Cristina Rodríguez is the Director of Innovation at CoGenerate. She is a social entrepreneur and was a CoGenerate Innovation Fellow in 2021. In 2014, Cristina co-founded Mind&Melody, a nonprofit organization connecting younger and older adults with neurological impairments, like Alzheimer’s, through music. The program has delivered over 13,000 music sessions at more than 100 facilities in Florida, New York and New Mexico impacting 2,000 lives yearly . (Learn more in her blog “Generational Harmonies,” including video clips the participants.)

Cristina is fascinated by the possibilities that come with the intersection of art and science. She has played the cello for over 10 years and graduated from the Florida Atlantic University Honors College with a degree in biochemistry.

Before founding Mind&Melody, Cristina participated in several research internships at Max Planck, Music Dynamics Lab, Scripps, and Jackson Health. In addition to her science background, Cristina holds a certificate in Nonprofit Management and has been part of professional development programs like the Radical Partners Social Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, which helped her grow as an entrepreneur.

Cristina has been widely recognized for her leadership and innovation. She was named a 2025 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth, In 2022, she won the AARP Connect & Thrive Pitch Competition: People’s Choice Award, and in 2018, she was named Coors Light Líder of the Year, a national award recognizing outstanding Latino leaders driving community impact.