KKI[:en]

CO-PRESIDENTS

 

Lynn-Chi Nguyen | HEAL/NEUR/MDHM ’25

2023-24 Co-President, Shift Leader

Hi! My name is Lynn-Chi, and I’m a shift leader and your 2023-24 Co-President! I’m originally from New Orleans, LA and am a junior majoring in Health Sciences, minoring in Medical Humanities. I joined PDI to broaden my knowledge and learn how to close the health disparity gap through service and education. Specifically, I found a passion for making patients feel more comfortable through providing them with valuable information and lending a helping, approachable hand. Outside of PDI, I love baking, meeting new people, and being involved in my residential college, Baker!

Khondker Salim | BIOS ’24

2023-2024 Co-President, Shift Leader

Hello, everyone! I’m Salim, and it’s truly an honor to serve as a shift leader and your Co-President for the 2023-24 term. I’m currently a senior at Hanszen majoring in Biosciences. My personal journey, which included periods of being uninsured and struggling to navigate the often confusing healthcare system, motivated me to join PDI and provide support to patients at Ben Taub who may be facing similar challenges. Before taking on the role of Co-President, I had the privilege of serving as the Recruitment Co-Head for two years—an experience that I found incredibly rewarding as it allowed me to bring in fantastic new volunteers. I’ve genuinely cherished every moment spent on my shifts at Ben Taub, connecting patients with valuable social resources. In my leisure time, I enjoy weightlifting, cooking, painting, and spending time in the great outdoors!

SHIFT LEADERS & COMMITTEE HEADS

 

Nikhil Mummaneni | CSCI/SPAN ’25

2023-24 Recruitment Co-Head

Hi! My name is Nikhil, and I am a Junior at McMurtry majoring in Cognitive Sciences with a minor in Spanish and Portuguese. I am passionate about health policy and helping non-native speakers navigate the healthcare system. I joined PDI to improve patients’ healthcare experiences while learning more about social determinants of health. In my free time, I love to try new foods and golf.

 

Karen Zheng | BIOS ’25

2023-24 Recruitment Co-Head

Hi! I’m Karen Zheng, a junior at Baker College majoring in Cell Bio and Genetics. I joined PDI to directly help and learn firsthand about the shortcomings of our healthcare systems so that I can be a culturally competent provider in the future. I am passionate about helping PDI grow and positively impacting the people we meet! My hobbies include volleyball, art, and lion dance.

 

Elizabeth Pan | KINE ’25

2023-24 Research Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hello! My name is Liz, and I’m the Research Committee Co-Head and a shift leader for PDI. I’m a junior at Sid Rich college majoring in Sports Medicine & Exercise Physiology. I joined PDI to learn more about ways to mitigate the complex social issues and healthcare disparities faced by patients in the Houston area. In my free time I enjoy exploring new restaurants, running, and relaxing with friends.

Abhinav Madduri | BIOS/NEURO “24

2023-2024 Research Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hey everyone! I’m Abhinav and I will be serving as both a shift leader and as one of the research committee co-heads this next year for PDI. I joined PDI to better understand the complex relationship between social determinants of health and patient outcomes, and my time in the organization has helped me develop the skills needed to holistically approach and tackle pressing issues in healthcare as a future physician! In my free time, I love to play violin, watch action movies, and try out coffee shops and restaurants in the Houston area.

 

Aubrey Cui | BIOS/KINE ’24

2023-24 Volunteer Education Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hey! I’m Aubrey, a senior from Duncan studying Biochemistry and Sports Medicine. I love working with PDI because I get to learn about how social determinants of health impact patient outcomes and how I can empower patients to mitigate these negative effects. As a shift leader and volunteer educator coordinator, I’m excited to equip PDI members to fully serve and learn from our patient population. In my free time, I like to exercise or watch anime.

 

Eunbi Chung | SOPA/BIOS ’26

2023-24 Healthy Policy Committee Head

Hello! My name is Eunbi Chung, and I am a sophomore from Lovett majoring in Social Policy Analysis on the pre-med track. As one of the Co-Heads of the Health Policy Committee, I work to host the annual Health Policy Hackathon and Health Policy Week at Rice. Outside of PDI, you can find me hanging around the RMC with Chaus in hand, lifting at the rec, or working at Fondy!

Amna Sidiq | SOPA ’24

2023-2024 Health Policy Commitee Head

Hey guys! My name is Amna Sidiq, and I am a senior at Duncan studying Social Policy Analysis on the pre-med track. My interests include equitable health policy and understanding health disparities especially in Texas patient populations. Outside of working on the Health Policy committee, I love visiting new coffee shops in Houston and going on walks!

Sydney Lagard | BIOS/MDHM/AAAS ’26

2023-24 Shift Leader

Hi! I’m Sydney, and I’m super excited to be a Shift Leader this year! I’m currently a sophomore majoring in the Biosciences and double minoring in African and African American Studies and Medical Humanities. I joined PDI during the fall of my freshman year as a result of my passion for better understanding and resolving healthcare disparities. In my free time, I love exploring museums, doing anything art related, and binge-watching reality TV!

Ananya Srivastava | BIOS and PSYC’24

2023-2024 Co-Webmaster, Shift Leader

Hi everyone! I’m Ananya, and I’m a webmaster and shift leader for PDI. I’m a senior at Duncan double majoring in Biosciences and Psychology and minoring in Business. I am passionate about collaborating with my peers and inspiring healthcare professionals to address social determinants of health for underserved communities in an emergency department setting. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, acting, dancing, and watching Bollywood movies.

Leora Maksoud | BIOS/GLHT/SPAN ’25

2023-24 Co-Webmaster

Hey everyone! My name is Leora Maksoud, and I am currently a junior at Hanszen College. I joined PDI my freshman year because I have always been passionate about studying the social determinants of health and implementing methods to expand access to resources such as health insurance, housing, food, and transportation. I know that PDI shares this same mission with the goal of improving patient outcomes and long-term well-being. In my free time I love watching movies, singing karaoke with friends, and trying new foods!

 

Aryana Suhartono | PSYC/ANTH/MDHM ’25

2023-24 Community Outreach Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hi everyone! My name is Aryana, and I am a junior at Hanszen studying Psychology, Medical Humanities, and Anthropology on the Pre-Health track. I am particularly interested in improving social and health equity in vulnerable populations, and I am excited to do so by gaining a better understanding of patient experiences through PDI. In my free time, I enjoy food blogging, playing Just Dance, and binging movies (especially horror)!

 

Cayla Xue | BIOS/HEAL/GLHT ’26

2023-24 Community Outreach Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hi! My name is Cayla, and I am a sophomore at Sid interested in healthcare and public health. I love being a part of PDI because of our focus on working with underserved communities, providing excellent patient care, and promoting health and socioeconomic equity. This year I’m excited to be serving as a shift leader and the co-head of the Community Outreach committee. In my free time I love thrifting, taking photos, and biking/hiking!

 

George Tataris | BIOS/MDHM/SPAN ’26

2023-24 Shift Leader

Hey y’all! My name is George and I am a sophomore at Wiess. I am majoring in Biosciences and minoring in Spanish and Medical Humanities. I love playing basketball and cooking on my free time. I have a passion for cross-cultural communication in medical settings, something that PDI provides me the ability to explore. I can’t wait to meet y’all!

 

Colin Wei | SOCI ’24

2022-23 Shift Leader

Hello! My name is Colin Wei and I’m a Junior at Sid Richardson College. I’m currently majoring in Sociology and originally from Dallas. I joined PDI since it lets us explore various social issues in Houston and medicine. Outside of PDI, I enjoy eating, breaks, and my residential college.

 

Maanvi Thawani | BIOS/HEAL ’24

2022-2023 Presence Committee Co-Head, Shift Leader

Hi guys! My name is Maanvi Thawani and I’m the Presence Committee head for this year! I’m a junior at Hanszen college majoring in Biosciences and Health Sciences. I got involved with PDI in my freshman year because I really wanted to understand the specific problems with healthcare access within and beyond the hospital, and I thought the best way to do so was by supporting and interacting with patients directly. I hope to continue working towards my goal by building a community within PDI and hearing everyone’s unique stories. In my free time, I enjoy playing squash, volunteering with Camp Kesem, and exploring new restaurants. I look forward to working with you all!

Stephanie Agu | BIOS/HEAL/PLST ’25

2022-23 Presence Committee Co-Head

Hello! My name is Stephanie Agu and I am the presence co-committee leader for the 2022-2023 school year. I joined PDI because I have a passion for health policy and its intersection with race and gender. I thought PDI was the perfect place to explore my public health career interests, and it has given me a lot of newfound knowledge in the field. On campus, you can usually find me hanging out with friends, casually strolling to class, or taking my frequent naps in the Fondren library!

 

Anish Attarde | BIOS/KINE/MDHM ’25

2022-23 Expansion Committee Head, Shift Leader

Hello! I’m Anish Attarde and I am a sophomore at Lovett College studying Biosciences: Cell Biology and Genetics, and Sports Medicine. I deeply value being able to serve the Houston community through PDI and am passionate about working with underserved populations in an effort to address discrepancies that exist in healthcare between social groups. My work in the ED over the course of the past year has given me a chance to develop patient connections and understand the immense challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Outside of PDI, I am involved in Ophthalmological research, Houston Empowering Refugees, and serve as a Peer Academic Advisor. In my free time you can find me biking around campus, playing basketball, or finding new places to eat out around Houston!

Sebastian Spataro | BIOS/KINE ’26

2023-2024 Expansion Commitee Head

Hi, I’m Sebastian Spataro – a Sophomore in Hanszen College studying Biosciences and Health Sciences. Currently, I work as a research fellow in the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the Wharton School. While doing so, I leverage data to evaluate gaps in services and outreach for gynecologic cancer care in the tri-state area (PA, NJ, and DE) and explore population-based disparities in enrollment into gynecologic cancer clinical trials at the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems (UPHS). Also, I examine the prevalence and characteristics of comprehensive pain management for chronic low back pain in the context of the opioid epidemic using a national sample of insurance claims. With my mentor, we also evaluate how the economic anatomy (i.e., cost sharing, copays, coinsurance rates, and insurance plan deductibles) of the US healthcare system affects pain care access, to ultimately develop insurance-driven intervention strategies. I am serving as the Expansion Committee Head for Baylor College of Medicine’s Patient discharge initiative. In my free time, I enjoy reading philosophical books, playing competitive golf, cooking, dancing salsa, jogging, getting to know people, and listening to music.

 

Nayeli Shad | BIOS ’24

2023-2024 Shift Manager

Hi, I’m Nayeli, a senior from Brown College studying Biosciences. I joined PDI because I want to promote health equity not just through research and policy but on the ground. I spend most of my time listening to Taylor Swift, writing for the Rice Thresher, or watching video essays about famous movies.

Ana Letca | BIOS ’26

2023-2024 Treasurer, Shift Leader

Hello! I’m Ana, and I am a shift leader and 2023-24 Treasurer. I am a sophomore from Jones majoring in Biosciences, and I am originally from Seattle, WA. In my free time, I like to hike, watch tennis, and rock-climb. Volunteering with PDI has been a fantastic experience–I enjoy getting to know patients and working to increase healthcare access in the Houston community. I encourage anyone interested in PDI to get involved!

Giancarlo Valenzuela | BIOS ’25

2023-2024 Shift Leader

Hello! My name is Giancarlo Valenzuela. I am a junior at Will Rice College majoring in Cell Biology and Genetics. Since a young age, I have witnessed firsthand the disparities in access to healthcare and the impact it can have on individuals in the community. Volunteering in the ED and participating in community projects with PDI has allowed me to keep on pursuing my passion for serving disadvantaged communities and working towards a more equitable healthcare system.

Milton Nguyen | KINE ’26

2023-2024 Shift Leader

Hi! I’m Milton, and I am a sophomore at Wiess College majoring in Health Sciences. I am very passionate about incorporating a public health approach into healthcare delivery and developing a more holistic view of health. I am looking forward to working this year as a Shift Leader for PDI and helping to mentor new members. In my free time, I really enjoy exploring Houston through running and cycling.

Esha Shenoy | KINE ’25

2023-2024 Shift Leader

Hi! My name is Esha and I am an incoming shift leader 🙂 I joined PDI to determine how the social determinants of health impact patients and the healthcare system. Through volunteering, I was able to gain insight through invaluable patient and staff interaction. In my free time, I enjoy baking, spending time in nature, and painting.

Olivia Chang | KINE ’26

2023-2024 Shift Leader

Hi everyone! My name is Olivia, and I am serving as a shift leader for PDI this year. I’m a sophomore at Martel studying Health Sciences and minoring in Medical Humanities with a language certificate in Spanish. I am grateful that PDI has allowed me to connect with a diverse patient population and learn more about improving health equity for underserved populations. Outside of PDI, I love composing music and playing board games with friends.

 

Alumni[:]