Public Health Advocacy Cohorts
Since 2018, we have connected over 147 medical, dental, and masters of health administration students from both the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses with physician and dentist mentors and supported them to build their advocacy skills as they engage in their public health area of interest. Below, find information on each year’s cohort of medical student fellows, their mentors and their advocacy topic of interest.
2023-2024 Cohort
Briana Clifton-Hassan, MS3
Nicole Chaisson, MD, MPH
Gender affirming reproductive justice especially for marginalized communities
Christina Lan, MS3
Sofi Ali, MD, MPH
Working with FQHCs and community health workers to support communities most impacted by structural racism
Claire Collins, MS3
Tom Kottke, MD, MSPH, FACC, FAHA
Lung health, commercial tobacco prevention and cessation support
Dominique Earland, MS2 MD/PhD
Beth Thielen, MD, PhD
Recruitment and retention of students of color in medicine and public health
Fatma Diefalla, Dental School Year 4
Sheila Riggs, DDS, MS, DMSc
Increasing access to dental care in underserved communities
Hannah Maher, MS2
Hannah Lichtsinn, MD
Research as an advocacy tool for reproductive health and sickle cell disease
Ifrah Noor, Masters of Health Administration, Year 2
Taj Mustapha, MD
Equitable healthcare and safety across systems
Kamar Abdullahi, MS2
Angela Vong, MD
Patient education and communications for surgery for immigrant communities
Kimberly Clinch, MS2
Aarti Bhatt, MD
Community-oriented housing and reproductive justice
Nick Badhwa, MS4
Kristina Krohn, MD
Equitable care for immigrant and refugee communities
Paige Hill, MS2
Kate Shafto, MD, FAAP, FACP
Community health and policy work within the field of integrative medicine
Quyen Coro Nguyen, Dental School Year 4
Katie Freeman, MD
Patient education and navigation for immigrants & veterans
Saahiti Denduluri, MS1
Janna Gerwitz O’Brien, MD, MPH
Reproductive and sexual health for adolescent girls and physical health for girls of color
Sey Lee, MS1
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Systems-based changes to ensure our healthcare system fully takes care of everyone
Tasneem Issa, MS2
Viviane Tchonang Leuche, MD
Increasing healthcare accessibility through mobile health clinics and community workshops
2023-2024 Cohort
Hani Abi, MS2
Tom Kottke, MD
Education as a social determinant of health; specifically for immigrant communities and communities of color
Fatuma Adan, MS2
Naheed Murad, MD, MPH
Culturally appropriate care for substance use disorder; access to care for marginalized populations
Haley Brahmbhatt, MS2
Ed Ehlinger, MD, MSPH
Immigrant and refugee health with a focus on women’s health
Hugh Burke, MS3
Maria Veronica Svetaz, MD, MPH and Madeline McNeil, BFA
Using art as a public health tool; Latinx health and immigration
Jada Dawson, MS1
Abbe Penziner-Bokde, MD
Improving provider/patient relationships through health education and increased accessibility for patients
Hailey Frye, MS2
Access to care for individuals with rare chronic conditions
Sruthi Shankar, MD*
Bella Green, MS2 MD-PhD candidate
Matt Kruse, MD
Advocating for policies that address psychosocial and relational support for people who are experiencing homelessness and people who use drugs and/or alcohol
Shanice Harris, MS3
Chris Reif, MD, MPH and Sally Jeon, BA*
Healing, strengthening, and restoring trust between healthcare providers and communities who have been historically mistreated by the healthcare system through the arts, community engagement and trauma informed care
Mary McConville, MS2
Siri Fiebirger, MD
Supporting unrestricted access to reproductive health
Laurel Neufeld, MS2
Katie Freeman, MD
Addressing weight bias in medicine, increasing access to reproductive healthcare
Josie O’Donnell, MS2
Deb Thorp, MD
LGBTQ+ access to care
Koushik Paul, MS3
Jim Hart, MD
Addressing health disparities by supporting single payer healthcare
Heba Sandozi, MS2
Aarti Bhatt, MD
Narrowing gaps for children and adolescents in both healthcare and education; increasing access for immigrant and refugee patients
Elli Schwartz, MS2 MD-PhD candidate
Laalitha Surapaneni, MD, MPH
Impact of climate change and built environment on health
Kevin Zhan, MS2 MD-PhD candidate
Andrea Singh, MD
Food accessibility and food insecurity post-pandemic
*Sruthi Shankar, MD and Sally Jeon, BA are both Public Health Advocacy Fellowship alumni.
2022-2023 Cohort
Salman Ali, MS2
Tom Kottke, MD
Addressing the achievement gap in education in MN; improving health
outcomes for immigrant communities
Johanna Back, MS3
Angela Vong, MD
Addressing racism affecting AANHPI community
Sara Bohjanen, MS2
Nicole Chaisson, MD
Expanding reproductive and sexual health care; comprehensive sexual health that is queer-inclusive and culturally sensitive
Sara Busche, MS2
Jessica Hane, MD
SDOH and racisms’ impact on health of marginalized communities
Seah Buttar, MS3
Jim Hart, MD
Health disparities, public insurance, standardization of care research and patient education
Rachel Gallagher, MS4
Deb Thorp, MD
Accessibility and impact of quality primary care for LGBTQIA+ patients; gender affirming care
Allen Gao, MS2
Lynne Ogawa, MD
Healthcare access for older/aging immigrant populations and end of life care
Sina Golzarian, MS4
Matt Kruse, MD
Addressing racial disparities in opioid overdose deaths
Ribhav Gupta, MS3
Etienne Djevi, MD
Addressing gaps in care for refugee populations with a focus on infectious disease and preventative care
Nick Hable, MS2
Gary Oftedahl, MD
Working with Community Health Workers to create a more sustainable model of care
Miranda Harris, MS2
Lynne Ogawa, MD
Leveraging communal and cultural spaces for public health education
Austin Hoeg, MS2
Andrea Singh, MD
Food security & nutrition; food sovereignty for Indigenous communities
David Immen, MS4
Bill Walsh, MD
Public housing as a SDOH
Sally Jeon, MS3
Chris Reif, MD
Trauma-informed, healing-centered approach to address medical intersection with SDOH; incarceration, homelessness, political or financial insecurity, immigration, and identity-based stigma
Ryan Johnson, MS3
Dennis Cross, MD
Addressing inequities in palliative and end-of-life care
Krystina Kalland, MS4
Siri Fiebiger, MD
Supporting unrestricted access to safe abortion and reproductive health
Allison Leopold, MS2
Tyler Winkelman, MD
SUD and it's intersection with homelessness, racism, incarceration and policing
Stephanie Madzey, MS3
Karen Jankowski, MD
Refugee/immigrant access to care & culturally appropriate care
Carly Miller, MS2
Federico Rossi, MD
Intersection of climate change and racial justice
Susan Molina, MS3
Calla Brown, MD
Improving access and quality of care for Latinx migrant communities
Heather Nelson, MS2
Laurel Cederberg, MD
Increasing vision screening in schools to improve academic success
Brandon O'Connor, MS4
Aarti Bhatt, MD
Homelessness, specifically its impact on children
Ayomide Ojebuoboh, MS2
Tseganesh Selameab, MD
Storytelling to bring healing and justice to Black and immigrant communities
Austen Ott, MS2
Dave Bucher, MD
Increasing access to LGBTQ+ competent primary and preventative care in rural communities, especially for transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming patients
Abagail Raiter, MS2
Josh Chapman, MD
Improving access and quality of care for individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities
Vineet Raman, MS2
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Improving access for un/under-documented immigrants specifically LEP patients; expanding collaboration with Community Health Workers
Sarah Rasmussen, MS2
Laalitha Surapaneni, MD
Public health impacts of climate change
Kelly Reger, MS3
Hope Pogemiller, MD
Increasing access for refugee and immigrant patients.
Heena Shah, MS2
Tom Kottke, MD
Gynecologic health advocacy to underserved communities in Twin Cities
Lyndel Sorenson, MS2
Andrea Westby, MD
Early childhood investments including daycare, preschool access); rural EMS funding; reproductive justice)
Lauren Vasilakos, MS2
Janna Gewirtz O'Brien, MD
Youth experiencing homelessness; eating disorders
Nico Villarraga, MS3
Sakina Naqvi, MD
Increasing representation in medicine
Caryn Wolter, MS2
Hannah Lichtsinn, MD
Health literacy, access, and healthcare reform
Sarah Zaghouani, MS2 MD/PhD
Nasreen Quadri, MD
Increasing access for refugee/internally displaced/immigrant patients.
Shannon Zhou, MS2
Abbe Penziner-Bodke, MD
Access to care for LGBTQ+ youth; reproductive justice; immigrant/refugee health; access for deaf/deafblind/hard of hearing communities
2021-22 Cohort
Abby Brustad, MS1
Andrea Singh, MD
Maternal & child health, specifically first few years of life
Abby Rice, MS2
Jim Hart, MD
Single Payer Healthcare
Ainslee Crose, MS3
Colleen Casey, MD
Expanded insurance coverage for infertility evaluation & treatment
Alex Perron, MS2
Mary Owen, MD
Impact of ACEs on family and community health, particularly Indigenous communities
Anna Van Deelen, MS1
Ryan Kelly, MD
Improve access/reduce stigma for individuals experiencing substance use disorders
Bin Huang, MS3
Hope Pogemiller, MD
Health disparities and immigrant health; health literacy
Brendan Johnson, MS3
Federico Rossi, MD
Social medicine; climate change & health
Caroline Brumley, MS2
Sarah Maier, MD
Improving outcomes for Black maternal & fetal health
Christopher Prokosch, MS2
Representative Kelly Morrison, MD
Passing social justice policies in a polarized legislature; use of less lethal weapons
Ethan Marshall, MS2
Tom Kottke, MD, MSPH
Improving pediatric health; addressing adolescent vaping
Julia Lasswell, MS3
Anuja Singh, MD
Access to comprehensive sex education
Justice Spriggs, MS3
Hannah Lichtsinn, MD
Universal healthcare
Katie Beck-Esmay, MS4
Nicole Chaisson, MD
Addressing barriers to healthcare for LGBTQ youth, specifically transgender youth
Katie McLaughlin, JD, MS1
Christopher Reif, MD, MPH
Healthcare for formerly incarcerated individuals, and individuals with mental illness or SUD
Kayla Murphy, MS4
Erica Burger, DO
Increase access to mental health care in rural communities; continued reimbursement of telehealth services
Madeleine Wagner Sherer, MS2
Danielle Robertshaw, MD
Individuals experiencing homelessness who are also experiencing SUD and/or mental health conditions; criminal justice system reform
Madison Okuno, MS3
Tom Kottke, MD, MSPH
Providing trauma-informed care for survivors or sexual assault, specifically in prenatal care
Madi Sundlof, MS1
Lisa Mattson, MD
Preventative medicine, HPV vaccination
Matt Foman, MS2
Michael Kim, MD
Intersection of environmental justice and racial justice; environmental justice as it relates to food, housing, land use & zoning
Neha Potlapalli, MS3
Katie Freeman, MD
Maternal health and family planning, specifically for immigrant communities
Nuwan Pathagamage, MS4
Taj Mustapha, MD
Addressing barriers to URIM students in medical school
Rajiv Dharnipragada, MS2
Jon Hallberg, MD
Using medical journalism to influence public health
Sara Lederman, MS4
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Payment models for universal early childhood education and childcare provisions
Sinibaldo Romero Arocha, MS2
Maria Veronica Svetaz, MD, MPH
Increasing healthcare access for Latinx individuals
Sonya Meyers, MS2
Matt Kruse, MD
Interplay between healthcare access, ACES, and psychosocial challenges in adulthood
Sophie Gorham, MS2
Janna Gewirtz O’Brien, MD
Increasing access to mental healthcare for children & adolescents
Sydney Boike, MS2
Jamie Conniff, MD, MPH
Access to care for transgender/nonbinary individuals in rural communities
Tanisha Ronnie, MS4
Steve Vincent, MD
Oral health for BIPOC communities; intersection between food disparities and poor oral health
Will Sieling, MS2
Calla Brown, MD
Equitable HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention
Zarin Rahman, MS3
Sofia Ali, MD
Socioeconomic, gender, & racial disparities impact on access to care; preventative healthcare
2020-21 Cohort
Leah Alemu, MS2
Lisa Saul, MD
Interested in improving Black birth outcomes.
Kristin Chu, MS3
Calla Brown, MD
Wants to improve health outcomes for individuals currently in the
incarceration system.
Carol Coutinho, MS2
Courtney Baechler, MD
Wants to address barriers to physical activity and organized sports faced by children in MN, especially girls of color.
Rebekah Fiers, MS3
Nyasha Spears, MD
Interested in increasing environmental regulation for better health outcomes.
Beret Fitzgerald, MS4
Jim Hart, MD
Passionate about healthcare access and single payer healthcare.
Jack Inglis, MS4
Zeke McKinney, MD
Wants to advance public education on environmental health, sustainability of health systems, and the justice and equity implications of environmental degradation.
Christopher Johns, MS2
Dave Bucher, MD
Interested in queer health rights and healthcare accessibility.
Christiana Johnson, MS2
Lisa Mattson, MD
Passionate about reproductive health and comprehensive sexual health education.
Sammy King, MS2
Federico Rossi, MD
Wants to make changes to healthcare emissions to help slow the effects of climate change.
Mina Krenz, MS2
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Interested in supporting doulas and their role in reducing racial inequities in birth outcomes.
Alexandria Kristensen-Cabrera, MS2
Cresta Jones, MD
Interested in addressing the intersectional effects of structural racism, nationalism, sexism on maternal/infant birth outcomes.
Emily Kruse, MS4
Ryan Kelly, MD
Interested in supporting opioid harm reduction strategies including increasing access to medication-assisted treatment of opioid addiction, providing fentanyl test strips, and decriminalizing paraphernalia.
Alesandra M. Mendoza, MS4
Paul Pentel, MD
Interested in finding ways to increase health literacy in underserved communities.
Jillian Millares, MS3
William Walsh, MD
Interested in addressing homelessness through effective Housing First models to address patient needs.
Kristine Nachbor, MS3
Christopher Reif, MD, MPH
Wants to work to bring diversity to student body and medication education as well as address barriers pre-medical students from underrepresented communities face.
Bri Naumchik, MS4
Matt Klein, MD, FACP
Passionate about advocating for gun violence prevention.
Marin Olson, MS4
Tyler Winkelman, MD, MSc
Passionate about quality health care in the criminal justice system and addressing health disparities in Hennepin County.
Ryan D. Osborne, MS4
Maria Svetaz, MD, MPH
Wants to address health inequities through improving high school graduation rates.
Kriti Prasad, MS2
Tom Scott, MD
Interested in trauma-informed care and increasing awareness around ACEs and historical trauma.
Jenna Robinson, MS2
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Passionate about addressing the impact of racism on children’s health, particularly with housing inequities.
Evelyn Rwema, MS4
Janna Gewirtz O’Brien, MD
Interested in adolescent reproductive health, specifically high school students in school-based clinics.
Noah Sanders, MS4
Christy Boraas, MD, MPH
Passionate about reproductive health for incarcerated individuals.
Sophia Schmidt, MS2
Laalitha Surapaneni, MD, MBBS
Committed to addressing the impacts of climate change and its disproportionate impact on communities of color.
Christopher Seaver, MS2
Heather Bell, MD and Kurt Devine, MD
Passionate about increasing access to mental healthcare in rural communities by incorporating more mental health training in family medicine residencies and expanding telehealth options.
Arman Shahriar, MS3
Tom Kottke, MD, MSPH
Interested in both prescription drug pricing as well as access to healthcare for undocumented immigrants.
Marvin So, MS3
Joshua Stein, MD
Passionate about healthcare access for children and youth from families facing adversity.
Mary Thomas, MS2
Nicole Chaisson, MD, MPH
Passionate about queer and BIPOC reproductive healthcare.
José C. Valentín López, MS2
Kelsey Leonardsmith, MD
Interested in increasing healthcare access in the Latinx community.
S. Prasanna Vankina, MS1
Laalitha Surapaneni, MD, MBBS
Interested in exploring art as a tool in public health and environmental health campaigns.
Simon Yang, MS4
Hope Pogemiller, MD, MPH
Hopes to advocate for LEP (limited English proficiency) patients to receive equal access and resources for healthcare.
2019-20 Cohort
Thaius Boyd, MS1
Laalitha Surapaneni, MD
Environmental justice for Minnesota tribal communities,
impacts of climate change for tribal food sovereignty
Megan Crow, MS4
Matt Kruse, MD
Increasing access to mental health services | psychiatric advance directives
Maggie Flint, MS4
Sarah Traxler, MD
Data tracking for maternal mortality inequities
Sami Gibson, MS2
Ed Ehlinger, MD
Reproductive justice | LGBTQ | equitable access and addressing urban/rural disparities in HPV vaccination
Alex Kuehen, MS3
Jack Lake, MD
Organ donation
Megan Robinson Lucas, MS2
Courtney Baechler, MD
Racial inequities in women’s and children’s health
Aaron Rosenblum, MS2
Eva Pesch, MD
Climate change | agricultural & environmental justice
Tom Schmidt, MS4
Frank Rhame, MD
Harm reduction for injection drug users | expanding syringe exchange program in MN
Sruthi Shankar, MS2
Lisa Saul, MD
Women and children’s health equity | creating weight-neutral language for OB-GYN providers
Riley Shearer, MS2
Emily Brunner, MD
Research on illicit drug use, particularly methamphetamine
2018-19 Cohort
Emily Ewan, MS3
Sarah Traxler, MD
Researched and developed a policy brief about barriers to long-acting reversible
contraception access immediately postpartum, which will be used to
advocate for state-wide policy change.
Ryan Fox, MS4
Matt Kruse, MD
Worked to address the stigma and improve access to mental health care.
Bruce Grégoire, MS2
Rebecca Thoman, MD
Researched and advocated for an ordinance for the Minneapolis City Council that would ban free tanning beds in housing near the University of Minnesota.
Whitney Johnson, MS2
Pete Dehnel, MD
Partnered with the Minnesota Department of Health to conduct key informant interviews to learn more about the challenges primary care providers face when referring to the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Emily Kilen, MS2
Eva Pesch, MD
Worked to compare local climate data and occurrence of infectious disease in Minnesota.
Kyle Lau, MS3
Travis Olives, MD
Partnered with the Hmong Farmer’s Association to address food scarcity by providing crate of vegetables for patients.
Kevin O’Donnell, MS4
Lisa Mattson, MD
Worked with OutFront Minnesota and Minneapolis City Council to prepare and advocate for a Conversion Therapy Ban ordinance in the city of Minneapolis.
Diana Rubio, MS2
Courtney Baechler, MD
Organized opportunities for medical students to learn about food access and equity, and how they can integrate these concepts into their future work.
Dip Shukla, MS3
William Walsh, MD
Partnered with Street Voice and Envision Collaborative to prepare and conduct questionnaire addressing barriers the Twin Cities homeless community faces when trying to obtain housing.
Lucas Zellmer, MS2
Danielle Robertshaw, MD
Partnered with the Minnesota Community Health Worker Alliance to conduct key informant interviews with elected officials to frontline community health workers to inform future policy targets.
June Zolfaghari, MS2
Angela Goepferd, MD
Collaborated with OutFront Minnesota to create a toolkit for public school nurses highlighting how they can best support LGBTQ students.
