Natalia Benitez is a Global and Community Health major in her final year at UC Santa Cruz. Initially a Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology student, she pivoted to GCH after recognizing the need for a more inclusive and community-focused approach to health, an experience that motivated her to graduate a year early.
Her work as a sexual health peer educator and SafeRide lead has deepened her commitment to equitable outreach, allowing her to connect directly with students and provide vital health resources through a culturally responsive lens. Influenced by her upbringing in East Oakland and her experiences translating for her Spanish-speaking grandparents in medical settings, Natalia is passionate about dismantling health disparities through education and empowerment. She draws on frameworks like the Community Cultural Wealth model to guide her work, combining academic knowledge with lived experience.
After graduation, she plans to take a gap year to expand her volunteer work before pursuing a graduate degree in public health, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, STI prevention, and harm reduction in underserved communities.
Sonia Chang is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Santa Cruz pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology. Her long-term goal is to become a Physician Assistant (PA) specializing in internal medicine. Sonia discovered the PA profession during her first year through the Aspiring Physician Assistant Association (APAA), where she now serves on the leadership team, guiding other pre-PA students and sharing the benefits of the profession’s flexibility and emphasis on work-life balance.
Currently working as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Sonia provides care to patients from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds—an experience that has reinforced the importance of cultural humility, empathy, and active listening in healthcare. Fluent in Mandarin, she is especially passionate about easing language barriers for patients, helping them feel more secure and supported in unfamiliar medical environments.
After graduating in Spring 2025, Sonia plans to take a gap year to deepen her clinical experience and continue building the interpersonal and cultural competence that will guide her in PA school and her future career.
Max Deneroff is a fourth-year Human Biology major at UC Santa Cruz, currently applying to medical school with the goal of becoming a physician dedicated to equitable, patient-centered care. His academic background includes coursework in biology, neuroscience, psychology, and global health, all of which have shaped his understanding of both the human body and the social factors that influence healthcare.
Max’s passion for medicine is rooted in hands-on clinical experience and leadership roles on campus. As a medical scribe for an orthopedic hand surgeon, he witnessed communication barriers firsthand, motivating him to study medical Spanish to better support diverse patient populations. On campus, he has served as a peer navigator, teacher’s assistant, and President of the Campus Minds Advocacy Club, advocating for mental health awareness and fostering inclusive support networks.
Committed to a holistic view of health, Max draws from experiences working with neurodiverse children, mentoring peers, and addressing health literacy disparities in underserved communities. With empathy, perseverance, and a deep understanding of the intersection between science and social impact, he is preparing to enter the medical field with a focus on compassionate and culturally competent care.
Ali Gutierrez-Esquivel is a senior at UC Santa Cruz, majoring in Global and Community Health. Her academic journey has provided her with an interdisciplinary lens for understanding public health through both social science and STEM frameworks. With a strong foundation in cultural competence, health justice, and community engagement, Ali is passionate about addressing health inequities, particularly those affecting children in marginalized communities like her own on the Central Coast of San Luis Obispo County.
Ali’s interests have been shaped by a combination of coursework, internships, and research experiences focused on systemic health disparities. She is especially committed to elevating children’s health outcomes through equitable public health solutions rooted in community partnerships and culturally informed practices. Her bilingualism and hands-on work have enabled her to engage with families directly and to advocate for inclusive, community-centered initiatives that reflect the lived experiences of those affected.
As she prepares for a gap year, Ali plans to explore opportunities in community health organizations and nonprofits where she can gain hands-on experience, refine her skills, and further assess her long-term path in public health. She aims to continue building partnerships with local schools and organizations, such as the YMCA, while pursuing sustainable solutions to both physical and mental health disparities.
MaryJane Gomez is a fourth-year Global and Community Health student at UC Santa Cruz, driven by a deep commitment to health equity shaped by personal experience. Through her coursework, MaryJane has explored the intersections of policy, public health, and healthcare delivery, building a strong foundation in both theory and practice.
At UCSC, she has contributed to a farmworker health research project where she trains promotores, or community health workers who serve as advocates and educators within their own communities. This hands-on work has affirmed her belief in the power of community-based care to foster long-term change.
MaryJane has also gained extensive clinical experience as a certified Emergency Medical Technician. During a gap year, she served as a 911 first responder with American Ambulance in Fresno, California, where she developed skills in high-stakes communication, rapid assessment, and trauma response. Currently, she works at a sobering center in Santa Cruz, providing care in a setting that emphasizes harm reduction and prevention, reinforcing her understanding of how compassionate, responsive healthcare can transform outcomes.
Her goal is to attend medical school and specialize in emergency medicine or trauma surgery. She hopes to bring together clinical expertise and a nuanced understanding of health systems to advocate for policies that reduce systemic barriers and improve care for underserved populations.
Roxanna Hernandez is a first-generation college student whose path through higher education has been guided by resilience, purpose, and a strong commitment to community well-being. After earning seven associate degrees at community college, she is currently pursuing a B.A. in Global and Community Health with a focus on epidemiology and sexual health.
As a member of the Winter 2025 Global and Community Health task force, Roxanna researched the health impacts of climate change on migrant farmworkers. This work sharpened her skills in public health analysis, collaborative problem-solving, and policy research. It also deepened her understanding of environmental justice and the importance of culturally competent care. She studied the role of community health workers, in bridging gaps between healthcare systems and marginalized communities.
Looking ahead, Roxanna plans to pursue a career as a firefighter, combining her public health training with a dedication to emergency response and community service. This path will allow her to respond directly to urgent needs while applying a public health lens to address broader social and environmental challenges. Long-term, she aims to earn a Master’s in Public Health from UC San Diego, focusing on disease prevention, environmental health, and emergency preparedness.
Jade Jaca is a first-generation college student pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology at UC Santa Cruz. Her journey into healthcare has been shaped by resilience, adaptability, and a deep passion for both science and service. Her coursework has sharpened her analytical thinking, while her hands-on experience as a dental assistant has allowed her to apply theoretical knowledge in clinical settings.
As she prepares for the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and dental school, she remains committed to delivering care that blends clinical expertise with empathy and cultural awareness. Her internships at Salud Para La Gente and Dientes Community Dental Care have been instrumental in shaping her understanding of health disparities. She has witnessed how socioeconomic factors, language barriers, and low health literacy affect patient outcomes. These experiences have reinforced her belief that dental care must be personalized, accessible, and grounded in cultural humility.
Looking forward, Jade is excited to pursue dental school and eventually establish a practice that prioritizes inclusive, equitable, and compassionate care. She is especially committed to lifelong learning, not only in staying current with evolving dental technologies and practices but also in continually adapting to the diverse needs of her patients. For Jade, dentistry is a lifelong commitment to both clinical excellence and human connection—an intersection where she knows she can make a lasting impact.
Molly O’Dea is a third-year student at the UC Santa Cruz, pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology. Molly’s academic foundations have equipped her with essential scientific knowledge and skills. Upper-division coursework in molecular biology, genetics, and cell biology has strengthened her critical thinking, analytical ability, and perseverance. Through lab work and group projects, she has also refined her collaboration and communication skills.
Molly’s enthusiasm for dentistry has grown through shadowing experiences in five different dental offices, where she observed procedures across specialties including general dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, and endodontics.
These immersive opportunities allowed her to interact with patients, analyze X-rays, and gain insight into the day-to-day realities of clinical practice. They also sharpened her ability to communicate effectively, build trust with patients, and approach care with empathy and adaptability. Following graduation, she plans to take a gap year to gain hands-on experience as a dental assistant before applying to dental school.
Maria Nunez Magana is a fourth-year student at UC Santa Cruz, pursuing a B.A. in Global and Community Health.
Maria’s academic studies have been enriched by hands-on clinical experiences and community health initiatives. Through an internship that included clinical hours, she gained valuable insight into the responsibilities of nursing and learned to thrive in fast-paced environments while providing patient-centered support. She also participated in a promotora training program, educating farmworker communities about the health risks posed by climate change. This work deepened her understanding of environmental justice and the systemic barriers that affect healthcare access.
Looking ahead, Maria is determined to continue growing as both a healthcare provider and an advocate. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master’s in Nursing to become a registered nurse and eventually a nurse practitioner, with the goal of delivering compassionate and accessible care to underserved communities both locally and globally.
Abhijeet Paluru is a fourth-year student at UC Santa Cruz, double majoring in Politics and Global & Community Health. His research experiences have significantly shaped his understanding of global and local health challenges. He has contributed to a project analyzing malnutrition and environmental enteric dysfunction in children from rural Bangladesh, as well as a task force report examining how climate change affects the health of migrant farmworkers in California’s Central Valley.
Outside of research, Abhijeet is an active advocate for human rights and policy reform. As a canvasser with Amnesty International, he helped lead outreach efforts to build support for reproductive rights in the wake of the fall of Roe v. Wade. This work sharpened his communication and leadership skills, while reinforcing his belief in grassroots activism as a powerful catalyst for social change.
Looking ahead, Abhijeet plans to pursue a career in law, specializing in healthcare policy and reform. His goal is to address the root causes of healthcare disparities by influencing legislative change and advocating for systems that prioritize equity over profit. Through a legal lens, he hopes to advance public policy that ensures healthcare is not a privilege, but a right accessible to all.
Jordan Sitea is an undergraduate student at UC Santa Cruz, pursuing a B.S. in Global and Community Health with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences. She is actively engaged in research at the Lee Lab, where she investigates the molecular mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease using Drosophila models. This work has sharpened her scientific thinking and deepened his interest in translational medicine. Alongside her academic research, Jordan works as a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).
In 2023, Jordan expanded her global health perspective through the UC Education Abroad Program, conducting field research on Chagas Disease and Dengue Fever in rural Cuajiniquil, Costa Rica. Studying disease vectors and local public health responses in a resource-limited setting deepened his understanding of health disparities and further fueled his passion for equitable care.
Upon returning from Costa Rica, Jordan discovered a deep passion for scientific communication. Recognizing the need to make public health knowledge more accessible, she founded and now serves as Editor-in-Chief of the UCSC Journal of Social Medicine, the campus’s first peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal focused on health equity and the social determinants of health.
Jordan will be continuing her education at Johns Hopkins University, where she will pursue a Master of Health Administration (MHA) at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Her long-term goal is to work in primary care settings, improving healthcare delivery systems and expanding access to essential services for underserved populations.
Isabella Thiara is a fourth-year Human Biology major at UC Santa Cruz. She began her academic career with the intention of pursuing nursing, but her path evolved as she explored new areas within the biological sciences.
A pivotal experience came during a study abroad program in Brazil, where she conducted toxicology research and engaged with Indigenous communities exposed to environmental contaminants. Witnessing firsthand how toxic chemical exposure disproportionately affects low-income populations ignited her passion for the field of toxicology and its intersection with public health. This experience not only deepened her scientific curiosity but also strengthened her commitment to addressing environmental health disparities.
Looking ahead, Isabella plans to pursue a career in toxicology with a focus on environmental justice and public health. She is driven by a desire to advocate for communities most affected by toxic exposure and to contribute to research and policy that promotes health equity around the world.
Bailey Thompson is a third-year undergraduate student at UC Santa Cruz, pursuing a B.S. in Human Biology and a B.A. in Spanish Studies. With a strong foundation in both the life sciences and language, Bailey is deeply interested in exploring the ways in which socioeconomic and environmental factors shape human health at molecular, individual, and community levels.
Bailey’s academic journey has been marked by a multidisciplinary approach. Courses such as Environmental Health Science, Biochemistry, and Research Deconstruction have allowed her to critically engage with public health issues, scientific literature, and environmental exposures that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
Her work in the Chamorro-García Lab, which studies the transgenerational impacts of environmental exposures through epigenetic research, has deepened her commitment to understanding health through a broad, intersectional lens.
She plans to graduate in June 2025 and is considering either a Master’s in Education or a gap year working as an EMT while preparing for medical school.
Lacie Tupper is a passionate advocate for holistic health, community care, and body autonomy. As a full-spectrum doula and founder of Graceful Transitions Doula Care, Lacie is committed to creating empowering and supportive environments for birthing individuals. Through attentive listening, intentional touch, and accessible education, they ensure their clients feel respected, informed, and deeply cared for throughout every stage of their birthing journey. They seek to help others reconnect with intuitive wisdom as a source of strength and guidance.
Currently, Lacie serves as the Global and Community Health Communications and Event Coordinator, where they bring creativity and collaboration to life. In this role, they are curating a media kit for the upcoming Health Justice Photo Exhibit and spearheading “The Body Speaks: Immersive Practices in Alternative Medicine,” an event series exploring alternative and reproductive health through experiential learning.
Diya Verma is a senior at UC Santa Cruz, pursuing a double major in Global and Community Health and Politics. With a deep-rooted passion for public service and culturally sensitive care, Diya is committed to becoming a physician who champions holistic, preventive, and equitable healthcare for underserved communities across California. Her academic and professional journey is shaped by a strong interdisciplinary foundation, cultural competence, and an enduring interest in psychiatry and gynecology.
As Co-President of UCSC’s MEDLIFE chapter, Diya has led medical service trips to rural communities in Peru and Ecuador, with plans to expand to Costa Rica. Beyond her pre-medical work, Diya’s involvement with the UCSC Climate Coalition ignited her interest in the intersection of environmental justice and public health.
Diya’s short-term goals include earning a Master of Public Health (MPH) and attending an osteopathic medical school. In the long term, she aspires to practice holistic medicine while collaborating with public health professionals to advocate for culturally informed, community-centered care. She brings to this path strong leadership and collaboration skills, as well as a global outlook on health justice.