Board of Directors
Gustavo Arriaga, Jr., PhD
Dr. Arriaga is the co-founder of Fab Lab and currently Data and Analytics Manager for Microsoft Philanthropies. He holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Neuroscience from Duke University as well as certificates in Machine Learning and Data Science.
Ersela Kripa, M. Arch
Ersela is a registered architect who holds a Master’s of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. She is a founding principal at AGENCY, Acting Director of Architecture Program at Texas Tech University and Assistant Professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.
Jonathan Childress, MBA
Jonathan is the Community Engagement Manager for Microsoft Techspark in El Paso. Prior to this position, Jonathan has been a business founder and financial advisor at Per Stirling and Raymond James. He holds a Master’s of Business Administration from University of Texas at El Paso and an Entrepreneurship Certificate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Jackie Arroyo Butler, MBA
Jackie is currently the Senior Policy Advisor for El Paso County. She has an impressive and extensive experience working at the intersection of economic development, civic engagement, and innovation incubation. Her past roles include VP of Government Relations at the El Paso Chamber, Senior Operations Director of Medical Center of the Americas, and U.S. Director of Bio El Paso-Juarez. Jackie holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso.
Barbara Walker, BBA
Barbara is a Territory Accounts Manager for Cisco. She graduated with a Bachelor’s of Business Administration from the University of Texas at El Paso. She has facilitated and overseen multiple big local projects on business systems migrations and broadband connectivity in the region.
Team Members
Cathy Chen-Arriaga
Cathy is the Executive Director and co-founder of Fab Lab. She holds a Bachelor’s in Political Economy from Duke University and Executive Education certifications from Harvard Business School. Cathy is passionate about traveling, science fiction, modern art, and mid-century design.
Michael Nelson
Michael is the Director of Operations at Tech Frontier. He graduated from University of Texas at El Paso with a degree in Social Studies and Secondary Education, and has ten years of experience in extracurricular STEM instruction and creative maker education. Michael is passionate about the arts, and humanities, and is a percussionist in the local Latin music scene.
Miguel Amaya, MBA
Miguel is the Workforce Manager at Tech Frontier, with a degree in Computer Science from MIT and an MBA from UCSD. With nearly two decades of experience in software development and product management, he specializes in guiding entrepreneurs through startup incubators, helping them with ideation, validation, and prototype development. Miguel enjoys mentoring, reading science fiction, playing chess, and woodworking.
Michelle Delgado
Michelle is a STEAM Instructor at Fab Lab El Paso, with a degree in History from the University of Texas at El Paso. She was featured as a 2024 El Paso Chalk the Block installation artist and is passionate about teaching through partnerships with local museums and at community events. In her free time, Michelle enjoys making music, tinkering with DIY kits, and traveling with her family.
Karah Wesstrom
Karah is a STEAM Instructor at Fab Lab El Paso with a Biomedical Engineering degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She has experience creating biomedical prototypes using CAD and 3D printing for the U.S Army Institute of Surgical Research. She also taught dance in El Paso for 5+ years. Outside of work, Karah enjoys spending time with her two golden retrievers and exploring new local restaurants.