Health Advocates for the 2023-2024 Academic Year
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Natalia Alameda
Scripps College 2025 Natalia Alameda (she/her) is a junior at Scripps College. She is currently a Human Biology major, with a concentration in Health and Healing, on the pre-med track. In her free time, she loves reading books, crocheting, going to the gym, and hanging out with her friends! After Natalia’s gap years, she intends to go to medical school and specialize in pediatrics. |
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Joana Antonio
Pomona College 2025 Joana Antonio (she/her) is a Pomona junior majoring in Linguistics with an intended minor in Biology, while on the pre-medical track. As a Mexican-Salvadoran FLGI student, she has a passion for bringing mental health awareness, breaking language barriers and uplifting her communities through service. Having experienced health disparities first-hand and its impact on the people she loves, she joined Health Bridges in the efforts to provide more accessible health resources. In the future, she hopes to be a practicing physician providing accessible, cultural-competent care to her communities in South Central LA. Currently, if she isn't spends her time doing work for Health Bridges, you can find her dancing, trying new foods, and learning new languages. |
Adriana Apana
Pomona College 2027
Adriana Apana is a freshman, Class of 2027, at Pomona College. She is currently on the Pre-Health Track and thinking of majoring in something related to STEM and possibly a dance major or minor. On the side, she loves to continue her passions in dance, which she has trained in the styles of jazz, hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, etc. for the past decade. Born and raised in Hawai’i, she also is a major foodie. She is currently missing Hawaiian Food, Zippy’s Chili, Poke Bowls, and is obsessed with boba drinks. Her future career goal is to become a pediatrician, as she loves working with children through teaching dance and volunteering at her local Children’s Museum back in Oahu.
Pomona College 2027
Adriana Apana is a freshman, Class of 2027, at Pomona College. She is currently on the Pre-Health Track and thinking of majoring in something related to STEM and possibly a dance major or minor. On the side, she loves to continue her passions in dance, which she has trained in the styles of jazz, hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, etc. for the past decade. Born and raised in Hawai’i, she also is a major foodie. She is currently missing Hawaiian Food, Zippy’s Chili, Poke Bowls, and is obsessed with boba drinks. Her future career goal is to become a pediatrician, as she loves working with children through teaching dance and volunteering at her local Children’s Museum back in Oahu.
Kira Apodaca
Pomona College 2026
Kira is a sophomore at Pomona College deciding between a chemistry or physics major. She loves exploring the outdoors, playing soccer, lifting at the gym, and listening/playing music with her friends. In the future she wants a career in medicine as an MD or doing research.
Pomona College 2026
Kira is a sophomore at Pomona College deciding between a chemistry or physics major. She loves exploring the outdoors, playing soccer, lifting at the gym, and listening/playing music with her friends. In the future she wants a career in medicine as an MD or doing research.
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Camila Arzate
Claremont McKenna College 2026 Camila Arzate is a Sophomore at Claremont McKenna College majoring in Human Biology. She plans on working in the medical field as a PA in the future. She is currently part of the 5C Community Care club, 5C Pre-PA club, and a 1Gen Mentor. Some of her interests include photography, hiking, running, and reading. |
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Tymmaa Asaed
Pomona College 2025 Tymmaa is a junior at Pomona College studying neuroscience! She enjoys reading and discovering nature walks. In the future, she hopes to pursue an MD and work in neurology. |
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Mame Baffour-Awuah
Pomona College 2026 My name is Mame Baffour-Awuah, a Pomona sophomore studying Psychology on the Pre-Med track. I hope to pursue a career in the healthcare field, aspiring to become a psychiatrist. I am passionate about health equity, culturally competent health care and dismantling stigmas surrounding mental especially in POC communities. In my free time, I love to curate playlists, read, and watch crime tv shows :) |
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Jisue Choi
Claremont McKenna College 2026 Jisue is a sophomore at CMC and she is double majoring in Biology and Music. She enjoys playing piano, going on walks, and studying with friends. She is currently on the premed track and hopes to become a physician in the future. |
Kendrick Cua
Pomona College 2025
This is Kendrick Cua (he/him/his). He's a junior at Pomona majoring in Public Policy Analysis with a Bio Concentration. A few of his hobbies including napping, sleeping, and resting. He also enjoys following gymnastics and swimming. He isn't sure about his career goals specifically, but is currently hoping to work in healthcare, potentially as a pediatrician.
Pomona College 2025
This is Kendrick Cua (he/him/his). He's a junior at Pomona majoring in Public Policy Analysis with a Bio Concentration. A few of his hobbies including napping, sleeping, and resting. He also enjoys following gymnastics and swimming. He isn't sure about his career goals specifically, but is currently hoping to work in healthcare, potentially as a pediatrician.
Alex Davis
Scripps College 2024
Alex is in her fourth year at Scripps College studying Human Biology. She is a Health Advocate Coordinator and passionate about Health Bridges’ mission because she has witnessed the influence of a language barrier in healthcare and how much it affects how often people seek treatment that they have a right to. She joined Health Bridges because she believes that hospitals should be a comfortable and culturally competent environment rather than a place of fear. After college she aspires to study medicine to be able to provide medical care to those in areas that are underrepresented and therefore lack the means to provide the treatment everyone deserves.
Scripps College 2024
Alex is in her fourth year at Scripps College studying Human Biology. She is a Health Advocate Coordinator and passionate about Health Bridges’ mission because she has witnessed the influence of a language barrier in healthcare and how much it affects how often people seek treatment that they have a right to. She joined Health Bridges because she believes that hospitals should be a comfortable and culturally competent environment rather than a place of fear. After college she aspires to study medicine to be able to provide medical care to those in areas that are underrepresented and therefore lack the means to provide the treatment everyone deserves.
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Kelley Delgadillo
Pomona College 2025 Meet Kelley (she/her)! Kelley is a Junior at Pomona majoring in Biology!! She loves crunchy peanut butter, outdoor runs on gloomy days, and is interested in public health. She is looking forward to being a part of the Community Partnerships pod and taking on projects focused on addressing health discrepancies in nearby underserved communities. |
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Ethan Du
Pomona College 2026 Ethan is a Pomona College sophomore from Seattle, Washington intending to major in Neuroscience and minor in GWS. After graduating, they hope to attend medical school and pursue a career in psychiatry. In their free time, they love to run and play clarinet! |
Jaya Evans
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Trisha Gongalore
Pomona College 2025 Trisha Gongalore is a sophomore at Pomona College interested in pursuing a major in Neuroscience. Witnessing several family members suffer from illnesses inspired Trisha to join Health Bridges, and she hopes to continue serving their mission of making health care more easily available and equitable for patients and their families, especially for those who don’t speak English fluently. After college, Trisha intends to pursue a career in the medical field by both working directly with patients and contributing to biomedical research. Lastly, she hopes to always find time for hobbies like making music, yoga, trying new foods, and traveling! |
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Chase Goorman
Pitzer College 2024 Chase is from Tucson, Arizona and a senior at Pitzer College. He studies psychology and hopse to attend medical school next year. He hopes to impact the community by promoting quality healthcare resources to the underserved. |
Eduardo Guzmán
Eduardo (Eddy) Guzmán is a senior at Pitzer College majoring in Psychology and minoring in Economics. Being a first-generation Peruvian from San Francisco, he has witnessed a lot of language barriers and is familiar with the variety of barriers that immigrants in particular experience on a day-to-day basis. Health Bridge's mission of providing accessibility and support for limited English speakers and those in need resonates with Eddy so he hopes to help the community in whatever way possible. Eddy is looking to further his career as a Physical Therapist or Physician Assistant in the next couple of years as assisting others is a passion and there is not much Latino representation in the medical field. Finally, some of his hobbies include going to the gym, playing sports, and spending quality time with family and friends!
Eduardo (Eddy) Guzmán is a senior at Pitzer College majoring in Psychology and minoring in Economics. Being a first-generation Peruvian from San Francisco, he has witnessed a lot of language barriers and is familiar with the variety of barriers that immigrants in particular experience on a day-to-day basis. Health Bridge's mission of providing accessibility and support for limited English speakers and those in need resonates with Eddy so he hopes to help the community in whatever way possible. Eddy is looking to further his career as a Physical Therapist or Physician Assistant in the next couple of years as assisting others is a passion and there is not much Latino representation in the medical field. Finally, some of his hobbies include going to the gym, playing sports, and spending quality time with family and friends!
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Naeemah Haymon
Pomona College 2024 Naeemah is a Pomona junior from Chicago, Illinois majoring in Neuroscience. She is passionate about health care and mentorship. She is a member of both the MALO and PAYS pod. Her mission as a Health Advocate is to empower others through health equality, as well as be a resource to younger students seeking higher education particularly those who share her same goal of working in healthcare! After graduation, she plans on attending dental school. She wants to dedicate her dental practice to providing care to underprivileged communities. |
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Katie Huh
Claremont McKenna College 2026 Katie is a Sophomore at CMC from Sacramento, majoring in biology and sequencing in ethics. She is drawn to Health Bridges as it intersects her passion for health equity and mental health advocacy. She is excited to help provide access to excellent healthcare regardless of communication or socioeconomic barriers. Katie hopes to work with a diverse range of people to learn how to effectively build trust with patients and become a more empathetic physician in the future. |
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Eze Miguel Iheanacho
Pomona College 2026 Eze is a freshman at Pomona College. He is interested in majoring in Africana Studies and pursuing a career in healthcare as a physician. His medical passions lie in between medicine, racial equity, and inclusion. Outside of medicine, he’s interested in sports, music, reading, and all kinds of games! |
Yena Jang
Pomona College 2024
Yena is a junior at Pomona College studying Public Policy Analysis with a concentration in Biology. She was drawn to the Health Bridges mission and is passionate about making healthcare accessible in underserved communities. She has been involved with the MALO pod for the past two semesters and is excited for their upcoming projects. After college, she plans on attending dental school and hopes to become a dentist who serves as a community advocate and works to bridge the gaps in oral healthcare.
Pomona College 2024
Yena is a junior at Pomona College studying Public Policy Analysis with a concentration in Biology. She was drawn to the Health Bridges mission and is passionate about making healthcare accessible in underserved communities. She has been involved with the MALO pod for the past two semesters and is excited for their upcoming projects. After college, she plans on attending dental school and hopes to become a dentist who serves as a community advocate and works to bridge the gaps in oral healthcare.
Jaquelyn Jaramillo
Scripps College 2024
Jaqui Jaramillo is a senior at Scripps College studying Human Biology. She was drawn to Health Bridges having witnessed firsthand the difficulties that can arise due to language and cultural barriers in healthcare settings. Back in her hometown of Colorado, she holds a position as a CNA and volunteers at a children's hospital. Her goal is to become a Physician Assistant and to offer person-centered and culturally competent care to a diverse population.
Scripps College 2024
Jaqui Jaramillo is a senior at Scripps College studying Human Biology. She was drawn to Health Bridges having witnessed firsthand the difficulties that can arise due to language and cultural barriers in healthcare settings. Back in her hometown of Colorado, she holds a position as a CNA and volunteers at a children's hospital. Her goal is to become a Physician Assistant and to offer person-centered and culturally competent care to a diverse population.
Grace Johnson
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Taryn Kaneko
Pomona College 2024 Taryn Kaneko is a junior at Pomona College majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Anthropology. She realized her passion for medicine and health equity in volunteering at Adventist Health Castle, where she frequently worked with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander members of Oahu's patient population. Taryn is excited to be a member of the Community Engagement Team and to work alongside MALO leaders to promote the quality healthcare of Tongan Americans in the Inland Empire. After graduating from Pomona, she aspires to become a physician and return home to serve the people of Hawaii. There, she hopes to apply her lessons learned from Health Bridges and continue to advocate for historically underserved groups in the medical industry. |
Ibrahim Khan
Pomona College 2024
Ibrahim Khan is a senior at Pomona College, studying pre-Med and majoring in Politics. He hopes to pursue a career in psychiatry as well as get involved in politics on a local level. He loves tennis, singing, drumming, and trying new foods!
Pomona College 2024
Ibrahim Khan is a senior at Pomona College, studying pre-Med and majoring in Politics. He hopes to pursue a career in psychiatry as well as get involved in politics on a local level. He loves tennis, singing, drumming, and trying new foods!
Charis Kim
Lauren Kim
Pomona College 2024
Lauren Kim is a senior at Pomona College majoring in Psychological Science and minoring in Linguistics. Her post-grad goals include pursuing a PsyD in Clinical Psychology to eventually start her own private practice. Lauren also has a strong passion for dance, as she currently choreographs and teaches contemporary, ballet, and jazz at several dance studios in the Orange County area and is the assistant coach for the Sunny Hills High School dance team. I love working with children and enjoy teaching dance, choreographing, and fashion blogging in my free time.
Pomona College 2024
Lauren Kim is a senior at Pomona College majoring in Psychological Science and minoring in Linguistics. Her post-grad goals include pursuing a PsyD in Clinical Psychology to eventually start her own private practice. Lauren also has a strong passion for dance, as she currently choreographs and teaches contemporary, ballet, and jazz at several dance studios in the Orange County area and is the assistant coach for the Sunny Hills High School dance team. I love working with children and enjoy teaching dance, choreographing, and fashion blogging in my free time.
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Abigail Krenz
Pomona College 2026 Abigail Krenz is a freshman at Pomona who hopes to study public policy or international relations. She is passionate about increasing health equity and connecting people to resources across language barriers. In the future, she is interested in working for a non-profit or in the government to support vulnerable communities. In her free time, she enjoys learning languages, cooking, and all things outdoors. |
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May Lin
Pomona College 2024 May is a junior majoring in Neuroscience and is from Sacramento, California. After her 2022 summer internship, she aspires to go to medical school and obtain a Master’s in Public Health so she can help underserved communities, specifically in behavioral health. She joined Health Bridges because she hopes to cultivate a culturally sensitive and equitable space for all persons who wish to receive healthcare with her language and management skills. Outside of school, she enjoys weightlifting, playing mahjong with family, being a foodie in SoCal and spending quality time with friends. |
Amid Louis
Pomona College 2026
Amid is in their second year at Pomona College, tentatively majoring in Psychology on the pre-health track, and a possible French or Spanish minor. They aspire to work in the healthcare sector and hope to pursue a MD or an MA as they wish to focus on adolescence mental health, education, and service. Outside of school, they love reading, being terrible at art, spending time with friends, and playing ukulele and guitar.
As a first-gen and low-income immigrant themself, Amid joined Health Bridges as they felt that Health Bridges’ mission and values align very well with their own, and wished to work with underserved communities as a way of giving back.
Pomona College 2026
Amid is in their second year at Pomona College, tentatively majoring in Psychology on the pre-health track, and a possible French or Spanish minor. They aspire to work in the healthcare sector and hope to pursue a MD or an MA as they wish to focus on adolescence mental health, education, and service. Outside of school, they love reading, being terrible at art, spending time with friends, and playing ukulele and guitar.
As a first-gen and low-income immigrant themself, Amid joined Health Bridges as they felt that Health Bridges’ mission and values align very well with their own, and wished to work with underserved communities as a way of giving back.
Charlene Mbaeri
Pomona College 2024
Pomona College 2024
Ryan Mooney
Pomona College 2027
This is Ryan Mooney. He is a first-year at Pomona College from outside Denver, Colorado. He intends to major in Molecular Biology and minor in Spanish. He aspires to go to medical school, either pursuing an MD or MD/PhD program. He likes to read, crochet, learn languages, and play piano! Ryan learned about Health Bridges and found an intersection of many of the things he is passionate about, and he is excited to use his Spanish fluency and passion to work for the cause of Health Bridges for many years to come.
Pomona College 2027
This is Ryan Mooney. He is a first-year at Pomona College from outside Denver, Colorado. He intends to major in Molecular Biology and minor in Spanish. He aspires to go to medical school, either pursuing an MD or MD/PhD program. He likes to read, crochet, learn languages, and play piano! Ryan learned about Health Bridges and found an intersection of many of the things he is passionate about, and he is excited to use his Spanish fluency and passion to work for the cause of Health Bridges for many years to come.
Youssef El Mosalami
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Rahul Niranjan
Pomona College 2026 Rahul is a freshman at Pomona College who is interested in pursuing a career as a physician and working in the healthcare field. Rahul was attracted to Health Bridges because of the program's ability to both enhance his Spanish-speaking experience and also serve as a means of obtaining hospital experience simultaneously. He hopes to attend medical school in the future and obtain a MD. Rahul is passionate about providing healthcare for everyone and focuses on senior well-being as a topic of interest. Outside of community service, Rahul loves to play sports (basketball and tennis) and enjoys traveling the world in his free time. |
Kaylin Ong
Belen Lina Padilla
Susan Park
Anna Prewitt
Pomona College 2024
Anna is a senior majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in English. She loves kayaking, backpacking, and reading young adult novels for the third time, and plans to become a clinician researcher specializing in infectious disease care and vaccine research.
Pomona College 2024
Anna is a senior majoring in Molecular Biology and minoring in English. She loves kayaking, backpacking, and reading young adult novels for the third time, and plans to become a clinician researcher specializing in infectious disease care and vaccine research.
Andrea Pua
Ivyer Qu
Betsaida Quevedo
Erlin Lopez Rodas
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Marina Saffold
Pomona College 2026 Marina is a Pomona freshman on the pre-med track. She aspires to attend medical school and possibly pursue an MD-PhD as she is passionate about service, education, and working with patients. She felt inspired by Health Bridges' mission to meet communities where they are and make healthcare more accessible. As a first-generation college student herself, she works with PAYS students as a college advisor, tutor, and now health advocate in Health Bridge's educational outreach pod. In her free time, she enjoys running, reading, and learning to play piano. |
Jade Saunders
Claremont McKenna College 2025
Jade Saunders is a Junior who is dual majoring in Biology and Chinese. She is from Vancouver, Canada but grew up in Hong Kong. Jade swims for CMS, is a co-founder of the 5C Triathlon Club and loves hiking/skiing in her spare time. Jade is on the Pre-Med track and plans to pursue a career as a physician (she is particularly interested in Emergency Medicine).
Claremont McKenna College 2025
Jade Saunders is a Junior who is dual majoring in Biology and Chinese. She is from Vancouver, Canada but grew up in Hong Kong. Jade swims for CMS, is a co-founder of the 5C Triathlon Club and loves hiking/skiing in her spare time. Jade is on the Pre-Med track and plans to pursue a career as a physician (she is particularly interested in Emergency Medicine).
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Melissa Seecharan
Pomona College 2024 Melissa is a member of the Class of 2024 at Pomona College, and she is from Houston, Texas. She is currently studying Molecular Biology and English, while on the pre-med track, as she hopes to attend medical school after she graduates and specialize in pediatrics or family medicine. In her free time, she likes to swim, bake, and play video games with her friends. She joined Health Bridges because she wanted to work towards ameliorating the inequities in healthcare access caused by the lack of cultural competency. |
Santiago Serrano
Pomona College 2025
Pomona College 2025
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Manya Sharma
Scripps College 2027 Manya is a first-year student at Scripps College, intending to major in Cognitive Science. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting and watching movies with her friends. |
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Kayleen Sorto
Scripps College 2025 Kayleen is a junior at Scripps College majoring in Human Biology. Being witness to some of the inequalities associated with language barrier and healthcare access, she was drawn to Health Bridges and their mission to make healthcare more accessible to all. After graduation, she would like to pursue a career in healthcare as a physician as well as a master’s in public health. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, painting, and playing board games. |
Queenie Ta
Pomona College 2024
Queenie is a junior majoring in Science Management at CMC from Ontario, California. In her free time, she enjoys exploring food spots and views in SoCal and taking photos. She also enjoys playing tennis and learning taekwondo. As an FGLI student from the IE, she is passionate about healthcare equity and hopes to pursue healthcare administration as a means of giving back to her community.
Pomona College 2024
Queenie is a junior majoring in Science Management at CMC from Ontario, California. In her free time, she enjoys exploring food spots and views in SoCal and taking photos. She also enjoys playing tennis and learning taekwondo. As an FGLI student from the IE, she is passionate about healthcare equity and hopes to pursue healthcare administration as a means of giving back to her community.
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Giovanni Tovar
Pomona College 2024 Gio is a rising Junior majoring in Chicane/Latine Studies on the pre-health track. As a FLI Latino, he is passionate about bridging disparities in healthcare through the community effort that Health Bridges provides. With an appreciation for the Draper Center and prior involvements in Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS), he enjoys branching out and being part of community efforts in the hospital setting working directly with patients. Having experienced difficulties in access by overcoming the language barrier with his family, he hopes to incorporate his positionality in the work that he continues to do. Gio is considering pursuing an MD-PhD program that combines critical/creative thinking through collaboration in the lab and patient care working one on one with individuals to best support their health. |
Sachin Umashankar
Pomona College 2025
Pomona College 2025
Ananya Vinay
Pomona College 2027
Pomona College 2027
Praxie Wairimu
Jason Xu
Pomona College 2027
Jason Xu is a Pomona College neuroscience major. He finds joy in meeting and forming bonds with others and wishes to apply the skills and knowledge he has learned to something meaningful. Outside of class, he enjoys playing the guitar and traveling.
Pomona College 2027
Jason Xu is a Pomona College neuroscience major. He finds joy in meeting and forming bonds with others and wishes to apply the skills and knowledge he has learned to something meaningful. Outside of class, he enjoys playing the guitar and traveling.
Shelsy Zarate
Pomona College 2025
Shelsy is a Zapotec, first-gen/low-income (FLI) junior at Pomona College majoring in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) and Latin American Studies (LAS). She is from South Central Los Angeles, and her and her family’s negative experiences attempting to get access to quality healthcare and insurance in their Medically Underserved Area (MUA) is what continuously motivates her to pursue public health and address health disparities. As a previous Health Advocate at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, she enjoys interacting with patients, health providers, and community members who are also committed to the holistic health of underserved communities. Shelsy enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, RBD, and Harry Styles, loves the color yellow, and hopes to attend an MPH program and promote alternative healing, medicine, and care, all with respect for Indigenous lands and communities.
Pomona College 2025
Shelsy is a Zapotec, first-gen/low-income (FLI) junior at Pomona College majoring in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) and Latin American Studies (LAS). She is from South Central Los Angeles, and her and her family’s negative experiences attempting to get access to quality healthcare and insurance in their Medically Underserved Area (MUA) is what continuously motivates her to pursue public health and address health disparities. As a previous Health Advocate at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center, she enjoys interacting with patients, health providers, and community members who are also committed to the holistic health of underserved communities. Shelsy enjoys listening to Taylor Swift, RBD, and Harry Styles, loves the color yellow, and hopes to attend an MPH program and promote alternative healing, medicine, and care, all with respect for Indigenous lands and communities.
