Maryam Abed
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Afghanistan
Degrees(s): MD, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Afghanistan, 2011; MPH, Kabul University of Medical Sciences, Afghanistan, 2021
Global health experience:
- Led Community-Based Health Care and Community Health Worker programs with JICA in Afghanistan
- Spearheaded family planning initiatives with Marie Stopes International Afghanistan, providing essential birth control services and critical care for newborns, while creating impactful training programs based on WHO guidelines
- Managed COVID-19 patient care and contributed to task force strategies at the Afghan Japan Hospital of Communicable Diseases
Global health interests:
Health systems, Women’s reproductive health and family planning, Immigrant and migrant women’s health
Laila Afzal
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Afghanistan
Degrees(s): BS, Psychobiology, University of California, Davis, 2023
Global health experience:
- Translated health informational sessions, seminars, and symposiums to educate women on topics such as pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum care, and cancer prevention with California’s Refugee Reproductive Health Network (REPRONET)
- Worked on various research projects with UCDavis School of Medicine including “Post-Resettlement Intimate Partner Domestic Violence in Refugee Communities” and “International Medical Graduate Brain Waste”
- Founded and led a donation campaign to assist struggling families on the brink of starvation in Afghanistan, providing families with food packages which offered vital relief in the face of devastating circumstances
Global health interests:
Health equity and social determinants of health, Immigrant and migrant health, Infectious diseases
Celine Chou
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Taiwan
Degrees(s): BS, Biology and Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 2021
Global health experience:
- Coordinated patient enrollment in the ICU for The EquiOx Study, which aims to understand pulse oximetry biases related to skin pigmentation
- Facilitated free clinics, home visits, and a health-focused summer camp in rural area of Taiwan
- Distributed fresh produce to support the nutrition of uninsured patients in San Francisco
Global health interests:
Child health, Global health systems, Healthcare access and equity
Gisselle Covarrubias Llamas
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, 2024
Global health experience:
- Volunteered as a Blood Donor Ambassador for the American Red Cross
- Conducted independent research on Exaiptasia sea anemones, designing primers for LINE-1 ORF1 and ORF2 genetic sequences within the genome
- Worked as a Medical Assistant in a private practice dermatology office, assisting with exams, recording diagnoses, managing follow-up care, and preparing patients for Botox, laser treatments, and biopsies
Global health interests:
Infectious diseases, Noncommunicable diseases, Health policy and management
Jillian Curran
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Human Development, University of California, Davis, 2024
Global health experience:
- Worked as undergraduate intern at a UC Davis student-run clinic, integrating socially and medically disenfranchised communities into the mainstream healthcare system
- Researched strategies to promote the well-being of individuals living with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease with a UC Davis lab
- Worked with emotionally distressed youth through the UC Davis Human Ecology Department, researching internalizing and externalizing behaviors
Global health interests:
Health equity, Healthcare access, Health education
Lea El Rassi
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Lebanon
Degrees(s): BS, Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, 2024
Global health experience:
- Worked on NIH-funded qualitative research focused on improving post-op outcomes in Cameroon
- Volunteered at a free clinic serving underserved communities in Lebanon
Global health interests:
Immigrant and refugee health, Health systems, Mental health
Sahar El Rayah
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Sudan
Degrees(s): BDS, Dentistry, University of Khartoum, 2009 and MPH, Health Sciences, Ahfad University for Women, 2022
Global health experience:
- Worked as Communicable Disease Officer for almost 5 years with focus on HIV, TB, STI, and Hepatitis at Ministry of Health and WHO Sudan
- Led the active case finding campaigns among IDPS and host communities
Global health interests:
Communicable diseases, Health policy, Resilient and sustainable systems for health
Alyanna Fenol
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Philippines & United States of America
Degrees(s): BA, Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 2024
Global health experience:
- Led the curriculum team at Rapid Reviews \ Infectious Diseases, expanding to 12 LMICs including Mexico, Peru, and Rwanda
- Conducted weekly workshops with 70+ students to combat misinformation in infectious diseases and investigated pandemic sequence types of E. coli and socioeconomic determinants of antimicrobial-resistant UTIs at the Raphael Lab
- Founded SeekingSanctuary, a social media-based refugee advocacy page, raising awareness about the plight of displaced communities
Global health interests:
Global healthcare accessibility, Refugee health, Neglected diseases
Katie Horvath
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BA, Molecular Biology Immunology, University of California, Berkeley, 2023
Global health experience:
- Taught an elective introductory class through UC Berkeley Decals about topics within cancer including novel therapeutics, healthcare and economic disparities, and general biological mechanisms
- Conducted independent research with the Rijo-Ferreira Lab to investigate behavioral differences in mice with and without a suprachiasmatic nucleus while infected with malaria throughout different light/dark cycles
Global health interests:
Infectious disease research and prevention, Health equity and education
Sydney Howell
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Neuroscience, Brigham Young University, 2022
Global health experience:
- Participated in LACES summer internship with UCSF Latinx Center of Excellence, partnering with United Playaz/West Bay on violence prevention for youth in San Francisco’s SOMA district
- Worked as a clinical research coordinator at University of Utah Health, gaining exposure to health research methodologies and practices in a major academic medical center
- Assisted in fMRI memory studies at Brigham Young University, contributing to academic projects in neuroscience
Global health interests:
Mental health, Child and maternal health, Health disparities
Meera Khaira
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Human Biology, Minor in Spanish, University of California, Davis, 2022
Global health experience:
- Trained and mentored fellow Aggie Public Health Ambassador peers during the COVID-19 pandemic at University of California Davis on campus and in the city for the Healthy Davis Together Campaign
- Volunteer as a scribe and clinical receptionist at Clinic by the Bay in San Francisco
- Served as student researcher in a lab at UC Davis dedicated to finding the underlying mechanisms of HIV infection using simian model organisms
Global health interests:
Mental health, Working with underserved and immigrant communities, Chronic disease prevention for children
Zeena Khazendar
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Palestine
Degrees(s): BA, Human Biology, Stanford University, 2023
Global health experience:
- Culturally adapted and implemented community health worker training and employment of Somali urban refugees in Kenya to deliver an evidence-based mental health intervention (Youth Readiness Intervention) to war-affected Somali youth
- Co-founded Palestine P.A.L.s (Pediatric research, Alliance, Leaders) a collaboration across top universities in Palestine & the US working to strengthen pediatric research infrastructure in Palestine and foster the next generationof Palestinian physician-researchers to tackle urgent child healthcare needs
- Digitized community health worker mental health trainings to be distributed across East Africa
Global health interests:
Adolescent refugee mental health; Self-sustaining task-sharing models of culturally appropriate care; Decolonizing global health
Eric Kraybill
he/him/his
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Human Biology, Stanford University, 2022
Global health experience:
- Worked for several summers as a counselor and educator at Camp de los Niños with children with Type 1 diabetes
- Volunteered in a flu and COVID vaccination program for farm workers and community members
- Volunteered in numerous medical ultrasound courses for regional and global physicians
Global health interests:
Climate driven changes in infectious disease, Medicalization of chronic conditions, Healthcare access and equitability for at-risk and underserved communities
Anthony Li
he/him/his
Country of origin: Taiwan
Degrees(s): BS, Neuroscience, Minor in Global Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 2024
Global health experience:
- Won first place in the UCLA Global Health Case Competition on the topic of Obstetric Fistulas in rural India
- Participated in the Emory Morningside Global Health Case Competition on the topic of Preventing Maternal Death in Haiti
Global health interests:
Mental health, Global brain health, Qualitative research
Günter Lugo
he/him/his
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Physiology, Minor in Chemistry, San Francisco State University, 2024
Global health experience:
- Participated in medical mission trips to establish medical systems and clinics in the Philippines and Haiti
- Led a team at Juul Labs, achieving a 23% reduction in underage tobacco use nationwide through regulatory innovations
- Gained critical insights into healthcare disparities through volunteering in the Emergency Department at SF General and organizing blood drives at local farmer’s markets
Global health interests:
Global drug development accessibility, Global dermatology research, Surgical equity
Meghana Mazumdar
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, General Biology, University of California, San Diego, 2024
Global health experience:
- Interned with HFiT, a free clinic in Tijuana, by scribing and assisting with taking basic vitals and registering patients
- Streamlined communication between healthcare professionals and patients in Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences by providing precise translation services in real time
- Spearheaded initiatives to address outlined needs, such as new sinks, refreshed murals, and properly structured stairs for Pachamama preschool in Guaranda, Ecuador
Global health interests:
Maternal health, Reproductive health advocacy and policy
Ellen Nguyen
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BA, Molecular and Cell Biology and Economics and Minor in Global Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, 2023
Global health experience:
- Worked as a student assistant for a Public Health PhD student, assisting with sample processing, data inputting, and integrating chromatogram peaks from the GC/MS instrument
- Participated in ULab at UC Berkeley, Public Health Division, performing cross-literature analysis, exploring risk factors for mental illness onset in adolescent development, evaluated current trends in mental health research, and analyzed epidemiological factors that contribute to the resultant effects in the mental health of adolescents
Global health interests:
Mental Health, Infectious and non-communicable diseases, Health systems and policy
Edinna Obaseki
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Tanzania & Nigeria
Degrees(s): BS Biology, BA Women’s and Gender Studies/Sexuality, Sonoma State University, 2024
Global health experience:
- Founded nonprofit, Grace Period, which tackles menstrual product access issues and supports over 450 individuals in the Bay Area
- Prepare and distribute hygiene packages monthly to unhoused menstruators and educate youth about this taboo topic
Global health interests:
Women’s reproductive justice, Immigration/border & genocide health challenges, Queer health
Alexis Ortiz
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Health Science, Minor in Biology, Saint Mary’s College of California, 2024
Global health experience:
- Engaged in diverse initiatives from assisting children with autism, to caring for the elderly to educating minority children
- Gained perspectives of health care systems outside of the United States through travel to Spain and South Korea
Global health interests:
Health promotion for underserved populations, Healthcare access, Healthcare for women & children
Madeline Pechilis
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Public Health, Tulane University, 2022
Global health experience:
- Contributed to Addressing Elevated Anxiety for Prevention of Excess Weight Gain and Cardiometabolic Disease (ASSET) at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences by researching academic literature to define study measures
- Volunteered at a transitional housing sanctuary for women, children, trans and gender-nonconforming folks in New Orleans and developed a therapeutic program for children with traumatic experiences to encourage healthy emotional expression
- Worked for the Indiana State Department of Health on the CDC Reporting Team to ensure data quality of COVID-19 case investigations entered in the surveillance database.
Global health interests:
Social determinants of health; Access to healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa
James Roake
he/him/his
Country of origin: Australia
Degrees(s): BS, Public Health, California Polytechnic State University, 2022
Global health experience:
- Engaged as an undergraduate research assistant at Cal Poly Center for Health Research, conducting investigations into obesity, diabetes and food choices
- Worked as a research analyst at UCSF Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, examining chronic diseases, scientific conflicts of interests and the commercial determinants of health
- Worked on a multidisciplinary funded project on using AI and enterprise business models to address the challenge of food deserts
Global health interests:
Noncommunicable diseases, Commercial determinants of health, Health economics and policy
Jaydi Romero
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Psychology, University of California, Davis, 2024
Global health experience:
- Educated patients in rural Santiago, Dominican Republic about the importance of vaccines and breastfeeding
- Created and completed research on the knowledge of maternal and prenatal care in this community
Global health interests:
Immigrant communities, Women’s health, Health equity
Trisha Sengupta
she/they
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology, Emory University, 2024
Global health experience:
- Conducted research on contraceptive access and perceptions surrounding abortion among low income women in Costa Rica
- Volunteered at free healthcare clinics with refugee/immigrant populations in Clarkston, GA
- Worked as an Emergency Medical Technician in greater Atlanta area
Global health interests:
Healthcare policy and systems, Sexual and reproductive healthcare, Improving healthcare access and quality in underserved communities
Tyler Stepaniak
he/him/his
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BA, Biochemistry and Philosophy, University of Colorado, Boulder, 2021
Global health experience:
- Conducted research as a professional research assistant at the University of Colorado, Anschutz School of Medicine, Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes with the Bergman lab primarily working on a multi-site study, MoTrPAC (Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium), studying how intramuscular adipose tissue’s secretome effects the body
- Volunteers with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as a patient and family outreach volunteer, ensuring patient’s access to available resources
- Engaged as a medical scribe in a trauma level 1 emergency department, promoting safe communication and EHR documentation while assisting attending physicians
Global health interests:
Health equity, infectious diseases, and healthcare systems
Tammy Van
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BA, Neuroscience, University of California, Riverside, 2022
Global health experience:
- Documented provider-dictated patient history and other relevant patient information with a focus on managing diabetes mellitus, growth disorders, thyroid disorders, pituitary hormone disorders, puberty disorders, and adrenal disorders in children as an Endocrine & Diabetes clinic medical scribe at Children’s Hospital of Orange County
- Researched cross-language structural priming of non-congruent verb argument structures through testing participants weekly, collecting data using EyeLink eye tracker and verbal fluency tests to examine behavioral methods for bilinguals for the Bilingualism, Mind, & Brain Lab at University of California, Riverside
- Supported the California Youth Council in raising awareness on youth issues through statewide advocacy efforts, with a focus on alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as traffic safety as a leadership team member under the California Friday Night Live Partnership
Global health interests:
Pediatric dentistry; Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH); Preventative health and health education
Kaylee Vannoy
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Japan
Degrees(s): BS, Biology, University of North Carolina – Wilmington, 2022
Global health experience:
- Monitored and supported seniors from diverse backgrounds by promoting mental and physical health, personal hygiene, and companionship
- Volunteered as a tutor for the Adult Literacy/ESL program at the Pleasanton Library, teaching marginalized groups
- Raised awareness and organized a campaign for the Glioblastoma Foundation
Global health interests:
Quality of life improvement for disadvantaged populations, Control and elimination of neglected tropical diseases
Yun-Ting (Katie) Wang
she/her/hers
Country of origin: Taiwan
Degrees(s): BS, Nursing, Chang Gung University, 2019
Global health experience:
- Worked as a registered professional nurse for 4+ years in the Anesthesiology Unit and Emergency Room
- Conducted clinical trial of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a study nurse at Kaohsiung Medical University
Global health interests:
Mental health, Disease and prevention, Health promotion in immigrant populations
Emily Whalen
she/her/hers
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Forensic Chemistry, West Virginia University, 2023
Global health experience:
- Served with AmeriCorps National Health Corps with San Francisco Department of Public Health Dental School-Based Team
- Attended maternal and nutritional rural health conferences as part of a Pre Rural Education Program in West Virginia
- Continued volunteer partnership with local pregnancy center educating women about pregnancy and childhood development from gestation through age four
Global health interests:
Maternal and women’s health, Community based care, Health education
Eric J. Wong
Country of origin: United States of America
Degrees(s): BS, Business Administration, San Jose State University, 2004; MAS, Aeronautical Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, 2009; MBV, Business for Veterans, University of Southern California, 2014
Global health experience:
- served in expeditionary military forces alongside multinational partners conducting air operations across the globe
Global health interests:
Healthcare systems, Emergency management, Occupational medicine
Mehrdad Yadegari
he/him/his
Country of origin: Iran
Degrees(s): BS, Occupational Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, 2015; MS, Occupational Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 2018
Global health experience:
- Formed the methodology and framework for improving access to quality healthcare for maternal and neonatal health by using telemedicine in remote, underprivileged areas, and host communities for refugees
- Developed M&E tools to facilitate the achievement of project objectives and outcomes, developed lesson plans, and conducted national M&E workshop based on United Nations result-based management
- Developed environmental and social readiness assessment tool for evaluating public health standards with a focus on environmental and occupational health and patient safety and monitored the conducted assessments of 182 healthcare facilities in the Iran Covid-19 Emergency Response Project funded by the World Bank
Global health interests:
Health promotion and education; Social determinants of health; Digital health
Qihua (Jacky) Zhang
he/him/his
Country of origin: China
Degrees(s): BS, Human Evolutionary Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, 2024
Global health experience:
- Collected social information and data from various sources to gain in-depth insights into the current trends and underlying risks of HIV transmission in contemporary society under the guidance of UW faculty
- Assisted the team in systematically analyzing large-scale data to understand the patterns of HIV transmission, high-risk populations and regions, and the social factors that may contribute to its spread
- Assisted the team in conducting relevant research at the biological level, including assisting with experimental design, sample collection and processing, and recording experimental data
Global health interests:
Structural violence in health systems, Medical pluralism, Environmental injustice