Dr. Tamara Elena Spence “Tammy” is a proud Puerto Rican, Irish, and Pennsylvania Dutch neuroscientist who grew up celebrating her unique multi-cultural background. She has fond memories of both helping her mother make bacalaitos on the sunny patio and playing with cloth dolls while visiting Amish Country in Pennsylvania with her father to sample scrapple, apple butter, and pretzels. She is a storyteller, educator, and social change maker who has performed on stage for Capital Storytelling and Story Collider. She believes that sharing stories fosters empathy and compassion and can help build genuine connections within and between communities.