oSTEM Executive Committee
Lilian Martinez
Executive Director & CEO
lilian.martinez@ostem.org
she/her
Lilian Martinez is a fierce community advocate with more than a decade of experience growing nonprofits. As a Queer Latina with an educational background in chemical engineering, Lilian knows firsthand the barriers faced by people in STEM who have marginalized identities and experiences. Fueled by her own experiences, Lilian began leading support groups and building communities that could thrive in their STEM educations and careers. Lilian's ability to ignite passion in budding leaders led to her position as the CEO and Executive Director of oSTEM (Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), where she has instituted a Professional Development Summit, Scholarship programs, and an Application Aid Fund that alleviates economic barriers for queer students applying to STEM graduate programs.
Matthew Welmers
President
he/him/they/them
Matthew Welmers is an analytical chemist for INX International Ink Co as well as the Annual Conference Chair. As an analytical chemist they are responsible for solving customer issues, providing quality control and assurance support for production and developing methods to support Research and Development. While not at work Matthew enjoys volunteering and being active in professional organizations like Alpha Chi Sigma, a chemistry professional fraternity. His involvement with oSTEM began in 2015 when he was selected to be the Conference Programming Committee Chair. Matthew has served as Programming Committee Chair since 2015, stepping up to take over as the Annual Conference Chair for oSTEM 2019. For fun, Matthew enjoys exploring various restaurants, parks and bookstores in the greater Chicagoland area.
William Agnew
Vice President of External STEM Partnerships
he/him/they/them
William Agnew is a CBI postdoc fellow at Carnegie Mellon University, where he studies AI ethics, participatory methods, and queer AIs. He received his PhD from the University of Washington in robotics, 3D vision, and AI ethics.
Erin Bryant-Ross
Interim Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility
they/them
Erin, a trailblazer as a first-generation college graduate, passionately champions community health and tirelessly advocates for accessibility. Their knack for fostering relationships is evident in their extensive service to oSTEM, contributing at both collegiate and organizational levels in various roles. After dedicating seven enriching years to oSTEM, they have been entrusted with the significant responsibility of serving as the Interim Vice President for the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Committee. Away from their professional commitments, Erin finds solace in the company of their diverse collection of pets, indulges in the guilty pleasure of reading romance novels, and savors the taste of gourmet coffee. Their life is a testament to their commitment to inclusivity, their love for their community, and their unique personal interests.
Abby Ray
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
she/her/they/them
Abby is currently pursuing a PhD at the University of California Davis where their work focuses on understanding the innate immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. She started volunteering with oSTEM in 2020 as a graphic designer and currently serves as the Vice President of the Marketing & Communications team.In their spare time, they enjoy exploring the coasts of California, making art, reading, telling dad jokes, and spending time with their chosen family.
Dr. Jared Canright
Vice President of Innovation & Technology
he/him
Jared Canright grew up in Alaska, studied physics and electrical engineering at New Mexico Tech, and is now avoiding any form of extreme weather in Seattle as a late-stage PhD candidate in the University of Washington Physics Education Research Group. His PhD research project focuses on teaching scientific reasoning skills in introductory physics laboratories with virtual reality, using fictitious (and Google-proof) physical phenomena. He has been involved with oSTEM since 2017 in many capacities, starting as a conference logistics minion, then logistics committee chair, generalist technology person, and now as co-VP of IT. He spends his personal time with his fiance and dog exploring coffee shops, wineries, bookstores, and hikes around the PNW.
Animesh Paul
Vice President-Elect of Projects & Programs
he/him/they/them
Animesh Paul, residing in Athens, GA, is a prominent researcher in engineering education, specializing in user experience research and advancing inclusive practices within engineering programs.
His professional path has been marked by a notable role as a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Georgia. In this capacity, he undertook experimental and exploratory research, significantly contributing to the design and analysis of surveys. His dissertation examines the school-to-work transition through an asset-based lens. Before his graduate academic pursuits, Animesh served as a Program Manager at Credit Suisse, where he utilized his Industrial/Organizational Psychology expertise to make pivotal strategic workforce decisions. Furthermore, he was a Consultant for Dexian, Artech, leading procurement and HRIT-related projects.
Beyond his professional and academic commitments, Animesh is actively engaged in community service and harbors a passion for outdoor activities and culinary exploration.
oSTEM Staff
Linda Aragon
Director of Corporate & Foundation Relations
linda.aragon@ostem.org
she/her
Linda Aragon (she/her) is oSTEM's Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. Born and raised in Miami, FL to immigrant parents, Linda is a first-generation college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in Art History and a minor in Studio Art from Florida International University (FIU). While in college, she served on the executive board of the Asian Student Union (ASU) and volunteered as the assistant kindergarten teacher at the local Japanese primary school for four years. In her previous organization, she was a founding member of the LGBTQ+ (DEAI) and environmental sustainability employee resource groups and led successful initiatives and advances within them. Linda comes to oSTEM with over six years of experience within the nonprofit sector, including executive management, event logistics and human resources. On her down time, she enjoys gardening, visiting museums and karaoke. She often picks up new hobbies and is currently experimenting with roller skates. Linda is fluent in English, Spanish and Japanese. Linda has been working closely with oSTEM's partners, including Annual Conference sponsors and the Organizational Advisory Council (OAC), and looks forward to deepening these relationships and bringing new opportunities to oSTEM's members. She is excited to meet and collaborate with all the wonderful people who make up oSTEM.
Jamie Gonzales
Director of Community Relations & Events
jamie.gonzales@ostem.org
she/her
Jamie Gonzales (she/her) joins oSTEM from Houston, Texas with 7+ years working in higher education focused on LGBTQ+ and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. As a first-generation college graduate, she proudly earned a Master's of Education (M.Ed) in Higher Education from University of Houston (UH) and a Bachelor of Arts in Government with a minor in American Sign Language from The University of Texas at Austin (UT). Prior to her time with oSTEM, she was a career counselor and classroom instructor (2020-2022), the Diversity Education Coordinator with the UH LGBTQ Resource Center (2016-2020) and the Graduate Assistant with UH Center for Diversity and Inclusion (2014-2016). Jamie has also taught Intro to LGBTQ Studies and advised Gamma Rho Lambda Sorority's Kappa Chapter and UH's oSTEM Chapter. During her time there, she oversaw two student leadership development programs, educational trainings, fundraising, and support services for underrepresented and underserved populations. She also served as the UH liaison and Volunteer Coordinator on Gender Infinity Conference's planning team for multiple years. When not on campus, Jamie values serving her local community in various capacities such as being a Co-Director for New Leaders Council-Houston and a board member for Mayor Turner's LGBTQ Advisory Board. Jamie looks forward to working closely with the oSTEM board, volunteers, chapters, and community champions to provide collaborative and empowering opportunities.