Diversity and the Native American and Indigenous Affairs Committee for the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS).

 

Admirably, Dr. Bitsóí has devoted his career to broadening the participation of underrepresented, underserved and unmentioned students to become scientists, researchers and scientifically-informed community members.  Dr. Bitsóí relies on indigenous epistemologies to guide his work and emphasizes that diversity is a constantly evolving interdependent ecosystem that requires mindful participation by everyone.  Dr. Bitsóí has been honored and recognized for his diversity, equity and inclusion accomplishments by various entities and institutions including the Navajo Nation, Harvard Medical School, University of Central Florida, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Northern Arizona University, North American Indian Center of Boston and SACNAS.

 

Dr. Bitsóí earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of New Mexico (Phi Beta Kappa), holds a master of education degree from Harvard University (Phi Delta Kappa) and a doctorate degree in higher education administration from the University of Pennsylvania.

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Professor of Biology, University of Massachusetts Boston

Adán Colón-Carmona is a Professor of Biology at the University of Massachusetts Boston where he is a plant cell and developmental biologist studying growth control in response to internal and external environmental cues. Dr. Colón-Carmona leads university initiatives that include research education activities geared towards diverse student populations; focus on cancer and cancer disparities research, outreach and training; and address diversity, equity and inclusion within faculty ranks. A SACNAS member since 1989 and a mentor to 100s of undergraduates, graduate students and postdocs in his laboratory, Dr. Colón-Carmona is dedicated to social change in higher education as a vehicle to improving peoples’ lives.

Connect with Dr. Colón-Carmona in the SACNAS Member Online Community >>

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Dr. Giovanna Guerrero-Medina is Director of the Yale Ciencia Initiative in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale School of Medicine and Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion of Yale’s Wu Tsai Institute. Through these positions, she leads programs that broaden participation and increase inclusion and retention in STEM training and careers. She is Principal Investigator of the Yale Ciencia Academy, an NIH-funded professional development program that has provided >260 biomedical and health science PhD students across the U.S. with training, outreach opportunities, mentoring, and peer support. She is also the Co-Chair of the Intersections Science Fellows Symposium, a platform to accelerate a more diverse professoriate. Until recently, Dr. Guerrero-Medina was Executive Director of Ciencia Puerto Rico. Under her leadership, CienciaPR grew to a network of >17,000, a staff of 18, and the organization was recognized for their work promoting justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in science communication by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the AAAS-Caribbean Division, and the White House. Originally from Puerto Rico, with heritage from Ecuador and Argentina, she has a bachelor’s in biology from the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by a science policy fellowship with the National Academies and science policy work at the NIH and the Van Andel Institute. She has served on two committees of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine for her expertise in the development of inclusive scientific communities.

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Dr. Ronald E. Hunter, Jr. is the Director of the Tobacco Products Laboratory at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Atlanta, Georgia. In this role he oversees Tobacco Products Laboratory activities to ensure consumer protection goals are met. Rooted in diversity, empathy, and a passion for public health, Dr. Hunter aims to translate complex concepts into accessible knowledge, fostering innovation and progress. Formerly, Dr. Hunter directed quality assurance in Mexico, the USA, and Canada as Technical Director of Chemistry of North America for Mérieux NutriSciences, a global food safety and quality company. For developing analytical chemistry methods using robotics technology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Hunter was awarded the Director’s Award for Excellence in Innovation as part of the Robotic Arm Research group. During his tenure as a scientist at The Coca-Cola Company, he developed methods for analyses of dairy products, such as Fairlife and Core Power. A leader in his volunteerism, too, he received Emory University’s 40 Under Forty Award for his impact in science and leadership as Chair of the Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society 
(ACS). Most recently, The Office of LGBT Life at Emory University named Dr. Hunter 2024 Emory Alum of the Year for his efforts in mentoring LGBTQ+ students. Dr. Hunter serves on several boards and committees, such as the Committee on Public Relations and Communications for the ACS, ADDSTEAM (a non-profit that aims to advance and develop a more diverse STEAM workforce), and Emory University’s Alumni Board. Dr. Hunter earned Bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and Spanish from Mercer University, and a 
PhD in analytical chemistry from Emory University.

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Lauren W. Yowelunh McLester-Davis, PhD, engages youth in science education and leads capacity-building efforts to support Tribal institutional review boards, data sovereignty, and research engagement with Tribal Nations in the United States. Dr. McLester-Davis is an enrolled citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin. She received her PhD in neuroscience and focuses her community-based participatory research practice on direct benefits for the health of Indigenous Peoples.

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Professor Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Campus

Dr. Ingrid Montes-González, received her Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras Campus. She has two current areas of research: organometallic chemistry and chemical education. Through her research and volunteer service, she has contributed to Chemistry, Chemical Education, and Community outreach in Puerto Rico, Latin America, and the world. She has been extremely active at the national, state and local level in the chemistry profession, active in leadership, governance, and programming. She is Director-at-Large, ACS Board of Directors. She is the founder of the Chemistry Festivals, a program adopted by ACS and that has been held around the world. She is also co-founder and coordinator for the Spanish webinar series of the American Chemical Society and Mexican Chemical Society. She is an American Chemical Society and IUPAC (International Pure and Applied Chemistry) Fellow. She has received many recognitions In Puerto Rico, USA and internationally. Last year, she was selected as one of the 100 inspiring Hispanic /Latinx scientists in America.

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Efrain E. Rodriguez is Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Maryland College Park. As a member of the Maryland Quantum Materials Center, he has established a program in solid-state chemistry with a multidisciplinary approach for the preparation and study of functional inorganic materials. Originally from a small town in West Texas (Pecos), Efrain identifies as Chicano, Mexican American, and Tejano. He received his B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. At UCSB Efrain worked with Anthony K. Cheetham, FRS to learn inorganic materials and crystallography. After his PhD, Efrain went to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for his National Research Council post-doctoral fellowship.  Efrain received the Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award in 2019 from American Crystallographic Association and the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. In 2019, he joined the Board of Directors at the American Institute of Physics. In 2022, he was elected to the US National Committee on Crystallography and the Executive Committee of the Neutron Scattering Society of America. He was awarded the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for Experienced Researchers in 2022 to work as a visiting researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Solid State Research in Stuttgart, Germany. In 2023, he was recognized by the University of Maryland as a Distinguished Scholar Teacher.

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Graduate Research Assistant, University of Houston

Lorissa is a Native Mexica fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Cell and Molecular Biology program at the University of Houston and works in Dr. Erin Kelleher’s lab. She is broadly interested in standing trait variation and the molecular basis of evolutionary adaptation. Her research utilizes quantitative trait locus mapping to determine underlying causative variants of decreases in dysgenic sterility in Drosophila melanogaster. Lorissa is one of the co-founders of the University of Houston SACNAS chapter and has served as president since she was an undergraduate. Under her leadership, the UH SACNAS Chapter has won the 2022 Role Model Chapter Award for Outstanding STEM Diversity, and the 2023 Graduate and Professional Chapter of the Year. She is also a member of the Houston Holocaust Museum’s Latinx Initiatives Advisory Committee, which consists of community leaders from around the Houston area who work to increase Latinx cultural celebration and appreciation and empower Latinx educators and students.

Lorissa is dedicated to increasing minority representation in STEM and giving women a voice in science and aims to improve science communication between academics and the public through the chapter. She also works tirelessly to teach students that their culture and diversity are a valuable part of their identity as scientists and encourages students to celebrate their roots. 

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Adjoint Curator, University of Colorado.

I am a paleobiologist who uses the fossil record to study the evolution and ecology of insects. I earned my BA from the University of California at Santa Cruz in the Department of Biology and Environmental Studies and my Ph.D. from the University of Arizona from the Department of Geosciences, with a minor in Entomology. I then worked for sixteen years at the University of Colorado in Boulder as the Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology in the CU Museum of Natural History and as a faculty member in the Department of Geosciences. I also served as the Executive Director of a US-based Earth Sciences Consortium, and I now work at a federal agency. I am a long-time SACNISTA and first started participating in the annual conference in the early 1990s. SACNAS has been a guiding light for me through every stage of my career, from my undergraduate days to my mid-career shift out of academia and into the government. In addition to my personal experience as a Chicana, first-generation student, I bring a wealth of experience in STEM-related diversity and inclusion activities, including many years of experience and leadership in the training/mentorship of STEM scientists who are members of historically excluded groups. I am deeply committed to transforming culture and developing policies and practices that ensure that STEM spaces are both safe and inclusive.

 

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Beto is the youngest of four and was raised Barrio Logan, a Chicano community in San Diego, California. Once a high school dropout, his faith and education helped him overcome homelessness, incarceration and addiction and change the trajectory of his life. Beto has an Associate’s degree from San Diego City College, a BS and MS in biology from UC San Diego and a doctorate from San Diego State University in educational leadership – where he researched STEM faculty mindsets. As a proud transfer student, a father of four and as a community leader, he leverages his personal and professional experience to inform the work he is involved with. Dr. Vasquez has worked in the non-profit sector, local government & higher education. He is currently employed with UC San Diego's Center for Research on Educational Equity, Assessment & Teaching Excellence (CREATE) where he spearheads P-20 efforts to increase STEM diversity, access, and engagement to disenfranchised communities through advocacy, representation, and the development of culturally relevant lessons, events, and strategies.

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José Zepeda is a PhD candidate in pharmacology at Vanderbilt University where he studies molecular and circuit neuron dynamics of motivational and associative learning in mice. José believes that studying the molecular mechanisms that underly maladaptive motivational learning may yield key insights into druggable targets for novel therapeutics. José grew up in the Mexico/US border-town of San Luis Río Colorado in Sonora, México, where he became deeply involved in gangs and was even expelled from middle school. His experiences there have greatly influenced his passion for social advocacy and DEI, as well as his poetry we he crafts during his free time. José has been a member of SACNAS since 2017 and strongly believes that the empowerment of disadvantaged members of our communities is essential for a healthy and functional society.

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