About Us

Ecostrata Services Founder and President, Robert Ruano has over 30 years of management experience, both in the private, nonprofit, and public sectors. His experience includes a stint in City of Miami government overseeing all grant applications and environmental initiatives and as Executive Director of a nonprofit community center in Miami.

Robert started Ecostrata in 2010, to assist cities and nonprofits with their grants and government relations needs. Since then, Ecostrata has secured over $100 million in government grants and contracts for its clients. With the help of experienced personnel, the company has helped cities and nonprofits of all sizes with projects in infrastructure, parks and parks programming, human services, arts and culture, and much more.

Robert believes that community service is crucial to being a good corporate citizen, as such, he volunteers on several community boards and at community events. Currently, he serves as a trustee for the Arbor Day Foundation and as a board member of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust in Miami-Dade. In addition, Robert is a past Chair of the Miami-Dade Planning Advisory Board and co-founder of Bike Walk Coral Gables. These organizations benefit from free advice, hours, and dollars that help them help their community. A win for everyone.

Ian Vallecillo holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international Relations from Florida International University. As a grant strategist and public sector consultant with over 12 years of experience in grant writing, program management, and municipal project coordination, he leverages his extensive background in both the public and nonprofit sectors to help clients secure and manage funding for critical infrastructure, sustainability, public safety, and community development initiatives.

Prior to joining Ecostrata in 2022, Ian served as the Grants Administrator for the City of Sweetwater, where he successfully secured more than $12 million in federal, state, and local grant funds. His achievements included managing large-scale capital improvement projects, resolving major audit findings, and leading the city’s disaster recovery and FEMA reimbursement efforts following Hurricane Irma and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ian also oversaw grant-funded initiatives in transportation, stormwater drainage, police equipment upgrades, and green infrastructure—earning Sweetwater the Tree City USA designation for the first time in its history.

Dr. Amy M. Scott holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University and has contributed to various scientific publications, focusing on areas such as ultrafast spectroscopy and photo physics. Her work has been published in journals like the Journal of Physical Chemistry C and the Journal of Materials Chemistry. In addition to her research endeavors, Dr. Scott has demonstrated proficiency in grant management, having served as the Principal Investigator for a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project. In addition, Dr. Scott has managed an Environmental Protection Agency grant for developing methods for differentiating fossil carbon from modern carbon of methane and other energy fuels for the renewable sector. This experience underscores her capability in securing and managing capital and research funding, ensuring the successful execution of grant programs.