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