General Information Name: Ricardo Rossello Marital Status: Happily married to Beatriz with two children, Claudia (5) and Pedro (2).

PhD in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
Graduation from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry & Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Developmental Economics
Academic studies at the University of Michigan, Master’s degree, PhD in Bioengineering & Biotechnology
Post-doctoral studies in neuroscience at Duke University, in North Carolina

Tenure-track Assistant Professor for the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus and Metropolitan University, teaching courses in Medicine, Immunology & Biochemistry
Researcher
Entrepreneur
Cofounder of Prosperous Biopharm, in 2010 (a protein therapeutic company that creates a class of re-designed, engineered stable proteins that can specifically bind intracellular targets, providing a powerful new way to create novel drugs and targeted delivery)
Governor (elected as the twelfth governor of Puerto Rico in 2016 & in 2019 to be the President of the Council of State Governments CSG)

Dr. Rossello has several patents under his name on drug therapeutic design that include an HIV-1 fusion protein inhibitor and a Nav1.7 inhibitor for chronic pain.

In 2016, he was elected as the twelfth Governor of Puerto Rico. Second youngest Governor in the history of Puerto Rico. Served during a time in which a US Government-created fiscal oversight board limited the island’s expenditures. Embarked on significant fiscal structural reforms that reduced the size of government by 20% (eliminating or consolidating over 30 agencies in a 2 year span) and operational costs by 17%, the single largest reduction in budget expenditures in the US.

Led the largest municipal restructuring in the history of the US. Spearheaded two major emergency responses, recovery and rebuilding efforts, in the aftermath of the largest natural disaster in modern US history. Embarked on economic and labor reforms that produced the first year of growth in over a decade in Puerto Rico (4.1% overall growth), and oversaw the lowest unemployment rates in the history of Puerto Rico. Created a local Earned Income Tax Credit, Baby Bonds and, Welfare to Work programs to enhance labor participation and diminish poverty.

In 2018, his administration recorded the lowest poverty rates in the history of Puerto Rico. Increased salaries for teachers and police officers. Established equal pay for equal work for women (4thstate/territory to do so) and increased minimum wage for construction workers to $15/hr. Created The Governors’ women affairs council, to establish progressive policy towards equality, protect women’s rights, and ensure real-time actions by the government.

Created new markets such as Medical Cannabis, Crypto Currency, Block Chain, Sports Booking, and e-gaming. Externalized tourism and investment from government to steer away from political whims, enhance effectiveness and stability. By the same token, externalized the selection of the University of Puerto Rico’s President (first time ever), and director of the Puerto Rico Energy and Power Authority. Implemented an incentives code reform to give transparency and visibility to all expenditures and investments made by the government, while giving a clear defined set of rules to the market.

Designed, enacted and led Education Reform (Choice, organization, transparency, and voucher programs), New Healthcare Model (Offering choice and broader coverage, guaranteeing access for all, Medicaid fraud detection unit and MMIS implemented, Medical malpractice framework), Climate Change Action (Reducing carbon emissions by 50% in 7 years, and establishing adaptation strategies), Energy Reform (42% renewables by 2023, 100% by 2050), Permits Reform (reducing the time to get permits by 80%), Anti-corruption (created the anti-corruption committee by law, created the Office of the Inspector General, established a transformational Procurement Reform).

Abolished conversion therapies for LGBT by executive order, established anti-bullying protocols, included LGBT couples in domestic violence issues, police received human rights training and created the first ever LGBTQ Governor’s Advisory Council. Reduced crime rates by 20% during tenure, including murder rates. Embarked on pension reform that saved and guaranteed payment with operational expenses (paygo system, first in the US) after the pensions fund was completely decimated one month after the administration started. Created a bill of rights for the elderly.

Secured over 19.9 billion dollars from Congress in recovery funding for the island in a bi-partisan effort, this being the single largest grant from the federal government in the history of Puerto Rico. Frequent speaker, including delivering key-note addresses, notably on Climate Change (X-prize), Equality (NAACP, LULAC), Emergency Response and Rebuilding (Aspen Institute), and Fiscal policies (Heritage Foundation). Participated in numerous US House and Senate hearings on energy, emergency response, fiscal crisis and political status.

Governor Rossello was also elected in 2019 to be the President of the Council of State Governments (CSG), one of the largest and most prestigious organizations, comprising elected officials at the state level.

2019 School Choice Policy Maker of the Year, American Federation for Children
2019 President of The Council for State Governments (CSG), USA
2018 Man of the year: Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
2017 Woman Who Lead award for Outstanding Contribution (equal pay bill)
2017 US-China Outstanding Contribution Award: US-China Business Association
2017 Doctorate Honoris Causa: Honorable Academia Mundial de Education
2015 Elected Member: Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society
2014 Elected Member: Academia Científica y Cultura Iberoamericana: Académico de Número (youngest ever selected)
2013 Recognition of Outstanding Achievements in Public Health (LULAC)
2013 Embajador de La Salud, Parada Puertorriqueña, New Jersey
2012 Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons PR, JCI International

Mensa International, Intertel, Triple 9 society, ISPE, SPIQR.

Email: [email protected]