2024-2025 CHIP Alumni
Kesia Garibay is a Public Health PhD student at UC Merced. She received a B.A. in Public Health from UC Merced. Her research interests include the impact of health policy on underserved communities and understanding how policy addresses health disparities. Kesia is the 2020 recipient of the Future History Makers Award from HOPE.
Grace Lee is an MD candidate at UC Irvine. She grew up in Fullerton and received a B.S. in Biology from UCLA. Her research interests center on how diverse sociocultural factors impact community and individual health.
Hannah Yacoub is majoring in Nursing Science with a minor in Health Informatics at UCI. Her interests include health administration and community-based healthcare. She plans to pursue a career as a pediatric nurse practitioner.
Elyza Puerto majored in Psychology with a minor in Public Health (UCI 2024) and was part of the inaugural cohort of the UC PRIME Pre-Health Pathways (UCPPP) program. Elyza is a Patient Care Coordinator/ECM Lead Care Manager with Serene Health Group.
Zahra Amin majored in Public Health Policy (UCI 2024) and was in the Public Health Honors Research Program. Zahra is in a pre-health professions post-baccalaureate program at CSUF to prepare for an osteopathic medical degree to integrate public health and medical knowledge to low-income communities.
Nathalia Gomez majored in Public Health Policy with a minor in Health Informatics (UCI 2024). She participated in the UCI Public Health Honors Research Program and Campuswide Honors Collegium. She plans to pursue her MPH degree and work for a public health organization.
Kimberly Montanez worked on a collaborative project with Dr. Irene Yen (UC Merced) and the CHIP Lab through UROC – LAEP. She graduated from UC Merced in 2024 and intends to pursue an MPH.
Kemberly Aguilar is majoring in Public Health with a minor in Health Informatics and Medical Anthropology at UCI. Her career goal is to become a public health nurse and was part of the inaugural cohort of the UC PRIME Pre-Health Pathways (UCPPP) program.
2023-2024 CHIP Alumni
Kimberly Sánchez, MPH, is a Public Health PhD student at UC Merced. She received a triple B.A. in Spanish, Public Health, and Psychology at UC Merced and completed a Master’s in Public Health (MPH) at CSU Long Beach. She was awarded funding to conduct research on food insecurity among immigrants in California as a 2020 CARE-UC Fellow.
2022-2023 CHIP Alumni
Lynn Truong graduated with a major in Public Health Sciences and minor in Medical Anthropology at UCI. She plans to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner, with an emphasis on geriatrics and health administration.
Corbin Farias graduated with majors in Public Health and Psychology at UC Merced (2023). His interests include health policy and law, and health equity. He is pursuing graduate school to represent communities in the Central Valley.
2020-2021 CHIP Alumni
Jennifer Frehn, PhD, MPH, is a former Postdoctoral Scholar. She obtained an MPH (Community Health Sciences) from UCLA and a PhD in Health Policy from UC Berkeley. She is an AHRQ T-32 Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UCLA.
Luis Garay graduated with a major in Public Health from UCM (2021). He is enrolled in the UCSF School of Medicine Post-Baccalaureate Program and will apply to medical school in the future.
Vanessa Mora is an M.D. SJV PRIME program candidate at UCSF School of Medicine. She obtained a B.S. in Biological Sciences from UC Santa Barbara. She aspires to practice medicine and advocate for healthcare accessibility for Latinx communities in the Central Valley.
Neha Zahid, MPH, is a former Research Specialist. She received a double B.A. in Public Health and Molecular Biology, and an MPH (Public Health Nutrition) from UC Berkeley. She is a medical student at UCSF.
Arbab Alam majored in Public Health at UCM. His interests include learning how politics and health outcomes are intertwined and how policy interventions affect health disparities.
Jaerika Vega graduated with a major in Public Health from UCM (2021). Her interests include learning how health policy, community interventions, and media contribute to inequalities.
Lisa Vu graduated with a Public Health major and Political Science minor from UCM (2021). She interned for Congressman Jim Costa as a Maddy Institute Legislative Intern. She is an Intake Coordinator at Aveanna Healthcare with plans to pursue a MHA degree.
Daniel Navarro majored in Human Biology with Public Health & Psychology minors at UCM. His interests include minority health, health disparities, LGBTQ+ health, and primary care.
2019-2020 CHIP Alumni
Sophia Li graduated from UCM. She worked as an ambassador for the UC Global Health Institute’s Planetary Health Center.
Andgielika Sales graduated from UCM (2019). Andgie plans to return to the Philippines and use her education to improve the Public Health Department.
Jessica Hernandez is an undergraduate student majoring in Public Health at UCM. Jessica aspires to obtain a graduate degree in Health Administration or Public Health.
Jocelyn Acosta graduated with a BA in Public Health and minor in Professional Writing from UCM (2020). Jocelyn was a Cal-IHEA 2020 Health Equity Scholar.
Jennifer Cisneros graduated 
with a BA in Public Health from UCM (2021). She is pursuing an MPH with a focus on Epidemiology from SDSU.
Jesus Fraire graduated with a major in Public Health from UCM (2020) and has an A.A. degree from East Los Angeles College. He works as a CPR instructor at Crown Services in a Chiropractor’s office, and plans to pursue a career as a Physician’s Assistant.
Emily Rosas graduated with a BA in Public Health
from UCM (2020). She is a JD candidate at UC Hastings College of the Law and plans to pursue a career in the urban planning field.
Salvador Lopez graduated with a BA in Public Health from UCM (2019). He is a Clinical Research Coordinator at UC Davis.
2017-2018 CHIP Alumni
Maria Rivas graduated with a Public Health BA from UCM (2019). She completed an MPH in Health Policy and Management at UCLA.
Jovo Velasco, MHA, graduated with a Public Health BA and Psychology minor from UCM (2019). He earned a Master of Health Administration from USC (2021). He is a Regional Event Oversight Administrator in the Logistics Health Inc. division of Optum Care Solutions.
Akhila Yechuri graduated with a BA in Public Health from UCM (2018). She received a Fulbright- Nehru Research Award to conduct research on health disparities among Hindu and Muslim women.