Dr. Maribel Campos Rivera is a Physician scientist, Board-Certified in Pediatrics, Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine, Obesity Medicine, and Lifestyle Medicine, with degrees in Health Care Administration and Clinical Research. A Robert Wood Johnson Interdisciplinary Research Leaders Alumni with over 20 years of experience implementing studies representing a broad range of research designs. Her commitment to scientific discovery has been demonstrated by her participation in all stages of clinical trials as a researcher, but even more so by assuming the role of the legally assigned representative and participant whenever possible. She has served as a member of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus Institutional Review Board for almost a decade. However, her lived experience addressing the consequences of non-communicable diseases like obesity, infertility, and cancer heightened her appreciation and awareness of the burden participants bear to make a new solution become the standard of care. Her engagement as a site investigator for industry-sponsored clinical trials was initiated under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Clemente Diaz. Since then, she has transitioned to an independent career in research as Founder of the Center for Community Outreach for Health Across the Lifespan, a division of the Office of the Dean of Research at the School of Dental Medicine. As a professor at the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, she has mentored trainees at different stages and fields of training, guiding them to meet the community they aim to serve and be better equipped to address the social determinants of health. Her investigator-originated work focuses on the effects of fetal and early childhood exposures on health across the lifespan. Her trajectory includes community action projects fostering a culture of health through system alignment, science education, and interdisciplinary care. Her team collaborates with community-based and professional organizations to develop and implement evidence-based, place-based, and community-informed solutions. Her role within the Voices for Healthy Kids community, supported by the American Heart Association, is just one example of their contributions towards health equity. She is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rico College of Physicians and Surgeons as President of the Research and Technological Development Institute up to her appointment as a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. She is a member of the Nutrition Sub Committee of the Council. Her commitment to improving the adoption rate of healthy lifestyles fueled her transition from NICU Medical Director to Founder of Emerge, a public benefit corporation dedicated to family-centered integrated healthcare.