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About Us
People with diverse ideas, different experiences, and fresh perspectives make a business stronger and more innovative.
belongIN supports organizations – from startups and non-profits to Fortune 100 companies – in developing tailored inclusion and accessibility strategies, events, and programs. Our team closely works with your organization to develop tailored events/programs to help you create impactful and strategic initiatives. We also count on a top-notch network of experts who often serve as Keynote Speakers throughout the US, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
About our Founders
Rose Figueroa, PhD, CHFP
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Trailblazing the path for the past decade, Dr. Rose Figueroa serves as an Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility consultant, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator for organizations (e.g., startups, Universities, Fortune 100 companies, non-profits). She leverages her firsthand experience by being a part of several minority groups - Hispanic, female, with a disability in STEM - as well as her extensive education and expertise in Industrial Engineering and Human Factors/Ergonomics. Rose has also led multiple philanthropic initiatives, including state-wide relief efforts.
For the past decade, Dr. Figueroa has had boots on the ground and has been an active mentor to numerous students and early career professionals. She has collaborated and organized multiple national events/programs. She has served on several boards, committees, and advisory councils, including for the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Human Factors & Ergonomics Society, Women of Color in the Workplace, and Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics. Her philanthropic work has been featured in the media, such as NPR and NBC Latino.
​Dr. Figueroa is a Certified Human Factors Professional with a BS in Industrial Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico–Mayagüez and an MSE and Ph.D. in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor.
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Itzel Figueroa
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Itzel – a singer, writer, and experienced content creator – excels at the creative arts. At the age of 6, Itzel’s innate talent led her to land a professional voice coach and her first singing performance in front of a large crowd. From an early age, Itzel has earned multiple awards and accolades thanks to her voice and drive – including an international competition sponsored by Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. and a full scholarship to Wyoming Seminary after participating in their musical theater summer program through a sponsorship program. These accomplishments have helped them to serve their community by collecting proceeds for organizations such as Save The Children fund, Ronald Mcdonald House Charities, and San Jorge Children & Women’s Hospital in Puerto Rico.
Itzel’s passion is to use creative outlets to make a business grow while making sure they enjoy the ride. At belongIN, Itzel is the yin (music/arts) to Dr. Figueroa’s yang (academic / STEMist). With the technical guidance of Dr. Figueroa, Itzel uses her creative and independent thinking to develop strategies for outreach programs/content to engage with the community at large. Itzel strives to create engaging, informative, and impactful content, as well as a bridge for the community. Outside of belongIN, Itzel studied Sound Engineering in Puerto Rico and likes tarot reading. She has also worked at Distrito T-Mobile’s venue in PR as a sound technician at their live performances. Itzel aspires to combine her interests/skills to create projects that’ll help like-minded people as well as find ways to give back to people from marginalized communities.
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