CONNECT WITH US!
601 Circle Dr.Prospect Hall, Room 320
El Paso, TX 79902
(915) 747-5051
loyacenter@utep.edu
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Program Manager For Internal Operations
kgramirez@utep.edu | Biography
915-747-5051
Prospect Hall, Rm. 320
Program Manager For External Operations
jsdominguez6@utep.edu | Biography
915-747-5971
Prospect Hall, Rm. 320Dr. Nicole Aguilar is celebrating 18 years as a higher education professional. In her current role as the Director of the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce at UTEP, she is dedicated to broadening entrepreneurship education opportunities for all students. By engaging in internships, research-based projects, student accelerator programs, and pitch competitions, students can learn how to start a business, explore what it means to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, and join the entrepreneurial ecosystem right here in El Paso!
Previously, Nicole served in various capacities at UTEP focusing on student engagement and retention, leadership, campus traditions, and more. On a university-wide level, she was involved in developing the UTEP Edge, first-generation college student initiatives, faculty and staff leadership development, on-campus student employment, leading the State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC), and more.
Nicole is a native El Pasoan and proud UTEP alum having earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University. She earned her doctorate in Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University in spring 2025.
Outside of work, Nicole enjoys spending time with her two daughters and family, dancing, and watching sports. Despite her fear of heights, she hopes to go zip lining one day!
Karla Ramirez is a dedicated Higher Education Manager and a passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, with over fifteen years of valuable experience in various roles within academia. She is pursuing a Doctor of Education degree (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership and Administration at The University of Texas at El Paso. Karla is committed to promoting academic excellence and innovation. As a 2022 Woody and Gayle Hunt-Aspen Fellow, she has been recognized for her potential as a leader in her field. As the Program Manager at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce, Karla handles the different budgets, events, Graduate Research Fellows, and hourly student workers. She collaborates with internal and external partners to promote entrepreneurship. A bilingual communicator in both English and Spanish, Karla's mentoring abilities have positively impacted those she works with. Her journey exemplifies the transformative power of dedication, continuous learning, and effective leadership in shaping the future of higher education and entrepreneurship.
Jordan S. Dominguez is a dedicated higher education professional currently serving as the External Program Manager at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce at UTEP. In this role, they are passionate about advancing regional talent pipelines and bridging technical research with entrepreneurial frameworks. By guiding students through Graduate Research Fellowships and the Texas Internship Initiative (TII), Jordan helps students develop a career-ready mindset and actively engage with the local business ecosystem.
Previously, Jordan served in various leadership and academic capacities across the UTEP campus, including roles as a Graduate Research Assistant, Chemistry Peer Leader, and Resident Assistant. Deeply committed to civic responsibility, they have also served as a Texas Civic Ambassador, a Hoover House Ambassador, and are an alumnus of the prestigious Bill Archer Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C.
Jordan is a proud triple UTEP alumnus, having earned their Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences (with minors in Applied Music and Psychology), a Master of Education in Higher Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Outside of university work, Jordan is a passionate musician, serving as a private voice and piano instructor and performing locally. In their leisure time, they enjoy spending time with family and friends and watching reality television competition shows.
Denya Campos
Marketing Intern
Joselin Trejo
Marketing Intern
Karla Valles
Marketing Intern
Marla Chavez
Events Planning Intern
Alexa Gonzalez
Events Planning Intern
Carlos is pursuing an M.S. in Computer Engineering after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering. His passion for music and smart-home integration sparked an early interest in entrepreneurship.
With hands-on experience in embedded system projects and previous involvement in a non-profit organization, he is now actively contributing at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce Fellowship, assisting with innovative initiatives and meaningful causes. In his free time, he enjoys running and hiking.
Luis Andres Gomez is a Finance Analyst with a minor in Entrepreneurship and a current master's student in Computer Science. He is an IT Intern at El Paso Water, where he works with information systems and technical operations.
Luis Andres brings strong entrepreneurial experience, having built and operated multiple ventures across retail, logistics, and cross-border commerce between the U.S. and Mexico. His work spans sales, operations, and business development, focused on creating scalable, real-world solutions.
He is currently involved in research related to artificial intelligence at UTEP, focusing on increasing the visibility of AI developments, strengthening industry collaboration, and promoting real-world applications across the El Paso region and beyond. Driven by passion and purpose, Luis Andres is committed to helping others succeed and turn their dreams into reality. He aims to create opportunities, inspire growth, and empower individuals through entrepreneurship, innovation, and community impact.
Kevyn Díaz is an Engineer working at the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) and a Graduate Fellow at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce (MLCIC), where he helps small manufacturing businesses design and implement quality systems to achieve ISO 9001 certification and turn ideas into scalable, real-world solutions.
He is pursuing a Master’s in Manufacturing Engineering after earning dual bachelor’s degrees in Mechatronics Engineering and Business Management Engineering, combining deep technical skills with a strong business mindset. Drawing on over three years of experience working for large manufacturing companies in Ciudad Juárez, Kevyn specializes in supply management, logistics, and quality, and is passionate about designing data-driven, innovation-oriented systems that make operations more efficient and entrepreneurship more accessible.
Joe Mota is a Master’s student in Artificial Intelligence at UTEP and a three-time Bloomberg intern, most recently as a Machine Learning Engineer.
He combines experience in AI and large-scale data systems with entrepreneurship, building and operating a car dealership platform while actively buying and selling vehicles. As a current Teaching Assistant, ICPC coach, and Graduate Research Fellow working with Borderplex, he focuses on evaluating ideas through both a technical and business lens.
Jesus is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Metallurgy and Materials engineering. He started his career at UTEP on 2017 as a Chemistry major.
After working in the industry for three years, he decided to go back and change to engineering. He has experience working in start-ups in the department of research and development and plans to gain more experience so he can become an entrepreneur.
Fernando Sepulveda is a Master of Science in Computer Science student and a Mike Loya Graduate Research Fellow with a research emphasis on applied AI, robotics, cybersecurity, and autonomous vehicle systems.
He has built a robust professional background through internships as a Data Scientist at Honeywell and a Software Engineer at Oracle. Fernando’s research journey includes investigating Additive Manufacturing at Missouri S&T, Data Analysis at the W. M. Keck Center, and vehicle security at the SAMS Lab.
A passionate entrepreneur and lifelong learner, he won first place in a UTEP Pitch Competition and is currently mastering Portuguese to add to his fluency in English, Spanish, and French. Fernando is dedicated to bridging the gap between advanced computational research and real-world industrial applications.
Daniel Mata is pursuing a M.S. in Business Administration at UTEP. He received his bachelor's in political science in December 2025, with a minor in business management from UTEP.
During his undergraduate, he was the student operations lead for Studio G, where he coached ideation level student entrepreneurs on their business ideas, as well as introduced students to the world of entrepreneurship through 6 workshops. Now, alongside pursuing his M.B.A, he is a fellow at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce, where he works with the City of El Paso creating a program that will allow businesses from Mexico establish operations in El Paso. He hopes to complete his master's and break into the world of consulting years after graduation.
Fernanda Zuany is pursuing a thesis-based Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence at The University of Texas at El Paso after completing her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a concentration in Data Analytics.
As a Mike Loya Graduate Research Fellow, she works on responsible, community-centered AI initiatives that aim to address challenges and expand opportunities across the El Paso–Ciudad Juárez region. She also brings experience in data analytics and strategic reporting through her work with UTEP’s Institutional Advancement division, where she has developed dashboards and insights that support engagement, operations, and decision-making.
Driven by a passion for innovation and service, Fernanda is dedicated to using artificial intelligence and data-driven solutions to create lasting, positive impact in her community.
Andrea Ramirez is pursuing a thesis-based M.S. in Environmental Engineering under the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at UTEP. She received her bachelor's degree in environmental science with a concentration in biology in December 2024, also from UTEP.
Along with her studies, she has completed 4 internship experiences in the mining industry with Freeport-McMoRan, where she worked on multi-media environmental projects for both mining and rod-refining operations. Currently, as a Graduate Research Fellow at the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce, she is working on a project related to water sustainability by analyzing the effectiveness of systems in maximizing water recovery, minimize concentrate volume, and strive for continual improvement on removing impurities in the El Paso region.
Andrea seeks to complete her master’s and transition into industry, where she can apply environmental science solutions to meet complex sustainability challenges.
Nijam is a Master’s candidate in Economics with Data Analytics at UTEP and a Graduate Research Fellow at the Mike Loya Center. He holds a BBA in Finance and Banking from Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh.
He brings over two years of research experience in finance and banking, specialising in econometric analysis of policy-driven market behaviour. Alongside his research, he serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at UTEP, supporting large undergraduate cohorts.
Nijam has a strong record of leadership and initiative. As Founder and Vice President of Swopnojatra-17, he has led several community-focused initiatives, while also holding key roles across scouting, olympiad, and student organisations. He is building a career at the intersection of financial research and policy.
Daniel Reyes is pursuing a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence at UTEP as a Mike Loya Graduate Research Fellow under Dr. Amar Gupta. With three prior Google internships, he will return to Google as a Software Engineering Intern this summer.
His fellowship research focuses on building industry-government-academia partnerships to strengthen UTEP's applied AI ecosystem, with current work centered on community-centered AI initiatives across the El Paso border region.
Rachel Molina is a dynamic strategist and economist operating at the intersection of public policy, business analytics, and social entrepreneurship. Holds a bachelor's in economics and a Minor in Legal reasoning. Currently Pursuing her Master's of Business Administration.
Serves in a key professional capacity within the Office of the El Paso County Judge. As a Graduate Research Fellow for the Mike Loya Center for Innovation and Commerce, she provides high-level consultancy for the City of El Paso, specifically measuring the fiscal impacts of the 89th Texas Legislative Session.
A former Miners Pitch competitor, she has successfully transitioned from a visionary Top 10 finalist to the Founder and CEO of her own nonprofit organization El Paso Project Period. Rachel’s career is rooted in a deep understanding of municipal and federal governance. Her undergraduate background includes an internship with Mayor and Council at City Hall, and a prestigious Archer Fellowship in Washington, D.C., where she served as a Congressional Intern. A former two-term Senator at Large for the UTEP Student Government Association (SGA) and a graduate of the UTEP Law School Preparation Institute.
