Public Health GRAD Association @ UCI

Quarterly Mentors

Mentors will be offered by request only. If you would like a mentor, please download and fill out this form in Word, save and email it to us @ phagraduci@gmail.com. We will get back to you with their contact information if all goes well! :)

Name: Anne Nguyen 
Degree: B.S. in Biological Sciences, UCI | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity and Health
Career Goals and Interests: Anne is entering UCI’s MPH program this fall; her goal is to design programs, tools, and interventions that make health care delivery more sustainable and affordable; interests: health promotion/communication
Favorite film:Another Earth

Name: Elyssa Margallo
Degree: B.A. in Public Health Policy, UCI | B.A. in International Studies, UCI | M.P.H. Cal State Fullerton
Emphasis/Concentration: Health Promotion & Disease Prevention
Career Goals and Interests: Elyssa is a recent M.P.H. graduate; her interest are in international health and development, humanitarian work, and nonprofit work
Favorite song: Unforgettable by Drake

Name: Sara Wei
Degree:  B.A. in Public Health Policy and Women’s Studies, UCI | M.H.A. in Health Finance & Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health    
Emphasis/Career: My career goal is to ultimately improve health care delivery services by helping patients receive care at a lower cost and improved quality. My current role is at the UCLA Health System for a new department- Institute in Innovation in Health. Our department is charged with accelerating transformation and bringing disruptive technologies to the health system. The role is very rewarding as I get to scan the environment for some of the newest health care technologies and help make the connection to how this could be applied to the health system.

Favorite book: Life of Pi

*Available via email/telephone

Name: Vena Sobhawongse 
Degree: B.A. in Public Health Policy, UCI | M.P.H. in Health Communication, University of Southern California
Emphasis/Career: My career goal is to collaborate with professionals in the field who can lift health care barriers in underserved communities. I am interested in strengthening my understanding of diverse populations and to learn more about bridging together services, resources, and programs through effective public health communication.         Favorite film: Practical Magic

*Available via email/telephone

Name: Simon Contreras
Degree: B.A. in Public Health Policy, UCI | M.P.H. in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Cal State Fullerton
Emphasis/Career: My career goal is a profession in health education working with children and adolescents. I am currently working as a Program Leader and Health Literacy Liaison for THINK Together, a non-profit after school extended learning program.  Favorite films/book: Food documentaries such as Forks Over Knives and Food Matters; Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris

Name: Rajiv Ramdeo
Degree: B.S. in Biological Sciences, UCI | UCI M.P.H. Graduate
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity and Health
Career Goals and Interests: Currently Business Consulting Fellow at Mayo Clinic; interested in social entrepreneurship
Favorite book:  The Alchemist

*Available via email/telephone

Name: Michelle Hashemi
Degree: B.A. Psychology & Social Behavior, UCI | M.P.H. Community Health Sciences, UCLA | DrPH Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences, UT School of Public Health, expected 2014
Emphasis/Concentration: See above
Career Goals and Interests: My plans are to work at a non-profit organization or research center in health literacy or health communications. I am interested in issues surrounding healthy nutrition, environmental health, and tobacco.
Favorite movie: Good Will Hunting

*Available via email/telephone

Name: Hoanglong Nguyen
Degree: B.S. in Biological Sciences, Information & Computer Science | M.D. Doctor of Medicine, Saint Louis University | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Epidemiology
Career Goals and Interests: Health care outcomes and efficiencies in allocation and cost, particularly systems-based technologies to study risk factors leading to cardiovascular disease. Current area of research involves data-mining though existing mandatory California discharge data to study morbidity and mortality related to Clostridium difficle and how it may impact hospital ranking and reimbursement, and therefore, potentially impact systemic changes in healthcare practices. Career goal of 60% time spent in medical practice in invasive cardiology and general medicine and 40% in clinical research.
Favorite book: Ender’s Game

Name: Melissa Soohoo
Degree: B.S. in Molecular & Developmental Biology, UCLA | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Epidemiology
Career Goals and Interests: Infectious diseases and minority health disparities
Favorite film: My Best Friend’s Wedding

Name: Olivia Biswas
Degree: B.S. in Biology, minor in Anthropology UCLA | UCI MPH candidate
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity & Health
Career Goals and Interests: My career goal is to become a surgeon in cardiology. I would like to work in underprivileged communities and abroad in countries lacking efficient health care. I am currently a surgical intern for a surgical team in Beverly Hills and am a volunteer for Global Medical Training International.
Favorite film: The Chronicles of Narnia

Name: Lauren Tabios
Degree: B.A. in Infectious Diseases, Health Policy, & Management, minor in Pubic Policy Cal Berkeley | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity & Health
Career Goals and Interests: I’d like to work in health policy for government, either at the state or federal level. At some point, I would also like to work toward an MBA and end up in health care administration and management.
Favorite song: “Pachuca Sunrise" by Minus the Bear

Name: Winston Lin
Degree: B.A. in Sociology, UCSD | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity & Health
Career Goals and Interests: Medical school, to attain a clinical MD in Internal Medicine
Favorite film: Inception

Name: Allysha Varughese
Degree: B.A. in Anthropology, Stony Brook | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Epidemiology
Career Goals and Interests: I am working with Professor Vieira on spatial analysis using GIS software to track cancer
Favorite book: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Name: Stephanie Hammel
Degree: B.S. in Biology and Chemistry, UCI | UCI MPH candidate ‘14
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity & Health
Career Goals and Interests: I am interested in the reduction of toxic chemicals in consumer products and the environment. Currently, my research is based on various aspects of the California Green Chemistry Initiative. I am also a co-lead coordinator of the Diversity in Medicine program, through which I aim to help to educate future healthcare professionals about various health disparities that exist in society, especially in terms of socioeconomic status and culture. My future goals will probably fall along the lines of a combination of both and I look to continue my grad school education after my MPH.
Favorite book: The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

PHOTO PENDING

Name: Shah Steiner
Degree: B.A. in Psychology, UCI | UCI MPH candidate ‘13
Emphasis/Concentration: Sociocultural Diversity & Health
Career Goals and Interests: Health behavior and psychology, reducing LVD risk factors, general medicine
Favorite book: -

Name: Ann Nguyen
Degree: B.S. in Biomedical Engineering, UCI | M.P.H., UCI
Emphasis/Concentration: Epidemiology
Career Goals and Interests: Currently working in Organizational Learning at Palomar Health in San Diego; interested in ehalth systems, influenza mortality research, med tech entrepreneurship.
Favorite book: The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

last updated: 6/30/13