Sonia Zárate, is the Senior Program Lead for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Center for the Advancement of Science Leadership & Culture. She directs Scientific Professional Development at the Institute and provides professional development opportunities for HHMI scientists in service of fostering inclusive scientific research cultures. During her tenure at HHMI, Sonia led the Gilliam fellowship program (2017-2022), the only program in the nation that requires advisors to participate in a year-long mentorship development course. Prior to her tenure at HHMI, she was the Director for the Office of Undergraduate Research at the University of San Diego and the Associate Director for the Undergraduate Research Center-Sciences at UCLA. A longstanding SACNISTA, Sonia has given back to the organization as a general board member, as Secretary, and as President of SACNAS (2018-2021). She currently chairs SACNAS’ Public Policy Advisory Committee, is a member of the Council of Scientific Advisors, and co-facilitates the Linton-Poodry SACNAS Leadership Institute for early- and mid-career scientists and the Postdoc Leadership Institute. Sonia has been a Principal Facilitator for the National Research Mentoring Network (NRMN) and the Center for Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) since 2014. Sonia received her PhD in plant molecular biology and did her postdoctoral work in chemical ecology. She is currently pursuing a master’s in public interest law at UCLA School of Law.