Board Candidates

In addition to being a Lifetime member of SACNAS, as well as serving as a SACNAS Board member (2011 – 2013), I am very familiar with the duties and responsibilities of being a board member on various levels. Accordingly, I am excited at the prospect of serving as a board member at a critical time when the Society needs more Native American/Indigenous presence so that we can re-identify with what our founders envisioned when they came together in 1973. I also relish the opportunity to assist with the continued planning of the 50th anniversary of this wonderful life changing organization which is scheduled for next year in 2023! I have continued to be involved in various capacities (e.g., committees, travel scholarship reviewer, etc.) to keep abreast of any issues that I can assist with and that inspires me to serve once again as a board member. I also enjoyed working closely with the staff members of SACNAS and applaud them for their dedication! In addition, I now have the wherewithal (e.g., leadership experience, scholarship, financial ability, etc.) to be even more impactful 10 years later. Perhaps more importantly, SACNAS has been a place of comfort and support for me and connected me with so many wonderful scholars, thought leaders and activists through the regional and national conferences. SACNAS has also contributed to my leadership development through the LPSLI and ALI and I will always be grateful for that.

I have been involved with SACNAS for over 20 years and continue to enjoy my lifetime membership! Most of my career has been focused on access and equity issues in higher education, especially for individuals who come minoritized and marginalized backgrounds. In addition to SACNAS, I am active in our partner organizations, such as AISES and AAAS, to advance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at a broader level. Prior to pivoting my career pathway in DEI, I directed two national training programs in genome sciences – both at Harvard – from 2004 to 2012. These experiences provided me tangible leadership experience to serve as a diversity activist and thought leader (e.g., Director of Diversity & Multicultural Affairs, Chief Diversity Officer, Associate Vice President for Diversity Affairs, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) for the past 10 years to advance DEI in all academic spaces at both public and private institutions. Beyond academia, I continually give back to my community by contributing to various research endeavors for Native American and Indigenous communities, so I currently serve as a community advisor for the Navajo Nation’s Perspectives on Genetic Research committee.

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) transformation requires a team-based approach in order to be successful. While serving as a diversity leader (reporting to the president) at an institution, I was tasked with reorganizing the diversity division to allow for more awareness and appreciation of DEI throughout the institution. This was an opportunity for all college community members to better understand that everyone could and should participate as much as possible in expanding the understanding of DEI. This required connecting with all units throughout the institution (e.g., student affairs, academic affairs, human resources, campus safety, athletics, housing, advancement, alumni affairs, et al.) to build trust and transparency. I also established a trusting working relationship with the provost to bridge a stronger connection between academic affairs and student affairs so that the curriculum was embedded with DEI concepts and components. All of this groundwork led to the institution’s first DEI Strategic Plan that included input from students, faculty and staff. My overall leadership style is pace-setting which allows for me to trust that my team members are carrying out the duties and responsibilities that they have been assigned. Regular check-in meetings are required to ensure that goals and objectives are on track and if something is amiss, then a discussion needs to happen in order to address it. Accordingly, trust, transparency and clear communication is necessary in effective and successful leadership.

Fundraising has been part of every position I have held throughout my career. Accordingly, I have developed a solid understanding of the importance of knowing how to ask for funds as well as when to ask. I have a successful track record in co-writing grant proposals for federal agencies as well as private foundations that are aimed at increasing the number of diverse scholars in academe and beyond. In the past several years, I have been able to assist in securing funding ranging from $25K to $2.5M that are either one-time awards or multi-year awards. Modest gifts and awards have come about from having conversations with interested supporters and friends of an institution that began with an opening line such as, “Did you know that we graduate the highest number of Native American graduates at the bachelor’s level?” Another leading question has been, “We have made many inroads with our affinity centers that includes creating a stronger sense of belonging for diverse students and can you imagine how much more we could do?” These types of questions lead to additional conversations that allow for me to pique the interest of prospective donors to make pledges and convert them into actual gifts. This would be my approach to assist with fundraising efforts for SACNAS.

I believe that a board member should provide their expertise as national thought leaders and scholars, along with the ability to assist in developing short-term and long-term SMART goals. I also believe that a board member has the fiduciary responsibility to determine how funds are to be utilized in judicious and impactful ways for the entire membership. Moreover, connecting with the constituents of SACNAS is an important way to build trust that will assist in developing a vision and strategic plan that is required every few years.

I have served in various community governance committees throughout my career and continue to do so in every community I live in and they are as follows:

• Member – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion External Advisory Board, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Shirley, Long Island, January 2018 to present
• Member – Diversity and Inclusion Committee, Durango Police Department, Durango, CO, August 2020 to March 2022
• Assisted in creating a DEI hiring plan that increased diversity in the department Friend – Long Island Indian Council, Hampton Bays, NY, July 2017 to December 2019
• Assisted with establishing a partnership with Stony Brook University to increase Native American participation in higher education Member – Diversity and Inclusion Education, YMCA, Chicago, IL, January 2016 to June 2017
• Created partnership opportunities with the Chicago American Indian Collaborative Member – Chicago American Indian Community Collaborative, Chicago, IL, September 2014 to June 2017
• Assisted with fundraising campaigns by contributing monetary and in-kind services Member – Board of Directors, North American

In addition to the community governance committees and councils I serve on, I also have a national presence in the following organizations:

• National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education (NCORE)
  • I have served on the National Advisory Council to review conference proposals as well as contribute Indigenous perspectives into national discussions.
• National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE)
  • I was selected to their selective CDO Fellows program where I was able to provide Indigenous perspectives regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM)
  • I completed their Inclusive Leadership Program where I was able to expand my network of DEI leaders to increase the visibility of Native Americans in MA.
• Association American of Universities CDO Consortium (AAU)
  • As a member of this inaugural group, I have been able to provide perspectives regarding diversity, equity and inclusion and expand opportunities for BIPOC and LGBTQIA2S people.

I am an immigrant; Chicano; first-generation college student; first in my extended family to receive a doctorate; someone who has benefited from national diversity training initiatives; a faculty member at a minority-serving institution; experienced in running a successful research program and administering large educational initiatives; a mentor to 100s of students; and dedicated to social justice issues in higher education. I am a SACNista for life. I have a BA in biology from UC Santa Cruz, PhD from UC Irvine, and postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute and UC Davis. I am a Professor of Biology at University of Massachusetts Boston, who is passionate about plant biology, STEM education, equity, diversity, and social and environmental justice. With this passion, my personal and professional experiences, and network connections to various organizations, I am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the organization that I care deeply about. SACNAS has provided me with numerous opportunities over the years; and I am dedicated to “giving-back” in similar fashion to the next generation of diverse scientists.

Over my 21 years of faculty, both locally and nationally, I have participated in STEM education and SACNAS activities. Within SACNAS and associated with the national conference, I have organized professional development workshops and research symposia. I’ve judged posters and mentored students annually within the conference. Together with colleagues from Boston area colleges and universities, I also helped establish the New England Regional SACNAS Conference (now in its 7th year), and continue to help coordinate this annual meeting with the particular university host. I am the UMass Boston SACNAS Student Chapter faculty advisor, guiding the Chapter in short- and long-term planning. Moreover, I have served on the SACNAS Board of Directors for one term (2020-2022) and wish to continue support the organization in that capacity for a second term. Professionally, I am involved with organizations that promote diversity within plant-related careers. This includes work within the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) and the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee. Through the ASPB Minority Affairs Committee, we’ve organized symposia at both SACNAS´ and ABRCMS´ annual meetings, highlighting plant research done by scientists of color. I’ve written grants on behalf of ASPB to promote diversity, enhancing the organization’s STEM education and diversity goals. I have served as PI for NIH-supported training programs (IMSD and U54) and as mentor/advisor in other student training initiatives (Programs such as NIH-Bridges, NSF-REU, McNair, Latino Leadership Opportunity Program, and NCI-SPARC) at UMass Boston and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Within UMass Boston, I have advisory roles on numerous committees that promote diversity in education; for example, the Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy, Latino Studies Program, and Office of Health Disparities Research and Training to name a few. A full list of activities can be found in my CV.

Leadership style example: During the 2021-2022 academic year, the University of Massachusetts Boston (my current employer) was undergoing a 10-year strategic planning processes. Due to my experiences on and off campus, the Provost appointed me as co-Chair of the Mission and Vision Committee. The committee included 20 students, staff, administrators and faculty, including diverse individuals with various world views. Our main charge was to rewrite the University's Mission and Vision Statements, which not an easy task considering the history of the university and the need for having clear, brief and forward-looking statements. Ultimately, after eight months of committee meetings, town halls, and conversations with stakeholders, our community successfully completed the work. Related, as co-Chair of this committee, I participate in the Overall Strategic Planning Committee which included the co-chairs of nine university planning committees. The Overall and Mission and Vision committees provide an opportunity for me to emphasize my leadership style which includes active listening, inclusivity, fairness, process driven mechanisms, and progress promoting step-making.

Most of my fundraising experience is in context to federally funded grants for various research, outreach and educational initiatives. Since joining UMass Boston, I have been involved in acquiring $63 million in grant funding from various types of government organizations, including NIH, NSF and USDA. Therefore, I am very familiar with applying for research, education and outreach grants. Additionally, I have served as reviewer and panelist for NIH (specifically TWD-based programs), NSF, USDA, and foundations such the EdVestors Foundation, a Boston philanthropic non-profit organization designed to support increased private investment in urban education. While I have little experience in fundraising within the private sector, I am willing to learn more within that arena and help SACNAS as it begins this new chapter in fundraising from more diverse sources.

The main responsibility of a SACNAS board member is to promote the mission of the organization: “to fostering the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM”. I attended my first SACNAS conference as an undergraduate in 1989. I am the recipient of mentoring at all levels of my career, from SACNAS founding members at UC Santa Cruz, graduate students who networked with me in those early years, postdocs who guided me during the faculty search days, to faculty colleagues who provided guidance in the academic promotion process and leadership development. As a SACNista for life, I know first hand what it means to have an organization that “has your back” and is one’s professional home. This organization has inspired me to take on educational projects that I’ve led over the years. SACNAS has helped me create a professional foundation that is the basis of my work as faculty member, one focusing on STEM education, equity and diversity. In essence, I am a proud product of SACNAS’ mission.

My leadership experience is diverse, including professional scientific societies and local organizations. Within the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), the premier plant biology international society, I have served on the Minority Affairs Committee both as committee member (2007-2019) and Chair (2014-2017), on ASPB´s Executive Committee (2014-2019), and as Chair of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (2017-2021). Importantly, I am a current member of the SACNAS Board of Directors. I am Chair of the External Relations Committee and have helped in efforts related to grants and development. I am also on the Chapters Committee and have helped on Strategic Planning and other critical activities over the last couple of years. I serve on the Advisory Board of the Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy (an organization based at UMass Boston, but serving all of New England states). Within the Advisory Board, we help make decisions with regards to budgets, project initiatives and research. Since 2006, I have served as the UMass Boston PI of the NCI-supported UMass Boston-Dana Farber Harvard Cancer Center U54 Partnership, which supports research, outreach and research education activities across Harvard-affiliated institutions and UMass Boston (currently funded by a 5 year $17.9 million grant to both organizations). This Partnership requires extensive experience in project administration, budgeting and management, and in the coordination and collaboration between university administrators, faculty and trainees. I am on the scientific board for the North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee, which helps organize the International Conference for Arabidopsis Research. I have other leadership outreach experiences such as founding board member of the Brookwood Community Farm (2005-2009), an organic not-for-profit community farm in Massachusetts and as education Advisory Board member for the Boston Nature Center, an urban environmental education center for the Massachusetts Audubon Society (2004-2009).

Please see above response.

As I discuss in my video, I identify as a Hispanic, White male, and because of my background I’ve always been conflicted by the question of whether I should approach a situation by how I view it, or how others expect me to view it. SACNAS helped me be comfortable with who I am, so that I now approach problems as me, rather than who I think people want me to be, and I would like to help guide SACNAS so that it can continue to do that for others in the future. In addition, I am strongly motivated by issues of justice and equity, and I envision working very hard, if elected, on making sure SACNAS is working to dismantle oppressive power structures and build a world where everyone feels valued and believes they belong.

I have worked on a number of initiatives focused on improving diversity and inclusion in STEM. For example, for the past 13 years I have mentored high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds, I currently serve on UC Merced's DEI advisory board, and I am currently Primary Investigator on an NSF project focused on redesigning lower-division chemistry courses to be more welcoming and engaging for students from backgrounds historically excluded from chemistry.

During my time as the chemistry graduate chair I spent a lot of time recruiting applicants from a variety of backgrounds and engaging with the program faculty to ensure that applicants to the program were evaluated holistically. As a result, our chemistry graduate program is much more diverse than a typical Ph.D. program. One of the biggest things I learned from this work is that people, even physical scientists who work with numbers daily, are less motivated by quantitative data than I expected, and that it is very important to demonstrate impact on humans if you want to create change.

Beyond writing grants I have very little fundraising experience. I haven’t organized any fundraising events, although I have attended a couple of events at UC Merced and presented to potential donors.

Assuming that I’m not supposed to just pick one of the ten responsibilities listed in the SACNAS Board Member Responsibilities and Expectations document, I would say that a core responsibility of a SACNAS board member is to help create a more just world. Given the history and mission of SACNAS, as both a scientific society and a society that represents people historically excluded from science, I believe that justice should be primary goal for SACNAS, and it’s the board’s responsibility to ensure SACNAS moves towards that goal.

I have served in a number of leadership and governance positions. As one example, I was the first chair of the chemistry graduate program at UC Merced, from 2014 to 2020. During that time the graduate program tripled in size and moved from unranked to the 122nd ranked chemistry program in the country. In the past 10 years I have also served for 4 years as the School of Natural Sciences faculty chair, an elected position that represents the school faculty and advises the dean on resource allocation.

I have worked with both local organizations, such as the Merced County Office of Education (MCOE), as well as national organizations, such as SACNAS and the American Chemical Society (ACS). Some of this work has been service focused. For example, I have chaired sessions at regional and national ACS meetings, and I’m currently a member of the SACNAS Data & Evaluation Task Force. However, most of the work I’ve engaged in with these organizations has been focused on education. For example, I have taught professional development workshops for the MCOE, I have mentored high school students for the ACS SEED program, and I have judged posters and participated in workshops at SACNAS meetings.

In addition to my role at the Research Institute, I have served as mentor and speaker to various student-lead organizations such as the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, as well as to students and educators from the Texas Health Occupation Programs (TOSA). Both HESTEC and TOSA are organizations guided towards students in the Math and Health Sciences and opportunities present and available in both. I have been working closely with the locally-founded organization recognized as the College Scholarship Leadership Access Program (CSLAP). Dr. Trevino, in her leadership role at the Research Institute has provided employment and internship opportunities to CSLAP members that are recent graduates and those students seeking opportunities in the Healthcare setting. This summer, my colleagues at DHR Health and DHR Health Institute for Research and Development will be hosting a 4 week summer internship program for rising High School Sophomores and Juniors that are attend school districts that are in more rural and under access areas in the Rio Grande Valley. This summer program will expose these students to the world of healthcare and biomedical research in hopes of peeking their interest in these specific fields.

My name is Lisa R. Trevino, and I am a PhD level Molecular and Cellular Biologis; I have been a member of SACNAS since the early 1990s as a Bachelor’s and Master’s student at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Under the mentorship of Dr. Luis Haro, PhD (2003-2004 SACNAS President), my first scientific meeting was SACNAS and it was then that my love and passion for SACNAS commenced. I continued my support and active participation in SACNAS during my doctoral studies at the University of California Santa Cruz under the mentorship of the late Dr. Frank Talamantes, PhD (1986-1990 SACNAS President). Together with Dr. Frank Talamantes, we worked diligently to encourage Hispanics and students of color to pursue STEM careers and become part of SACNAS and seek higher education. As a testament to my continued dedication to SACNAS, I continued to encourage postdoctoral fellows and Professional Scientists of color at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to share their experiences and participate in SACNAS activities and mentorships.

My entire educational and professional career has stemmed from being and ambassador to inclusivity, diversity and equity. I like to believe I have been a voice for those less willing to speak up for what they believe is right.

As a BOD for the aforementioned Comfort House, together with my colleagues we have held many fundraising activities inclusive of local 5Ks, local Bingo/Lotteria events and, a more formal and large-scale Banquet for over 500 attendees. We are involved with selling tickets, providing silent auction items and helping to secure extramural funding from various local and state organizations.

A core responsibility of a SACNAS board member is to ensure that the organization continues to grow seamlessly in alignment with the founding mission and vision. With never losing site that true growth comes from both successes and failures, the SACNAS board members must do all the can to provide the necessary tools for our students to become key opinion and thought leaders in the STEM and other relevant fields.

"Board of Directors, Comfort House, McAllen, TX; 2019-present The Comfort House was founded in 1989 by Sister M. Stromeyer and is a dedicated nonprofit organization that provides a home-like environment for the terminally ill who have a prognosis of 4 months or less to live (www.comforthousergv.org). As a BOD, Dr. Trevino works with the entire board to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for the patients of CH. Monthly and ad-hoc meetings serve to discuss CH financials, methods to increasing revenue via grants and fundraising and innovative means to continue to provide the best quality care to CH patients."

In addition to my role at the Research Institute, I have served as mentor and speaker to various student-lead organizations such as the Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, as well as to students and educators from the Texas Health Occupation Programs (TOSA). Both HESTEC and TOSA are organizations guided towards students in the Math and Health Sciences and opportunities present and available in both. I have been working closely with the locally-founded organization recognized as the College Scholarship Leadership Access Program (CSLAP). Dr. Trevino, in her leadership role at the Research Institute has provided employment and internship opportunities to CSLAP members that are recent graduates and those students seeking opportunities in the Healthcare setting. This summer, my colleagues at DHR Health and DHR Health Institute for Research and Development will be hosting a 4 week summer internship program for rising High School Sophomores and Juniors that are attend school districts that are in more rural and under access areas in the Rio Grande Valley. This summer program will expose these students to the world of healthcare and biomedical research in hopes of peeking their interest in these specific fields.

I consider myself a dedicated, flexible and passionate individual who is well qualified to serve on the SACNAS Board of Directors and intimately knows the importance of SACNAS’ role. I can confidently assume leadership roles, but am equally a great team player. I am mission-orientated and vision driven. I am committed to educational advocacy and share the SACNAS’ mission “to foster the success of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans, from college students to professionals, in attaining advanced degrees, careers, and positions of leadership in STEM”. My teamwork capability and leadership style is direct and decisive, yet flexible in responding to constantly changing demands. I feel creativity and innovation are excellent strategies to advance the mission of SACNAS, impact student lives, and change the face of STEM. My outreach experience has allowed me the opportunity to interact with individuals from varying backgrounds. I understand the value of team morale and commitment as well as the difference between intentions and actions –furthermore, the importance of remaining mission-centered. I understand that when working with the general public, it is important to be culturally sensitive and represent the organization’s interest accordingly. Also, that community engagement often requires me to leverage cultural or social capital in order to organize and efficiently execute goals. My continued involvement as a board member with various non-profit organizations and as a Commissioner for the City of San Diego, provides roles in which I foster leadership and direction of the organization by facilitating strategic planning, developing future projections/goals and coordinating efforts.

Through my current role as the Community Outreach & Engagement manager for the Center on Educational Equity, Assessment & teaching Excellence (CREATE) at UC San Diego, I spearhead K-20 efforts to increase access, exposure and diversity in STEM. Through this capacity I lead many efforts that provide STEM education outreach to underserved populations - much of which is powered by URM students in STEM in an effort to empower them and simultaneously encourage K-12 students. When conducting these efforts I pair the demographic being served with a person with an instructor that looks like the students we are serving. One example is our current Cells 2 Cells Program, which works with PhD students to bring science lessons to students in a correctional facility. This program allows for future faculty and research members to develop science communication, sociocultural awareness and awareness to varying student needs. A second example is the annual Future Faces of STEM (FFOS) event which focusses on building a rich network of regional STEM program providers, college advisors, and mentors to support attending high school students, undergraduates, and graduate students from mainly Latinx and Black backgrounds. A third example is the Technology Training Institute (a week-long training on 3D printers, arduino programming, and other tech training for community college students). I am constantly identifying ways to cultivate inter/intra-institutional relationships to develop new opportunities for URM and community college students. I also ensure equitable opportunities and support for the REU programs (applicants/participants) I manage. I pride myself in balancing STEM opportunities with true equity for students.

In addition to research experience, I have acquired leadership experience at San Diego City College, UC San Diego, and in the community which have allowed me to respond to student/community needs. As a younger student I spearheaded many community-facing efforts such as the Big Clean Up, a community beautification project which annually brings together about 200 volunteers, businesses, and donors. As a younger professional, I founded the STEM Equity Initiative at San Diego City College, a program created to expose men of color to California scientists and graduate students from similar backgrounds. I also serve as Founder/Co-advisor of the City College and UCSD SACNAS Chapters & Urban Scholars Union (an education- based support group for ex-incarcerated students). Professionally, I currently sit on various boards including the Elementary Institute of Science, The Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation, and RISE San Diego (urban leadership program). As a community member, I have also created the Community Graduation Celebration, an annual, regional community event celebrating the accomplishments of high school, community college and university graduates who have been historically underserved. Within the community, I currently serve as President for the Nostros Alumni Association (a non-profit committed to assisting men in recovery). I am considered a regional leader on the topic of reentry services and currently serve leadership roles with RJ Donovan’s Wardens Advisory Council, the Region X (Southern California) Consortium on Education for Previously Incarcerated Students, the San Diego Reentry Roundtable and Juvenile Hall Master Planning Committee. I have been honored and recognized as San Diego Metro’s “40 Under 40” persons to watch, UC San Diego Graduate Student Association’s Outstanding Community Leader, and UC San Diego’s Cesar Chavez Community Leader. I have also been recognized by the San Diego City Council for my community work in youth and STEM opportunity for my various STEM engagement programs in underserved communities. My leadership style is genuine, straightforward and nimble - constantly looking to address areas needing support.

I have a range of experience with fundraising and advancement efforts, through institutional, community and political campaigning efforts. As a PTA President for my children's school we have conducted several fundraising functions (under my leadership) which have led to the accumulation of over $20,000 which were used to support teacher efforts and STEM-focused activities. As President of the Nosotros Alumni Association, I have raised close to $15,000 annually for the Community Graduation Celebration, an event celebrating the educational milestones of underrepresented students (now going on its fifth year) and just secured our first larger grant for $100K. As an employee of the Center for research on Educational Equity, Assessment & teaching Excellence (CREATE), I have set a personal goal to raise $250,000 to support new STEM education outreach efforts and programs and have quickly superseded that goal to reach the million-dollar mark. In addition to financial fundraising I have also worked closely with industry and community partners to leverage in-kind donations when possible (i.e., large events and special projects). For example, in previous years I have worked with local community and property management groups to secure $10,000 for an inaugural science, art and culture event (now twice a year and in our third year). I have the ability to think outside the box to find solutions, as an example, in 2018 I managed to secure airline tickets from an airline to take 12 community college students to the SACNAS Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

I believe that a core responsibility of a board member is to support the overall vision of the organization by employing mission-centered approaches. Effective board members good stewards of institutional capital (financial, social and cultural) and represent the interests of the organization and the constituency it serves.

I have had the opportunity to serve on several boards for local organizations, local government and educational institutions where I help oversee multimillion dollar operations and human and resource capital. In the community, I strongly depend on social capital in order to organize and efficiently carryout functions and events by organizing volunteers and troubleshooting problem areas. I am familiarized with local, state, and federal laws and regulation both personally (as a system-impacted individual) and professionally – through my work with local law-enforcement partners, NGOs, community organizations and advocacy groups. Furthermore, my involvement as a Commissioner with the City of San Diego’s Gang Prevention & Intervention Commission, as an educator (who has established organizations for system-impacted students and has implemented STEM programs in county jails), as President of Nosotros Alumni - a non-profit committed to reentry support (and promotes leadership, civic engagement and education), my personal experience and various ancillary roles have fostered leadership and organizational skills, leading to my ability to facilitate strategic planning sessions, developing future projections/goals, identifying measurable outcomes and coordinating efforts (through a social and restorative justice lens).

Planning & Justice-Centered highlights:

• Mission-orientated and vision driven (with strategic/goal planning and interactions)
• Active advocate (locally/nationally) for currently & formerly incarcerated populations
• Provide consultations to dozens of faculty members and professionals on outward-facing, education, outreach, broader impacts and evaluation (grant) components
• Analytical science training contributes to experimental query design, planning and troubleshooting
• Plan and organize with cultural sensitivity, authenticity and transparency; prepare reports to share findings of research and program efficacy
• Skilled with coordinating both large and small scale (physical/virtual) events, programs, initiatives (STEM, social justice, leadership, advocacy, etc.) in a wide variety of forums (includes: event creation, logistics, networking, fundraising, delegating and marketing)
• Experienced with convening community & faith-based leader gatherings, community town hall meetings/presentations, professional development/resource workshops and ancillary community efforts involving multiple public/private organizations
• Established STEM education in local jails to increase science literacy and train future teachers

I am the youngest of four children born to Mexican parents. Once a high school dropout, I have overcome homelessness, incarceration and addiction and managed to change the trajectory of my life through education. This is an important element of the work that has allowed me to connect with others across the US. Looking at current issues through this cultural and subcultural lens.

I am active in the community and have assisted with designing programs and events (for system-impacted individuals and underrepresented groups in STEM). Within the community, I am involved with grant selection committees, various board positions with local non-profits and as a community organizer work closely with probation, parole and a myriad of other law enforcement and educational agencies.

I have worked in the non-profit sector, local government and higher education; and have been instrumental in successfully implementing programs supporting underserved communities, disenfranchised populations and students of color.

I actively use my lived and professional experience to serve as a motivational speaker, class instructor, professional development facilitator, author and director of equity grants – locally, nationally and internationally.

Most recently, as co-PI for a federal Department of Defense (DoD) grant, I have served as a lead for one of three hubs across the nation (the other being in Dayton, Ohio and the DC-Maryland-Virginia regions) working to align DoD STEM goals with local partners (such as FIRST, TIES, BEST, AIR, etc.), leveraging the necessary resources and capital to support national partners (especially in the recent year – with most interactions being virtual). Additionally, I am also a fellow of Just Leadership USA, an extensive network of justice reform professionals which includes elected officials, CEOs, professors, lawyers and researchers across the nation. Virtual engagement has furthered national reach.