Federico Ortiz is a driven professional from Colombia with a strong background in policy development . After immigrating to the United States five years ago, he pursued his studies at Purdue University, where he graduated from the School of Liberal Arts with degrees in Economics and Political Science.

From a young age, Federico has been actively involved in both Colombian and American politics. His passion for public service led him to work on a presidential campaign in Colombia, where he played a key role in youth outreach and engagement. Upon moving to the United States, he gained valuable experience working for the Indiana House of Representatives staff and later for the Indiana State GOP.

Throughout his career, Federico has remained committed to fostering civic engagement and contributing to policy development. He currently works in political strategy and government affairs consulting, where he advises organizations and individuals on navigating complex political and regulatory landscapes.

“I know SSA Co. will help advance freedom and democracy through the advancement of policy that triggers technological development and innovation. SSA Co. will allow the United States to be number one in technological development and innovation.”

Alfred J. López is Professor and Head of the Department of English at Purdue University. He is the author of six books, including José Martí: A Revolutionary Life (U Texas P, 2014), the definitive biography of Cuba’s greatest national hero. His most recent books are A Posthumous History of José Martí: The Apostle and his Afterlife (2022) and The Routledge Companion to Literature and the Global South, co-edited with Ricardo Quintana-Vallejo (2023), both from Routledge. His seventh book in progress is The Cambridge Introduction to José Martí, projected for late 2026 or early 2027.

López’s essays have appeared in American Literature, Comparative Literature, Cuban Studies, South Atlantic Quarterly, Modern Fiction Studies, and the Huffington Post, among many other journals and periodicals. He is also the founding editor of The Global South (Indiana UP 2007- ), the leading journal of globalization and global South studies.

López joined the English faculty at Purdue in 2007, and has also taught courses and/or directed programs in Latin American and Latino Studies, Global Studies, Comparative Literature, and American Studies.

He is a proud first-gen and community college student, and the son of Cuban immigrants.

"The group's vision, as I understand it, is an admirable and ambitious one. Joey Lopez and his collaborators believe it is morally imperative that our most advanced technology—semiconductors—be applied to the problems everyday people face. His vision is especially expansive for the many applications he recognizes: From battling misinformation in social media, to ensuring and enhancing the quality of education for all of society, to food and water security, and beyond. It is a societal framework much akin to what we find in the work of established scholars such as Ben Schneiderman, whose 2022 book Human-Centered AI I consider required reading for anyone interested in improving humanity through technology. In his own way, through his work with the Semiconductor Student Alliance (SSA Co.) Joey is pioneering a movement to bridge cutting-edge technology with real-world impact."