Dr. Fernandez-Santos holds an M.S. in Epidemiology from the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and an Ed.D. in Education and Curriculum Development from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She has over 28 years of experience supporting HIV and cancer research through data management, statistical methods, and research infrastructure development. She has held several leadership roles, including Director of the Retrovirus Research Center and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of the Caribbean School of Medicine. As a leader within the ALLIANCE, she brings extensive expertise in research administration, multidisciplinary collaboration, and investigator support, helping strengthen research capacity and advance professional development.