Aleyda Metts
Aleyda Metts is an African American college graduate from California State University, East Bay where she received her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology with a focus in Exercise Nutrition. She had plans since high school to have a career as a Registered Dietitian. Until recently, she decided to change course and consider pursuing Public Health as an option as it better aligns with her goals she plans to implement.
Alicia Valdivia
Alicia Valdivia is a Public Health Investigator for Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She is currently working with incarcerated individuals, as part of the Division of HIV and STDs Programs Custody Unit. She was born and raised in Los Angeles, California and became the first in her family to graduate from college with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from California State University, Los Angeles. After graduating, she focused on occupational health and safety at Universal Studios Hollywood, bringing a public health perspective to the entertainment industry.
aNGELA ROSE DAVID
Angela Rose David is a first generation Filipino American, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, with familial ties to Oriental Mindoro, Philippines. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2018 with a BS in Biology and a double minor in Spanish and Public Health. After spending two years interning with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on projects related to public health education and COVID-19 preparedness, she went on to complete a premedical postbaccalaureate program at UCLA followed by a yearlong research fellowship at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.
Armando Perez
Mr. Perez is a first-generation queer, Latine and is currently working in street medicine for Healthcare in Action. He graduated with honors from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa with a B.A. in Gender, Women's, and Sexuality Studies as well as Sociology. While he received his college education in rural Iowa, Mr. Perez was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. After his undergraduate studies, Mr. Perez completed a term with AmeriCorps at a low-income middle school during which time he became involved with a grassroots LGBTQ+ organization in the San Fernando Valley.
Brandy Bautista
Brandy Bautista (she/her) was born and raised in Southern California. She is a first-gen student that graduated cum laude in 2017 from California State University Fullerton with a B.A. in Women and Gender Studies and a minor in Political Science. Her passion lies in working with non-profits to ensure everyone, regardless of who or where they are, has access to safe, non-judgmental sexual and reproductive healthcare.
Elizabeth Gaines
Elizabeth Gaines is a lab manager at the Social Affective Neuroscience & Development (SAND) Lab at UCLA. She graduated from UCLA with a BS in Neuroscience and a minor in Film and TV Studies. As an undergraduate student, Elizabeth worked as a research assistant within the SAND Lab, working on projects pertaining to emotional development, and the social determinants of early life stress. In her pursuit of a Master’s in Public Health, Elizabeth hopes to gain more exposure to research topics and methods on a population level, as well as the study of community health and outreach.
Julius Young
Julius Young is an instructor and the developer of the Urban Health Fellowship program at the Social Justice Learning Institute. The Urban Health Fellowship is a pipeline program that introduces students of color to the social determinants of health and prepares them for careers in Allied and Medical Health fields. Julius is enthusiastic and passionate about cultivating young leaders interested in pursuing health. He pushes all his students to explore health outcomes through a micro, community-level lens focusing on education and behavioral change, as well as a macro level, focusing on social and infrastructural changes
Katherine Aguilar
Born and raised in Lima, Peru, Katherine Velasquez Aguilar is a first-generation college student. She recently graduated from California State University Northridge with a B.S in Nutrition and Dietetics. During her time at CSUN, she earned a certificate as a Lactation Educator and was a member of the Board of Directors Committee. Katherine’s dedication to the veteran community originates from her military service in the U.S. Navy. She served our nation in many different theaters of combat executing diverse roles in support of the commands mission.
Mariah Caracoza
Ms. Caracoza holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science with a concentration in Community Health Education from California State University, Long Beach. While obtaining her undergraduate degree, she was a Wellness Intern for a year providing her expertise in researching predominant health issues and the best strategies to fit the needs of each health management client.
Monica Esquivel
Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Southern California, Monica Esquivel is Mexican-American and speaks fluent Spanish. She graduated with honors from Azusa Pacific University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Although her nursing career as a Registered Nurse has provided a wide span of opportunities and experience, she found her love and passion in Health Education and has worked in this field as a Wellness Coach and Patient Education, RN, for the past 15 years.
Oscar Chavez
Oscar Chavez was born in Mexico City, where he completed his medical school in 2012 from the Universidad Latinoamericana and then completed his psychiatry residency in 2016 at the Benemerita Universidad Autonoma de Puebla (BUAP). After getting his board certification as a Psychiatrist, Dr. Chavez moved to the U.S. to expand his research training. Dr. Chavez is interested in scientific research focusing on mental health disparities and is also committed to mentoring underrepresented students.
Phillip Ho
Philip Ho is currently a Health Facilities Evaluator Nurse at the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. He grew up in Los Angeles County and attended University of California, Irvine where he graduated with a B.S. in Public Health. Philip realized he wanted to gain more direct patient care skills and started his path towards becoming a nurse by first obtaining his ADN at Pasadena City College then by completing his B.S. in Nursing at California State University, Los Angeles. Philip started his nursing career at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in 2019 as a RN in the hematology and oncology unit.
Rachel Nina Viloria
Rachel is the community health nurse manager at Hope Street Margolis Family Center where she oversees the health needs of approximately 300 children and their families in Downtown and South-Central Los Angeles. She earned her BS in Nursing at Azusa Pacific University where she graduated valedictorian of her nursing class. Prior to Hope Street, she worked as a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit RN for 4.5 years at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where caring for children impacted by the consequences of structural health inequities in the form of preventable illness and injury first sparked her interest to pursue a degree in Public Health.
Rebecca Speyer
Rebecca Speyer currently serves as a Project Manager in Biometrics Services at eClinical Solutions. Originally from Los Angeles, she earned a BA in Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley. Her passion for public health began in her undergraduate years, during which she contributed as a research assistant at the Center for Environmental Research and Children’s Health (CERCH). Since her graduation, Rebecca has been actively engaged in the clinical research sector, concentrating on the operationalization and oversight of various clinical research trials, including Investigator-Initiated Trials, Master Protocols, and Platform Trials.
Roxana Delgado-Martinez
Roxana Delgado-Martinez is a first-generation college graduate. She obtained an Associate of Science degree from Long Beach City College and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from California State University, Long Beach. While completing her undergraduate degree, she worked as an administrative/clinical Medical Assistant for a private family medicine practice. Through her work and studies, she developed an understanding of how social determinants can negatively affect health and the importance of finding evidence-based solutions to advance health. Currently, she works as a Research Assistant in the Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA providing support in studies working to improve respiratory care and health care services for children and their families..
Stefany Cruz
Stefany Cruz is a first-generation graduate from the University of California, Davis where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences in 2020. She spent much of her undergraduate career as a student volunteer at one of the few distinguished student-run clinics under the UC Davis School of Medicine. Stefany’s experience and knowledge led her to Via Care Community Health Center in East LA. Under the CDC CHICAS (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Community HIV Interventions for Community Based Awareness and Services) program, Stefany worked as an HIV Navigation Specialist where she conducted HIV testing, navigated HIV prevention services, educated, and advocated for women’s sexual reproductive health and services.
Ujuonu Nwizu
Ujuoñu Nwizu (Uju for short) is a Black, Igbo community advocate and educator. They grew up in New York, Mississippi, and different parts of Nigeria and carry all the lessons these places have taught them about love, self-determination, and collective care. They graduated from Cornell University with a BA in Africana Studies and currently serve as the Co-Director of Oregon Health Equity Alliance, a community-based organization and collective dedicated to advancing health equity policies and practices grounded in racial justice. They are also a mentor with the National Minority AIDS Council's Youth Initiative program and a member of the Northwest Reproductive Justice Collective. Uju's background is in community engagement and outreach, training development and facilitation, research, and health education and navigation.
Victor Mleczko
Victor Luis works as a Family Medicine doctor at Venice Family Clinic, an FQHC in Los Angeles County. He has dedicated himself to serving individuals experiencing homelessness and the Latino community since his teens, most recently devoting his time to street medicine and mobile clinics in West Los Angeles and the Southbay. An MPH will enable him to better advocate and make policy recommendations for the communities he serves. Notably, he is a native Spanish speaker of Salvadorean and Argentinian descent..