Meet Our Team
Eng. Lucy A Crespo
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Lucy Crespo is the Chief Executive Officer of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust. The Trust mission is to advance the research and innovation ecosystem in Puerto Rico. She retired as General Manager of Hewlett-Packard Puerto Rico for the Enterprise Business in 2013. Her tenure at HP lasted for 31 year, successfully working in the HP Computing and Printing and Personal Systems business units.
Lucy is an executive with ample experience in the technology industry and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus and completed Executive Development education at the Kellogg’s Graduate School of Management of Northwestern University. She is a member of the Alpha Pi Mu, the Industrial Engineering Honor Society. Under her leadership, HP Puerto Rico received the HP’s President Quality Award given by the HP’s CEO. Lucy has been recognized by various institutions.
Trustees
Our Council of Trustees is composed of distinguished professionals who support and oversee our work and provide guidance to ensure that the Trust is managed within its mission and vision.
Alfredo Casta
Alfredo Casta
Founder and Chairman of Cascades Technologies, Inc. (CTi), Alfredo Casta led the organization to become one of Inc. 5000 magazine’s fastest growing companies for eight years. Currently, CTi is ranked #3498 on the Inc. 5000 list. Mr. Casta combined his technical expertise, solid management skills and an unrelenting mission focus to accomplish results in the service of the American public. Under the tenants of Think – Build – Measure, CTi delivers IT Governance services, Technical Solutions, Data Management, Agile Development, and IT Organization Analysis including Cyber Security expertise to key cabinet agencies such as NIH, CDC, Labor, GSA, US Army, DHS, Justice, and Financial Regulatory Agencies.
Daniel Colón Ramos
Daniel Colón Ramos
Dara Schuster
Dara Schuster
Healthcare executive with extensive clinical, pharmaceutical industry and leadership experience. During my career, I have worked to improve healthcare delivery, educated medical professionals, performed clinical research, been a senior leader in medical affairs in diabetes for a major pharmaceutical company and ran a diabetes research organization. My strengths include clinical care, strategic planning and team management.
Edith A. Perez, MD
EDITH A. PEREZ, MD
Edith A. Perez, MD is an internationally recognized translational researcher and cancer specialist, Chief Medical Officer of Bolt Therapeutics, Inc., Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, and Director of the Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Translational Genomics Program. Dr. Perez is known for her strategic vision in designing innovative clinical trials, her passion for patient care, and her strong team leadership. Her experience includes leadership in academic and biopharmaceutical environments, as well as focused philanthropic endeavors.
Skills & Abilities:
- Medical leadership for oncology drug development, translational clinical trials, biomarkers, and precision medicine
- Development and leadership of translational trials with global & U.S. regulatory intent
- Product/trial late and early-stage (first-in human) drug development (Genentech/Roche & Mayo Clinic and Bolt Biotherapeutics)
- Leadership in multiple NCI (National Cancer Institute) projects and committees
- Excellent Communicator: Influential interactions with academic thought leaders, investigators, cooperative groups, and other clinical stakeholders
- Media trained to represent the Institution/Company and its programs to external audiences, including the investment, medical and regulatory communities, as well as pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry collaborators/partners
- Fostering a corporate culture for ethical & scientific rigor for decision-making
- Creation of innovative and collaborative partnerships (ie, Stand Up to Cancer, MD Anderson Cancer Center, American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), imCORE (Immunotherapy Centers of Research Excellence)
- Open and transparent leadership, goal and people-oriented, innovative, collaborative, visionary, inspirational, accountability
Bolt Biotherapeutics, Inc., Chief Medical Officer April 2020 – present
- Responsible for overall leadership, oversight, and management of clinical, regulatory, pharmacovigilance, biostatistics, and medical affairs activities
- Responsible for the strategy, direction, fiscal planning, and execution of clinical development plans
- Directs the development of clinical/translational strategies and plans to integrate Bolt’s clinical candidate therapeutics into the standard practice of oncology/hematology malignancies
- Provides oversight for clinical aspects of regulatory strategies and interactions with Health Authorities
- Leads interactions with academic thought leaders, investigators, cooperative groups, and other clinical stakeholders
- Oversees the analysis and interpretation of clinical trial data and the reporting of clinical trial results
- Leads the evolution of the clinical organization in terms of vision, culture, and succession, as well as broad effectiveness and reach that is consistent with the Company’s mission
Genentech/Roche, Head US BioOncology /Vice President US Medical Affairs 2015 – 2018
Co-leadership Global Cancer Immunotherapy Group
Member, Joint Oncology Leadership Team
Member, Medical Leadership Team
- Led a diverse medical portfolio of hematologic & solid tumor malignancies including strategic and budgetary responsibilities ($200M pre and post commercial trials)
- Comprehensive clinical and translational portfolio spanning investigational & marketed products, integration of biomarkers, scientific collaborations with academic institutions and foundations
- Member of Cancer Immunotherapy Governance Committee, co-leadership for the development of a global cancer immunotherapy group (imCORE) — a collaborative effort between early drug development, medical affairs, product development, and academic institutions in multiple countries
- Led, mentored & managed a complex organizational team of 150
- Executive member of the Foundation of NIH PACT (Program for Accelerating Cancer Therapies) Immune Biomarker project, representing Genentech
- Assessment and funding of >300 translational trials with multiple investigators in the U.S. and globally
- Leadership for development of 9 phase III registrational with regulatory intent in the U.S.
- Oversight for U.S. BioOncology Advisory Boards (hematologic and solid tumors)
- Led preparation and successful medical launches in the U.S. oncology market including
- Alecensa as second-line and also first-line therapy for patients with ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer
- Perjeta as adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy for patients with early-stage HER2+ breast cancer
- Tecentriq as second-line and then first-line bladder cancer
- Tecentriq as second-line for refractory non-small cell lung cancer
- Gazyva as first-line therapy for patients with follicular lymphoma
- Venetoclax as second-line therapy for patients with 17p- chronic lymphocytic leukemia
- Rituxan Hycela for the management of multiple hematologic malignancies
- Comprehensive clinical and translational portfolio spanning investigational & marketed products, integration of biomarkers, scientific collaborations with academic institutions and foundations
Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Mayo Clinic 1995 – present
- Assistant Professor, with progression to Professor of Medicine as of 2001; Department of Cancer Biology; Department of Hematology/Oncology
- Authored more than 400 peer-reviewed articles
- Multiple NCI and NIH extramurally funded grants, including R01 grants, until 2015
- Active grant (2015-2020) as Co-Principal Investigator: Department of Defense grant (basic research, development & conducting randomized phase II trial for a newly developed vaccine for patients with triple-negative breast cancer)
- Multiple committee memberships and leadership positions with ASCO, AACR
- Leadership in IDMC (Independent Monitoring Boards) with various pharmaceutical companies addressing targeted and immune therapies, biomarkers, and precision medicine. A select list of them includes Merck, BMS, Amgen, Novartis
- Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committees with goals to offer national recommendations to reorganize the NCI-sponsored Cooperative Groups System, and the use of biomarkers for use of molecularly targeted therapies
- Member in multiple NCI committees, including Board of Scientific Advisors (BSA) and Clinical Trials and Translational Committee (CTAC)
- Group Vice-Chair, Alliance of Clinical Trials in Oncology (NCI-sponsored cancer cooperative group until 2015)
- Deputy Director at Large, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (2010-2015)
Short Biography
Dr. Perez’s career has spanned from her medical school in Puerto Rico, electives while a student at Mt. Sinai Hospital in NY, residency and fellowship training in California, an academic career at Mayo Clinic, and 3 year-period of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Moreover, she has been involved in NCI, NIH, IOM, ASCO, AACR committees, added to volunteering in philanthropic and advocacy groups. She is frequently invited to lecture at national and international meetings across the globe. Known for her integration of basic science, trial work, and patient management, Dr. Perez is often a keynote speaker who inspires the health care professional audiences and patients. She has been honored by receiving many scientific and humanitarian awards over the years.
Throughout her career, Dr. Perez developed a wide range of translational clinical trials exploring the use of new therapeutic agents for the treatment and prevention of breast and other cancers. These translational studies started in lung cancer, then breast cancer, biomarker discovery, and applicability to better understand their prognostic and predictive applicability. A salient example of her experience developing and leading practice-changing studies, Dr. Perez was the principal investigator of the NCI-funded N9831 trial, which was one of the pivotal studies that demonstrated the impactful data of adding trastuzumab (Herceptin®) to improve disease-free and overall survival for patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. This work set a new standard of care for women globally, including leadership in standards for molecular tissue testing. The data from this study were used for regulatory agency approvals globally and provided a platform for educational activities and discussions with a wide range of health care professionals throughout the world.
Her academic work has been extensive, including chairing the NCCTG Breast Committee, serving in multiple committees with the NCI (such as the Board of Scientific Advisors, Clinical Trials and Translational Advisory Committee, amongst others), grant reviewer for the NIH, extensive editorial board and reviewer for multiple journals, participation, and leadership in Independent Data Monitoring Committees, leading the Publication Committee for the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology, membership in Institute of Medicine Committees including the most recent one Use of Biomarkers for Selection of Molecularly Targeted Therapies.
Added to academic and biomedical industry pursuits, Dr. Perez is the co-developer of the 26.2 National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer (breastcancermarathon.com), with goals to raise funds for underserved women and genomics/immunologic translational cancer research. More than 10,000 families have received assistance from the proceeds and more than $ 4M raised for cancer research.
She has also been involved in multiple diversity leadership initiatives with ASCO and AACR, and currently serves as the Chair of the Health Equity Committee for Stand Up to Cancer. Her passion for advancing science, research, prevention, education, and access to medicines are drivers of her career. With respect for all aspects of the health care system, integrity, and compliance have been pivotal in her path.
Dr. Perez earned her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan and completed her residency in internal medicine at the Loma Linda University Medical Center in California. She served as a general internist in the Division of National Health Services Corps, Los Angeles, and completed her Hematology/Oncology fellowship at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. Dr. Perez also pursued additional leadership, management, and executive development at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Kennedy School in Boston. Dr. Perez is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology.
Full CV available for details.
Enrique A. Volckers Nin
Enrique A. Volckers Nin
Völckers Nin has a degree in Computer Programming from the University of Puerto Rico Mayagüez Campus, and in Business Administration and Marketing from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. He has dedicated a large part of his career to the development of new businesses, focused on emerging and massive technologies. He was appointed by Governor Pedro Pierluisi as the Chief Innovation & Information Executive of the Government of Puerto Rico and Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Innovation & Technology Service. He is an Executive Member of the Trust for Science, Technology and Research of Puerto Rico, Commissioner of the Gaming Commission of the Government of Puerto Rico, Executive Member of the MS-ISAC Center for Internet Security, and is the Governor’s representative to the National Governors Association on Technology and Broadband issues.
With more than 25 years of experience in the private sector, he led the development of one of the first music e-commerce stores in Puerto Rico, an interactive web system to promote motor vehicles, and has led several digital projects of unique identity, with individual preferences, notifications and payment. He developed an innovative digital retail and home delivery business, focused on adaptive technology (“Machine Learning”), to predict tastes and patterns in consumption, and a user remuneration system, based on image recognition, artificial intelligence and adaptive technology at the point of consumption. Together with industry professionals, he founded the first Innovation and Collaboration Center in Puerto Rico at Sacred Heart University, Neeuko. In 2006 Völckers became the first Puerto Rican to be certified by Apple as a Professional Trainer of the brand for Latin America and Puerto Rico. He belonged to the Interactive Advertising Bureau and was Director of Development for the San Jorge Children’s Foundation, as part of the Children’s Miracle Network.
Esther Alegria
Esther M. Alegria, Ph.D.
Esther M. Alegria, Ph.D.
Former Biogen Inc Senior Vice President, Global Manufacturing
Esther Alegria is Senior Executive Biopharmaceutical Advisor at Catalyst Excel & Advance (EA) lending her R&D thru Commercialization expertizes of over 28-year experience to establish and start-up pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies. Prior to becoming a Senior Executive Advisor she was the Senior Vice President (SVP) of Global Manufacturing at Biogen where she was responsible for the company’s successful manufacturing operations in Denmark, Massachusetts and North Carolina. These facilities cover world-class biopharmaceutical large-scale drug substance, medical devices assembly, finished goods and small molecule manufacturing operations. Prior to her role as SVP, Esther was the Vice President of Manufacturing and General Manager of Biogen Idec’s Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina site, and moved to Hillerød, Denmark to lead the start-up of a second large scale facility, bringing it to commercial manufacturing licensure. Business NC Magazine selected Esther in 2009 as Woman Extraordinaire of the Year for being an influential leader within her company and for her impact on its economic success and forward-thinking strategies. Esther holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Hawaii and an Executive Business Management certification from Harvard Business School. Esther has lent her expertise to key industry education and advocacy groups including serving on the Advisory Board for North Carolina Biosciences Organization, Global Manufacturing BioPhorum Organization, Biotechnology Training and Education Center at NC State University, and the American Chamber of Commerce of Copenhagen-Denmark. In addition, she has served on BOD for non-profit organizations’ supporting the multiple sclerosis research & patient support and currently serves at the UAE-Union Atlantic Enterprises Board of Directors (for-profit) and Shepherd Care Medical Clinic (non-profit org). Throughout her career, Esther has mentored others to pursue their education and further develop their professions. Her simple and approachable style welcomes men and women to seek her mentorship and see her as a role model
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D.
Frances Santiago-Schwarz, Ph.D., is Professor of Molecular Medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School, Northwell Health. She was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and attended the University of Puerto Rico, where she obtained a B.S. in biology. She then graduated with a M.S. in Biology/Immunology from New York University and subsequently pursued doctoral studies in Molecular Biology/Immunology at the University of Southern California, School of Medicine.
Among her contributions to the field of human immunology are: isolating and functionally characterizing for the first time, specialized immune cells (immune dendritic cells) in humans; human DC hematopoiesis from cord blood progenitors, deciphering key molecular events related to the positive and negative control of DC development and function, the first description of a leukemic counterpart of myeloid DCs. Most recently, at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz’ research focused on the control of monocyte and DC development in normal and abnormal physiology and, developing new therapeutic agents for autoimmune diseases.
Throughout her career as an educator and biomedical scientist, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz has been actively engaged in a variety of mentoring, diversity, and global humanitarian initiatives. As Chair of Global Health Research at the Center for Global Health, Northwell Health, Dr. Santiago-Schwarz brings her collective professional experiences and expertise so as to help promote public health, research, and education in a global and diverse setting. Current activity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic includes acquiring insight into the immunopathology of COVID-19, unraveling novel therapeutic opportunities and, development of COVID-19 medical-educational alliances with the community.
Gualberto Medina
Gualberto Medina
Mr. Medina, a licensed attorney, CPA, and real estate broker, was New Jersey’s former Secretary of Commerce. He also served as the co-founder, president, or general counsel for many technology and biotechnology startups. Because of his successful career in government and business sectors, Mr. Medina was named one of Hispanic Business Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Hispanics. He has ample experience serving as a Trustee for the Trust.
Manuel Cidre
Manuel Cidre
Manuel Cidre is the founder of Los Cidrines, a market leader in the sale, distribution and manufacturing of bakery products in Puerto Rico. He is a graduate of the Pontifical Catholic University of PR, with a bachelor’s degree in management, major in finance and marketing. Manuel Cidre has held several leadership positions, such as president of the PR Products Association, president of the PR Manufacturing Association, founder and president of the Alliance for Puerto Rico’s Development, among other community and philanthropic organizations. Cidre ran for Governor during the Puerto Rican general election, 2016 as an independent candidate. His commitment to Puerto Rico and work has been recognized by multiple community and professional organizations. His motive in life is returning to God all the blessings he has received by devoting much of his time to organizations seeking to make Puerto Rico a better country.
Michael A. Caligiuri, MD.
Michael A. Caligiuri, MD.
President of the City of Hope National Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He also holds the Deana and Steve Campbell Physician-in-Chief Distinguished Chair. Before his appointment at City of Hope in February of 2018, Dr. Caligiuri was The CEO of The Ohio State University (OSU) James Cancer Hospital (2008-2017) and Director of OSU’s Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC; 2003-2017); he served as the Director of OSU’s Division of Hematology-Oncology from 2000 through 2008. While CCC Director and hospital CEO Dr. Caligiuri oversaw the construction of the 3rd largest cancer hospital in the United States and recruited over 300 physicians and scientists to OSU.
Dr. Caligiuri is a physician–scientist whose basic and translational work has focused on immunotherapy for both liquid and solid tumors. His laboratory has studied human natural killer (NK) cells for 35 years, with over 400 original peer-reviewed publications on NK cells and/or cancer. Pivotal discoveries from the Caligiuri laboratory have made it possible to bring chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) NK cells from the laboratory into the clinic for cancer therapy. These include proprietary retroviral transduction of human NK cells, the elucidation of the site, stages, cytokines, and molecular mechanisms involved in the differentiation of human NK cells from CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells, and the discovery of IL-15 as the critical cytokine for human NK cell development, survival, growth, and activation. These three advances have been critical for the genesis of CAR NK cells from peripheral blood, umbilical cord blood, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Most of this work was accomplished with his pre- and postdoctoral fellows and his longtime collaborator, Jianhua Yu, Ph.D.
Dr. Caligiuri has designed and conducted clinical studies modulating NK cells for over 1,000 patients with cancer. Over 100 students have trained in the Caligiuri laboratory and have received over 200 local, state, national, or international awards for their research. In 2022, Dr. Caligiuri received the Basic Science Mentor Award from the American Society of Hematology. He is an elected member of the American Association for Clinical Investigation and the American Association of Physicians and an elected Fellow for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is past president of the Association for American Cancer Institutes, past president of the Society of Natural Immunity, and most recently served as president of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the world’s largest cancer research organization.
Dr. Caligiuri has served on the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Board of Scientific Counselors and Board of Scientific Advisors. He was chairman of the Institute of Medicine’s National Cancer Policy Forum from 2014-2016. In 2010, Dr. Caligiuri was one of four individuals in the country to receive a MERIT award from the National Cancer Institute for his work on immunity and cancer, and in 2016 he received an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute. In 2018, Dr. Caligiuri received the Lifetime Achievement award from Stanford University School of Medicine, was elected a Fellow of the AACR Academy and a member of the USA National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Caligiuri is co-founder of Pelotonia (www.pelotonia.org), The Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (www.ORIENcancer.org), CancerBridge (www.mycancerbridge.com), The Ohio State University Drug Development Institute (https://cancer.osu.edu/research-and-education/drugdevelopment-institute), and CytoImmune Therapeutics (www.cytoImmune.com).
Dr. Caligiuri earned his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo and his master’s and medical degrees from Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, and then a fellowship in medical oncology, bone marrow transplantation, and immunology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at Harvard Medical School. He next spent seven years at Roswell Park Cancer Institute as an assistant, associate, and full professor before moving to Ohio State University in 1997 and City of Hope in 2018.
Ubaldo Córdova
Ubaldo Córdova
Dr. Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa completed his BS degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) in 2003. That same year, he went to Pasadena, CA to pursue a MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Under Prof. John F. Brady’s advisement, he studied recent experiments showing catalytically driven propulsion at nano- and micro-scales appearing as a possible mechanism for the transport of colloidal particles. During his PhD work, he also devoted time to study macro- and microrheology of colloidal suspensions using Brownian dynamics simulations and propulsion mechanisms at low Reynolds number flow. This experience gave him the opportunity to become an expert in colloidal transport, the exploitation of chemical reactions, and in the use of analytical and computational methods. Nevertheless, the most important outcome of this stage in his life was the sudden deep and genuine interest in transport phenomena and colloidal hydrodynamics and the need to teach others what he was learning. In 2008 he obtained his PhD and returned to UPRM where he is now an Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering. In 2011, he was awarded the prestigious NSF CAREER award, and in 2013 as Distinguished Professor in Chemical Engineering. His research experience includes the authoring of peer-reviewed articles in Physics Review Letters, Soft Matter, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Advanced Functional Materials, and Nature Chemistry.
Research Interests: Fluid Dynamics, Transport Phenomena, and Colloidal Physics: Brownian and Stokesian Dynamics Sim- ulations, Low Reynolds Number Flow, Microrheology, Complex Fluids, Colloidal Suspensions, Colloidal Devices, and Granular Flows .
Scientific Committee of Trustees
This Charter of the Scientific Committee of Trustees was adopted by the Board of Trustees (the “Board”) of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust (the “Trust”) on August 31, 2020.
Develop and recommend strategies to further the Trust’s mission and vision regarding science and technology
Identify persons and appoint scientific advisory boards that assist the Trust in fulfilling its programmatic mission concerning science
Assist in the establishment of the Trust’s Research Institute.
Daniel Colón Ramos
José Lasalde Dominicci
Ubaldo Córdova
Daniel Colón Ramos
José Lasalde Dominicci
Ubaldo Córdova
Dr. Ubaldo M. Córdova-Figueroa completed his BS degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (UPRM) in 2003. That same year, he went to Pasadena, CA to pursue a MS and PhD in Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology. Under Prof. John F. Brady’s advisement, he studied recent experiments showing catalytically driven propulsion at nano- and micro-scales appearing as a possible mechanism for the transport of colloidal particles. During his PhD work, he also devoted time to study macro- and microrheology of colloidal suspensions using Brownian dynamics simulations and propulsion mechanisms at low Reynolds number flow. This experience gave him the opportunity to become an expert in colloidal transport, the exploitation of chemical reactions, and in the use of analytical and computational methods. Nevertheless, the most important outcome of this stage in his life was the sudden deep and genuine interest in transport phenomena and colloidal hydrodynamics and the need to teach others what he was learning. In 2008 he obtained his PhD and returned to UPRM where he is now an Associate Professor in Chemical Engineering. In 2011, he was awarded the prestigious NSF CAREER award, and in 2013 as Distinguished Professor in Chemical Engineering. His research experience includes the authoring of peer-reviewed articles in Physics Review Letters, Soft Matter, Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Advanced Functional Materials, and Nature Chemistry.
Research Interests: Fluid Dynamics, Transport Phenomena, and Colloidal Physics: Brownian and Stokesian Dynamics Sim- ulations, Low Reynolds Number Flow, Microrheology, Complex Fluids, Colloidal Suspensions, Colloidal Devices, and Granular Flows .
Ad-hoc members
Gillan Haney
Marc Lipstich
Marc Lipstich
Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Director, Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics.
Gillian Haney
Director of Office of Integrated Surveillance and Informatics Services, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Data Science Advisory Committee
María Eglée Pérez Hernandez
Rafael A. Irizarry (chair)
Provides guidance, expertise and recommendations on the acquisition, management and analysis of data for the benefit of Puerto Rico.
Rafael A. Irizarry (chair)
Professor and Chair, Department of Data Science, Dana-Farber University Professor, Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
María Eglée Pérez Hernandez
Professor and Chair, Department of Mathematics, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras.
Administrative Team
Cesar Piovanetti
Chief Information Officer
Cesar Piovanetti, Chief Information Officer
E
Doira Díaz
General Counsel & Administrator
Doira Díaz, General Counsel & Administrator
E
Gilberto Márquez
Chief Financial Officer
Gilberto Márquez, Chief Financial Officer
E
Inés Álvarez
Human Resources Director
Lupe Vázquez
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Lupe Vázquez, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer de la Fundación. Tiene 30 años de experiencia como editora y reportera de El Nuevo Día. Su experiencia incluye la dirección de escritores, diseñadores y equipos de trabajo independientes, en una variedad de temas de noticias, como estilo de vida, negocios, educación y viajes, en secciones como “Por Dentro, Fashionista, De Vinos, DeViaje, El Nuevo Día Educador, Logón, El Nuevo Día Domingo, Negocios y Revista Negocios”. Capaz de liderar el rediseño y el cambio de alcance en plataformas impresas y web, ha lanzado y conceptualizado nuevos productos editoriales impresos y digitales, con responsabilidades que incluyen la creación de marcas, la asociación con el departamento de ventas, el desarrollo y la ejecución de iniciativas para aumentar los lectores y los modelos de ingresos. Ganó en 2012 el Premio WAN-IFRA a los Jóvenes Lectores que hacen la Noticia con la transición de Logon, el periódico para adolescentes de El Nuevo Día. Tiene un bachillerato en Artes Liberales y tiene un máster en Traducción, de la UPR.
Program Directors
Fernando Pabón AIA,CAAPPR
Andreica Maldonado
Andreica Maldonado
After living in the mainland United States for six years, Andreica Maldonado returned to her homeland to join Parallel18 as a Startup Executive. At Parallel18, Andreica managed a group of 16 startups during each cohort, meeting with them on a daily basis and executing the acceleration curriculum effectively, which includes measuring weekly growth through KPI meetings.
She also was in charge of reviewing and analyzing startup performance and developing midpoint evaluations. In addition, she connected the most prominent startups with investors, mentors, companies, and universities and ensured that the grants were disbursed and spent wisely by the entrepreneurs.
Since December 2017, she leads the Research Grants Program in which she is the spokesperson for agency programs in dealing with the scientific community, Puerto Rican government officials, and other agencies and stakeholders. Supervise the promotional efforts to disseminate information about the grants program to the public at-large. Develop requests for applications (RFAs) or Requests for Proposals (RFPs) designed to solicit specific types of grant or contract proposals from the scientific community. Implement the review process, oversee the identification and screening of reviewers, and organize peer-review groups to evaluate letters of intent and/or research proposals on the basis of their scientific merit. Under the direction of the Grants Committee, lead efforts to set yearly funding priorities, determining best practices and policies for proposal review, grants award, and grants management, and providing evaluations of the grants programs and recommendations for improvement. In addition, she is responsible for the distribution of the “Post Hurricane Maria Aid for Researchers” initiative funds, that is designed to help Puerto Rican investigators continue their projects and reestablish operations in their laboratories
Previously, she was a project manager and senior program coordinator at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey’s Center for Leadership and Management. At Rutgers, she managed the New Jersey County Welfare Agencies Leadership and Management Development Project. In that capacity, she conducted research, produced reports, and delivered presentations at each of the state’s 21 counties.
She also has experience in working with disparate community cohorts, including seniors, women, and adolescents, in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico.
Andreica holds a B.A. in General Social Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit and Public Management from the Rutgers University School of Social Work.
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
David L. Gulley, PhD, RTTP, CLP
Abel Baerga
Abel Baerga
Denisse Rodríguez
Denisse Rodríguez Colón
Ms. Rodríguez is currently Program Manager for Puerto Rico Source Link at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust and serves as COO for Codetrotters. Prior to that, she was Program Manager at Foundation for Puerto Rico. She served as Deputy Fiscal Agent for the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico and was named Executive Director of the José M. Berrocal Institute for Economics and Finance. Prior to that, Denisse worked at Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division in New York. Has a BA degree in Finance and Marketing with honors from the University of Puerto Rico. Denisse volunteers as a Kiva Fellow and was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper.
Héctor Jirau
Denisse Rodríguez Colón
Ms. Rodríguez is currently Program Manager for Puerto Rico Source Link at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology and Research Trust and serves as COO for Codetrotters. Prior to that, she was Program Manager at Foundation for Puerto Rico. She served as Deputy Fiscal Agent for the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico and was named Executive Director of the José M. Berrocal Institute for Economics and Finance. Prior to that, Denisse worked at Goldman Sachs’ Investment Banking Division in New York. Has a BA degree in Finance and Marketing with honors from the University of Puerto Rico. Denisse volunteers as a Kiva Fellow and was recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper.
Barbara Rivera
Barbara Rivera
Juan Figueroa PhD
Juan E Figueroa, PhD
Dr. Juan E. Figueroa is Entrepreneurship Advisor and Associated Researcher at the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (Trust) responsible for working with researchers and innovators to transform the results of their research and ideas into product concepts with high potential for commercial success. He also works in the search for research and commercialization funds from private and government sources for the Trust community.
Dr. Figueroa retired from the National Science Foundation in January 2014 where he served since 2002 as a Program Director in the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) after spending over twenty years in R&D management positions in the electronics and communications industries. At NSF he reviewed over three thousand innovative technology proposals and managed over 600 awards ranging from $100K to over $1M. His last position before joining NSF was Product Development Consultant for Material Sensing and Instrumentation, Inc. (MSI), an NSF SBIR grantee company. Dr. Figueroa served at the University of Puerto Rico as an In-House Mentor – Entrepreneurship for Researchers Program. He also supports the Organization of American States as an instructor to their Commercialization HUB series. He is also Senior Technology Adviser to the DC ArchAngels, a national investor group based in Washington, DC and to SensorComm Technologies, an environmental technology company in New Mexico USA.
Prior to MSI Dr. Figueroa was Director of Strategic Development and Project Management for the Home Communications Division of Ericsson, a multinational-telecommunications, and consumer electronics company. His first appointment after graduate school was with Bell Laboratories as a Member of the Technical Staff in Murray Hill, New Jersey and Allentown, Pennsylvania working in the development of the microprocessor, CMOS, and networking technologies. After 13 years with Bell Laboratories, Dr. Figueroa led the operations of a high-speed networking equipment design startup company.
Dr. Figueroa has been involved in emerging technologies such as Wi-Fi, cable modems, ADSL, Ethernet, and Natural Language Processing.
Dr. Figueroa received his Ph.D. in Physics from the State University of New York at Binghamton. A native of Puerto Rico, Dr. Figueroa received his B.S in Physics from the University of Puerto Rico.
Amarilys Silva
Amarilys Silva
Marianyoly Ortiz-Ortiz, PhD
Marianyoly Ortiz-Ortiz, PhD
Marianyoly Ortiz-Ortiz, PhD
Executive Director
Puerto Rico Public Health Trust
Dr. Ortiz has joined the P.R. Public Health Trust as Executive Director to lead the organization in the public health local scenario for the purpose of promoting evidence-based public health practice to make systematic improvements in the health of the population, increase access to health programs, promote developments that impact health outcomes, and reduce inequalities in Puerto Rico’s communities.
She is also part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Dr. Ortiz was the Associate Director for the P.R. Vector Control Unit for 5 years, until June 2022. With that program, she has overseen the implementation of the program’s activities and strategies, including the establishment of two modern entomology laboratories, a new mosquito surveillance system, the launch of five media educational campaigns, community outreach activities, and the evaluation of novel vector control efforts. Before joining PRVCU, she was the Grants Management Specialist of the PRSTRT’s Research Grants Program where she supported the development of new guidelines and processes for the evaluation and selection of scientific proposals. She was also key in the establishment of the Trust’s Center for Tropical Biodiversity and coordinated various Meetups which gathered local scientists and key stakeholders on strategic topics for the research and economic development of the Island. Since 2013, she has been an active member of the Puerto Rico Society for Microbiology and was a member of its Board of Directors from 2016-2018. Since 2019, Dr. Ortiz is part of the Board of Directors of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Caribbean Division. She is also part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). Dr. Ortiz has a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from the University of Puerto Rico in Mayagüez and a Doctorate in Environmental Sciences and Microbiology from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Grayson Brown
Grayson Brown
Jorge Valentine
Jorge Valentine
STEM & Workforce Director
Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust
Puerto Rico is a
global innovation hub
Puerto Rico is a
global innovation hub