Our Team
Diane Cruz-Burke
Diane Cruz-Burke is a co-founder of Exploradoor Inc, an Indiana non-profit dedicated to equitable access of teens, especially those from marginalized communities, to career/job/skill development experiences that help them prepare for life. Before becoming a social entrepreneur, she was an executive leader at Eli Lilly and Company, retiring in 2017 from her position as Chief Operations Officer for Lilly Legal. She is a native Indiana Hoosier of Puerto Rican descent, born in Gary, Indiana and raised most of her childhood years in Knox, Indiana, a small northern Indiana farming town. She attended Indiana University, where she obtained a degree in accounting and became the first in her family to graduate from college. She then went on to attend and graduate from Harvard Law School and begin her legal career at Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis. Most of her professional career has been dedicated to serving Eli Lilly and Company, where she worked for 23 years in a variety of legal roles, including as legal counsel for Lilly’s Global and US marketing organizations and as a Six Sigma Black Belt. Since moving to Indianapolis in 1991, Ms. Cruz-Burke has been active in the Indianapolis community. She is a past President of the Board for the Hispanic Center (one of the original Latino organizations that was merged into today’s La Plaza) and a past President of the Organization of Latinos at Lilly. She is a long-standing supporter of the United Way of Central Indiana, having been a member of the Arduth Burkhart Leadership group and served as Chairman of the United Way Diversity Leadership Circle. She is a recognized advocate for diversity and inclusion, receiving Lilly’s inaugural Diversity and Inclusion Community Champion Award in 2013 and La Plaza’s Community Leader Award in 2017. In the education community, she has served as Board Member of the Indiana University Alumni Association, Board Member of Providence Cristo Rey High School, and advisor to the Young Innovators Quest program sponsored by Health & Science Innovation. Ms. Cruz-Burke is happily married to her husband, Craig Burke (also an attorney), for over 30 years and is the proud mother of three young adults.
Caroline Abeleda
Caroline Abeleda is a co-founder Exploradoor Inc, an Indiana non-profit dedicated to equitable access of teens, especially those from marginalized communities, to career/job/skill development experiences that help them prepare for life.). Before becoming a social entrepreneur, she was a Senior Director in Biomedicine & Neuroscience at Eli Lilly and Company for 22 years. After Lilly, she served as Vice President of Integrated Sales/Marketing for Gannett then returned to healthcare as Vice President of Operations for IU Health Plans and recently held a Chief of Staff role for a digital startup. She spent her professional career at Lilly in leadership roles within sales, marketing, training and development and operations. Recognized for sales, customer experience and team performance, Caroline valued most championing diversity and the development of her management team and all her associates. Coaching and mentoring others to help them unleash their full potential has always been her passion. Originally from Ohio and of Filipino descent, Caroline spent most of her childhood in the Midwest. After graduating from Butler University with a degree in Economics, she began her Lilly career in Los Angeles and remained on the west coast for 10 years. Returning to Indiana, Caroline and her husband, John Leonard, an entrepreneur, became active within Hamilton county where they reside with their 3 children. Caroline also served as a catechist and advisory board member for St. Elizabeth Seton, former Parent Association President and board member of the International School of Indiana, and board member of the American Lung Association.