TOWNS Awardees

Erika is a scientist, educator, board director, and policy and strategy advisor with a career spanning various disciplines. She currently serves as the Managing Director and Chief AI and Data Officer at the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Center for AI Research (CAIR), where she leads the establishment and strategic direction of the Center, aligning initiatives with the goals of the DTI. Erika is the founding Academic Director of the Asian Institute of Management’s (AIM) Data Science program (MSDS), where she spearheaded its curriculum design. She holds an Aboitiz Chair in Data Science at AIM. Dr. Legara has also played an instrumental role in crafting the Philippine National AI Strategy Roadmap.

EDUCATIONDr. Legara holds a Ph.D. in Physics, is a Fellow at the Institute of Corporate Directors (Philippines), and has a Cyber Risk Governance credential from the DCRO Risk Governance Institute. She completed the AI Governance Professional Training of the International Association of Privacy Professionals in 2024. 

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS
Her international achievements include being a finalist for the Women in AI APAC Awards 2024, featured in the Asian Scientist 100 list 2023, named among Asia’s Rising Scientists 2022, joining the Asia 21 Young Leaders Class 2022, and being recognized in Tatler Asia’s Most Influential 2024 list. She was also the chosen nominee for the 2024 Eisenhower Fellowship. Nationally, she has received honors such as the Outstanding Young Scientist (OYS), The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS), The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM), and was a finalist in the 2024 Front & Female Tatler Philippines Awards.