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. 

Andrea Wagner

Andrew Chuang

Annabel Kady received her B.A. in Psychology and Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Annabel is currently in the Clinical Psychology PhD program at UCLA. She is committed to improving interventions for co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders. She is particularly interested in examining the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for this population and investigating mindfulness interventions' effects on neurobiological correlates of stress. Annabel is also passionate about contributing to the knowledge base on gender-responsive treatments for substance use disorders.

Betsy Serrano is a recent graduate from the University of California, Irvine, with a B.A. in Psychological Sciences. Her research interests focus on trauma, PTSD, and gender-based violence. In her previous research roles, she helped implement a study at Duke University School of Medicine that explored behavioral activation to reduce PTSD and alcohol use in veterans. She has also conducted a secondary analysis on how machismo relates to favorable attitudes toward intimate partner violence. Since May 2020, she has assisted Dr. Dana Garfin on studies examining mindfulness-based interventions for unhoused women with trauma. Betsy aspires to become a clinical researcher and bilingual clinical psychologist, dedicated to fostering healing in Latine communities affected by gender-based violence and trauma.

Cameron Taylor is a third-year Physiology major with a minor in Global Health. She joined the REACH lab because she am very passionate about finding different, effective methods to help those who struggle with substance abuse. This summer, as an intern at a pregnancy clinic, she provided counseling to a large group of impoverished women in Cape Town, South Africa, many of whom suffered from addiction. Furthermore, as a student at UCLA, she is the Co-President of Healthcare for the Homeless, a club that volunteers at health clinics that serve the Los Angeles homeless population.

Carlos Rodriguez is an undergraduate student studying Public Health at UCLA. Hoping to explore a career in research to help underrepresented communities and achieve social justice. His research interests include PTSD, community health, and health inequities. He is eager to gain valuable research experience to one day help minority and underserved communities through evidence-based interventions along with compassion and understanding. Beyond his studies, Carlos enjoys spending time with his family, cooking for others, and playing video games. He is excited to be a part of the REACH research team and expand his knowledge of public health research.

Claire Peter is a second-year Neuroscience major at UCLA, with minors in German and Gender Studies. She aspires to become a pediatric physician with a specialization in surgery. Claire’s research interests revolve around women's mental health, gender differences in neurological disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. She enjoys working with her community, volunteering at hospitals and women's shelters to make a positive impact. Claire is thrilled to be part of the REACH lab, where she hopes to further explore the intersection between society and gender mental health disparities.

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 community-based spaces that promote 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 women.

Cordelia Lee

Devan Cornelio is a third year undergraduate pursuing a B.S. in Public Health. He is passionate about community health, specifically health equity and ensuring all communities have equal access to health and healthcare. Devan works as a paraeducator for Torrance Unified and as an EMT, and is involved with the Red Cross in their disaster relief services. He is very enthusiastic to be a part of REACH lab because he is excited about the future benefits of the study and its implications for the protecting the mental health of future generations.

Elizabeth Lee

Ezinne Okonkwo is a third-year undergraduate student studying Human Biology and Society at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is passionate about working with marginalized communities, exploring the social determinants that affect health equity, and finding holistic solutions to healthcare problems, especially within Black, immigrant, or women populations. Through the REACH Lab, she hopes to deepen her understanding of how different holistic approaches can be applied for the betterment of various communities. Ezinne’s professional goals include getting a Masters in Public Health with an emphasis on public health policy or epidemiology and becoming a physician. In her free time, Ezinne enjoys attending concerts and hanging out with family and friends.

Joanna Zhao is a fourth-year undergraduate majoring in Human Biology and Society. She is passionate about breaking the cycle of shame and self-destruction and is eager to explore the effects of mindfulness and self-compassion interventions in the REACH Lab. After completing her degree, she plans to travel the world and pursue a career in medicine, serving underserved populations both domestically and internationally. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys reading literature, watching films, and volunteering.

Kaia Evulich is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UCLA, pursuing a B.S. in Public Health. Within the field of public health, she is particularly passionate about medical sustainability, health literacy, and preventive medicine. In the REACH Lab, Kaia looks forward to strengthening her understanding of trauma-informed care and exploring how community-based research can benefit underrepresented populations. After graduating, she plans to continue her education to become a physician assistant.

Katherine Turk is currently a third-year undergraduate student pursuing a B.S. in Public Health, with plans to pursue a Master’s in Public Health. Her research interests focus on community health, specifically women's and reproductive health interventions, as well as health policy implementation. Katherine is excited to be part of the REACH Lab and to gain hands-on experience with community interventions.

Khalifa Bani-Hani is a fourth-year undergraduate student studying biology at UCLA. Khalifa plans to obtain a master's degree in public health and a medical degree.  He is particularly interested in health disparities, community health, and health management. He is excited about being part of a research project that positively impacts a marginalized community and continuing his role as a research assistant in REACH lab. Additionally, Khalifa is currently a community health improvement volunteer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and works as a certified nursing assistant at UCI Health.

Margaret Essien is a third-year student studying Human Biology and Society at UCLA. She is interested in public and community health, specifically translational research. Her research interest lies in understanding how systems and people's experiences and backgrounds affect how individuals approach care. She has also done some Epidemiological Research on women's health and the link between Social Determinants of Health and Sjogren's Disease mortality. She enjoys watching K-dramas, reading historical fiction, and making pottery art in her free time.

Nataley Kim is an undergraduate student studying Health and Societies at the University of Pennsylvania. Her research on fentanyl self-administration at UC Irvine highlighted the systemic barriers underserved populations face in accessing opioid therapeutics, fueling her passion for making treatments more accessible and affordable. This interest grew during her internship work with unhoused communities at the City of Fullerton, where she witnessed the compounded challenges of limited access to opioid treatments and a lack of social safety net programs. These experiences inspired Nataley to join the REACH Lab, where she aims to further her understanding on how to apply community-engaged, self-compassion interventions to reduce substance use among unhoused individuals, with the goal of developing sustainable solutions to bridge healthcare gaps for these communities.

Nicole Vasquez is a first year Master of Public Health at UCLA. She graduated from UCLA with her Bachelors of Science in Human Biology & Society. After graduating with her MPH, Nicole plans to work in maternal and reproductive health in underserved Latino populations. Her research interests include maternal health equity, program development, and researching effects of interventions in low-resource communities.

Rimi Bhoopalam is currently a second year undergraduate student at UCLA pursuing a Psychology major and Film/TV minor. She is extremely passionate about mental health and social justice. In the future, she hopes to do something related to the intersection between psychology/film in hopes that it makes an impact on the people around her. In her free time she loves watching movies/tv shows, going to cafes, spending time at the beach, and playing guitar! Rimi is so excited to be a part of the REACH lab team and can’t wait to learn from the experience.

Rohan Duong is currently a 4th undergraduate student at UCLA pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Once graduating, Rohan is planning to pursue medical school to become a internal medicine physician to serve his community. He is excited to be a part of REACH Labs and support research dealing with public and mental health fields. Outside of academics, he enjoys surfing, volleyball, and snowboarding.

Ryan Horio (he/him) is a 4th year Human Biology & Society and Asian American Studies dual major at UCLA. His research interests include racial health equity; housing, mental health, and racism as social determinants of health; community-based research methods; and health policy. He is also deeply passionate about social justice activism and hopes to use his experiences at the REACH Lab to become a physician-activist in the future.

Saleem Toury is currently a third year student studying Physiological Science at the University of California, Los Angeles. His interest in the field of public health primarily lies in exploring the strong link that exists between the socioeconomic status of populations and access to quality preventative medical care and treatment. Through the REACH lab, Saleem wishes to further increase his knowledge on the change that community-based health outreach programs can create for underserved communities while also gaining a better understanding of the systemic issues that create gaps in accessibility. Outside of work and school, you can find him at the Bruin Community Care Mobile Clinic planning outreach projects or laughing at bad movies with his friends.

Sara Jones is a fourth-year undergraduate student at UCLA, majoring in Biochemistry. Throughout her studies and through her involvement with the Mobile Clinic Project, she has developed a passion for creating empathetic and equitable spaces in healthcare. After graduation, Sara plans to attend medical school, with the goal of integrating a public health perspective into her future career. At the REACH Lab, she has gained valuable insight into the complex intersections of homelessness, trauma, and substance use disorder, and has learned the critical importance of incorporating compassion and community-based approaches into treatment. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Sara enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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.

Xumeng Yan