Experience

Investors of Color

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Managing Partner

  • Sep 2020 - Present

  United States Investors of Color (IoC) is a global network of diverse, accredited investors across the capital stack committed to building wealth for and by underrepresented communities through investments in early-stage companies. The IoC is composed of investors representing the entire continuum of capital such as angel investors, ad-hoc investment networks, venture capital, revenue-based investment firms, family offices, and other capital providers. The strength of IoC is a commitment to close the… Show more Investors of Color (IoC) is a global network of diverse, accredited investors across the capital stack committed to building wealth for and by underrepresented communities through investments in early-stage companies. The IoC is composed of investors representing the entire continuum of capital such as angel investors, ad-hoc investment networks, venture capital, revenue-based investment firms, family offices, and other capital providers. The strength of IoC is a commitment to close the funding gap in startup capital. Show less



Gaingels

• United States
• Financial Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Principal - Gaingels Healthcare Fund

  • Aug 2023 - Present

  Gaingels Healthcare Fund I invests in U.S. companies with a medtech or digital health technology that promotes public health, advances science and/or education, combats community deterioration, and/or addresses health disparities. More specifically, the company moves healthcare forward inclusively across gender, ethnicity, race and identity, and/or any specific focus on the LGBTQ community.



Capital Stack Investors

• Spain
• Software Development

• Founder & CEO

  • Sep 2021 - Present

  Capital Stack Investors is a boutique, international consultancy firm providing venture fund and angel network architecture and advisory services, organizational innovation strategy and company board participation.



Minderoo Foundation Blak Angels Investment Network

• U.S. Project Lead

  • Jun 2023 - Present

  Australia The Blak Angels First Nations Investment Network is First Nations-led initiative supported by the Minderoo Foundation. The aim is to establish a First Nations angel network across Australia.



Angel Capital Association

• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • May 2020 - Present

  ACA is a collective of the world's largest association of accredited angel investors. ACA is comprised of 14,000+ member accredited angel investors; 250 angel groups, accredited platforms and family offices, and 20,000+ entrepreneurial companies in ACA member investment portfolios.



Hispanics in Philanthropy

• United States
• Philanthropic Fundraising Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • Jul 2022 - Present

  HIP is the largest global network of philanthropists, funders, charities, impact investors, and movement leaders to support, fund, and materialize our vision of change for the Hispanic/Latinx community globally.



Private Directors Association®

• United States
• Executive Offices
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Member

  • Jan 2023 - Present

  With close to 3,000 members, the Private Directors Association represents a diverse and highly experienced community of executive leaders, including current and qualified future board members, private company owners, C-level executives of family-owned businesses, ESOPs, private equity-backed companies, and early-stage ventures.



Founders First

• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals

• Board Member

  • Dec 2021 - Present

  Founders First Capital is a national lender serving Asian, BIPOC, Hispanic, LGBTQ+, veteran and women owned businesses helping entrepreneurs accelerate business growth through Revenue-Based Financing products and Advisory Services.


Cap Table Coalition
• United States
• Investment Management
• 1 - 100 Employee
• Investment Committee Member

  • Aug 2022 - Present


Angeles Investors

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Member

  • Jul 2022 - Present

  Angel network on a mission to Find, Fund and Grow Hispanic and Latinx ventures.



Portfolia

• United States
• Consumer Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Investor

  • Jan 2020 - Present

  The Portfolia Rising America Fund invests in early stage and growth companies in the U.S. where people of color or LGBTQ see opportunity for returns and market impact. The Active Aging Fund invests in emerging knowledge and solutions that will improve longevity and vitality, and new technologies and solutions to enhance the aging experience for those 50+ as well those caring for the elderly.



RISE: Scaling Healthtech at Assuta

• Israel
• Hospitals and Health Care
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Investor-in-Residence

  • Sep 2022 - Present

  Tel Aviv District, Israel RISE with US program a global partnership between Assuta, University City Science Center, LionBird VC, Amazon Web Services and NVIDIA to assist Israeli entrepreneurs and early-stage startups in the initial stages assessing and validating their U.S. product-market fit.



AccelHUB Venture Partners

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founding Venture Partner

  • Oct 2019 - Present

  Greater Boston Area AccelHUB Venture Partners is investing in high-growth LATAM companies, and providing guidance and leadership to launch them into the global market with the aim of providing healthy returns.



World Business Angels Investment Forum

• Türkiye
• Capital Markets
• 1 - 100 Employee

• WBAF Senator for the US

  • Dec 2019 - Present

  United States As an affiliated partner of the G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI), the World Business Angels Investment Forum committed to collaborating globally to empowering the economic development of the world by fostering innovative financial instruments for SMEs, innovators, and startups invites you to join our global efforts to ease access to finance for them to create more jobs and social justice for the world economy.



Stanford Latino Business Action Network

• Capital Advisor

  • Jun 2016 - Present

  Palo Alto, CA LBAN is a six-week program designed to help Latino business owners scale their businesses. The program provides participants with education and training, enhanced access to capital, and personal mentorship to promote business growth and job creation.



National Science Foundation

• United States

• I-Corps Certified Instructor

  • Aug 2015 - Present

  The NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps™) fosters entrepreneurship that will lead to the commercialization of technology that has been supported previously by NSF-funded research.



Innovate Egypt

• Egypt
• Mechanical Or Industrial Engineering

• Director

  • Sep 2017 - Present

  Cairo Innovate Egypt empowers early-stage science and technology innovators to commercialize their inventions and create new ventures. The goal of Innovate Egypt is to provide innovators with the training, mentoring, and resources they need to bring their ideas out of the lab and into the market.



NIH COVID-19 RADx Initiative

• Commercialization Consultant

  • Nov 2020 - Sep 2023

  United States The National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative to speed innovation in the development, commercialization, and implementation of technologies for COVID-19 testing.



IN-VENTech

• Israel
• Strategic Management Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Investor-in-Residence

  • Jul 2022 - Sep 2022

  Haifa, Israel IN-VENTech is a unique startup program backed by Haifa Municipality, hiCenter and Haifa Economic Corporation. The program was initiated to support and promote the growing innovation ecosystem in downtown Haifa. The Science Center IN-VENTech cohort engages Israeli healthcare startups in a 7-week training program focused on investor discovery and developing partnerships in Philadelphia and U.S.-based R&D organizations. These companies have satisfied proof-of-concept and established traction in… Show more IN-VENTech is a unique startup program backed by Haifa Municipality, hiCenter and Haifa Economic Corporation. The program was initiated to support and promote the growing innovation ecosystem in downtown Haifa. The Science Center IN-VENTech cohort engages Israeli healthcare startups in a 7-week training program focused on investor discovery and developing partnerships in Philadelphia and U.S.-based R&D organizations. These companies have satisfied proof-of-concept and established traction in Israel, either through customers and revenue or investment. The companies have raised between $1.5M and $6M in venture capital in Israel, and seek expansion into the U.S. market. Online training topics include an overview of the U.S. healthcare market, engaging in investor discovery, U.S. regulatory issues, and panel sessions with U.S. investors. Show less



business angel Minority association - baMa

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Founding Board Of Advisors

  • Nov 2019 - Nov 2020

  Houston, Texas Area The business angel Minority association (baMa) aims to bridge the investment gap in MINORITY-led startups or startups targeting minority driven markets.



VentureWell

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director - U.S. State Department Global Investors Program

  • Sep 2016 - Oct 2020

  GIST Investors is a public-private partnership with the U.S. State Department, private businesses, academic institutions and international organizations. The GIST Investors Program works with global investors to create sustainable investment networks and strengthen existing investing communities. The program includes in-country training for investors to strengthen the financial resources available to early-stage startups in science and technology. To date, countries served include Colombia… Show more GIST Investors is a public-private partnership with the U.S. State Department, private businesses, academic institutions and international organizations. The GIST Investors Program works with global investors to create sustainable investment networks and strengthen existing investing communities. The program includes in-country training for investors to strengthen the financial resources available to early-stage startups in science and technology. To date, countries served include Colombia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, Egypt, and Vietnam. Show less



Venture Capital Institute

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Faculty

  • Sep 2018 - Dec 2018

  The Venture Capital Institute (VCI) was established in 1974 by the leaders and founders of the venture capital industry. The founding purpose of VCI is to provide a training program for new entrants into the venture capital industry. VCI alums number nearly 5,000 and reside in 23 different countries.



Turkey Technology Transfer Accelerator

• Senior Project Lead

  • Sep 2016 - Nov 2017

  Turkey The Technology Transfer Accelerator (TTA Turkey) is an initiative designed by the European Investment Fund (EIF) in cooperation with the Turkish Ministry of Science, Industry and Technology, the Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Turkey and the DG Regional Policy of the European Commission to improve the capacity of Technology Transfer Offices in Turkey.



Morocco Clean Tech Innovation Challenge

• Senior Project Lead

  • Dec 2016 - Jan 2017

  Casablanca Prefecture, Morocco The top clean tech innovators in Morocco took part in an intensive accelerator for training, mentorship and networking experiences to help further their innovation.



Lubbock Angel Network

• United States
• Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals

• Executive Director & Co-Founder

  • Jan 2015 - Sep 2016

  Lubbock, Texas Area The Lubbock Angel Network (LAN) is a member-directed investment club. LAN seeks to invest in early-stage startups emerging from West Texas, as well as syndicated deals from other angel networks.



Texas Tech University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Associate Vice Chancellor

  • Feb 2013 - Aug 2016

  Lubbock, Texas Area Promoted entrepreneurial initiatives and regional economic development via the Office of Research Commercialization. This included founding of a new angel network, and over $20M in funding for startups, entrepreneurship programs, grants and proof of concept funds.



El Paso Regional Center of Innovation & Commercialization

• Executive Director

  • Nov 2007 - Mar 2013

  El Paso, Texas Area Non-profit committed to helping people with innovative ideas take their inventions, solutions, and products to market. The organization served as the screening and vetting office in the El Paso region for the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (TETF), a public venture fund focused on investing in unique and emerging technologies in Texas.



The Hub of Human Innovation

• Co-Founder and Board Vice President

  • 2010 - 2012

  El Paso, Texas Area The Hub of Human Innovation supports entrepreneurs and accelerates the growth of innovative and technology-based startups in the El Paso, TX/Southern New Mexico/Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The Hub strengthen the region's innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem by providing mentoring, space, connections, and access to resources for growth.



Bi-National Sustainability Lab (BNSL)

• Technical Director

  • Sep 2005 - Nov 2007

  El Paso, Texas Area Bi-national non-profit incubator that promoted technology-based businesses on the U.S.-Mexico border be they start-ups, small & medium sized businesses, or large well-established companies. The vision aimed to make the U.S.-Mexico border a model for prosperity and economic development.



Boeing

• United States
• Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Intellectual Property Consultant

  • 2003 - 2005

  Irvine, CA • Trained and mentored company personnel with regard to inventions, patents, processes, licenses, etc. • Managed a portfolio of over 100 invention disclosures • Provided IP awareness briefings to various business units across the company • Recommended invention awards, payment of patent annuities, and patent abandonment

• Engineer/Scientist Specialist

  • 1998 - 2003

  Huntington Beach, CA • Technical authority for pneumatic and cryogenic system design, production, launch, and mission success of the Delta III/IV family of rockets • Interfaced with customers, program management, and suppliers to ensure successful operation of the system • Presented risk assessments, trade studies, and system technical and economic impacts to management • Visited launch sites, in-house and supplier manufacturing and test areas to observe operations