Dr. Eileen Figueroa-Rivera

Dr. Eileen Figueroa completed her post-doctoral certificate degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (PDEI) from Walden University in 2020 and her doctoral degree in Business Administration (DBA) at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, Ponce Campus in 2017. She holds a master's degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix with two specializations, Management and Human Resource (MBA, SPCL/HRM). She also holds a BS in Science from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce.

Dr. Figueroa-Rivera has 26+ years of experience in business administration in the construction area. As an Administrative Partner, she was responsible for formalizing and legalizing all corporate documents. Dr. Figueroa was accountable for the corporate financial statements, construction projects, and all activity reports, directing and coordinating an organization's fiscal budget activities, and establishing and implementing departmental policies, goals, objectives, and procedures.

Since 2013, Dr. Figueroa has taught business administration, entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity at the undergraduate and graduate level in four of the most important Higher Education Institutions in Puerto Rico. Also, she works as Coordinator of Activity II of a Title V Project at UPR Cayey Campus, which aims to plan, design, and implement entrepreneurship and innovation in the academic curriculums, which include the development and construction of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center for Student Success (IECSS).

Dr. Figueroa is an active member of Echar Pa'Lante (EPL), which aims to change the mindset of the Puerto Rican people through education and development and turn PR into an enterprising island. Recently she was recognized by EPL as one of the Pillars of Entrepreneurship in PR for her achievements with the development of the entrepreneurship culture and the strengthening of the business sector on the island. Over the past ten years, she became an evangelist of the entrepreneurship mindset, lifelong learning attitude, and driver of innovation and creativity in Puerto Rico.

Dr. Figueroa-Rivera is the former President of the International Council for Small Business for Puerto Rico & Caribbean. As President, she has put several innovative activities for women and up-and-coming youth entrepreneurs in place. She is also the immediate Past President of the Spouses Club of the Puerto Rico College of Engineers and Surveyors (CIAPR); an active member of the Human Capital Executive Research Board (HCERB), the Global Entrepreneurs