Aatmi Mehta is an undergraduate student at UCLA studying Public Health, hoping to pursue a career in health research. Aatmi is interested in community health, the study of stress, and, more specifically, the study of human wellbeing. She wants to work in communities to fix health care disparities and to promote holistic health. She enjoys exploring the interdisciplinary connections between the subjects of neuroscience, public health, public policy, and sociology and how these connections may be applied to achieve a better tomorrow. Long term, Aatmi hopes to pursue higher education and pursue a career in academia.

Aine Meaney is a third-year public health major from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is interested in reproductive health, mental health, and social justice. Aine is very excited to be a part of the REACH Lab, where she hopes to learn more about therapeutic interventions and community-based public health. Outside of class Aine enjoys exploring LA (forever searching for the best restaurants), hiking, and spending time with her cats. 

Amber Esqueda is an undergraduate student at UCLA working on obtaining her B.S. in Human Biology and Society, with a minor in Spanish. She is extremely passionate about working with marginalized communities and believes that studying the impact of trauma is imperative to better understanding both physical and mental health. Her other research interests include epigenetics, childhood trauma, and epidemiology. At UCLA, Amber is involved in Community Medicine for Los Angeles, Teens for Screens, Advocating for Intersectional Medicine, and Caraway. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in which she can work directly with the Latinx community, while also serving as an ally and advocate for other communities facing adversity. She is extremely excited and grateful to be a part of the REACH lab team!

Cecelia Eggleston is a fourth year undergraduate at UCLA majoring in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology and minoring in Public Health. She is interested in health disparities, community health, and expanding care access. Cecelia is specifically passionate about homelessness and expanding access to medical and social services for unhoused individuals. She volunteers with UCLA Mobile Clinic Project and performs policy advocacy for youth experiencing homelessness with the nonprofit, Schoolhouse Connection. After graduation, her goal is to attend medical school to pursue an MD/MPH. Cecelia is eager to expand her knowledge on community based interventions, practice trauma informed care, and create supportive spaces!

Claire Smith is an undergraduate student at UCLA majoring in Human Biology and Society and minoring in Professional Writing. She is an avid reader and writer and enjoys the ways in which these mediums allow for the intersection of storytelling and advocacy work. Through her involvement with the Mobile Clinic Project, Claire has become passionate about working to create spaces and design interventions for universal health equity. She believes that mental health care is a fundamental, and often overlooked, aspect of human health and resilience. Through the REACH Lab, Claire hopes to learn how trauma-informed care models can be applied to help understand and improve the experiences of marginalized women.

Kaia Evulich is currently an undergraduate student working towards her B.S. in Public Health at UCLA. Her interests in public health lie primarily in the fields of epidemiology and healthcare management. Kaia is passionate about pursuing healthcare equity through the lens of medical sustainability. Through the REACH Lab, she hopes to learn more about the role of mindfulness in addressing mental health concerns and further her understanding of the intersection between mental and community health.

Kaitlyn McFarland is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Human Biology and Society, with plans of obtaining a master’s degree in Public Health. She hopes to pursue a career which will address health disparities through both community-based and global health approaches. Kaitlyn’s research interests include community health, mental health, health equity, and health policy. Kaitlyn is excited and grateful to be a part of REACH Lab because she feels this team will produce a lasting impact across communities.

Kasey Kim is a third year undergraduate student studying neuroscience and public health at ucla. After receiving her bachelors, she plans to pursue medicine. She hopes to work in public health with a background in medicine. Kasey’s research interests include community health intervention, healthcare disparities and trauma. She is excited to learn about community interventions and PTSD through the REACH lab.

Rohan Duong is an undergraduate student at UCLA studying Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Hoping to pursue a career the medical field, he is interested in opportunities that allow him to serve others and explore this interest. Rohan is passionate about providing healthcare to communities with limited critical care access, and he is interested in expanding scientific research to aid marginalized and underrepresented communities. Rohan is excited to be on the REACH research team to expand his knowledge of community-based interventions.

Ryan Horio is a third year undergraduate double majoring in Human Biology and Society and Asian American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is interested in exploring the intersectionality between race and health outcomes as well as upstreamism in healthcare, public health and social welfare pathways, and social determinants of health to improve health equity within communities of color. He also works with Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) activism groups to promote the need for systemic change by uplifting and amplifying AAPI voices. His professional goals include becoming an emergency medicine physician and also completing a Master’s in Public Health. In his free time, he enjoys going to the gym, watching anime, and cooking for friends.

Sarah Nalbandian is an undergraduate student studying Psychobiology at UCLA. Her academic journey is driven by a profound interest in mental health advocacy, underrepresented communities, and exploration of the long-term consequences of childhood disease on adults. Eager to make a positive impact, Sarah seeks opportunities to bridge scientific knowledge with actionable solutions, with the aim of enhancing the well-being of individuals and communities. Beyond her studies, Sarah finds joy in discovering new bookstores or libraries around Los Angeles, embracing literature as a means to expand her understanding of human behavior, and enriching her passion for research and advocacy.

Simona Krasnegor is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying Human Biology & Society at UCLA. After receiving her Bachelor’s, she plans to work as an ER technologist and medical writer. Her long-term goal is to attend medical school to become a physician. Simona’s research interests include childhood adversity, mental illness and addiction, and holistic approaches to healthcare. She currently volunteers at UCLA’s Stuart House and works as an EMT for American Professional Ambulance.

Sophia Francis is an undergraduate student studying Biology at UCLA. After receiving her B.S., she plans to go to medical school with the end goal of becoming a dermatologist. Sophia is interested in engineering wholistic, alternative medical practices that can be widely used across diverse communities. Sophia's research interests include community health, PTSD, and evolutionary medicine. Sophia currently volunteers in St. Joseph Hospital of Orange, where she enjoys assisting nurses and chatting with recovering patients! Sophia is passionate about public participation in research, as She believes that this engagement allows researchers to create interventions that have a lasting impact on their communities.