Be Part of the Future of STEAM.
Whether you’re recruiting, mentoring, or building the next breakthrough — this is where opportunity meets innovation.
IOScholarships
STEM scholarships for diverse students
STEM scholarships for diverse students
Whether you’re recruiting, mentoring, or building the next breakthrough — this is where opportunity meets innovation.
Conchie Fernández is a nationally recognized business development strategist and founder of CF Creative, an award-winning consulting firm supporting small and minority-owned businesses.
She has led growth strategy, communications, and technical assistance initiatives for organizations including The Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft, the U.S. Department of Commerce, SBA, USAID, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Through this work, she has contributed to over $1 billion in awarded proposals, expanding access to capital and contracts for underrepresented businesses. This impact has earned CF Creative the Minority Marketing and Communications Firm of the Year Award from the U.S. Department of Commerce and MBDA in both 2017 and 2023.
Conchie has been recognized at the national level for her leadership and influence. She was honored by Vice President Kamala Harris, invited to participate in the White House Latino Stakeholder Initiative, has been a guest at The White House, and selected as one of 10 entrepreneurs featured in a Stanford University and Federal Reserve study on Hispanic business growth.
A sought-after speaker and advisor, her work focuses on the intersection of strategy, economic opportunity, and scalable growth, with a strong emphasis on expanding access for underrepresented entrepreneurs.
Lyuba is known for her critical thinking and turning information into actionable insights. She started her career as an intern with KPMG in Eastern Europe, where she was part of a team working on privatizing state-owned assets where her role was to distill complex financial and other data into a clear story for investors.
Lyuba has spent most of her career in housing finance driving innovation, championing data transparency, and building tools for mortgage sales leaders. As a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and data scientist, Lyuba has launched analytical products that has educated over 1600 young professionals in Data and AI in housing finance, and put in place processes that redefine how lenders use their own data to drive competitive solutions.
Grover Vargas is an accomplished business development executive with over two decades of international experience driving growth, building strategic partnerships, and expanding market presence across the Americas.
Throughout his career, Grover has held senior leadership roles across global organizations, including Strata Products Worldwide, Sika USA, and Propex Operating Company, where he spent nearly two decades leading and developing business across Latin America. His expertise spans sales strategy, market expansion, and cross-border operations, with a consistent track record of delivering results in complex, multicultural environments.
Grover brings a strong commitment to purpose-driven leadership and community impact. He is passionate about creating opportunities for others and supporting initiatives that expand access to education and economic mobility; values that closely align with the mission of IOScholarships.
He has further strengthened his leadership capabilities through executive education at Stanford Graduate School of Business and Harvard Business School, as well as governance training through the Private Directors Association.
As a Strategic Advisor to IOScholarships, Grover provides guidance on partnerships, growth strategy, and industry engagement to help scale the organization’s impact and expand pathways for underserved talent into high-opportunity STEM careers pathways.