Sanjoli Agarwal is a third-year medical student at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg, VA. Prior to attending medical school, she graduated with a Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Global Health from George Mason University. Sanjoli is very passionate about public health and health advocacy and hopes to integrate these principles in her medical practice. In addition to VADTAD, Sanjoli also serves as a Medical Student Representative on the Board of Trustees for the American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine. When she’s not studying, Sanjoli enjoys volunteering at the local animal shelter, photography, trying new recipes, and spending time with her friends.

Iain Encarnacion is a third-year medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) in Norfolk, VA. He is particularly passionate about sexual and gender diverse (SGD) health, as well as racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare. He aims to bring awareness to healthcare issues affecting these marginalized communities with the hopes of improving research and cultural humility, and ultimately working towards equitable access to care for these groups. In addition to VADTAD, Iain currently serves as a Student Advisory Board Member for VisualDx. He was also previously a committee member for the American Medical Association Medical Student Standing Committee on LGBTQ+ Affairs. When he’s not studying, Iain enjoys cooking great food for his friends and family, traveling, and watching anime.

Darya Mirebrahimi is a second-year medical student at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine (VCUSOM) in Richmond, VA. She wants to explore advocacy within all medical specialities because of her desire to increase healthcare accessibility and education to people from all walks of life. She honors the privilege to be able to work with vulnerable populations as a future physician and aims to create a safe and comfortable space for all patients. In addition to VADTAD, Darya was the Vice President of Internal Affairs at her American Medical Association (AMA) / Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) school chapter and sits on the AMA Women in Medicine Standing Committee. In her free time, Darya enjoys traveling, dancing, singing, and playing songs on the guitar.

Madeline is a third year student at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-VA) in Blacksburg, VA. Upon graduation from Lafayette College, Madeline earned her M.B.A. degree in Healthcare Management from the California University of Pennsylvania while working as a Chief Scribe in the Emergency Department of three different hospitals in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Her time as a scribe truly solidified her love for patient-centered medicine. She hopes to bring her passion for equity and advocacy to her own patients one day! Madeline serves as an Honor Code Council member and a Student Ambassador for the International Association of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Network. Outside of school, she loves to go hiking with her husband, spend time with friends, exercise, and play with her sweet cat, Chester!

Ashley Jahed is a third year student at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine- Virginia Campus. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology and Physiology and a minor in Hearing and Speech Sciences. After the completion of her undergraduate education, Ashley worked as a technician for Cumberland Valley Retina Consultants where she was able to work with four physicians to provide care to patients in underserved areas throughout Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Ashley is passionate about providing equitable and holistic care to all patients. Outside of school Ashley loves to walk dogs at the local animal shelter and workout at the gym!

Nivitha Periyapatna is a first-year medical student at Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM) in Lynchburg, VA. While working toward an MPH at the University of Pittsburgh, she found a passion for advocacy and hopes to work to increase access to care and improve health education. In addition to VADTAD, Nivitha serves as the first-year representative for her American Medical Association (AMA) / Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) / Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association (VOMA) school chapter and for her National Osteopathic Women’s Physicians Association (NOWPA) school chapter. In her free time, she likes spending time with her friends, dancing, and traveling.

Kayla Tran is a second-year medical student at VCU School of Medicine in Richmond, VA. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Cognitive Science. Before starting medical school, she was a dermatology medical assistant, which sparked her initial interest in the specialty. Her current and past volunteer interests focus on working with vulnerable and underserved populations through endeavors such as nutrition education, food accessibility, and resources for women in crisis. Through her work, her passion for advocacy aims towards learning how to amplify the voices of those who have gone unheard and unseen. She currently serves as President of the Students Fighting Human Trafficking SIG. In her free time, she loves reading, baking sweet goodies for her friends, and exploring yummy food near and far.

Alexis (Allie) Swift is a second-year medical student at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, VA. She completed her undergraduate education in Biochemistry at the University of Mary Washington Honors Program. She has served as the Vice President of her school’s Dermatology Student Interest Group and is pursuing research in the Pharmacology and Toxicology Department regarding post-operative and chronic pain. She is passionate about advocating for vulnerable populations and currently volunteers with the Richmond YWCA serving survivors of intimate partner violence. Outside of school, her hobbies include crocheting, running, and spending time with her husband and two cats.

Grace Yi is a second year medical student at EVMS in Norfolk, VA. She graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in biology in 2019 and from Loyola University Chicago with an M.S. in Medical Physiology in 2021. During her first gap year, she worked as a scribe for a Mohs surgeon, sparking her interest in dermatology. She then pursued prostate cancer research at Kerscher Lab at EVMS. Although she is still exploring other specialities, she is especially looking forward to learning more about pediatric dermatology. In addition, her other interests include bouldering, going to concerts, and playing board games.

Cosette is a first-year medical student at VCOM-VA. She studied Chemical Biology and Science Communication at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. As a member of VADTAD, she hopes to promote accessibility and diversity in medicine, as well as encourage health care professionals to be more involved in advocacy. Before medical school, Cosette was a medical scribe in the emergency room and a medicinal chemistry research assistant, where she developed novel molecules for chemotherapy and antibiotics. She was also the founder and Editor-In-Chief of her school’s medical newsletter and a research assistant for a STEM education research center. At VCOM, Cosette is the Vice President of her school’s American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians chapter and is also doing research on the vaginal microbiome. In her free time, Cosette enjoys cooking, working out, Formula One, and fashion!

Emily Sheetz is a first year medical student at Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, VA. She graduated from Old Dominion University with a double major in Biology and Exercise Science. Prior to starting medical school, Emily completed a 2-year Medical Master's program, where she took classes such as anatomy, pharmacology, and gastrointestinal disease alongside first year medical students. Afterwards, she worked as a medical laser technician, focusing on specialized care for patients with urological disease and manifestations. Emily is currently organizing a 5K run/walk dedicated to raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention. She is passionate about education surrounding this topic. She also is extremely passionate about dermatology, and is enjoying expanding her knowledge in the field. She is currently serving as the dermatology clinic coordinator for EVMS’ student run clinic and as the Co-President of the Dermatology Interest Group. In her free time, she enjoys running, playing soccer, taking care of her two rescue pups, and finding out which restaurant in town has the best ramen!

Elle Rosenbaum is a third-year student at VCU School of Medicine. She graduated from Christopher Newport University with a B.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Before medical school she worked as a pharmacy technician and server while volunteering as a medical interpreter, inspiring her to advocate for equitable and accessible care despite socioeconomic or cultural barriers. Elle is passionate about providing holistic,integrative care to patients that simultaneously addresses mental and physical health, a mindset that she is excited to bring into her service as a current member of the US Air Force. Outside of school, Elle enjoys cooking, going to the gym, spending time with family, and watching an excessive amount of stand-up comedy.

Meg Mercante is a first-year student at UVA School of Medicine. She received her BA from Vanderbilt University with a major in Medicine, Health, and Society and a minor in Art History. At UVA, she serves as an executive board member of the Virginia Wellness Initiative, a group that organizes free health screenings around Charlottesville, and as secretary of the Association of Women’s Surgeons chapter of UVA. She is also a fundraising chair for her medical school class. To further her dermatology interests, she is involved in research on Hidradenitis Suppurativa outside of the classroom and sustains a patient-student partnership with an HS patient in the UVA dermatology clinic. Meg has had the opportunity to volunteer with many organizations in Charlottesville and enjoys using her passions for health, fitness, and cooking to volunteer for organizations including Special Olympics, AccessMed, and Cooking for a Cause. Meg also loves travel and had the recent opportunity to lead highschoolers on a summer expedition to Iceland. Meg is passionate about health policy and global health and is looking forward to working with the VADTAD team and learning from experts in the dermatology field.