AIA Members and Executive Board
The Executive Board is an elected group of active members in AIA who are divided amongst the following positions: Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Communication Officers, and Chief Technical Officer. These positions are reset every first general meeting of the academic year (August), with nominated individuals elected for respective positions.
2024 - 2025 Board Members
Executive Officers
.jpg?sfvrsn=f8a47ebb_0 "Hoag_Bridget_2021 (1)")
Bridget Hoag (she/her) is Co-CEO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Bridget is pursuing her PhD in Cancer Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz. She researches the evolution of splicing mutations in clonal hematopoiesis and acute myeloid leukemia in the lab of Dr. James DeGregori. Bridget grew up right here in Colorado and received her BS in biochemistry from Gonzaga University. Prior to starting her PhD, she worked as a research associate at Genentech in South San Francisco, in the department of Biochemistry and Cellular Pharmacology.
Outside of work, you can find Bridget skiing, hiking, camping, or backpacking!
Ellen Bamberg (she/her) is Co-CEO of the Academia Industry Alliance | She is a cancer biology PhD student in the Kabos Lab and is interested in dissecting the role of the tumor microenvironment in cancer progression. Her current project delves into how obesity modifies the extracellular matrix to promote more aggressive breast cancer progression. Originally from the East Coast, Ellen earned her B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University. Before pursuing her PhD, she worked as a Senior Research Associate at Ribon Therapeutics, where she contributed to the development of treatments for immunologic and oncologic malignancies.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Ellen finds solace in reading and hiking the scenic Rockies.
Operating Officers
Sam Gonzales (he/him) is COO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Sam got a BS in Molecular and Cellular Biology and the University of Puget Sound in 2019 followed by obtaining a MS in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology and a PhD in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology and Genetics in the lab of Dr. Melissa Gardner at the University of Minnesota in 2023 and 2024 respectively. In graduate school, Sam studied how the protein EB1 localizes to the ends of dynamic microtubules using a combination of simulations, cell free assays, and in vitro work. Currently, Sam is a postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. Aaron Johnson at CU Anschutz studying how a single point mutation in the lncRNA HOTAIR can drastically alter how it functions in the context of breast cancer.
Outside of lab, Sam enjoys climbing, hiking, and camping with his wife as well as playing soccer, reading, and cooking.
Communication Officers
Gilda Opoku, M.D. (she/her) is CCO of the Academia Industry Alliance | Gilda is a medical doctor from Ghana with an MPhil in Physiology from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). She is currently pursuing a PhD in Integrated Physiology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where she works in the Evans Lab within the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine. Her research focuses on understanding the assembly of the airway mucin MUC5AC and the physiological consequences of its disruption.
Outside of research, she enjoys reading, watching movies, and listening to music, and has recently developed an interest in hiking.
Gilda’s LinkedIn
Financial Officer
Kady Dennis (she/her) is the CFO (or treasurer) of the Academic Industry Alliance | Kady is pursuing her PhD in Cancer Biology at the Univeristy of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in the laboratory of Dr. Daniel Sherbenou. Her research focuses on how to optimize the use of CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of multiple myeloma by identifying the right time to collect patients’ T cells and target antigenic escape. Kady is originally from Philadelphia, PA and received her B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The Pennsylvania State University. Her undergraduate thesis work examined the mechanism of action of a novel chemotherapeutic agent, and she also completed a meta-analysis of clinical trials to study re-purposing of approved therapeutics.
In her free time, Kady enjoys watching movies, reading, baking, and playing with her dog!
Technical Officers
Cailin Deiter (she/her) is the CTO of the Academia Industry Alliance | She is a Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine PhD Student in Dr. James Costello's lab. Cailin completed her undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology at the University of Wyoming. Her dissertation research combines of bioinformatics, multispectral imaging, and live cell assays to understand how interactions between cancer cells and the peripheral nervous system alter pro-tumor processes in bladder cancer and, conversely, how cancer cells influence neuronal growth and function.
When Cailin is not in the lab, she enjoys spending time outdoors, gardening, cooking, going to concerts at Red Rocks, and playing video games.
University Liaison
Hannah Hathaway, Ph.D. (she/her) is the Program Director at the CU Anschutz Career Development Office and University Liaison to the Academia Industry Alliance| Hannah completed her PhD in the Pharmacology Program at Georgetown University. She brings over eight years of experience in teaching, curriculum development, and student mentorship across high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Hannah’s background in pharmacology and neuroscience research, coupled with her passion for science communication, has shaped a career focused on helping others discover their own curiosity and potential in STEM.
As University Liaison for the Academia Industry Alliance, Hannah works to strengthen connections between students, trainees, and the broader scientific community at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She is committed to fostering career development opportunities that bridge academic training with diverse career pathways, empowering students to explore, grow, and lead with curiosity to translate their academic experiences into meaningful careers across academia, industry, and beyond.
Alumni Advisors
Lily Elizabeth Feldman, Ph.D. (she/her) is former Co-CEO of Academia Industry Alliance and now serves as an advisor. | Lily completed her PhD in the Pharmacology and Molecular Medicine program in the Costello Lab, where she used complementary wet lab and computational approaches to characterize mechanisms of treatment resistance in human muscle-invasive bladder cancer and high grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The ultimate goal of her research is to develop therapeutic interventions to improve patient outcomes. Lily is continuing this work as a post-doctoral fellow in the Costello and Bitler labs. She also works as the Faculty Innovations Program Director at CU Innovations.
She received her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of New Mexico in 2020, where she completed a senior thesis on the effects of intermittent fasting on adipose tissue remodeling and fat loss. She also earned a minor in Chinese and learned how to culture cells in Mandarin.
When she's not lab, Lily loves to spend time in the mountains - hiking, climbing, or skiing as the seasons allow. She is a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and previously worked as a ski patroller, rock-climbing teaching assistant, and ambulance driver.