Community
Fostering a supportive and positive environment at the bench, bedside and in the community.
Our dedication to openness and responsibility
The Scripps Research Translational Institute (SRTI) is committed to breaking down structural obstacles that hinder scientific progress and limit opportunities for researchers. Our focus is on creating a supportive environment, ensuring equal access and opportunities for all. This commitment is reflected in our clinical research goals, participant recruitment strategies, research collaborations, and within our team culture. Together with our partners, we are dedicated to advancing these objectives and fostering a collaborative work environment.
Director
Theresa Hill brings over 25 years of professional experience across education, scientific research, community health and investment banking to her position at SRTI. Her expertise spans program development, strategic marketing, training and development, policy implementation, and spearheading awareness and engagement initiatives.
With a proven track record of engaging with C-suite executives and senior leadership, Hill drives impactful strategies that foster organizational growth and openness. She holds an MBA in business management and leadership from Western Governors University and a Master of Education degree from Southern Arkansas University.
At SRTI, Hill leads the institute’s education programming and employee experience efforts, ensuring equal access to opportunities and nurturing community support, and she manages the competitive nationwide summer internship program for clinicians, graduate students, undergraduates and high school students.
Additionally, Hill serves as a Women in Leadership Advisory Member for the University of California Riverside Extension, a Career Education Advisory Board Member for San Diego City College, and an Advisor for Scripps Internal Medicine Residency. Her leadership in engagement is complemented by a unique background in formal vocal training and performance experience, further highlighting her versatile skill set.
Professional Growth & Community Committee
The SRTI Professional Growth & Community Committee is a collaborative initiative dedicated to cultivating a welcoming and supportive environment for individuals of all backgrounds. The committee’s focus is to promote engagement, identify opportunities for professional growth and foster collaboration across groups through various initiatives, participation in recruiting and hiring practices, and offering relevant training. By integrating these practices into all areas of SRTI, the committee strives to ensure that all employees and stakeholders feel valued, supported and empowered to contribute to a positive workplace culture. The committee’s efforts extend to internal communication tools like newsletters and the Community Corner Q&A series, aimed at increasing awareness and engagement across the institute.
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Romina Foster-Bonds Project Director, Research Implementation, The Participant Center for the All of Us Research Program Romina Foster-Bonds leads decentralized bio sample and innovation efforts at SRTI for the All of Us Research Program. She has a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and a Master of Health Science degree in molecular microbiology and immunology from Johns Hopkins University. She has over ten years of experience in translational research and health economics and outcomes research, starting with genome-wide association studies at Johns Hopkins University engaging and sequencing participants from African populations worldwide with the goal of diversifying sequencing data. Her past leadership experience includes overseeing patient advocacy, business development and building research programs for underserved populations with limited access to genetic testing and therapies. She is Colombian and Peruvian, fluent in Spanish and passionate about closing gaps in access to the latest in research and technology. |
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Laura Nicholson, MD, PhD Director, Education, Scripps Research Translational Institute Professor, Department of Translational Medicine, Scripps Research Laura Nicholson spent much of her childhood in a town explicitly designed to promote ethnic, racial and socioeconomic diversity among neighbors, later encountering college and medical school cities that were comparatively homogeneous and culturally divided. This inspired her to study American and global racism and to join student and professional groups committed to diversity and equity as a critical goal in all academic and professional pursuits. At Scripps Clinic, she was associate program director in Graduate Medical Education for 15 years, organizing curricula on social determinants of health, inclusive healthcare communication, and equitable medical decision making. In 2012, Nicholson joined the Scripps Research Translational Institute as co-director of Education for the NIH-funded Clinical and Translational Science Award graduate scholars program, guiding physician-scholars through master’s degrees in clinical and translational investigation and linking graduate and postdoctoral trainees to clinical research collaborators. She received her medical and doctoral degrees at SUNY Buffalo in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and completed her internal medicine residency at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. |
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Katie Quartuccio Senior Clinical Trials Manager Katie Quartuccio brings nearly two decades of experience in patient-facing healthcare and clinical research. She has managed a high-volume ophthalmology surgical practice, advanced community engagement for the California Senate, overseen managed care insurance claims with local hospital systems, and directed operations at an ambulatory surgery center, where she successfully navigated audits and inspections from local to federal agencies. At the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center, Quartuccio leads industry relationships from study conception through closeout. Her expertise spans contracting, decentralized logistics, digital trial design, participant communications and partner relations. Katie earned her BA in political science with a focus in healthcare policy and public law from the University of California, San Diego, and holds a Professional Certificate in Clinical Trials Design & Management. Beyond her professional work, she is an active community member through the Junior League, Rotary, and local garden and mahjong clubs. |
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Emily Spencer, PhD Associate Director, Scripps Research Translational Institute Emily Spencer joined the Scripps Research Translational Institute in 2014. She has over 20 years of experience in human genetics research, overseeing recruitment and retention of participants in large-scale genomics studies for the past 10+ years. At SRTI, she directs local implementation of Clinical Translational Science Awards network-wide initiatives, including the Trial Innovation Network, with a commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusion across all activities. Spencer received her undergraduate degree in psychology and Spanish from the University of California, Davis. She completed her graduate degree in genetics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham where her dissertation research focused on expanding molecular diagnostic methods for neurofibromatosis type 1 and related disorders. |
Perspectives in STEM
The Perspectives in STEM initiative is a collaborative committee composed of dedicated representatives from the Scripps Research Translational Institute, the Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences at Scripps Research, UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and Johnson & Johnson. Rooted in a shared commitment to excellence, this group champions all voices and perspectives across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. The committee’s work is grounded in the belief that advancing health and scientific innovation requires intentional outreach, engagement and the integration of all communities. By bridging academia, clinical research and industry, the committee supports impactful programming that promotes visibility, fosters collaboration and builds sustainable pathways for future generations of STEM professionals.
The Perspectives in STEM Seminar Series aims to address important issues related to representation, access and community engagement within the STEM fields.
Events
Upcoming Events
- September 17, 2026
- October 15, 2026
Details coming soon.