members
Meet all of our current members below. Each of these extraordinary women aspire to make an impact in the world of healthcare, as medical physicians, researchers, policy-makers, and more!
Abigail Fassinger
Abby is a freshman from Syracuse, NY, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and continuing with French. Outside of WPHLS, Abby is involved in Blue Key Society, MedLife, Johns Hopkins Student Ballet Company, and American Red Cross Association. Her goals are to go to medical school and participate in research during undergraduate and graduate years while volunteering in the Baltimore community. Her favorite part of WPHLS is being able to have a group of strong women who share interests, sympathize with the school-life balance, and share a passion for caring for others. She hopes to work with children or infants as a physician in a collaborative and comforting environment.
Alexis Choi
Alexis Choi is a senior from Bergen County, NJ majoring in Public Health Studies and minoring in Spanish for the Professions. Outside of WPHLS, Alexis is the Crew Chief for her hometown EMS Corps, is a clinical research assistant, and is on the Equestrian team at Hopkins. She loves how WPHLS has given her a community of other pre-health women at Hopkins! In the future, she hopes to purse an MD after taking a gap year.
AnnMarie Nolan
AnnMarie is a senior from Maryland, pursuing a dual degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology (Homewood) and Violin Performance (Peabody). On campus, AnnMarie is a resident assistant and is involved in Alpha Epsilon Delta, Blue Key Society, and Music for a While. She also volunteers as an academic tutor and director of the violin program at El Centro de Ayuda, a resource center in Annapolis for Hispanic immigrants from under-resourced backgrounds, is involved in research at both the medical campus and the JHU Applied Physics Lab, and works as a Medical Assistant in a pediatrics practice. WPHLS has truly been one of AnnMarie's most influential experiences at Hopkins, but her favorite part is the community of strong, inspiring, talented women to empower each other and share the pre-health journey with. After graduation, AnnMarie plans to pursue an M.D. and become a pediatrician.
Amber Yu
Amber Yu is a first-year student from Ann Arbor, Michigan, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Besides WPHLS, she is involved in Red Cross, Medlife, Taekwondo, Camp Kesem, and TASA. Her favorite part of WPHLS is having an amazing support network made up of other women who are passionate, hardworking, and ambitious. In the future, she hopes to pursue an MD and become a neurologist or gynecologist.
Anna Han
Anna is a freshman from Maryland majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Writing Seminars. She is involved in WPHLS, Baltimore First, Alzheimer's Buddies, Agape Christian Fellowship, and Nu Rho Psi. Outside of school, she does clinical research on pain perception in chronic temporomandibular joint disorders at the UMB campus. She is also involved in research on computational neural modeling of the impact of anesthesia with a mentor from the JHSOM. Anna is looking forward to being involved in the WPHLS Programming Committee and is thankful for the opportunity to learn from and connect with so many passionate women in the field!
Anny Shi
Briana Contreras
Briana is a sophomore from Los Angeles, California, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and minoring in Psychology. Outside of WPHLS, Briana is involved in Alzheimer’s Buddies, Youth Library Tutorial, and Pi Beta Phi. Briana’s favorite part about WPHLS is being surrounded by women of the same interest that are willing to help each other. Briana hopes to one day become a Gynecologist, helping women with infertility.
caitlyn ramdat
Caitlyn Ramdat is a freshman from Bayonne, NJ, and is majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology/Public Health. Outside of WPHLS, Caitlyn is involved in HOME, the Youth Food Security group, Caribbean Culture Society, and Students of Caribbean Ancestry. She plans on doing research with the Klausen Lab over the course of intersession and looks forward to getting further involved with research throughout her years at Hopkins. Her favorite part of WPHLS is getting a chance to interact with other women in the field who have dreams and ambitions just as similar as she does. Caitlyn intends on one day becoming a pediatric surgeon with a specialty in neonatal surgery.
Divya Nair
Divya Nair is a junior from San Jose, California, and she is double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and the History of Science, Medicine and Technology. She joined WPHLS to learn from an inspiring community of women who are passionate about healthcare, and has enjoyed exploring what it means to be a healthcare professional from WPHLS panels and events! Outside of WPHLS, Divya works for a genomics lab on the Homewood Campus to determine the biological and evolutionary impact of structural variants in the human genome. She tutors, and is the co-vice president of a muraling club called bARTimore. With her love of crochet, she makes baby hats for her local hospital! Divya hopes to become a pediatrician or an OB/GYN in the future, and she hopes to work on eliminating systematic racial and gender based bias within the healthcare system.
Eileen Salazar Vega
Eileen is a junior from Garfield, New Jersey. She is majoring in Psychology and Behavioral Biology. In addition to WPHLS, Eileen is a HULA Peer Mentor, Campus Director of Wings, Co-Leader of the Behavioral Biology Steering Committee, and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. She is currently involved in the Bat Lab conducting research on social calls of the Flordia Bonneted Bats. Eileen is incredibly invested in furthering her experience in research and aspires to further her understanding of behavioral studies. Her favorite part of WPHLS is the wonderful community of hard-driven women aiming to achieve their high goals.
Emily Chung
Emily Chung is a junior from Edgewater, NJ, majoring in Public Health Studies and minoring in Psychology. Emily joined WPHLS to learn more about what it means to work in the healthcare field along with an inspiring community of women. Outside of WPHLS, Emily is publicity chair of Partners In Health: Engage @ JHU, Data Quality Assurance Intern of the Broadstreet Covid-19 Project, IGC chair of aKDPhi, a student tutor, and volunteers at her local clinic. She also plans on resuming immunology research when she returns to campus in the fall. In her free time, Emily enjoys trying new foods, dancing, and photography. After graduation, Emily aspires to pursue an MD one day and become an anesthesiologist.
Erica Kent
Erica is a senior from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is majoring in Neuroscience and Molecular and Cellular Biology with a minor in Psychology. Outside of WPHLS, Erica is a Co-Director of SARU, a member of Nu Rho Psi, and a student-athlete on the school’s track and field team. She is contributing to a research project at the medical school on a protein called Norrin and its effects on synaptic physiology. She plans on working as a Medical Assistant soon as more people are vaccinated for COVID-19. Her favorite part of joining WPHLS is being part of a community of strong, determined women who share a passion for healthcare. Erica can’t stress enough how much she values the words of encouragement, advice, and inspirational stories she’s gained from other members.
Haruna Batzorig
Haruna is a senior from Erdenet, Mongolia, though she also considers somewhere else home (ask her!). She is double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Medicine, Science, and the Humanities and hopes to become a surgeon and one day teach the next generation of surgeons in Mongolia. Outside of WPHLS, Haruna is involved in research at the Jung Lab and is additionally researching thoracic outlet syndrome. In her freetime, she is part of the Rockhoppers climbing team and Outdoor Pursuits. She is excited to work this year as a PILOT leader and FYM. Her favorite part about WPHLS is learning from outstanding peers and growing alongside them on their journey into medicine!
Joanna Kim
Joanna is a senior from South Brunswick, New Jersey majoring in neuroscience with minors in psychology and music. She first joined WPHLS to gain a community of women who could support, encourage, and motivate her, and has enjoyed doing BLAST with them and seeing their passion for making a positive impact in the community. Outside of WPHLS, Joanna is involved in research at the Reti Lab at JHMI looking into treatments for psychiatric disorders using mouse models. She is also the president of Habitat for Humanity at Johns Hopkins, a patient advocate with Hopkins Community Connection, and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. Joanna hopes to one day work in pediatric psychiatry or oncology and provide care for communities in need.
Jacquelyn Cao
Jacquelyn is a freshman from Los Altos, California, majoring in physics. Outside of WPHLS, Jacquelyn is involved with ABC Health, MEDLIFE, and Applying Science with Kids. Her favorite part of WPHLS is the supportive environment it fosters and how everyone is always friendly and welcoming. Jacquelyn hopes to become an optometrist in the future and open up her own private practice.
Juhi Patel
Juhi is a junior from Freehold, New Jersey, majoring in Public Health Studies with a minor in Psychology. Besides WPHLS, Juhi is involved in Youth Library Tutorial and is the current Outreach Chair for Phi Mu Fraternity. She is also involved in research outside of school, working as a Research Assistant at the Transplant Research Center at the medical campus. She is currently working on a project to investigate COVID-19 vaccinations and monoclonal antibody therapies in solid organ transplant recipients. Juhi is also a certified NREMT. Her favorite part about WPHLS is the diverse group of passionate women as well as the opportunities that WPHLS provides through interactions with professionals in the field of medicine. Juhi hopes to one day become a pediatrician as well as pursue research on the side in Public Health.
Julia Ma
Julia is a junior from Arcadia, California, double majoring in Neuroscience and French. Outside of WPHLS, she is in MedLife, Phi Mu Fraternity, and Nu Rho Psi. She also dances on the SLAM Hip-Hop Dance Team, one of her favorite activities here at Hopkins. Post-COVID she hopes to return to volunteering in the pediatric clinic at Healthcare for the Homeless. She is also involved in research to evaluate iron supplementation as a treatment for symptoms of both ADHD and Restless Leg Syndrome in children. Julia joined WPHLS for a tight-knit community of supportive and inspiring women, and her expectations were exceeded. She can't imagine a career without working with children, so she hopes to become a pediatric neurologist in the future and help kids in underserved areas gain equal access to quality healthcare.
Keerti Boyapati
Keerti is a senior from Southern California, majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and minoring in Psychology. Apart from being a WPHLS Social Co-Chair, she is involved in breast cancer research at the medical campus and is a HERO EMT. She is also a co-director JHU's chapter of Kesem. Additionally, she works at a daycare/preschool as an infant teacher aide when back in California. In her free time, she enjoys finding new music, cooking, and crocheting. Keerti joined WPHLS as a freshman to join a community of women who share a passion for the healthcare field, and hopes to become more involved this upcoming year!
Kelly Xie
Kelly is a senior from China majoring in molecular & cellular biology and public health. Outside of WPHLS, Kelly is involved in the Hopkins Asian Medicine Student Club, JHU orientation, and PILOT as well as Learning Den. She does research with the pediatric emergency medicine on the complications of COVID-19 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She also does research with the Carl Wu Lab at Homewood where she investigates histone chaperones and chromatin remodelers using fluorescence microscopy. Her favorite part of WPHLS is the amazing activities here and getting to know aspiring and helpful women who are pursuing career in healthcare. Kelly hopes to earn a doctoral degree in physical therapy and in the future works in rehabilitation with women who have pelvic floor disorders!
Laura Valentina Cordoba
Laura is a junior from Miami, Florida double majoring in Molecular & Cellular Biology and in Archaeology. Besides WPHLS, on campus she is involved with Outdoor Pursuits and particularly enjoy white water kayaking. One of her favorite things has been volunteering at the Esperanza Center Clinic, whose mission is to provide general and special health care services to welcoming and helping immigrants who don't have access to health insurance. She also volunteers at Art with a Heart. She finds that volunteering in Baltimore organizations is a great way to escape the Hopkins bubble and learn about the community. You realize everybody has a story to tell and that the simplest of kind actions can bring a community together. During her down time, some of her favorite hobbies include reading, drawing, exploring campus and practicing dip pen calligraphy. Her favorite part of WHPLS is the welcoming and empowering environment created by all the promising young woman. It fosters a sense of community and support group. She doesn't know exactly yet what kind of doctor she will become, but one thing is for certain, whatever she does it will be geared towards giving back and serving the communities who need it the most.
Lillian hudanich
Lilly is a sophomore from Norwell, Massachusetts majoring in public health and natural sciences. Outside of WPHLS, she is involved in malaria research at the Bloomberg School of Public Heath, the Humans in Health Journal which seeks to highlight the intersection of traditional and Western medicine, and the Hopkins Club Soccer team. Lilly wants to become an infectious disease doctor and work as a public health physician to respond to outbreaks of high-consequence pathogens like Ebola and tropical diseases. Her favorite part of WPHLS is bonding with other women in pre-health about the fun and challenging aspects of pre-med.
Maria Lewis
Maria is a freshman from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is majoring in Neuroscience and double minoring in Bioethics and Spanish. Outside of WPHLS, Maria involved in JUMP, Charm City Science League, Alpha Phi Omega, Camp Kesem, Nu Rho Psi, Circle of Women, and SNMA Maps. Her favorite part of WPHLS is making a bunch of new friends who are on the same path as me and being able to uplift one another as we continue with our goals. Maria hopes to one day do something with pediatrics whether that be a pediatric oncologist or a pediatric surgeon.
Meredith Mehta
Meredith is a senior from Pittsburgh, PA majoring in neuroscience and minoring in environmental studies. Outside of WPHLS, she is involved in Ketzev, an A Cappella group, the Inter A Cappella Council, club field hockey, and the Alpha Phi Women’s Fraternity. This summer, Meredith worked as a clinical research coordinator at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Cancer Center. In this position, she was in charge of a clinical study investigating the correlation between patient response to immunotherapy and bacterial composition of their gut microbiome. Meredith’s favorite part of WPHLS is being a part of a tightly-knit group of women with similar aspirations, and having a strong support system while navigating through the challenges of being pre-med. Meredith hopes to become a physician and continue working at the intersection of dermatology and oncology.
Melissa Martinez
Melissa is a freshman from Miami, Florida who intends to double major in Biology and Computer Science on the pre-med track. She is fascinated by what precisely makes life possible as well as anything having to do with logic and problem solving. In the future, she aspires to be an obstetrician and gynecologist with a possible specialty in fertility. Outside of WPHLS, Melissa enjoys reading young adult novels and her favorites include the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, and every book by Casey Mcquinston. Melissa joined WPHLS to be surrounded by successful women who share similar passions and aspirations.
Melissa Soto
Melissa is a first-year student from White Plains, New York, who is double majoring in Natural Sciences and Medicine, Science, and Humanities. Outside of WPHLS, Melissa is currently doing research with the Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and hopes to be involved in more as she progresses. In her free time, she likes to play soccer, travel, and spend time with family and friends. Her favorite part of WPHLS is being surrounded by women who have the same drive and goals.
Nicole Korinetz
Anny is a freshman from Princeton, New Jersey, majoring in Neuroscience. Outside of WPHLS, Anny plays the flute in the Hopkins Concert Orchestra and is secretary of Believe in Art. She is also involved in Musicare and SHARE. Anny plans to do research with the Brown Lab at the medical campus next semester, contributing to projects investigating cortical neuron dysfunction and its relation to neurodegenerative & neuropsychiatric diseases. Her favorite part about WPHLS is being able to meet and support other inspiring females who are pursuing a career within the field of healthcare. In the future, she plans to pursue an OD and become an optometrist.
Nicole is a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering sophomore from Santa Clara, California. Beyond WPHLS, Nicole performs in Musicare, tutors with Tutorial Project, and works as a Resident Advisor. Nicole is extremely passionate about research, as she will be presenting her work at the 2022 AICHE Student Conference and now contributes to research on the Homewood campus concerning RNA and DNA delivery through nanoparticles. Nicole joined WPHLS because of the emphasis of supporting and learning from other women who have similar passions. She plans to become a medical scientist and study ways to engineer and manipulate the immune system to address autoimmune diseases and dangerous viruses.
Sharmane Surasinghe
Sharmane is a sophomore from Colombo, Sri Lanka, double majoring in Neuroscience and Computer Science, and minoring in Computational Medicine. Outside of WPHLS, Sharmane is involved in Nu Rho Psi, SNMA MAPS, and the Humanity First Student Chapter at JHU. She does research with the Fetsch Lab at the Homewood campus, modeling perceptual decision-making and confidence in patients with an OCD diagnosis. She also contributes to research on anti-prostate cancer drugs at the medical campus, and hopes to one day become a physician-scientist. Her favorite part of WPHLS is drawing inspiration from the incredible women who have pursued careers in many extremely challenging fields.
Sophia Park
Sophia is a senior from Toronto, Canada, majoring in Behavioral Biology, and minoring in History of Science, Medicine and Technology. Outside of WPHLS, Sophia is involved in Musicare, Nu-Rho-Psi, STEP, Blue Key Society, The JHU News-Letter, and Kappa Kappa Gamma. She does research with the Sumner Lab at the medical campus, contributing to projects investigating motor axon development in mouse models of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. She also does research with The Visual Thinking Lab at the Homewood campus, investigating the spread of health misinformation during COVID-19. Sophia is extremely passionate about research, and is currently leading the organization of the 2021 Undergraduate Research Symposium, to showcase the ongoing undergraduate research conducted here at Hopkins. Her favourite part of WPHLS is getting to meet so many inspiring, kind women who are all pursuing similar goals. Sophia hopes to one day become a neurologist with a lab dedicated to the study of Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Sophia Wu
Sophia is a freshman from San Jose, CA, majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology with a minor in Visual Arts. Outside of WPHLS, Sophia is involved with Chinese Student Association, Believe in Art, bARTimore, and the Running club. She joined WPHLS because of the supportive community it provides in supporting and uplifting other women in achieving their aspirations. In the future, she hopes to make an impact on the medical field as a scientist and physician.
Xinyue Gu
Xinyue is a sophomore from Nanjing, China, majoring in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. Outside of WPHLS, she is part of CSSA, Hopkins Asian Medicine Student Club, Hopkins Feminists Club, Agara Bio, Alternative Protein Project at Johns Hopkins, and is an ISAH Ambassador. She joined WPHLS last year to learn from a community of collaborative and inspiring women with diverse interests, yet share similar passion in healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting with food, practicing the drums, hiking, reading, and sleeping. After graduation, she hopes to pursue medicine and conducts research to combat problems arising from modern day lifestyles.