Emerging Leader Alumni

Meera Arumugam

Hi! My name is Meera Arumugam. I am currently a senior majoring in Global Public Health/Applied Psychology. I was born in the bay area of California and raised in Long Island, New York. My interest in public health arose from the Covid-19 pandemic and its immense impact on the overall population’s mental health. I have had the fortunate opportunity of being a research assistant for the NYU Applied Psychology Department’s ISLAND Lab and a research intern for NYU Langone’s Psychiatry Brain Aging and Sleep Center, both of which focus on mental wellbeing in the context of population health. On campus, I am also a member of Delta Epsilon Mu, the nation’s premier pre-health fraternity, Psi Chi, and Active Minds. Although my overall goal is to become a Clinical child psychologist, I am very intrigued by the scope of public health research and mental health policy (specifically regarding the youth mental health crisis). Overall, I hope to help reduce the overall stigma within the mental health field and emphasize the benefits of mental health therapies and services. In my free time, I love traveling, attending concerts, and cooking. I hope to share my passions within GPH/Applied Psychology with the members of my co-major and create a stronger community for the Undergraduate GPH community!

Evyn Banawoye

Hi! My name is Evyn Banawoye. I was born in Silver Spring, Maryland and grew up in Maryland. I am currently a third-year student at CAS. In addition to GPH Sociology, I am a Philosophy and French minor. I first developed my interest in public health through volunteering at a local hospital in the maternal services ward. With my experience at the hospital, I saw firsthand the advantages and disadvantages of our healthcare system. My career goals entail working in conflict zones in terms of sexual and reproductive health and a public health researcher. At NYU, I am involved in the Arete Fellowship that aims to cultivate conversations surrounding the world's largest issues ranging from public health to morals. In my free time, I love to read fiction novels, go to museums, go on walks, learn new artistic skills, and hang out with my friends. In addition to reading, I love to write poetry and short stories. I have a strong affinity for learning random things and am prone to hyper-fixations on philosophical questions. I hope I can excite you all to the fun intersections of your Global Public Health/Sociology career. I am super excited to learn from others and represent the Global Public Health Sociology students.

Dehandra Blackwood

Hello! My name is Dehandra Blackwood and I am a third-year majoring in Global Public Health and Anthropology. I was born in New York and was raised in Jamaica and Long Island, NY. After moving back to the US at age 13, I immediately became aware of the implications of my identity as a Black woman. I then became very interested in the way race, socioeconomic status, and identity manifests itself in so many areas of life, especially in health. From the role discrimination played in the AIDS and Drug Crisis of the 80s and 90s in New York City to how age-old stereotypes of black women manifest in the treatment they receive under the care of health professionals. It is a pity that there are so many cracks in the health system of a country as advanced as the United States. My hope for the future is to actively work to become a champion of public health for disenfranchised communities. Utilizing my co-major in Anthropology I believe it is best to look to and educate oneself on issues and ideas of the past to find solutions for the future. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music especially while wandering aimlessly around busy cities. I also spend hours watching cat videos to de-stress. During my time as ambassador, I hope to help build a community among my peers and become a voice for any matters that may come up. I also hope to build more interest and awareness of my co-major to encourage more NYU students to pursue.

Safiatu Diagana

Hi, my name is Safiatu Diagana. I was born and raised in Queens, New York! (Shoutout to Queens)! I am currently a junior majoring in Global Public Health/Nursing. What first drew me to public health was understanding myself as a black Muslim woman in America. I have endless opportunities to understand the world around me and it made me realize other women who look like me do not often get the same education, opportunities, or chances that I have gotten simply because of where they live. This spiked my interest as I wanted to learn more about what I can do for these women to improve things such as healthcare and education. From that point, I knew that Global Public Health/Nursing was just for me, inspiring me to become a traveling Labor and Delivery nurse. I want to be the change in the healthcare system that I dream of seeing; I want to advocate and aid women as they navigate through life. Currently, at NYU, I am the social media chair for the Organization of Black Women (OBW), Black Muslim Initiative (BMI), Nursing Students for Global Health (NSGH), and Black Student Nurses Association (BSNA). Additionally, through the Collegiate Research Initiative (CRI) at NYU, I have the incredible opportunity to volunteer at Elmhurst Hospital to improve overall patient experience. Lastly, I plan to become a doula who is a trained professional who assists in physical and emotional support for mothers during childbirth during my winter break.

Awura Gyimah

Hello! My name is Awura, phonetically pronounced "uh-war-uh" or like the princess. I am a senior in Steinhardt studying Global Public Health and Communicative sciences and disorders- on the pre-med track. I am Ghanaian! I was raised in New Jersey and later moved to Colorado. A few of my interests include decorating, traveling and playing soccer. I am passionate about public health and medicine. From a young age, I immersed myself in different pre-collegiate health programs which helped further expand my interest in public health. One of my most memorable experiences was serving at the Ronald McDonald house where parents who have children in hospitals are catered to. Here, I engaged in activities with children of these parents and endowed a comforting environment to families. Coming to NYU, I chose to dive into Communicative Sciences and Disorders, as an individual close to me suffered from motor speech disorders. I wanted to explore CSD with hopes of being able to learn more about motor speech disorders. However, I still sought to satiate my interest for healthcare and herd immunity. When I found out about GPH and that I could explore both of my interests simultaneously, I did not hesitate to do this. Currently, I am an intern at the NYU Langone Hospital/Belleview hospital, providing resources to women battling substance use and addiction through a texting toolkit that better informs patients of resources at their disposal. Here at NYU, I serve as an RA in Residential Life & Housing Services, and hold membership in many clubs around campus. My future plans include exploring maternal morbidity in underprivileged areas through an obstetrics and gynecology lens. I am so excited to be representing the School of Global Public Health as a GPH/CSD Undergraduate Ambassador and hope to serve as a bridge between Steinhardt and the School of GPH.

Mia Lehavi

Hi! My name is Mia Lehavi. I am currently a senior at NYU majoring in Global Public Health/Biology, and have minors in Chemistry and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Studies. I was born in NYC and raised in Newport Beach, California. I am a first-generation American with what I’d refer to as a “global” background, as my mom is French and my dad is Israeli. Being raised by immigrant parents played a considerable role in my choice to study Global Public Health at NYU. I have been interested in pursuing a career in medicine for as long as I can remember, and I have loved learning more about the public health issues burdening our country and the world through various GPH courses I’ve taken so far. As of now, my hope is to attend medical school and become a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Through my GPH courses, I’ve realized there is a lack of public health education in the medical field. I hope to ultimately tie my public health background to my psychiatry aspirations by advocating for equitable mental health care among children and adolescents of all socio-economic backgrounds. I am a registered EMT and a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at NYU. In my free time, I love walking around Central Park, watching Criminal Minds, playing with my dog Sabina, and going to SoulCycle! I particularly love the GPH/Biology program because it has provided me with two angles to analyze my (hopefully) future career in medicine: the biological aspect and the community-based aspect. I hope to share my love for this concentration with my co-major community, and to show students who are interested in pursuing anything in the healthcare field the importance of learning about public health matters. 

Michelle Masiello

Hi! My name is Michelle, and I’m a second-year student at Steinhardt studying Applied Psychology and Global Public Health. I was born and raised in New Jersey, and it was there in my hometown that I was able to first gain exposure to the world of public health. Through involvement with my local first aid and rescue squad and independent research organizations, I learned more about disparities within the healthcare system, especially with regard to mental health resources. This exposure to the disadvantages and inequities within the healthcare system prompted my search for a program that would allow me to take steps to address these issues and led me to NYU. Given the interdisciplinary nature of public health, learning to think at the intersection of multiple disciplines is an essential component. In the future, I hope to combine my interests in psychology and global public health to promote equal access to mental health resources in the United States and beyond. At NYU, I serve as Sophomore Class President within Steinhardt Undergraduate Student Government and currently work as a research assistant in the Researching Inequity in Society Ecologically (R.I.S.E) Lab. In my free time, I love exploring the city, baking, and spending time with friends. I am thrilled to be serving as a GPH Undergraduate Ambassador and a representative for GPH/Applied Psychology students. Through my position, I hope to amplify student voices and work closely with my peers to develop initiatives to enrich the undergraduate GPH experience and ensure it is as rewarding as possible.

Emily Mathers

Hi, my name is Emily Mathers.  I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. I am currently a fourth year student in the accelerated BS GPH/Nutrition and Dietetics and MPH Public Health Nutrition Program. My first year at NYU, I studied abroad in Paris, France as part of the Liberal Studies First Year Away Program. It was during my time abroad that I developed an interest in public health. Part of my Writing II class was to write a research paper on any topic relating to Cosmopolitanism and France. For my paper I chose to write about the French smoking culture and the environmental and health impacts. It was this paper that inspired me to add Global Public Health to my major. My goals after completing my MPH are to attend Law School and work in public health law/policy. At NYU I am involved in the club Nutrition Without Borders, a member of Delta Gamma, and a member of the club running team. and outside of NYU I volunteer with the New York Road Runners and I am a digital nutrition marketing intern at Uplift Food. In my free time I enjoy running, hiking, thrifting, lifting, watching football and reading. A fun fact about me is that I’ve run three marathons and twelve half marathons.  I am really excited to be representing the College of Global Public Health as an Undergraduate Ambassador and help build a stronger community.

Jailee Mendo

Hey everyone! My name is Jailee Mendo. I’m Dominican & Peruvian born and I was raised in Brooklyn, New York. I am studying Global Public Health/Sociology on the pre-health track with a minor in child & adolescent mental health studies. I am interested in public health because I’ve seen in my community the lack of access to care, and I want to help change that. My brother has autism and struggles at the doctors/ dentists because he’s sensitive to noises. The difficulties health professionals have appropriately tending to my brother exposed me to the lack of training they have for meeting the needs of patients with disabilities. I also have a strong interest in nutrition and its relation to preventing chronic illnesses/ alleviating mental illnesses. I hope that with further research I find the right knowledge to help, especially for cancer and autism. Currently I’m involved in the Academic Achievement’s Program as a mentor, and I serve on the community service committee. I’m also the social media chair of Bella Quisqueya, a Dominican club at NYU. Lastly, I am a Summer Health Professions Enrichment Program ambassador. Furthermore, I am a residence assistant at NYU Third North. Other than my school related interests, I like watching cooking videos, fashion hauls, and natural remedies that can be done at home and hanging out with my family and friends. Working with the GPH team and community to serve those within my co-major will increase awareness of the disparities we need to focus on while intertwining interests.

Avni Varshneya

Hi! My name is Avni. I am currently a senior at NYU majoring in Global Public Health/Biology. I was born in Hong Kong and grew up in China, Singapore, and Ohio, and I am originally Indian. My interest in public health stems from being raised in different countries and cultures where I was exposed to different global health environments. I have seen firsthand the disparities in health care access across the world and improving this is something I want to strive towards with my career. At NYU, I’ve been involved in Peer Health Exchange, which is one way I’ve been trying to advocate for youth access and agency for health. Outside of NYU, I am involved in escorting patients into the Bronx Abortion Clinic, which is another way I am seeking to improve access to reproductive care. In my free time, I love exploring New York, especially visiting museums and trying new local restaurants! I hope to serve you all in the biology/GPH co-major by guiding and mentoring you through your course requirements and promoting opportunities to meet and connect with other GPH peers. This is my senior year, and I really look forward to meeting more people, building relationships, and strengthening the GPH community before I leave!

Angela Zhai

Hi, my name is Angela! I’m from Westport, CT and I transferred to NYU my sophomore year from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I am a Global Public Health and Chemistry major on a pre-medicine track. I was drawn to the global public health major due to its dynamic combination of material from humanities and STEM backgrounds, as well as the way that it provides the unique ability to concentrate on specific areas of interest. I’m particularly interested in epidemiology, dermatology, and women’s health. To satisfy my experiential learning requirement, I interned at Tell Every Amazing Lady About Ovarian Cancer (T.E.A.L), where I became well acquainted with the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of ovarian cancer as well as the barriers to care which many women with ovarian cancer face. I hope to reduce these kinds of challenges for underrepresented populations seeking healthcare and to diminish the gender biases which women often encounter in the medical field. Over the summer, I worked closely with Dr. Marybec Griffin and Dr. Adele Fournet on a research paper exploring the effect of female writing and production upon the representation of sexuality in pop and R&B/hip hop songs. In my free time, I enjoy making art, watching movies, going to concerts, and exploring the city! I look forward to working with NYU undergraduate programs to support GPH/Chemistry majors with resources, advising, career opportunities, and a network of fellow GPH students and faculty.

Ethan Bakal

Hi there! My name is Ethan Bakal, and I am a senior studying Global Public Health and Biology. I am originally from the suburbs of Atlanta-- but I have also lived in Japan and Scotland before ending up here at NYU, and it was while living abroad that my interest in public health first started. Interacting with the different healthcare systems made me realize that the American system is in serious need of change. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to public health, but being immersed in different cultures and understanding the different ways that societies approach healthcare has convinced me that there is so much we can do better. Access to care has been at the top of my mind since living abroad, and I am particularly interested in the role that public health leaders have in empowering marginalized communities to be the stewards of their own health. To that end, I have been involved in research at the Stanford Center for Asian Health Research and Education, and I also participated in an internship at a nonprofit dedicated to increasing COVID-19 vaccine uptake in underserved communities during my junior year. I am unsure of where the future takes me, but I would love to stay active in research and giving back to the community. In my free time, I love trying new foods, especially spicy dishes! I live in Manhattan, but you can find me doing a food crawl in Queens most weekends. I hope that I can contribute to building a strong sense community for both this year’s Emerging Leaders cohort, as well as for the diverse majors that make up the undergraduate GPH student body.

Diya Cherian

Hi, I’m Diya! I’m a junior studying Global Public Health and Biology; I was born in Connecticut but consider my hometown to be Yardley, Pennsylvania. During fall of my freshman year I was given the incredible opportunity to work within the Infection Control, Healthcare, and Environmental Epidemiology team within the Communicable Disease Service at the New Jersey Department of Health. I soon found myself immersed in case report forms for Candida auris, risk assessment guidance for COVID-19, and toolkits for Legionnaires’ Disease. Being part of the epidemiological response in a hands-on way forever changed the trajectory of my career, and I’m excited to learn more about infectious disease especially in a global context because the next pathogen truly is only a plane ride away. At NYU, I’m the president of the Dean’s Service Honor Corps and am always looking for new ways to give back to the community and connect undergraduates with organizations in need. In my free time I love to dance, bake, try out new cafes, and spend quality time curled up with a good book — preferably with my golden retriever or tabby kitten by my side. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to connect with mentors and other GPH students across disciplines to exchange ideas and drive the field of public health forward.

Angela Chou

Hello everyone! I am Angela Chou, and I am a sophomore studying Global Public Health and Media, Culture, and Communications. I am from Columbia, Maryland! My interest in public health branches from my great uncle who passed from Alzheimer's disease. After researching the health issues he faced, I discovered that countless underserved communities lacked access to adequate care and treatment, and I was motivated to change the system. My experiences treating patients at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, providing resources to 100+ Honduran families, and teaching English to Ukrainian students have all reinstated my passion for addressing public health issues. At NYU, I am the President of the Class Activities Board (CAB25), where I host at-large events for over 6,000 students, including a scavenger hunt, game show, and outdoor yoga event. I also serve on the President's Council of the Student Government Assembly (SGA) where I create legislation to advocate for the student's needs. I helped create social media posts to clarify NYU mask mandates, a Letter of Support to provide more dining spaces for students with eating disorders, and an Iranian vigil in honor of the recent passing of Mahsa Amini. Outside of school, I am a co-founder of PierA, a non-profit aimed at raising awareness about substance abuse and mental health. In my free time, I enjoy painting, cooking, and exploring the city with friends! I am so excited to be serving as an Emerging Leader and a representative for GPH/MCC students. I hope to enrich the undergraduate GPH experience by highlighting student voices and striving to improve the lives of others.

Djuly Fleurant

Hi! My name is Djuly Fleurant. I am a junior at CAS, studying global public health with a concentration in sociology. I was born in Haiti, and I currently live in Connecticut. I love to read, walk around the city, particularly to the pier, and explore my surroundings. I especially love to try new bakeries (only to order the same things, simply at different locations). Regarding public health, I have always been fascinated with the idea of indirectly impacting someone’s life and helping them in the smallest way possible. I remember being in middle school and volunteering at a nursing home. The staff was not treating the patients how I thought they should have been treated, meaning providing the patients with proper care while actually caring for that individual, as opposed to just doing the bare minimum. After volunteering, I went home and researched the roles within a hospital and how I could make a change to the system where we genuinely care about what we are doing while providing top-tier care to our patients. My goal since middle school has been to become the CEO of a hospital in order to implement changes and influence the staff while still making an impact on the patient’s life. This correlates with my goals as an emerging leader and GPH student, which is to develop further and strengthen my soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and critical thinking. All the important skills I will need not only in this program but in the real world and in my future role as CEO of a hospital. I am excited to compare my growth at the end of the program to see how much I have improved!

Amritra Hoq

Hello! My name is Amitra Hoq and I was born and raised in Connecticut and now currently reside in Virginia. I am a second year student studying Global Public Health/Biology co-major. Coming from a multitude of identifiers, daughter of immigrant parents, Muslim-American, raised in both urban and rural settings to name a few, I have seen first hand the discrimination people face in healthcare not only within America but across the world, which drew me into wanting to join the public health sector. I believe that public health is a multifaceted faceted field, and is necessary to promote health and health equity for everyone. At NYU I am involved with many of our Student Government Assemblies, especially the Conference Funding Committee and Health and Wellness, as well as an editor for the Medical Dialogue Reviewer, a member of our public health think tank Polygeia, and a research assistant at the AIRE(Advances in Respiratory Equity) lab at the School of Global Public Health. I am also a research intern at NYU Langone. My ultimate aspiration would be to work on public health policy on an international scale, combining my interests of healthcare and international relations!

Yingrong (Susan) Huang

Hey everyone! My name is Susan Huang. I am a junior majoring in GPH/Sociology with a minor in law and society. I was born and raised in Guangzhou, China—a beautiful southern city with blossoming flowers all year long. I attended high school in the U.S. in Ohio and started my journey to explore the cultural similarities and differences between people across the world in health management and started a health and wellness club. Stemming from the discussions and activities in the club, I realized health is a cross-cultural notion valued by individuals with various backgrounds and cultural practices. I became passionate about exploring ways to provide people with consistent health management on a daily basis. At NYU, I was the co-president of the community and career development at the Chinese Students and Scholars Organization. We held a Socratic seminar on the topic of mental health and career development in the last academic year. Outside of NYU, I worked at a research foundation focusing on promoting the formulation and implementation of child development policies in China during the summer. My project explores effective measures to prevent high-risk pregnancies, reduce birth defects rate and improve maternal and newborn health through interventions during the period from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum in Bijie, China. As one of the members of GPH-ELP, I hope to create an open and innovative environment for the GPH community.

Gurket Kaur

Hi everyone! My name is Gurket Kaur and I'm a junior from Fair Lawn, New Jersey, majoring in Global Public Health and Applied Psychology! My interest in public health started in high school, when I personally struggled with mental health and academics, an issue that is seldom talked about. While learning from and exemplifying tenacity with my own difficulties, I understood that the stigma surrounding mental health caused a public issue amongst students and adolescents that needed to be addressed. By my sophomore year of high school, I began an independent research initiative that worked to observe ways that could reduce students' struggles in relation to their mental health and academics. Getting the opportunity to work with and listen to the participants' endeavors, my eyes were opened to the field of public health long before I recognized it. It wasn't until my first semester at NYU, when the year was overshadowed by our generation's biggest public health crisis of Covid-19, that the field was more obvious to me. Taking classes like Health and Society in a Global Context, and Epidemiology for Global Health, however, I knew I wanted to work in global public health with a concentration in mental health and Psychology. Throughout my time at NYU, I have been involved with the SAHARA (South Asian Health and Research) group and the E.P.I.C. (Exploring People in Context) lab. Through this program, I hope to share my past stories and experiences to relate with and learn from other students of the GPH/AppliedPsychology community!

Ashley Mui

Hello! My name is Ashley Mui, and I am a sophomore studying GPH/Nursing with a minor in Bioethics. I was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. From a young age, I felt an innate attraction to the healthcare field, and chose to pursue my interests through medicine. 
After immersing myself in a multitude of educational medicinal programs, hospital internships, and volunteer work, I discovered the intimate relationship between medicine and public health. Shortly after this realization, I delved into my first public health passion project: period poverty alleviation. During this project, I assisted a variety of non-profit organizations in menstrual product provision as well as media advocacy. Education for women in rural or developing communities is a major root cause for period poverty, and thus, I've since expanded my public health interests to educating low-income communities as well as policymaking. Some actions I've taken recently to advance these interests include facilitating a literacy program for low-income students at Stanford University as well as taking part in NYU PDU, a debate space for students around the US to both learn and discuss some of the world's most pressing social and political issues. I look forward to being part of the future generation of healthcare innovators at NYU and committing myself to the betterment of public health in the world!

Lisa Pardee

Hi! My name is Lisa Pardee, and I am a senior majoring in Global Public Health and Biology. I was born in New York and raised in Tampa, Florida. My interest in public health is attributed to my passion for providing access to care and advocating for underserved populations, not only in the U.S., but on a global scale. As someone with family members in Nicaragua, some of which have immigrated to the United States, I am aware of the many inequities immigrant populations face and desire to gain valuable skills throughout my time in the GPH program that will better equip me to evoke change and advocacy for this population. My specific field of interest is the intersection between epidemiology and population-based research as one of my goals is to promote better representation for immigrant populations in scientific research. Currently, I work as a Research Assistant with the Empower Lab, a team-based clinical research and advocacy lab studying the intersection between health and sexual and gender-based violence, on the Trauma-Informed Care, Empower Clinic, and Asylum Team. I also work as a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) Team Lead with BroadStreet overseeing a team of data entry interns. These experiences are incredibly valuable for informing my future career in epidemiology and public health, and I am excited to see how I can take the knowledge and skills I have acquired from these experiences and apply them in the GPH community. I also look forward to learning from my peers and strengthening relationships with fellow GPH community members as we develop initiatives to aid communities and reform the public health system.

Niouma Semega

Hello, my name is Niouma Semega, pronounced (knee-oh-mah). I am a junior studying Global Public Health and Sociology and I’m from Richmond Hill, Queens New York. Although I was born in America, during my early years I lived in Mauritania, West Africa for five years. Seeing the environmental and health disparity in Mauritania after moving back to America was such an alarming experience growing up. During these years I never thought someone as young as me could make a huge impact or change in areas where I want to see change. However, after discovering public health, I now feel there are endless possibilities in the field that would allow me fulfill my aspirations. I aspire to create change in my passionate sectors both domestically and internationally within underrepresented communities as either a biostatistician or epidemiologist. I also want to inspire other girls who look like me to be the change they want to see in the world, no matter who they are and what they look like. This intention is what embarked the birth of my organization SemegaChange, a growing empire of Black and Women of Color in STEM making societal and environmental change. I look forward to creating change in spaces like this Emerging Leaders program as well as my other commitments and projects.

Trisha Senthilkumar

Hi guys, my name is Trisha! I’m a sophomore pursuing GPH/Bio, and I am from Montgomery, NJ. As an aspiring physician, my goal is to work with underserved patient populations especially in developing countries, while tracking data trends using epidemiology to improve population health and optimize patient care. I am an EMT in Brooklyn and research at the NYC Free Clinic; seeing firsthand the struggles that minority populations face to access healthcare further fostered my interest in public health. In NYU, I am part of the medical fraternity, Phi Delta Epsilon, which is a great support system on my journey to medical school. Outside of NYU, I volunteer with children with special needs and teach English to international students as educating the younger generation is something I am very passionate about. Some of my hobbies include playing basketball, badminton, ping pong, and competitive dancing! I also love to travel the world and explore new places with my friends and family. As an emerging leader, I hope to develop my expansive nature of thinking fostered by the program’s interdisciplinary culture, which will allow me to further my passion as a global citizen in service to society. I want to construct my own education by growing on discovery and soft skills while capitalizing on the program’s offer to give me the personally transformative freedom to guide my life’s trajectory as a well-rounded aspiring physician.