Introduction
Deep in our DNA is a legacy of persistence. Over 45 years ago, our founders came together as part of the Chicano and American Indian civil rights movements to stand up for the representation of all communities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. Equipped with the knowledge of our elders and founders, in 2018, we continued to advocate for science, leadership, culture, and our communities. Rooted in our strategic plan, we furthered our focus to drive change, broaden our network, and strengthen opportunities for our members. We also addressed key issues that affect the communities we serve to better understand our role in these challenges and how to empower our network individually and collectively.
WE STAND
FOR SCIENCE
SACNAS stood up for science through partnerships with March for Science and Science Rising, ensuring that STEM diversity and inclusion and evidence-based policy decisions remain a critical piece of STEM advocacy and the national conversation on science. Twenty-three SACNISTAS spoke at the March for Science, with five organizers in twelve cities, including queer Lakota/White neuroscientist, Micah Jasey Savin. At the march, Micah shared a moving story about their journey from ballet dancer to neuroscientist and, prompted by the loss of their partner to AIDS, the importance of discovering how HIV affects the brain.
Micah Savin
“Speaking at the march reminded me that I’m doing this work for someone no longer with me. I’ve questioned whether I’m capable of the change I was charged to make, but it was amazing to see my community recognized and mobilized.”
Micah Savin, Lakota/White, Clinical Psychology PhD candidate, Fordham University (they/them/their)
Watch Micah speak out at the March for Science View the 2018 March for Science playlist 
Read the 2018 March for Science speeches 
Check out #Science Rising Twitter Chat Dr. Olivia George
“LPSLI gave me an idea of what good leadership looks like and it opened my eyes to things I hadn’t thought about, like navigating emotional intelligence and implicit bias. I’ve often referred back to my LPSLI materials as I form partnerships to launch our program.”
Olivia George, Navajo, Assistant Professor of Biology, Campus Coordinator for Hawaii-INBRE Program at University of Hawai’i—West O’ahu (she/her/hers)
Read an interview with LPSLI instructors WE STAND FOR LEADERSHIP
The Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute (LPSLI) cultivates the next generation of underrepresented leaders so that we can achieve true diversity at all levels of STEM. Dr. Olivia George (Navajo) is the faculty advisor for the SACNAS chapter on her campus at the University of Hawai'i—West O’ahu, where she teaches cell biology and genetics. Her participation in LPSLI empowered her to become campus coordinator and junior investigator for a biomedical research program she brought to her university.
SACNAS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS
The LPSLI was one of four leadership programs in 2018, including Community College Leadership Day, Chapter Leadership Institute, and Advanced Leadership Institute.
Learn More
Kristen Gardner
“The conference was an amazing opportunity to present my research, network, learn how I fit into science, and just be surrounded by people who are making incredible advancements and making the culture more inclusive. A big part of what I want to do in STEM is be a leader for minorities.”
Kristen Gardner, African American/White, Chemistry Undergraduate, University of North Carolina (she/her/hers)
Watch keynote speeches from 2018 SACNAS WE STAND FOR EXCELLENCE
The heartbeat of SACNAS is our annual meeting. Over 4,200 STEM students and professionals at all levels gathered in October 2018 to experience cutting-edge science, familia, motivation, and opportunity. One of those attendees was Kristen Gardner.
At her first SACNAS conference in 2017, Kristen won a poster presentation award that took her to Boston to represent SACNAS at the American Chemical Society meeting (ACS) and another award in 2018 which will cover trip costs for her to participate in the Young Chemist Leadership Development Workshop through ACS. Kristen is a rising star advocating for inclusive science.
View Award winners at 2018 SACNAS 
WE STAND FOR COMMUNITY
STANDING WITH OUR DREAMERS
Within our diverse and inclusive community, there are people who are further marginalized based on their gender, sexual orientation, and immigrant status. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are an important part of the American STEM community, but their safety and well-being are constantly put at risk by legislation. In 2018, not only was the DACA program threatened with dissolution but other anti-immigration legislation, like the Texas Senate Bill 4 (SB4), was unveiled. Through our conference and year-round programming we strive to provide safe and inspiring spaces for our Dreamers.
STANDING WITH OUR LGBTQ COMMUNITY
SACNAS stood firm with our LGBTQ members by creating space for them to be a visible and proud presence throughout the conference, despite the discriminatory legislation enacted in Texas under HB3859. To show our support for our queer members, we connected with The Pride Center of San Antonio and the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce, hosted the longest running LGBTQ STEM diversity conference reception in the country, and promoted the visibility of our queer SACNISTAs through the visibility campaign 500 Queer Scientists, started by arachnologist, Dr. Lauren Esposito.
Futhermore, as a national organization, we leveraged our national position to influence the San Antonio Convention Center and Chamber of Commerce to offer gender-neutral restrooms, modeling a new standard of inclusivity for large events.
Press Statement
DREAMERs 
We Stand For Community
Juan de la Cruz Verala
Juan de la Cruz Verala is an undocumented mechanical engineering student at San Jose City College which has had an active SACNAS chapter for over 10 years and hosted this year’s Community College Leadership Day.
“When I first got to the event, I was feeling like maybe I didn’t belong, but the very first session of the jam-packed day was a workshop about impostor syndrome. For it to kick off like that made me feel that I did belong. I had a lot of fun and it prompted our chapter to think about ways to do outreach to promote STEM in underserved communities. As an undocumented student affected by the recent DACA legislation, I consider myself extremely blessed to have the support of SACNAS, my college, and our chapter.”
During 2018 SACNAS—The National Diversity in STEM Conference in Texas, we connected with RAICES and the UTSA Dreamers Resource Center, expanded our comprehensive Conference Code of Conduct policy to directly address discrimination, and offered funding for travel scholarships to non-citizens and non-residents.
Watch Juan’s acceptance speech for his 2017 Chapter of the Year Award Community College Leadership Day Standing With Our LGBTQ Community
Dr. Lauren Esposito
“SACNAS took a stand for LGBTQ+ visibility and equality in allowing me to take the stage in front of 4,200+ STEM students and professionals to talk about the issues currently faced by this community. 500 Queer Scientists is a campaign to highlight the contributions of queer people working in STEM, to bring visibility to this often invisible axis of diversity, and create a cohesive community. I can truly say that the SACNAS conference was a big step forward.”
Dr. Lauren Esposito, Assistant Curator, Schlinger Chair of Arachnology, California Academy of Sciences (she/her/hers)
Watch Dr. Esposito’s keynote 
500 Queer Scientists 
WE STAND WITH CONFIDENCE
There are 115+ SACNAS chapters across the country fueling our mission by providing mentorship, building peer networks, and creating professional development opportunities. They are the year-round connective tissue of our community, helping members build the confidence necessary to persist in STEM.
Start or Join a SACNAS Chapter
Amanda Brambila
“The need for validation is a disease that does not allow us to shake the impostor syndrome - that feeling that we cannot possibly hold a standard to which answers are measured against for accuracy. Diseases have lifespans. It is up to us to eradicate it. We have a responsibility to model confidence for the generations coming after us. It’s important because it’s what makes me, ME. Being Mexican American is always going to be part of me. That’s what makes me a unique scientist.”
Amanda Brambila, Chicana/Mexican American, PhD candidate, University of California, Santa Cruz (she/her/hers)Amanda Brambila (Chicana/Mexican American) is president of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) chapter, the recipient of the 2018 Chapter of the Year award. The UCSC chapter worked hard to promote STEM diversity on campus by raising $8,000 in 24 hours, hosting Science Fair Judging that led to a pilot mentoring program, fostering connections with Genentech, and attending tabling events to promote the chapter and collaborations with other professional organizations on campus.
45
Years
Of diversifying STEM & building leaders
10-Year
Anniversary of the Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute
299
Leaders
Trained since 2009
3
Regional Meetings
Northeast, Midwest, San Diego
115+
Chapters
7,000+
Volunteer Hours
4
Leadership Training Programs
Community College Leadership Day
Chapter Leadership Institute
Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute
Advanced Leadership Institute
Chapter Leadership Institute
Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute
Advanced Leadership Institute
2018 SACNAS - The National Diversity in STEM Conference
- Registrants: 4,213
- Student research presentations: 1,111
- Student presentation awards: 105
- Student presentation mentor/judges: 168
- Travel scholarships awarded: 511
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Revenue Support
- Government Grant Revenue $1,595,603
- Contributions $94,520
- Dues Memberships $115,009
- Conference Sponsorship $573,140
- Conference Registration $1,103,563
- Conference Exhibition $679,343
- Conference Advertising $13,225
- Underwriting and Other Income $326,956
- Assets Released from Restrictions $0
- In-kind Contributions $3,779
- Interest Income $3,401
Total Revenue $4,508,539
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Expenses
- Program Services $3,328,052
- Administration $768,621
- Fund Development $119,287
Total Expenses $4,215,960
Total Change in Net Assets
$292,579
Fiscal year: July 1, 2017 - June 30, 2018
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Revenue Support
Fiscal Year 2017-2018
Expenses
Year to Date
July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Revenue Support
- Government Grant Revenue $541,867
- Contributions $14,006
- Dues Memberships $67,585
- Conference Sponsorship $448,600
- Conference Registration $1,464,398
- Conference Exhibition $873,708
- Conference Advertising $11,500
- Underwriting and Other Income $256,779
- Assets Released from Restrictions $21,000
- In-kind Contributions $0
- Interest Income $4,805
Total Revenue $3,704,247
Year to Date
July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Expenses
- Program Services $2,331,628
- Administration $569,950
- Fund Development $112,009
Total Expenses $3,013,587
Total Change in Net Assets
$690,661
Year to Date
July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Revenue Support
Year to Date
July 1, 2018 - December 31, 2018
Expenses
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
Lino Gonzalez, PhD
Senior Scientist, 23andMe, Inc.
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Sonia I. Zárate, PhD
Program Officer, The Howard Hughes Medical Institute
TREASURER
Pamela Padilla, PhD
Professor & Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation-Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies, University of North Texas
SECRETARY
Corey Welch, PhD
Program Manager, STEM Scholars Program, Iowa State University
BOARD MEMBERS
Diana Azurdia, PhD
Associate Director for Inclusion and Recruitment, University of California, Los Angeles
David R. Burgess, PhD
Professor of Biology, Boston College
Erika Camacho, PhD
Assistant professor of Applied Mathematics, Arizona State University School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences
Healani Chang, DrPH
Program Director/Research Associate Specialist Faculty, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Martha Davilá-García, PhD
Associate Professor, Biomedical Research, Howard University
Daniela Flores
Graduate Student, Iowa State University
Corey Garza, PhD
Associate Professor of Marine Science, California State University, Monterey Bay
Daniel Albino Lujan
Graduate Student Research Assistant, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center
Patricia Silveyra, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Humanities, Penn State College of Medicine
2018 STAFF LEADERSHIP
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
John D. Winnett
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Jenny Kurzweil
DIRECTOR OF DATA & TECHNOLOGY
Robert Mendoza
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & LEADERSHIP
Eben Lindsey, MA
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS
David Kitchen
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & DEVELOPMENT
Jennifer Vasquez, MBA
2018 GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRS
AUDIT COMMITTEE
Maura Matera, CPA
BYLAWS COMMITTEE
Sonia Zárate, PhD, SACNAS President-Elect, and Lino Gonzalez, PhD, SACNAS President
DATA & EVALUATION
Corey Welch, PhD, Director, STEM Scholars Program, Iowa State University
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Lino Gonzalez, PhD, SACNAS President, Senior Scientist, 23andMe, Inc.
FINANCE COMMITTEE
Pamela Padilla, PhD, Professor & Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation-Associate Dean of Research & Graduate Studies, University of North Texas
NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE
Nancy Hurtado-Ziola, PhD
2018 PROGRAM COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Chapter Committee
Kermin Martinez-Hernandez, PhD, Assistant Professor - Chemical Education, Chemistry Department, St. John Fisher College
Distinguished Awards Committee
Healani Chang, DrPH, Program Director/Research Associate Specialist Faculty, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Editorial Advisory Board
Jenny Kurzweil, Director of Communications and Marketing, SACNAS
Leadership Program Committee
Marigold Linton, PhD, Director American Indian Outreach, University of Kansas
National Conference Committee
Laura Robles, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Biology, President, Emeritus Faculty Association, AAAS Fellow, California State University Dominguez Hills
Native American Affairs Committee
Healani Chang, DrPH, Program Director/Research Associate Specialist Faculty, University of Hawaii at Manoa
Student Presentations Committee
Gloriana Trujillo, PhD, Director, Faculty and Lecturer Programs, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning, Stanford University
