Andover Resident Joins Latino Equity Fund Committee

The Latino Equity Fund, the Commonwealth's first philanthropic fund focused on the Latino community, announced today the addition of two Boston-area leaders to the Fund's Committee: Andover resident Ruben F. Salinas MBA, a medical technology serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, government advisor, and activist, and Joseph R. Betancourt, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President of Equity and Community Health of Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). They join the 16-person committee working to meet the healthcare and economic equity needs of the Latinx community.

"Dr. Betancourt and Ruben bring unique perspectives to our organization through their individual and collective backgrounds in the healthcare, life sciences and business sectors as we expand our reach to make a more equitable society for the Latinx community across the Commonwealth," said Evelyn Barahona, Director of the Latino Equity Fund. "The Latino community continues to be under-invested in Massachusetts and by expanding our diversity of voices, we increase our chances to elevate the issues that need to be addressed while highlighting the solutions to bridge these gaps in our community."

Dr. Betancourt is a nationally and internationally acclaimed specialist in health policy, health care disparities, diversity, and cross-cultural medicine. He is the founder, senior advisor, and faculty member for the Disparities Solutions Center (DSC) at MGH; faculty member at the Mongan Institute; Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School; and a practicing Internal Medicine physician. Dr. Betancourt is a multi-hyphenate involved in varied organizations like the Board of Trinity Health and Institute of Medicine Committee. Dr. Betancourt has insured grants and contracts that have resulted in more than 60 peer-reviewed publications; additionally, he serves as an advisor to private industries, government, and not-for-profit health systems on pathways to eradicating racial and ethnic gaps in health care.

Salinas is an accomplished entrepreneur supporting underrepresented leaders in the fields of science, technology, and business. For more than 20 years, he has built several companies and successfully pioneered medical technologies that greatly improve the outcomes for people facing life-threatening health conditions. Most recently, Salinas was Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Parsagen Diagnostics, a women's health diagnostics company recently acquired by Qiagen (QGEN). Appointed by Governor Charlie Baker, Salinas served on the Massachusetts Economic Development Planning Council.

LEF Co-Chair Juan Lopera was also recently named as the first Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health. This position, along with the Salinas and Dr. Betancourt appointments, complements LEF's goals of advancing health and economic equity while addressing racial and ethnic disparities.

About the Latino Equity Fund

The Latino Equity Fund is a unique partnership between local Latino leaders and The Boston Foundation that envisions an equitable future for all Bostonians. Formerly the Latino Legacy Fund, the Latino Equity Fund (LEF) is the first Latino-focused fund in the Greater Boston area. LEF uses its influence and platform to amplify diverse voices and perspectives within the Latino community and beyond, with a focus on achieving greater and more equitable access to economic prosperity and well-being. Created in 2013, the Fund is both a grant making entity and an emerging civic leadership engine, commissioning research and reports that address critical issues facing Latinos and other communities of color. LEF is raising an additional $10 million over the next three years for initiatives to expand economic prosperity and address the well-being/health disparities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more at https://www.tbf.org/nonprofits/grant-making-initiatives/latino-equity-fund.