Our team
Stephanie Santos-Díaz, Ph.D.
Founder & Coach
Stephanie is the founder of STEMpowerment Coaching, Inc. In 2016, she received a BS in Chemistry from Universidad de Puerto Rico at Cayey and was recipient of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Stephanie went on to pursue graduate studies at Purdue University, where she earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry Education in 2020. Throughout her journey, she has applied to and received numerous travel awards and scholarships. Stephanie has received recognitions for her leadership and mentorship within programs for underrepresented groups in STEM, such as Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) program, the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) and Ronald McNair. Stephanie’s more recent experiences include serving as a reviewer for scholarships and travel awards and being an invited speaker at professional development events. Her experiences as a Hispanic/Latinx woman in STEM continue to be a source of motivation to positively impact the journey of future generations.
Natalie LaFranzo, Ph.D.
Director
Natalie LaFranzo received her BS in Chemistry from Bradley University in 2007, and her PhD in Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis in 2013. She has held numerous commercial roles in biotech, and now serves as the Director of Marketing Communication at Personalis, a precision genomics company. She has expertise in translating technical information into compelling stories and imagery, setting corporate strategy, and developing a team. Her current service to ACS includes Career Consultant, Subcommittee Chair on Budget and Finance, and Member-At-Large for the ACS Board of Directors. As an early-career chemist with a non-academic career path, Natalie is passionate about helping institutions evolve to support the changing face of STEM, and creating a more inclusive environment where all feel welcome.
Stefan Irby, Ph.D.
Director
Stefan was diagnosed with a learning disability and has particular challenges in the areas of processing and memorization, and required additional support and skills during his education as outlined by an individual education plan (IEP). During his K-12 learning experience there was a lack of support causing him to struggle in some subjects, but with the support of some of his teachers he was inspired and excelled in STEM. These experiences lead Stefan to pursue a BS in Biochemistry at Western Washington University and a Ph.D. that focused on Chemistry Curriculum at Purdue University. This allowed Stefan to make an impact on the way STEM is taught, leaving a positive impact on the education of future generations wanting to pursue STEM. During Stefan's higher education career he served as a mentor and advocate for several university disability, LGBTQ+, and STEM initiatives. Stefan's recent experiences have been taking the skills he developed within the area of STEM curriculums and applying them in industry within the technology sector such as helping to make programs more inclusive and accessible for all users.
Amanda Dermer
Director
Amanda is a cisgender, hetero white woman who uses she/her pronouns. Amanda received a BS in Chemistry from Erskine College and was the recipient of various awards including the American Chemical Society Outstanding Senior Award, Dr. E. L. Reid Award in Chemistry, and the Dr. Everette Adkins Sloan Physical Chemistry Award. After graduating, Amanda went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Emory University doing physical chemistry research, where she was awarded the General Chemistry Teaching Assistant Award and was highly involved in PACS, the chemistry society for graduate students, and the Association for Women in Science. While she was involved with and AWIS at Emory, she curated a partnership between a local middle school that serves underrepresented students and AWIS. Prior to completing the Ph.D., Amanda decided to pursue Student Affairs as a career and chose to leave Emory with a MS in Chemistry. Amanda later earned her MS in College Student Personnel from Western Illinois University, where she was involved with supporting undergraduate students as they developed their academic and leadership skills. Amanda currently works in Student Affairs and supports undergraduate students through their college careers in a variety of areas including residential life, fraternity and sorority life, and student leadership.