Jared R. Auclair, PhD is the Program Site Director for ABE Massachusetts. Dr. Auclair is currently the Vice Provost Research Economic Development and Director of Bioinnovation in the Office of the Provost at Northeastern University. As Vice Provost Research Economic Development, Dr. Auclair works to strengthen the bonds between our education and research missions by strengthening the integration of work-integrated credentialed learning and use-inspired research, co-creating with communities and partners while expanding our global mindset. As Director of Bioinnovation, Dr. Auclair works to leverage important University activities around biotechnology, bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds to advance the expansion of Northeastern life sciences programs. In addition to these roles, Dr. Auclair holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology where he collaborates with academic researchers, industry and government in the area of biopharmaceutical development and analysis.

Lauren Resnick, MEd, is the Site Coordinator for ABE Massachusetts, and lab technician at our Northeastern University Burlington site. Lauren has a long history in science education, having had the privilege to serve as high school Biology/Biotechnology teacher at Revere High School for the last decade. As an educator in Revere, she has been able to work with diverse students and communities, focusing on equitable practices that increase access to effective STEM education. ABE Massachusetts has been a great partner in helping to support those goals. Lauren also has experience in biotechnology research, completing her dissertation at University of Massachusetts Amherst in Ana Caicedo's Plant Genomics Lab and, more recently, as a teacher partner at Whitehead Institute in Mary Gehring's lab on methylation and its role in seed development.

In her work as site coordinator, Lauren focuses on helping support educators and students across MA in accessing authentic research experiences, as well as providing a bridge to post-secondary opportunities and biotech industry partners. Lauren currently lives (and was raised in) in Revere, Massachusetts, a 10-minute train ride from the heart of Boston. If you are ever in her neck of the woods, she recommends calling her up for some Peters Woo's crab rangoons, or Monte Cristo Cafe's amazing pupusas!

Hege Lizarralde earned degrees in Petroleum Engineering and Geology from Texas A&M University. Before moving into biotechnology, she worked as an engineer in the energy industry, a scientist in a chemical research laboratory, and a developer in information technology.  Hege now works at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) on Cape Cod as a lab technician for Amgen Biotech Experience MA.

Kim Berman received her graduate degree in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology from UMASS Chan Medical School in Worcester, MA. Kim has been teaching Microbiology and General Biology courses at Westfield State University since 2016. She is currently an associate professor at WSU. 

In addition to teaching undergraduate biology courses at Westfield State, she has also served as the Director of the Pioneer Valley STEM Network since 2023, supporting educators and community leaders throughout the Pioneer Valley.