Global Health Student Advisory Committee

Danielle Serota is a second-year MD student dedicated to addressing maternal health disparities through research, advocacy, and policy reform. She is also interested in refugee health and conflict zones. She served in the military as a tactical UAV pilot and reconnaissance operative for three years, identifying threats to civilian areas. After her service, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from Columbia University. Danielle’s passion for global health was ignited by her family’s history of persecution as Jews and continued to grow during her international military deployments and solo travels in India and Central America. Danielle conducts maternal and child health policy research, most recently managing a study at Weill Cornell Medicine identifying solutions for the inclusion of pregnant and lactating people in vaccine trials. As President of Global Health & Medicine at WashU School of Medicine, she organizes lectures, workshops, and screenings on global health topics. Danielle was awarded the DACOR Bacon House Foundation Gantenbein Medical Fellowship for 2024-2025, given to one medical student nationwide each year for exemplary leadership in global health.

Nwaliweaku Anidi is a second-year master of public health candidate specializing in Health Policy Analysis at the Brown School. Prior to her studies, she spent over 3 years at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, where she gained firsthand experience in the critical role of policy in shaping public health outcomes. Her background in physiotherapy, combined with this experience, fueled her passion for leveraging policy to address physical inactivity and non-communicable diseases. Currently, her work focuses on translating public health evidence into practice towards strengthening health systems for equitable health. Due to the pivotal role of community support and encouragement in her own journey, Nwali also works to create an inclusive and supportive community at WashU through student engagement, mentoring and programming initiatives. Outside work, you are sure to catch Nwali outside enjoying nature or with a novel in hand.

Temidire Akinwuntan (Temi) is a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in Anthropology: Global Health & Environmental Sciences with a minor in Psychology. Temi is interested in how culture and environment intersect with health experiences for communities around the world. She has explored these interests by studying abroad in London and participating in the Community Health Scholars Program whose mission is to provide support to patients of all ages with consideration of aging processes, human development stages, and culture. After achieving her bachelor’s degree, Temi plans to pursue an MPH before attending medical school in hopes to increase health education and advocacy.

Dominic Ansah was born in Koforidua, a city in Ghana. He is currently a first year PhD Student in Biomedical Engineering at the WashU. He has diverse research interest spanning tissue and stem cells engineering, therapeutics and medical devices. Prior to his PhD studies, he was trained at the Food and Drugs Authority in Ghana where he performed quality testing procedures to keep check that medical products meet the highest safety, quality and efficacy healthy living and quality health care delivery. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering from the university of Ghana. Besides his utmost interest in community-health-based initiatives that raises the awareness activities that poses high-risk on individual and global health, Dominic is committed to using biomedical technologies to address inequalities in health care delivery, particularly among the political and socio-economically vulnerable communities and deprived populations globally.

Bethel Ataro is a first-year master of public health student doing a concentration in Global Health at the Brown School at WashU. She is a medical doctor with a wealth of experience in both clinical medicine and public health practice. She has dedicated her career to implementing programs that tackle the multifaceted issues faced by underserved communities in Ethiopia. Her primary focus areas include maternal and child health, nutrition, and the utilization of the public health approach to violence prevention. With a passion for collaborating with underserved populations globally, she is dedicated to creating innovative strategies that are interdisciplinary, evidence-based, and customized to the unique needs of each community. Furthermore, she is enthusiastic about delving into implementation research, a branch of health research that addresses a variety of implementation challenges and contributes to the development of more effective public health and clinical policies and programs.

Kiran Bhat is a senior studying computer science at the McKelvey School of Engineering. His interest in global health developed through coursework in data analysis and web development, where he recognized the potential for technology to make health information more accessible. This interest has grown into a passion for using computer science to bridge gaps in global health communication. He is particularly focused on creating digital platforms that can present complex health topics in user-friendly formats, making them understandable to diverse audiences. While he is new to the field of global health, he hopes to contribute technical skills to projects that promote health literacy and awareness on a global scale.

Fiona Biondic is currently enrolled in the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program following her graduation from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.  Her interests in public and global health originate from volunteer experiences with community health clinics in St. Louis in addition to her work as a registered nurse, both of which highlight the demand for equitable health care access and education expansion. In the future, Fiona plans to pursue MD/MPH programs with the ultimate goal of generating impactful change in bridging health care gaps, especially for children with developmental disabilities.

Jake Goldfarb is a second-year medical student. His work with World Pediatrics in St. Louis has significantly expanded his knowledge and experience in the global health field. Through his involvement with World Pediatrics, he has gained valuable insights into how U.S. physicians can effectively collaborate with local physicians in foreign countries, balancing intervention with education. His interests in global health focus on understanding the intersection between medical practices in the United States and abroad. He is passionate about raising awareness within the medical community about the diverse opportunities available in the field of global health.

Isheeta Gupta is a student at the Brown School at WashU, pursuing a dual degree in MPH/MSW. With a strong background in medicine from her undergraduate studies in bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery from India, Isheeta brings a unique perspective to her current studies. She is passionate about mental and behavioral public health interventions. Isheeta’s research interests lie at the intersection of public health and social equity with a focus on teen depression and anxiety, neurological disorders, obesity-related health disparities, and sexual violence. Besides academics, Isheeta also engages in the university community. She is currently a social media chair for Umang, Indian Graduate Student Association at WashU. If not in class, studying, working, or participating in community activities, Isheeta can be found on campus playing badminton with her friends. She also enjoys exploring different cuisines available around the campus area or in the St. Louis region.

Jiacheng Huang is currently pursuing a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at WashU. With a strong foundation in traditional chinese medicine from his undergraduate studies at Soochow University, Jiacheng has a unique interdisciplinary perspective that combines traditional medical knowledge with cutting-edge biomedical engineering. His research experience includes working on high-throughput real-time data processing methods for myocardial microchips, where he independently handled qPCR detection, cell culture, and RNA extraction. Additionally, he contributed to research on the roles of IFN-gamma fibroin membranes in skin injury, exploring the application of silk fibroin nanofiber scaffolds in tissue engineering. Jiacheng’s internship at Yancheng Dafeng Hospital allowed him to gain practical experience in clinical labs, further strengthening his medical and technical skills. He also led social practice projects, exploring the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, which earned him the honor of Excellent Social Practice Team. In his free time, Jiacheng enjoys jogging to maintain a healthy balance between his academic pursuits and personal well-being.

Oviya Kalaivanan is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in Cognitive Neuroscience and minoring in Anthropology: Global Health and Environment. Born in San Jose, California, she moved to Bangalore, India at age seven, where she was exposed to contrasting health care systems, deepening her understanding of global health care disparities. Volunteering in free rural clinics sparked her passion for advocating for the aging population’s quality of life and for disability rights in neurodegenerative diseases. She founded the WashU Hospice and Palliative Care Club and serves as a Huntington’s Disease Youth Advocate, as well as secretary of the NC HDSA Chapter. Her research focuses on investigating the molecular mechanisms of Huntington’s disease pathogenesis, driving her commitment to advancing therapeutic solutions.

Her experience as a scribe at a free clinic in North Carolina deepened her awareness of the structural health inequalities faced by minorities, further motivating her to pursue equitable health care solutions and fueling her ambition to become a physician.

Aryan Kumar is a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences majoring in microbiology. He is interested in being able to provide equitable medical care to everyone regardless of location. As an Indian-American who regularly travels to India, Aryan has exposure to different health care systems and these experiences have shown him that each country has distinct health care flaws and solutions, which deeply interest him. He has further explored these differences through an organization he started that conducts service trips to rural India, with the goal of teaching kids the importance of good oral hygiene.

Isabel Rehg is a freshman at WashU, pursuing a double major in finance and economics at the Olin Business School. She is also minoring in the business of social impact. She has a deep interest in global health economics, particularly in developing strategies to improve health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries through economic development.

She has previous experience as an NIH-funded research intern where she contributed to a project aimed at supporting uninsured pregnant women in the St. Louis Metro East area. She worked closely with her Principal Investigator to refine educational campaigns that focused on the importance of prenatal vitamins for both maternal and fetal health. She was also invited by NIH to present her research experience at their campus in Bethesda, MD.

Isabel is hoping to combine her interest in global health with her background in business to explore the intersection of economic development and health care solutions. Through her involvement in this committee, she hopes to continue making a meaningful impact in her community. She is also motivated to gain valuable insights into how business strategies can be leveraged to enhance health and well-being globally.

Anna Siegel is a sophomore studying biomedical engineering on the pre-med track at the McKelvey School of Engineering. She is passionate about integrating global health perspectives to improve health care systems both locally and internationally. During a fellowship at Sveti Duh Hospital in Croatia, she gained valuable insight into how medical practices vary across different regions. She also worked at a rural pharmacy in Missouri, which deepened her understanding of health care disparities in underserved areas. Through her experiences, Anna has developed a strong interest in using technology to address these challenges. In the future, she hopes to leverage her biomedical engineering degree to develop innovative solutions that enhance health care access and efficiency in low-resource communities, fostering a more equitable and inclusive future in global health.

Emma Woolcott is a master of urban design and master of architecture dual degree student at the Sam Fox School of Design. She is a Sam Fox ambassador and on the Center of Career Engagement Graduate Advisory Board. Her interests lie in the creation of environmental factors to enhance health within the built fabric – both at an urban scale and interior scale. She loves to travel and stay active throughout the semester.