puerto rico

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Agenda

Date: May 8th 9am-12pm ast

Location: virtual (zoom)

Timeline:

  • 9-11:15am: Guest Speakers

  • 11:15am-12pm: Advocacy Meetings

Meet our speakers

  • Dr. Nicole Rivera

    Description goes here

  • Senador Adrian Gónzalez Costa

    Adrián González Costa is a Senator-at-Large in Puerto Rico representing the Puerto Rican Independence Party. He is an attorney with a background in political science and has held multiple roles in legislative advising and public service. His work focuses on education, equity, and public policy, with an emphasis on community engagement and legislative advocacy.

  • Dra. Gonzalez

  • Brenda Gerena

  • Ada Oquendo

    Description goes here

  • Dr. Ortiz Espinosa

    Dr. Luis Javier Ortiz Espinosa is a board-certified dermatologist in Puerto Rico with extensive experience in clinical care, research, and community outreach. He has led multiple initiatives through Fundación Piel to provide free dermatologic services to underserved communities and is dedicated to advancing skin health education across the island.

Meet the Team

  • Sofía Laguna Rocafort

    Sofía Laguna Rocafort is a third-year medical student at Universidad Central del Caribe. She has led multiple research and community outreach initiatives, including organizing UCC’s first free dermatology clinic, and is passionate about improving access to dermatologic care.

  • Natalia Santiago Hernandez

  • Elmer L. Ortiz Marquez

    Elmer L. Ortiz Márquez is a rising fourth-year medical student at Ponce Health Sciences University. He is actively involved in dermatology research and advocacy initiatives, with a strong interest in improving access to dermatologic care in underserved communities. His work includes collaborations with community-based clinics and efforts to advance dermatologic education and policy in Puerto Rico.

our focus: Atopic dermatitis

For DTAG Puerto Rico 2026, atopic dermatitis was selected as the central theme due to its high prevalence and its significant impact on patients’ quality of life. In Puerto Rico, many patients with atopic dermatitis are initially evaluated and managed by primary care physicians, who may face limitations in time, resources, or timely access to dermatology specialists. For this reason, as part of this year’s initiative, we will develop a practical toolkit designed specifically for primary care physicians to support the early recognition and initial management of atopic dermatitis. The toolkit will include guidance on identifying key clinical features, providing basic treatment recommendations, and determining when referral to a dermatologist is appropriate, with the goal of strengthening care at the primary level and improving patient outcomes.