Current Leadership

Dr. Elizabeth “Liz” Hileman, PhD serves as President of the Board of AWIS Houston and Chair of the Career Development Committee, where she works to empower women in STEM by creating inclusive, impactful programming that supports professional growth, leadership development, and career advancement at every stage. She currently works as the Director for Research Planning & Development for the Cancer Neuroscience Program at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.  She holds a BS in chemistry from Texas A&M University and a PhD in biomedical sciences from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center / UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, specializing in pharmacology and biochemistry. Liz’s diverse career in biomedical research and administration began after graduation at MD Anderson’s Office of Technology Commercialization where she partnered with faculty to manage their intellectual property portfolios and guide them through the complex commercialization process.  She later held roles securing external funding for research programs and partnering with outside pharmaceutical companies in the VP Office for Translational Research to promote and drive research initiatives within MD Anderson.

Dr. Hileman later joined the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, TX where she established from the ground up an innovative Writing Studio and served as the inaugural Director. In this role, she provided comprehensive support to graduate students, postdocs, and junior faculty in areas such as grant writing, biosketch preparation, manuscript writing, CV and resume development, and dissertation writing.  She also implemented a novel workshop series on versatile career options for PhDs featuring outside speakers who utilized their doctoral training in a wide array of fields. She left UTMB to return to her roots at MD Anderson in January of 2024. Liz has a passion for mentoring the next generation of biomedical scientists and enjoys working with students and early-career researchers to help them achieve their professional goals.  She frequently gives workshops on various career development topics to predoc and postdoc trainees across the Texas Medical Center and to other AWIS chapters.

Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, traveling, reading, and gardening. You can check out her personal LinkedIn page here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lizhileman/

Treasurer and PR Chairperson
Garima Vyas

Garima Vyas is a technology leader serving as Treasurer and PR Chairperson for AWIS Houston. With extensive experience in strategy, innovation, and leadership, Garima is committed to advancing AWIS’s mission of empowering women in STEM.

As a former President of AWIS Houston, Garima focused on strengthening community connections and expanding initiatives to support women at every stage of their STEM careers. In her current role, she works to foster partnerships, engage supporters, and ensure the chapter has the resources to grow its impact.

Garima also contributes blogs to AWIS Houston, sharing insights on leadership, professional growth, and the importance of collaboration in STEM. Her writing aims to inspire women to embrace their potential, advocate for themselves, and lead with confidence.

Outside of AWIS, Garima is a Data Governance Consultant, where she leads technical teams and strategies to aligning organizational data with meaningful outcomes. She is passionate about equity in STEM and creating spaces where women and ideas can thrive.

Secretary
Cindy Jezierski

Cindy Jezierski currently serves as Secretary of the Board for AWIS Houston and is responsible for designing and writing the “Monthly Scoop” newsletter for the organization. A dedicated pre-medical, post-baccalaureate student at Baylor College of Medicine, she brings a deep and unwavering commitment to both medicine and national service. For over seven years, Cindy has proudly served as a Medical Operations Officer in the Texas Army National Guard, earning distinguished honors such as the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) and the Army Achievement Medal (AAM). Her dedication to healthcare goes beyond organizational leadership—she has played a critical role in establishing free clinics along the Texas-Mexico border, delivering essential medical care to soldiers and airmen. Additionally, she has traveled to Egypt to train local healthcare professionals in Tactical Combat Casualty Care, sharing her expertise in military medicine and lifesaving techniques.

In addition to her military service, Cindy contributes to advance health research as a research coordinator at the University of Houston. There, she plays a pivotal role in a childhood health promotion study working directly with families from low-income communities in Houston to improve the well-being and development of toddler aged children. She also volunteers at Texas Childre’s Hospital in the Texas Medical Center where she dedicates her time to supporting pediatric patients and their families.

Cindy’s ultimate goals are to become a physician and, one day, serve as the Texas State Surgeon, where she can advocate for and influence the health and well-being of both service members and the broader community by shaping policies that promote equitable, effective, and evidence-based healthcare across the state.

Membership Chair
Maria Annovi

Maria Annovi serves as Membership Chair for AWIS Houston, where she is dedicated to fostering community, inclusion, and belonging for women in STEM. Having lived in nine countries, she values the power of diversity and the importance of creating spaces where different perspectives are celebrated.

Maria earned her degree in Biotechnology from the University of Houston, where she developed a strong interest in bioinformatics and the potential of genomic research to advance therapies for genetic conditions. Shortly after graduating, she joined AWIS and quickly found a supportive community that guided her as she navigated the early stages of her career. In her role as Membership Chair, she hopes to provide that same sense of connection and guidance to other early-career women in STEM.

She currently works at Baylor College of Medicine in the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC) Tissue Cell Culture Core. There, she supports investigators by providing cell culture services, archiving human B-lymphoblastoid cell lines and skin fibroblasts, and contributing to biobanking efforts that enable groundbreaking studies in human development. Surrounded by innovation, she is inspired daily to keep learning and growing in her field. Maria is passionate about advancing research, promoting diversity, and empowering future scientists. Looking ahead, she hopes to not only pursue graduate studies and contribute to impactful scientific solutions but also to continue helping women in STEM build community, grow together, and inspire one another.