Current CHPR Master's Students

Deena Akras

My name is Deena Akras and I will be graduating from Stanford in 2024 with a B.S. in Human Biology. My concentration is in Physiology and Psychology, through which I evaluate how physical and mental wellness can be integrated. I am interested in the impact of primary prevention on longevity, chronic disease, and mental health, particularly in women. 

During my time at Stanford, I’ve been involved in research in the division of plastic and reconstructive surgery, specifically in wound healing and tissue regeneration as well as post cancer reconstruction. Originally from Syria, I am interested in global and refugee health, and how surgical and chronic disease care can be made accessible to populations affected by conflict. 

I am honored and excited to join the CHPR program to further these interests and inform my future role as a physician. In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball, painting portraits, drinking coffee, and spending time in the sun.


Donielle Allen

My name is Donielle Allen, and I earned a BS in Microbiology at Mississippi State University in 2020. My most memorable experience was through the Boren Scholarship where I studied abroad in Kunming, China. This experience piqued a curiosity in me because I witnessed how minority knowledge, Chinese culture, and the environment preserved their health. I continued exploring these concepts through the Fulbright program to earn an MS in Global Health from National Taiwan University in 2023. My research focused on Taiwanese women’s and foreign women’s cross-cultural childbirth experiences in Taiwan.

I am overjoyed to be a part of the CHPR program. I will garner knowledge and skills in nutrition, contemplative sciences, and community engagement to foster better health outcomes in African-American, Chinese, and/or Taiwanese communities in the USA.

In my free time, I enjoy playing sports, traveling, and offering others help and resources to support them on their journeys.


Carlie Arbaugh, MD

I am a physician and general surgery resident at Stanford Health Care, and hold a B.S. in Human Biology, Health, and Society from the Division of Nutritional Sciences and College of Human Ecology at Cornell University and an M.D. from Stanford School of Medicine. I am certified in Culinary Arts and Plant Based Nutrition and am a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the Food Tank’s Academic Working Group. I am also a member of the Stanford Plant Based Diet Initiative, working with the PLANT Study team as well as a multidisciplinary task force focused on initiatives to make hospital patient menus more plant forward. I am interested in food at the intersection of preventative medicine and treatment, health equity, culture, and environmental sustainability and have a particular passion for working with underserved communities. I love to cook, travel, and adventure with my partner Rana and their rescue dog Roxie.


Jessica Balbin

My name is Jessica Balbin (she/her) and I will be graduating from Stanford in 2024 with a B.S. in Chemistry. Throughout my undergraduate career I have dedicated much time in addressing barriers to equitable healthcare as co-founder of Stanford’s American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative chapter, co-founder of the Health Advocacy committee under Stanford’s Premedical association, and volunteer at the Cardinal Free Clinics. I also work on clinical trials to understand the SARS-CoV-2 adaptive immune response in pediatric immunocompromised populations, in addition to clinical trials that aim to understand the impact of sleep on the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Through the CHPR master’s program, I hope to gain the skills needed to effectively analyze qualitative community narratives as an equal counterpart to quantitative data. I also hope to gain insight into how to effectively utilize research to introduce healthcare policy changes at a local and global level.


Elsie DuBray

Han mitakuyepi (hello relatives)! My name is Elsie and I’m a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. I am Oohenunpa Lakota, Nueta, and Hidatsa and have spent my whole life outside of school on a Buffalo ranch on the east end of the CRST reservation. I graduated after 5 (long) years from Stanford in 2023 with a B.S. in Human Biology with a concentration in the Holistic Health and Wellbeing of Indigenous Communities and a Minor in Native American Studies. My interdisciplinary honors thesis in the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity looked into the intergenerational knowledges and life experiences of my father’s and my involvement with Buffalo restoration and my understanding of Buffalo restoration as a radical reconceptualization of Lakota public health and futurisms. My interests lie in the holistic health implications of Indigenous food sovereignty and have manifested in my involvement in GATHER film (2020) and, very recently, the founding of my family’s nonprofit, Buffalo First. Outside of school, I am an avid coffee drinker, gym goer, and pet lover!


Baxton Chen

My name is Baxton Chen (he/him), and I graduated from Harvard in 2023 with a degree in History and Science with a focus in Medicine and Society. My senior thesis examined the cigarette industry’s historical use of flavored products and rhetoric (e.g., Lucky Strike Cigarettes’ comparison of their toasted cigarettes to buttered toast for breakfast!) to downplay health risks and influence consumers. I was also part of a Huntington Medical Research Institutes lab researching the impact of a gene knockout on brain and heart function and was a teaching assistant for their high school STEM program.

I’m interested in studying how different populations have access to reliable, accurate information related to the smoking or opioid epidemics, how certain groups may be targeted or adversely affected, and how to best effect positive community health outcomes. 

In my free time, I enjoy biking, meeting new people, and trying new foods!


Lusciana Gomez

Hi friends! My name is Lusciana Gomez, I graduated from Stanford with a BS in Biology and a minor in Astronomy. During my time in undergrad, I was very active in the comedy world, ranging from working in Late Night television to performing stand-up on the weekends.

Throughout the pandemic, I worked full-time as an orthodontic assistant, where I grew a deep appreciation for oral health. In 2020, I was appointed by the mayor of South Milwaukee (my hometown!) as a City Commissioner to serve on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. I was drawn to the CHPR program for the opportunity to study mindfulness and contemplation practices and their relationship to human and planetary health. Fun fact: I am currently training to become a yoga teacher!


Andrea Guevara-Castro

My name is Andrea Guevara-Castro and I graduated from San Francisco State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Computer Applications.

I am interested in health equity, immigrant health, women’s health, healthcare access, and prevention-based strategies that are community-driven. Through my lived and academic experiences, I have become committed to addressing health inequities in underserved, urban, and agricultural populations. With the CHPR program, I look forward to gaining skills to effectively partner with communities and promote health equity. As an aspiring physician, I hope to be able to engage in meaningful community-based research while continuing to advocate for vulnerable and underserved populations. 

Outside of academics, I enjoy baking, a good book, beach sunsets, and trying new restaurants!


Alana Hernandez

Hi! My name is Alana Hernandez (she/her) and I graduated from Stanford in 2023. I received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Human Biology with a concentration in Brain and Behavior, and Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity with a concentration in Identity Diversity Aesthetics. My interests lie in increasing mental health equity in underserved and marginalized communities and addressing holistic maternal health needs. During my undergraduate career at Stanford, I was involved with neuroscience research aiming to implement interventions for children with ADHD and older adults with Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia. Additionally, I studied the relationship between sleep disparities and health among older adults. I also directed the Roble Reuse and volunteered for the Cardinal Free Clinics. In my free time, I enjoy creative writing, playing guitar, singing, and spending time with friends. Fun fact: I got to ride a dromedary while visiting Marrakesh.


Sherry Hu

My name is Sherry Hu (she/her/hers), and I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology and Child Development. During my three years in college, I uncovered my interests in emotion, psychopathology, and behavioral interventions. I then took a year off to further my clinical experiences by working as an imaging research specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where I investigated the use of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in neuropsychiatric disorders. I will focus my studies on mental health and community-based interventions in the CHPR program. I wish to hone my quantitative skills and learn more about the determinants of community health to facilitate clinical research in communities with various cultures.

Fun Fact: 

I have a really cute and somewhat 'dramatic' black Shiba Inu!


Jenny Jin

My name is Jenny Jin (she/her) and I graduated from New York University in 2023 with a B.A. in Biology with minors in Data Science and Psychology. Throughout my undergraduate journey, I directed my research interests primarily towards genetic prevention, microbiota dysbiosis, and epigenetics influence on disease etiology.

I conducted clinical research at UCSF School of Dentistry, I delved into researching bacterial infections and their profound implications for the oral health of pediatric patients. This experience ignited my passion for public health research aimed at enhancing the well-being of our community. I am deeply committed to exploring prevention measurement and therapeutic interventions within the medical field, driven by a desire to make a meaningful impact.

Through my journey with CHPR, I’m eager to refine my research methodology and establish a robust foundation in disease treatment and prevention. I intend to concentrate on addressing conditions such as genetic and chronic diseases, equipping myself with the skills needed to seamlessly integrate prevention and intervention methods. Furthermore, I aspire to develop a comprehensive understanding of how social determinants impact health outcomes at both the community and population levels.


Brandon Lieu

My name is Brandon (he/him) and I graduated from Stanford University in 2023 with a BS in Biology (Computational) and a minor in Translation Studies (Vietnamese). My interests lie in public health and the Vietnamese-American community, but more specifically, in how we can implement initiatives that reduce health disparities with a co-designed and co-led community approach. At Stanford, I’ve had the chance to work with the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, manage Pacific Free Clinic, and conduct neonatology health services research with Dr. Henry Lee. These experiences have shown me that effective and meaningful work takes time—and I can’t wait to dedicate my time to the CHPR program where my aim isn’t to just improve the health of Vietnamese-Americans, but all.

With my free time, I love to try new coffee, try to translate Vietnamese poems, lift, and call my parents.


Madison McPherson

My name is Madison McPherson and I graduated from Johns Hopkins University as a Public Health Major with a Psychology minor in 2023. While at Johns Hopkins my passion for finding better ways to educate youth on how social and behavioral factors influence their health grew exponentially. Throughout my time at Johns Hopkins, I also competed as a Division 1 athlete on the Women’s Lacrosse Team and interned with the Global Liver Institute focusing on advancing health policy and advocacy on Capitol Hill for patients with rare liver disease. I continue to balance academics and athletics using my last year of eligibility to compete here, as a Division 1 athlete, at Stanford University. I am currently working as an intern with the laboratory: Partnerships for Research in Child Health at Stanford in order to help tackle childhood obesity and promote child health in low-income neighborhoods in California. As a member of the CHPR program, I hope to continue to advance health equity in low resource settings and aid in preventing chronic and infectious diseases using the education system.  

Fun fact: I went to high school internationally in both Manila, Philippines and Lusaka, Zambia! 


Lara Minassians

My name is Lara Minassians (she/her), and I completed my B.A. in 2021 with a major in Psychology and a minor in Critical Theory and Social Justice at Occidental College (Oxy). During my undergraduate career, my primary focus was behavioral medicine, investigating how health-risk behaviors impact health outcomes among emerging adults. After graduating from Oxy, I pursued a clinical research coordinator position at Stanford’s School of Medicine in the Autism Developmental Disorders Research Program. I coordinated the Vasopressin Treatment Trial under Drs. Parker and Hardan, investigating whether vasopressin as a nasal spray improves social functioning among children with autism spectrum disorder. As a result of my experiences, I am interested in exploring mental health challenges and health disparities of children from underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups through a biopsychosocial lens. I am eager to develop the necessary research tools to do this and to help promote health equity among such communities.

Fun fact: I love photography and enjoy using my dad’s film camera from the 90s!


Chidimma Okpara 

Hello! My name is Chidimma Okpara, and I graduated from Dartmouth College in 2023 with a B.A. in Neuroscience and a minor in Global Health. During my undergrad, I collaborated with the Bowery Mission Women’s Shelter, Give Essential, and the Upper Valley Haven Food Shelf, and worked as a Contact Tracer for the NY Department of Health during the height of the pandemic. These were rewarding experiences as they allowed me to establish connections with individuals.  I also conducted research as a Birth Justice Scholar within the NYC Department of Health focusing on issues surrounding maternal, infant, and reproductive health and methods of implementing respectful care within NYC hospitals. The culmination of these experiences shaped my interests in food/housing insecurity, cardiovascular health, respectful maternity care for Black women, and the intersection between neuroscience and maternal health. 

Through CHPR, I am hoping to strengthen my quantitative and qualitative skills, while also building a robust background on public health issues, particularly within communities of color. My goal is to leverage these skills in prevention research so that I can provide dignified and respectful care as a future clinician in these communities.

Outside of the classroom, I will be playing on the Stanford Women’s Tennis Team!

Fun Fact: Spider-Man is my favorite character of all time.


Sofia Portillo

My name is Sofia Portillo (she/her) and I graduated from Stanford with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity. I conducted undergraduate research in the Social Concepts Lab and the Dweck-Walton Lab, first examining how white children learn about race from conversations with their white parents, and later leading my honors thesis on the unintended consequences of health disparity communication in the Latino community. Through CHPR, I hope to deepen my understanding of how to resolve racial health disparities in diet-related conditions and learn how to sustain reciprocal relationships with community-based organizations. Broadly, I hope to build skills that enable me to contribute to collective liberation through building more just and resilient food and healthcare systems. 

Outside of my work, I love slacklining, swimming in the ocean, and going dancing with friends.


Tom Quach

Hello, I'm Tom Quach and I will be graduating from Stanford (B.S. Biology & B.A. Communication) in 2024. During my undergraduate years, I have conducted clinical research at Stanford's Long COVID (PACS) Clinic — working closely with physician mentors and fellow undergraduates in charting out medical understanding of this new, persistent illness. Additionally, I'm enjoying research at the Helms Lab, leading my Stanford Pathways Public Health Undergraduate Journal, mentoring writers at The Stanford Daily, and spending time with friends around campus. 

Through my time at Stanford, I have expanded my passions surrounding precision health when it comes to community well-being and utilizing creative innovations to locate solutions and create progress. As a current Haas Center Community Engaged Scholar and U.N. Millennium Fellow, I'm grateful to be a part of this year's CHPR cohort, and eagerly looking forward to deepening my interests in health equity while positively impacting the communities that mean so much to me.


Casey Scherer

My name is Casey Scherer (she/her) and I graduated from the University of San Diego in 2019 with a B.A. in Behavioral Neuroscience and minor in Chemistry. Following graduation, I worked as a transcranial magnetic stimulation technician and helped treat patients with MDD and OCD. I then graduated from Northwestern University in 2023 with a M.S. in Genetic Counseling. During my graduate training, I discovered my passion for research through my thesis project on Filipino Americans’ views and experiences of genetic disease, counseling, and testing. My current research interests lie at the intersection between genetics and chronic disease, specifically mental illness within minority populations. Currently, I am working as a genetic counselor at Stanford and hope to continue promoting health equity through education, research, and patient interaction. In my free time I enjoy spending time with my four sisters and pet chameleon (Sosuke) and guinea pig (Uni)!


Kevan Shah

I graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in public health and from Tsinghua University (Beijing, China) in 2023 with a master’s degree in global affairs. I aspire to serve as a physician-leader and am the founder and executive director of End Overdose Together, a nonprofit that recruits, trains, and mobilizes students to lead community workshops on overdose recognition, prevention, and Narcan administration. I have helped shape policies and programs to combat the overdose crisis – at Integrity House, New Jersey Reentry Corporation, Opioid Overdose Prevention Network, and St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Hospital – with research and recommendations having been championed by former governors and becoming the basis of legislation. I have been recognized as a 2023 Knight-Hennessy Scholar and 2022 Schwarzman Scholar.


Liz Shah

My name is Liz Shah, and I graduated from Stanford in 2023 with a B.S. in Human Biology and a minor in History. As an undergrad, I conducted clinical research and wrote my honors thesis with the Heifets Lab, studying the non-pharmacological effects of ketamine on patients with depression in the perioperative period. My work with the Heifets Lab developed my interest in the prevention and treatment of mental health disorders with novel strategies. It also made me excited to work closely with patients and develop relationships with partners.

While with the CHPR program, I am looking forward to learning from my peers: to hear about their research, chat about past experiences and share within a small community.

A fun fact about me is that I work for Levain Bakery. Sharing a cookie can be part of a happy and healthy lifestyle!


Jessica Telizyn

Hello, my name is Jessica Telizyn. I graduated from Dalhousie University in 2023 as a Dobson Loran Scholar with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Neuroscience, with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation. Through my experience working in rural and resource-limited healthcare settings, I am especially interested in investigating the intersections of health system structure, workforce management, and its impacts on rural, resource-limited and marginalized populations. Outside the classroom, I am passionate about supporting survivors of sexualized violence and keeping girls and women in sports. Through CHPR, I hope to acquire the tools to think critically about addressing healthcare access challenges and implement this knowledge as a physician in the future!


Chris Youn

My name is Chris Youn and I graduated from Swarthmore College with a BA in biology and am now pursuing my MD here at Stanford. I’m passionate about mentorship and education and I’ve worked extensively with students from traditionally underserved backgrounds to help them on their journeys to medical school. At Stanford, I’ve continued this work as a Health Career Advisor for the REACH Program! During my time at CHPR, I hope to use education and teaching to engage with local communities and use this to advocate for prevention. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, hiking, and expanding my extensive houseplant collection!