Leadership

Dr. Frank A. Gomez is the Executive Director of STEM-NET. Prior to his appointment, he was professor of chemistry at Cal State LA since 1994 and university faculty research liaison since 2014. He has received over $21 million in research funding for his work in microfluidics, point-of-care diagnostics and fuel cells and has published over 130 technical articles and two books on his work. He has mentored over 130 undergraduate, masters, and high school students and 12 postdoctoral fellows and visiting scientists in his laboratories resulting in over 180 student presentations. He received his bachelor’s in chemistry from Cal State LA and a Ph.D. in chemistry from UCLA. Dr. Gomez was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. As Executive Director he has been involved in 47 proposal submissions with 21 successfully funded (involving 16 CSU campuses) generating over $52M for the CSU system.

Monica Alarcon, a ​CSULB alumni and passionate professional, leads Spearhead STEM-NET’s administrative office operations, ensuring efficiency in budget, travel, records management, and communication. She coordinates STEM-NET events, supervises marketing efforts, and provides guidance for grants and contract management. Monica manages the faculty grant application process, reports budgets to the Executive Director, and oversees digital content production, including the All Things STEM Podcast. She serves as a liaison between STEM-NET, the board of directors, and CSU entities, while also creating a member database and listserv for CSU's STEM community. With a Master's in Public Administration and a decade-long tenure within the CSU system, Monica's passion and dedication drive her to positively impact others, inspired by her own transformative experience as a first-generation college graduate.

Dr. Yolanda Cataño earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies with a Minor in Theatre Arts and an M.A. in Sociological Practice both at California State University, San Marcos. She recently received her Ed.D. from San Diego State University in their Educational Leadership Program with a Specialization in Community Colleges. She previously served as the Executive Director for the Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE). AHSIE is a national organization whose focus is working with practitioners supporting Latinx success in higher education. In other capacities, she has served as the Interim Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Equity, and Student Success at Imperial Valley College, a college situated in the border community between Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico and Calexico, California. Her research agenda focuses on advancing and supporting LGBTQ* Latinx students on campus. Her passion for HSIs is infused in the work that she does in and outside of academic spaces. Yolanda’s involvement and commitment to equity, social justice, and diversity are heavily influenced by relationships she’s helped create and nurture throughout the years. ​