Leadership Type: Administrative

Bernardo Pizarro serves as the Senior Director of Financial Planning & Analysis for Sanford Burnham Prebys and brings more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience from both the profit and non-profit arenas, the last 15 years at Sanford Burnham Prebys.

He is responsible for the Institute’s forecasting, budgeting, analysis and financial reporting packages, and ultimately providing strategic business and financial insights that inform and influence decision-making for all levels of the Institute.

Prior to joining Sanford Burnham Prebys, Bernardo worked as an Operations Financial Controller at SAIC for 10 years.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from California State University Fullerton.

Kari  La Com serves as the Senior Director of Research Accounting and has been working in the non-profit arena for 23 years, of which more than 19 have been with Sanford Burnham Prebys.

She is responsible for post-award administration, including fiscal and regulatory management for sponsored research funding awarded to the Institute as well as Institute-funded research. Research Accounting works in close partnership with faculty to provide financial support of their portfolios, including financial reporting and forecasting.

Prior to joining Sanford Burnham Prebys, Kari worked at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in research accounting.

She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of San Diego.

Lauren Mitchell is the Director, Workforce Engagement and Belonging at Sanford Burnham Prebys, where she oversees a comprehensive strategy to drive engagement and development within the Sanford Burnham Prebys community, identifying opportunities to improve and integrate engagement efforts in areas such as communication, training, organizational culture and leadership development. Lauren also serves as advisor to Institute leadership on workforce engagement and belonging best practices and manages implementation of Institute-wide strategies, programs and initiatives.

Lauren has a Master of Science degree in marriage and family therapy from Seton Hall University and a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and English from Fordham University. She has also trained with the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research and Cornell University DEI certification program.