Our Team
Empowering a Diverse STEM Workforce Together
HOW IT ALL STARTED
It all started when Bill Rastetter and H. Puentes met in the summer of 2020. They immediately recognized their similar backgrounds and shared belief that incredible talent can be found anywhere.
A San Diego scientist, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist, Rastetter grew up across Latin America and has been instrumental in building some of San Diego’s most influential companies. However, he noticed, many of these companies aren’t very reflective of the communities they serve. He wanted to change that. H. Puentes is no stranger to the challenges that underrepresented students face. The child of Colombian immigrants, he has raised over $5M to increase diversity in tech, helping entrepreneurs and students access the resources they need to succeed.
Out of their shared vision, SD2 was born. SD2 was founded alongside a group of committed leaders on a mission to increase diversity in STEM careers for underrepresented students and their educators through programming, mentorship, and scholarship.

Meet the Team
Our team is a group of business and community leaders, listeners, and learners united in their shared passion to transform the future of the STEM workforce.

SD2 Board Member
Managing Director – Cyber & Strategic Risk, Deloitte & Touche LLP

Director of Operations

SD2 Board Member
Chief Human Resource Officer, Neurocrine Biosciences

SD2 Board Member
President & CEO, Reality Changers

SD2 Program Manager, Fellows

SD2 Board Member
Partner, Pillsbury Law

SD2 Board Member
Chief People Officer, Illumina

SD2 Corporate Secretary
Chief Legal Officer, Neurocrine Biosciences

SD2 Board Member
Chief Scientific Officer, Escient Pharmaceuticals

SD2 VP, Strategic Growth

SD2 Board Member
Professor of Neurobiology &
Creator, Director PATHS Scholars Program, UC San Diego

SD2 Co-Founder, President & CEO

SD2 Founder & Chairman of the Board

SD2 Board Member
Partner, Cooley LLP

SD2 Board Member
President & CEO, TRACON Pharmaceuticals

SD2 Board Member
Founder, Answer The Bell
OUR PARTNERS IN CHANGE
Together, we support programs that make STEM disciplines and careers visible, accessible, goal-worthy, and achievable. We work with a diverse coalition of community partners to leverage our resources and maximize our impact. We’re incredibly grateful for the commitment our partners consistently demonstrate to increasing diversity in STEM careers in San Diego.
EMPOWERING TOMORROW’S STEM LEADERS TODAY™