Alazar Ayele led the Biogen Community Lab and is currently working in Corporate Strategy at Biogen. He joined Biogen in 2014 and began leading the Community Lab in 2018 as head of the Community Lab in Cambridge, MA. Some of his noteworthy works has been leading the Biogen Foundation’s STAR Initiative, a 4-year $10 million dollar commitment in educational equity for students historically underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). He was also instrumental in the development of the Biotech in Action program in collaboration with his colleagues of LemelsonMIT that brought the Community Lab into a virtual domain in response to the pandemic. In 2019 he developed MGH Youth Neurology program with Nicte Mejia, MD, a one-of-a-kind program that focused on Youth from underrepresented backgrounds to experience neurology and neuroscience.
Alazar currently sits on the advising committee for Dana-Farber’s Harvard Cancer Center’s Continuing Umbrella Research Experience (CURE), an organization that introduces Massachusetts high school and college students from underrepresented populations to the world of cancer research. He also sits on the committee for the Harvard Medical School’s Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP). The BSCP provides students of every race, ethnic background, gender and financial status with encouragement, support and guidance needed for the successful pursuit of biomedical science and other science-related careers. Alazar also sits on the advising committee for the City of Cambridge STEAM Initiative where teachers and administration are encouraged to think about the future of Science Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.
The National Minority Quality Forum also named him one of the 2019 40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health. In 2020, Enroot a STAR Initiative organization awarded him the Immigrant Leadership Award. Alazar hopes to drive some of the key initiatives in Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Strategy and leverage his science knowledge and his teaching background to foster great relationships within communities and ecosystems.
