2024 Convention: Puerto Rico Innovation Expo
Access our invited speakers’ bios and available presentations the day of the event.
Tuesday, May 7th
Welcome Remarks
Mickey Espada-Medina
President, PRCC 2024 Convention: PR Innovation Expo
Liza M. García-Vélez, Esq.
Executive Director, PRCC
Master of Ceremony
Ramón A. Pérez-Blanco, Esq., CPCU
President & Chairman of the Board, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
Ramón A. Pérez-Blanco, Esq., CPCU
President & Chairman of the Board, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
Monika Candelaria
News Anchor & Reporter at Wapa TV
Master of Ceremony
Monika Candelaria
News Anchor & Reporter at Wapa TV
Master of Ceremony
Expo & Networking : Educational Business & Entrepreneurship Talks
Vanessa Marzán Toro
Communications Strategist
Master of Ceremony
Introduction to Puerto Rico Demographic Challenges
Ramón A. Pérez-Blanco, Esq., CPCU
President & Chairman of the Board, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
Moderator
Ramón A. Pérez-Blanco, Esq., CPCU
President & Chairman of the Board, Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce
Moderator
Luis Ferraro, Ph.D.
President of the University of Puerto Rico
Keynote Speaker
Raúl Figueroa Rodríguez, MS
Demographer, and author of the books – The Elders' Colony and Puerto Rico 2000-2010: Más Allá del Censo
Keynote Speaker
Raúl Figueroa Rodríguez, MS
Demographer, and author of the books – The Elders' Colony and Puerto Rico 2000-2010: Más Allá del Censo
Keynote Speaker
Presentation of Demographic Studies: Out Migration (Diaspora) and Return Migration of Puerto Ricans
Roxana Trabanco
Chief Client Officer, Ipsos Puerto Rico, IPSOS Puerto Rico
Keynote Speaker
Roxana Trabanco
Chief Client Officer, Ipsos Puerto Rico, IPSOS Puerto Rico
Keynote Speaker
Special Plenary Session
Hon. Manuel Cidre Miranda
Secretary, Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development & Commerce
Keynote Speaker
Hon. Manuel Cidre Miranda
Secretary, Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development & Commerce
Keynote Speaker
Pedro Zorilla
CEO GFR Media & LinkActiv
Keynote Speaker
Carlos Mercado
Executive Director, Puerto Rico Tourism Company
Keynote Speaker
LUNCH: Sponsors’ Presentations & Pep Talk: Lets be part of the Innovation Adventure
Gamaliel Malave
Founder @ UPTURNco. / President @ The Growth Coach PR / Keynote Speaker / Award Winning Business and Sales Coach
Keynote Speaker
Gamaliel Malave
Founder @ UPTURNco. / President @ The Growth Coach PR / Keynote Speaker / Award Winning Business and Sales Coach
Keynote Speaker
Special Plenary Session on Energy Challenges
Diana Furchtgott-Roth
Director, Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment and The Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at the Heritage Foundation
Keynote Speaker
Diana Furchtgott-Roth
Director, Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment and The Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at the Heritage Foundation
Keynote Speaker
Iván Báez
Vice President, Government & Public Affairs at Genera PR
Panelist
Jesús Bolinaga
President of AES Puerto Rico
Panelist
Mario Tomasini
President at Ciro Energy Group
Panelist
Mario Tomasini
President at Ciro Energy Group
Panelist
Special Plenary Session on Housing Challenges
Agustín Rojo
Managing Partner at VRM Companies & President of Puerto Rico Builders Association
Moderator
Agustín Rojo
Managing Partner at VRM Companies & President of Puerto Rico Builders Association
Moderator
Dr. Kimberly A. McClain
Assistant Secretary Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Keynote
Dr. Kimberly A. McClain
Assistant Secretary Congressional and Intergovernmental Relations, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Keynote
Agnes Crespo, Esq.
Director PR Division, IBTS - Institute for Building Technology and Safety
Panelist
Agnes Crespo, Esq.
Director PR Division, IBTS - Institute for Building Technology and Safety
Panelist
Reaction Session on Health & Insurance Demographic Challenges
Carlos L. Rodríguez, Esq.
SVP of Corporate Affairs & Chief Legal Officer at Triple-S Management
Panelist
Carlos L. Rodríguez, Esq.
SVP of Corporate Affairs & Chief Legal Officer at Triple-S Management
Panelist
Elaine Saldaña, Esq.
Chief Legal Officer, Optima Seguros
Panelist
Reaction Session on Education & Job Challenges
María Cristina González
EVP, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, Popular Inc.
Moderator
María Cristina González
EVP, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer, Popular Inc.
Moderator
Hon. Gabriel Maldonado-González
Secretary, PR Department of Labor & Human Resources
Panelist
Hon. Gabriel Maldonado-González
Secretary, PR Department of Labor & Human Resources
Panelist
Isabel Rullán
Executive Director of ConPRmetidos
Panelist
Sergio Claux
Regional Director LatAm, Forte Global
Panelist
Reaction Session on Economic Development Challenges
Kenneth Rivera - Robles, Esq., CPA
PRCC Former President & Advisor to the President and Tax Partner at Galíndez LLC
Moderator
Kenneth Rivera - Robles, Esq., CPA
PRCC Former President & Advisor to the President and Tax Partner at Galíndez LLC
Moderator
Luis Alemañy González
President of Bank of Economic Development for Puerto Rico
Panelist
Waleska Rivera
President & CEO at Danosa Caribbean, Inc. and PRCC Second VP of the Board
Panelist
Waleska Rivera
President & CEO at Danosa Caribbean, Inc. and PRCC Second VP of the Board
Panelist
Joanellis Fernández
PRCC Board Secretary and Business Development Director at Kevane Grant Thornton
Panelist
Joanellis Fernández
PRCC Board Secretary and Business Development Director at Kevane Grant Thornton
Panelist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez, PE
Founder & CEO at Instituto de Libertad Económica para Puerto Rico (ILE-PR)
Panelist
Jorge Luis Rodriguez, PE
Founder & CEO at Instituto de Libertad Económica para Puerto Rico (ILE-PR)
Panelist
Concurrent Sessions
Forum I: Exports as Trade Policy and National Economic Defense Strategy
Hugo Lasso
President PRCC Exports Committee, PRDEC Chair & Regional Exports Director-Latin America, Avery Products Corporation
Moderator
Hugo Lasso
President PRCC Exports Committee, PRDEC Chair & Regional Exports Director-Latin America, Avery Products Corporation
Moderator
David F. Day, Esq.
NADEC Pacific South Representative, Co-chair, Trade Policy Committee, and Chairman of Global Risk Mitigation Foundation
Keynote Speaker (virtual presentation)
David F. Day, Esq.
NADEC Pacific South Representative, Co-chair, Trade Policy Committee, and Chairman of Global Risk Mitigation Foundation
Keynote Speaker (virtual presentation)
Mariano Parlato
NADEC Representative, Business Strategic Advisor
Panelist
José E. Ledesma Fuentes, CFA
EX PRDEC Chair, CEO of Discover PR LLC and PRCC Former President
Panelist
José E. Ledesma Fuentes, CFA
EX PRDEC Chair, CEO of Discover PR LLC and PRCC Former President
Panelist
Felicia Correa, MPA
PRDEC, Act Officer, and Vice President & Senior Compliance Officer, BPPR
Panelist
Felicia Correa, MPA
PRDEC, Act Officer, and Vice President & Senior Compliance Officer, BPPR
Panelist
Success Stories:
Joan D. Laureano
PRDEC Vice President and President of Nosotras Boutique Fashion (Brands: Krystalos/Devozioni/TúniK)
Speaker
Joan D. Laureano
PRDEC Vice President and President of Nosotras Boutique Fashion (Brands: Krystalos/Devozioni/TúniK)
Speaker
Alexis Hernandez Arnaldy, PE
PRDEC Member, and President and CEO of ePUMPS Solutions, LLC
Speaker
Alexis Hernandez Arnaldy, PE
PRDEC Member, and President and CEO of ePUMPS Solutions, LLC
Speaker
Víctor Sánchez
PRDEC Member, President & CEO at Pharma-Bio Serv
Speaker
Forum II: Opportunities for SMEs
Panel I: Financing Alternatives
Braulio Nieves-Román
Registered Investment Adviser, Pariter Wealth Management Group, LLC and President PRCC Members Committee
Moderator
Braulio Nieves-Román
Registered Investment Adviser, Pariter Wealth Management Group, LLC and President PRCC Members Committee
Moderator
Mariel Lama
Managing Director, Bluhaus Capital
Panelist
Mariel Lama
Managing Director, Bluhaus Capital
Panelist
Freddy Castejón
Managing Director, WorCaps
Panelist
Freddy Castejón
Managing Director, WorCaps
Panelist
Vivian M. Dolagaray López
Executive Vice President Commercial Strategy and Financing at Banco de Desarrollo Económico para Puerto Rico
Panelist
Vivian M. Dolagaray López
Executive Vice President Commercial Strategy and Financing at Banco de Desarrollo Económico para Puerto Rico
Panelist
Mayra Medina
VP of Credit, Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Oriental
Panelist
Panel II: Innovation and Technology
Juan Carlos Seguí
President PRCC SMEs Committee and President of Seguí & Associates Insurance Brokers
Moderator
Juan Carlos Seguí
President PRCC SMEs Committee and President of Seguí & Associates Insurance Brokers
Moderator
Asbertly A. Rosa, CFA
Financial Analyst, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Panelist
Asbertly A. Rosa, CFA
Financial Analyst, Banco Popular de Puerto Rico
Panelist
Daniel Alvarado
Co-Founder & Principal Technical Lead of CelerOps
Panelist
Daniel Alvarado
Co-Founder & Principal Technical Lead of CelerOps
Panelist
Emmanuel Oquedo
Co-Founder & CEO of BrainHi
Panelist
Forum III: Non-Profit Organizations: Formalization and Tax Aspects
Wilma Alejandro
PRCC Member of the Third Sector Council and Board Member, and PR Relations Officer at BPPR
Moderator & Panelist
Wilma Alejandro
PRCC Member of the Third Sector Council and Board Member, and PR Relations Officer at BPPR
Moderator & Panelist
Luis E. Gierbolini, Esq.
Former PRCC President & President of Gierbolini Consulting Group, LLC
Panelist
Luis E. Gierbolini, Esq.
Former PRCC President & President of Gierbolini Consulting Group, LLC
Panelist
Eddie Ríos
CEO & President of ATA-Accounting Taxes & Advisors LLC and PRCC Board Member
Panelist
Eddie Ríos
CEO & President of ATA-Accounting Taxes & Advisors LLC and PRCC Board Member
Panelist
