Leading the Development of a Cybersecurity and AI Ecosystem in Puerto Rico
Yarice Hidalgo (GBEL 2025, Puerto Rico) shares her reflections on leadership as a collaborative and human-centered practice, the values that guide it, and the role of innovation, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence (AI) in building inclusive and sustainable development in Puerto Rico.
By Guadalupe Ramirez
In the following interview, Yarice shares some of the experiences and perspectives that have shaped her professional journey.
As a professional with an outstanding career across the private and social sectors, as well as valuable experience serving on executive committees, how do you define leadership and what values do you consider essential to the way you practice it?
From my perspective, a good leader is the key element a team needs at any given moment to bring out the best in each person. Sometimes, a leader acts as an observer and provides an external perspective that enriches the analysis; other times, they guide the team’s reflection process to encourage creative solutions.
One of the greatest misconceptions about leadership is the belief that a leader must always be the one directing. On the contrary, many times a leader must allow themselves to be guided by the team in order to create spaces for critical thinking and collective creativity. It is precisely in those spaces that solutions and conclusions emerge—ones that, individually, I may have never imagined.
Georgetown’s comprehensive approach to education, critical thinking, and commitment to social justice guide our mission. In your case, what values guide you personally and professionally?
Humility, transparency, and humanity guide my work. I consider myself fortunate to have built a career dedicated to strengthening historically underrepresented communities, recognizing their potential from a perspective of abundance.
My experience as an intern at ABC Boston’s first Hispanic program taught me to approach communities with respect and openness. I remember the program’s producer, whose humanity deeply influenced the way I work: you do not enter a community to impose solutions; you enter to learn from it. Since then, I have sought to ensure that same sense of humanity guides my work—connecting communities with resources to highlight their cultural and individual richness through an exchange where everyone learns and grows.
As the Executive Director of Raíces Cyber and part of the team advancing the development of the Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence Center of Excellence in Puerto Rico—an initiative you brought to GBEL 2025—what is the next step toward creating a multiplier effect across the island?
At this early stage, GBEL has been a turning point that has allowed me to apply and contextualize learnings across areas such as innovation, social impact, and leadership, strengthening both the development of this initiative and my network of collaboration with other leaders.
At this moment of significant momentum and purpose, Raíces Cyber is entering a critical stage in advancing a cybersecurity and AI ecosystem in Puerto Rico. To achieve this, we aim to bring together local and international talent to develop these technologies and fields within computer science, create high-value jobs, foster economic growth, and—if managed effectively—help reduce the wage gap on the island.
We are currently working in collaboration with representatives from all sectors to establish the Puerto Rico Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity and Artificial Intelligence and position the island as a leading regional hub.
“We invite the entire Georgetown community to be part of the Cybersecurity and AI Center of Excellence in Puerto Rico. The participation of ethical professional talent is essential to advancing the island’s technological development in an equitable way, ensuring growth where everyone in the region can benefit.”
— Yarice Hidalgo (GBEL 2025, Puerto Rico)
Likewise, we seek to inspire both younger and more experienced generations to formally learn about cybersecurity and AI, strengthen academic preparation through laboratories and training environments, and promote hands-on and continuous learning through scalable models such as train-the-trainer programs.
Additionally, we will establish a Security Operations Center where certified professionals can gain supervised real-world experience, helping close a critical gap in the industry.
All of the components envisioned for the creation of the Cybersecurity and AI Center in Puerto Rico promote the safe, ethical, and responsible use of technology while fostering innovation, research, and collaboration with industry. In this context, we also recognize that diversity in data is fundamental, as is the participation of individuals in order to prevent bias and ensure that AI reflects multiple perspectives and benefits society as a whole.
What would be your message to business leaders facing an increasingly competitive and constantly changing environment?
Of course, we are going to be competitive; competitiveness is part of human nature. But when we approach it through a lens of justice and economic development for all, and bring a technology as powerful as this one to serve the collective good, we will build a stronger society.
This may require moving a little more slowly at times; as a mentor once told me, sometimes it is necessary to pause in order to move faster.
Let us not shy away from challenges and innovation, but approach them with the necessary reflection to ensure that their impact and benefits contribute to the development and progress of everyone. In this way, we will go further as a society.