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Leadership

AMSA FAU Leadership AMSA FAU and everything that it represents and makes happen is due to the diligent and hard work of its leadership team. This academic year, we are happy to bring you a team of 29 fantastic people to serve as your AMSA FAU leaders. Within this FAU organization, many positions are available for numerous interests! Along with all the other advantages of being and AMSA FAU member, members are also able to earn leadership positions! More information about this will be given towards the end of each academic year. *Click on the year to learn about our officers for that Academic Year*    

Why Join AMSA FAU?

Why Join AMSA FAU?  The American Medical Student ociation is the largest medical student organization in the United States. When you join AMSA and our chapter at FAU, you are becoming a part of and contributing to a timeless tradition of medical scholarship and excellence. Our respected organization is not only a nice addition to your resume, but a medium for students who are p ionate about medicine to network with one another and medical professionals to gain admittance into medical school. Being a member of this organization gives you access to a multitude of resources and opportunities including volunteering, shadowing, tutoring, mentoring programs and more!                                            

Membership Information

Membership Information  General Membership Terms AMSA FAU holds 3 General Body Meetings per semester. Attendance at these meetings and as well as 2 events is required as part of the membership terms. During these meetings AMSA's leaders present information and make announcements regarding events, activities, updates, and anything else AMSA@FAU has to offer. We strive to bring forth a special presentation during each meeting and we sometimes have representatives from medical schools come in to speak with hands-on activities that teach students a technique or two within the healthcare field! If you missed a General Body Meeting, you are required to attend 1 AMSA FAU volunteering or fundraising event during the same semester in addition to your 2 event requirements. Failure to complete these requirements will result in an inactive membership for the following semester. For the Spring semester, failure to complete the requirements results in a negative impact on becoming a member of AMSA@FAU for future semesters. INACTIVE membership status means that the student will: Not be able to participate in any AMSA FAU events Not be considered for leadership positions Not be allowed to participate in the point systems and all current points will be void Lose all privileges received as an AMSA FAU member We will be notifying members about inactive AMSA local membership! The requirement for reactivation is to attend 2 volunteering and/or fundraising events this semester. This is in addition to the 3 general body meetings and 2 event requirements that qualify you as an active member for this semester. For those of you who are unable to complete these requirements, you may contact the Directors of Records, Lilian Villatoro and Laura Rodriguez, about an alternative. If you do not choose to reactivate your membership, you will not be permitted to participate in AMSA events. If you feel that your membership was inactivated due to an error, please contact AMSA's Directors of Records Lilian Villatoro ([email protected]) or Laura Rodriguez ([email protected]).   Accountability AMSA FAU prides itself on being an organization that is both professional and knows to have fun! It is important that our members not only take advantage of what we can offer but also take it seriously. A lot of work is put into making these events and activities happen, so we ask that our members are accountable for the events that they sign up to participate in. This means that when you sign-up for or confirm your attendance for an event, you commit to it! If you are unable to make it to an event that you sign-up to participate in, you have to notify the appropriate person 3 days in advance. Exceptions are made for emergencies. Failure to do so will result in probation, which is a warning. If it happens again, your membership becomes limited for the remainder of the semester and you will not be permitted to sign-up for events that require commitments. Please note that you would still be required to fulfill the event requirements in other ways. NOTE: It is also the member's responsibility to ensure that he or she is signed in at general body meetings. If the member's name is not on the attendance list, then they will be considered absent.  

Membership Information 

AMSA FAU

FAU's Largest Pre-Medical Club!

Officers 2017-2018

PRESIDENT  Jonathan Rivera Hello AMSA members! My name is Jonathan Rivera and I’m so honored to serve as this years 2017-2018 AMSA President! I am currently a senior pursuing a BS in Biological Sciences with a minor in Health Administration. In the free time I do have, I enjoy playing tennis, eating Phenomenom (if you don’t know, I’ll take you one day), making sarcastic jokes, and watching Netflix. When I sat in the Grand Palm Room 3 years ago for my first AMSA General Body Meeting, not knowing what was necessary to accomplish on the path to medical school, I was in awe of the leadership team and all they had to offer. I left that meeting more motivated than ever to become the best version of myself, not only as medical school applicant and student, but as an individual who felt empowered to one day help guide future physicians on their paths to serving our community. Following my first year in AMSA, I served as co-chair of LGBTQ in Medicine interest group and last year as the co-chair of Gender and uality Equality in Medicine interest group where I was able to develop the leadership skills that will ist me in serving you this year with great pride. Our AMSA chapter truly strives to empower its members with opportunities such as scholarship, philanthropy, leadership, networking, mission trips, and so much more in order to enhance our pre-medical experience and help shape us all into well-rounded medical school candidates. I look forward to isting in any way I can to help you carry your p ion for healthcare into your future career! I cannot wait for you all to see and experience all that we have planned for you this school year, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions, suggestions, or just want to get Phenomenom! Email: [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT  Kaleigh Dietz Hello beautiful AMSA members! My name is Kaleigh Dietz and I am beyond excited to serve you this year as the 2017-2018 Vice President. I have always been in awe of the innumerable and diverse opportunities that AMSA provides to its members. To me, AMSA is the perfect place to strengthen your medical school application by streamlining you to experiences that will help you redefine your interest in medicine. I am looking forward to watching you, as a member, grow and develop into not only the applicant you wish to be, but the person you aim to be as well. I am eager for you to attend all of the amazing events and meetings that this year’s leadership team has planned for you all. To tell you a little about myself, I am a senior this year and I am pursuing a BS in Neuroscience and Behavior as well as a BS in Psychology. I was formerly the Co-Chair of Gender and uality Equality in Medicine interest group. I loved my experience in that position so I decided to take on a more challenging leadership role within AMSA. In the little free time I have, I enjoy attending Zumba cl es and eating tacos. I love to laugh and make people laugh so feel free to tell me all the jokes.  If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to me! I look forward to seeing what this year has to offer and I have high hopes that you will all enjoy AMSA as much as I have! Email: [email protected] Sarah Clutter SECRETARY Hi everyone! My name is Sarah N. Clutter and I will be serving as your Secretary for the 2017-2018 year. I love the great outdoors and I am always looking for the next mountain to climb. My p ion is in orthopedics as I have experienced conditions from many perspectives; as a m age therapist, working for an occupational therapist, and shadowing several orthopedic surgeons both in America and in Poland. As Secretary I will be keeping track of meeting minutes as well as working with all of our amazing Interest Group co-chairs to host exciting talks and events including special guest speakers from around the world! Our goal is to create content for our members to find connection to Medicine and possibly envision their futures as they have never seen them before. By hosting a variety of events throughout the year, we look forward to networking and having fun with you! Email: [email protected] TREASURER Harrison Rudd Hello! My name is Harrison Rudd, and I am proud to represent AMSA@FAU as Treasurer for the 2017-2018 academic year. I am a Junior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Psychology and a Certificate in Applied Pre-health Sciences. I am striving to achieve my goal of becoming a neurosurgeon, specializing in the brain and spine. As an undergraduate student, I have been participating in research and volunteering my time to others in my community. Caring for others comes naturally to me, which is why I chose to pursue a career in the medical field. I enjoy dedicating my free time towards music, art, and medicine. English philosopher and scientist, Francis Bacon, once said: Knowledge itself is power.Through AMSA, I am able to learn from my peers and mentors and p that knowledge on to my community. Email: [email protected] SERGEANT AT ARMS Erin Homuth My name is Erin Homuth. I am very excited to be serving as your Sergeant at Arms for the 2017-2018 academic year. As the Sergeant at Arms, I will act as the liaison between the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and AMSA FAU’s undergraduate chapter. I will be coordinating AMSA’s involvement with Gross Anatomy labs as well as the Standardized Patient Program. I am also in charge of communicating special opportunities from National AMSA and planning our trip to the national convention during the Spring semester. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have questions or concerns regarding any of these opportunities! I am a full-time student, majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. I also work off campus as an Electroencephalogram technician for a local Pediatric Neurologist’s office. My goal for the future is to be accepted into medical school to become a neurosurgeon. I am excited for this upcoming year and I am looking forward to working with everyone! Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF RECORDS Laura Rodriguez Hello fellow AMSA members! My name is Laura Rodriguez and I am absolutely excited, as well as honored, to be one of your Directors of Records alongside Lilian Villatoro for the 2017-2018 school year. As one of your Directors of Records, my duties involve keeping track of attendance, points, volunteer hours, member records, as well as distributing t-shirts. Currently, I am a senior working on my Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior and minor in Psychology. A couple fun facts about me are that I love to make the time to exercise and I am extremely p ionate about s. As of now, I have two sweet little birds named Muffin and Chocobo, and a wonderful dog named Nala. In my spare time I love to volunteer at my local shelter which is the place where I adopted Nala. In the future I see myself becoming a Psychiatric physician and opening my home to many more magnificent creatures. I would love to hear from you guys, so please do not hesitate to come up and ask questions whether or not they are related to AMSA or even just to chat for a bit. I look forward to serving you all this year! Email: [email protected]   Lilian Villatoro Hello AMSA! My name is Lilian Villatoro, but most people call me Lily. I am thrilled to be serving as one of AMSA's Co-Directors of Records for the 2017-2018 school year! Together with Laura Rodriguez, I will be responsible for taking points, keeping track of volunteer hours, member records and T-Shirt distribution. I am currently a Junior pursuing a Bachelors Degree of Science in Biology. I transferred to FAU in 2016 and instantly became a member of AMSA. My ultimate goal is to become a pediatrician and to one day have my own practice. When I'm not studying I enjoy going to the gym, spending time with family, and traveling. I look forward to meeting new faces and making this a successful year with AMSA at FAU! Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS Astrid Camero Welcome! My name is Astrid Camero, and I am currently a third year undergraduate student pursuing my bachelors degree in Neuroscience and Behavior! I am extremely excited to be your 2017-2018 Co-Director of Marketing and Communications! What that means is that I will update the AMSA website, flyers, and overall keep the members involved in any activities throughout the year alongside my co-director Ali Sweid! On a more personal note, my parents are from Colombia, and I was born and raised here in the U.S. I am a medical scribe on the weekends, and love what I do. I also enjoy photography, and spending time with my family. My dream is to become an ER doctor, and join Doctors Without Borders! As you can see I love ending my sentences with exclamation points! So come to our events so you can see why AMSA FAU makes you want to exclaim!!!!!! Ps. If you see me walking around with a camera, smile and don’t be shy I would love to hear all about you! “We have to walk in a way that we only print peace and serenity on the Earth. Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” -Thich Nhat Hanh Email: [email protected] Ali Sweid Hey guys! I'm so excited to be your Co-director of Marketing and Communications where I do everything Astrid mentioned above. I'm currently a second year in undergraduate studies, where I'm majoring in Biology. A little about me: I'm a Brazilian born, Lebanese descent United States citizen. I speak arabic, and super involved in athletics. My favorite type of food is Sushi, so if you are hungry, holler at me. My goal is to finish med school and travel to developing nations to help make a difference in a community. I'm also a big culture guy, so I'm very open in hearing about other people's backgrounds.I also love hearing jokes, but don't expect a joke from me as I may be pretty bad at saying them. The reason AMSA is so big into my life because I see it as a group of hard-working people trying to accomplish their goals and that vibe motivates me to accomplish mine. I can't wait to meeting you and showing you how great AMSA is! I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.  -Muhammad Ali Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF VOLUNTEERING Jonathan Nakhla Hello AMSA! My name is Jonathan Nakhla and I am so honored to be serving as one of your Co-Directors of Volunteering for the 2017-2018 academic year. I was born and raised in New Jersey and always wished to attend college in Florida. I am about to start my sophomore year and I am majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior with future endeavors to go to medical school to become a surgeon. Education is very important to me, but I do love going to the gym, playing sports with friends, and relaxing at the beach. Also, my family is a huge part of my life, and I do have a German Shepherd named Simba who is basically my child who gets spoiled a crazy amount. Becoming involved in AMSA was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life, period. The friendships I have gained, and the experiences that I have had are indescribable and would have never been possible without AMSA. I am so thrilled to start this journey with you all and I cannot wait to meet each and every one of you. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns, I will be here to help you always with anything you need. “Live as if you were to die tomorrow, learn as if you were to live forever” -Gandhi Email: [email protected] Vilte Butkute My name is Vilte Butkute and I am truly excited to serve as one of the Co-Directors for Volunteering during the 2017-2018 academic school year.  I have been a part of AMSA for one year, and during that time I really made a connection with the volunteering portion of the organization. It started with me simply enjoying spending a few hours of my day learning to use a hammer-drill to help someone build their house, joking around with the residents at the local nursing home about sungl trends, and making a cranberry-pineapple-apple punch with the veteran volunteers at a food center (I don’t suggest repeating the recipe). It then grew into a p ion to spread the experience to other people and connect our amazing AMSA members to our amazing community members. Aside from volunteering and studying, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my 11-year old brother who keeps me well informed on the latest “You drama” and consistently proves to be better than me at basketball. I also enjoy running and cycling, with my preferable destination being the beach!  I received my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from FSU. I am currently on my second semester in the biomedical master’s program. I hope to one day end up with a career in pediatrics or pediatric psychiatry. If you have any suggestions or questions about the volunteering at AMSA do not hesitate to reach out! Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF FUNDRAISING Esther Lande Hello my fellow pre-meds, my name is Esther Lande. I was born in Haiti, moved to Chicago, and decided to come to Florida for college. I fell in love with FAU and then pre-med organization, AMSA, and knew I wanted to be a part of the leadership team and help. I am currently a senior majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior. I am obsessed with pageantry, books and volunteering. I am the current Miss Haiti Intl 2017, promoting volunteerism worldwide. Why am i your co-director of Fundraising? Ten years ago my life was impacted by Cuban Doctors who were volunteering in my country, Haiti. My mom was shot at her workplace, and those Cuban doctors who left their families and countries to volunteer in Haiti through Doctors without Borders saved my mom's life. Since then, I promised myself to serve my community and educate the youth about volunteerism. For all these reasons, I am your co-director of Fundraising can't wait to help you raise money for our organization, charities, and our two overseas medical trips, where you will be interacting with different cultures, and gain valuable life experiences. You never know whose life you will impact in these two trips, so please join us at our fundraising events to help serve underprivileged communities and impact people's lives while gaining some valued medical experience. We are here to help you, so please do not hesitate to contact me or my Co-Director. I think there's no higher calling in terms of a career than public service, which is a chance to make a difference in people's lives and improve the world- Jack Lew Email: [email protected]   Kimarah Lamothe Hello my name is Kimarah Lamonthe, but most people call me Kim. I am both excited and honored to be serving as Co-Director of Fundraising for 2017-2018.I know the journey to medical school isn’t cheap and I can’t wait to try and do all I can to make things a little easier. I am currently studying chemistry and plan on applying to a master’s program in chemical engineering before making my way to medical school. I have a enormous interest in research, chemical processes and the different ways we extrapolate information gained from observing these processes. My goal in life is to be able to always learn new and interesting things. During my free time to unwind I love watching old movies and foreign movies, traveling, reading, writing and drawing. I think this year will be amazing and I am glad to be a part of it! Email: [email protected]   DIRECTORS OF PREMEDICAL AFFAIRS Andreas Noel-Williams Hey y'all! My name is Andreas Noel-Williams. I look forward to being your Co-Director of Pre-Medical Affairs for the 2017-2018 academic year. I'm currently a junior and I am majoring in Neuroscience and Behavior with a minor in Sociology. My ultimate goal is to attend medical school with the hopes of becoming a pediatrician; children are the future so I want heal them and have their little bodies at their best. I am a Florida boy born and raised originally from Kissimmee, FL the home of Disney World (I love Disney). I'm also a big fan of all the Orlando theme parks. I'm big on traveling and I'm a music festivals aficionado, particularly EDM based music festivals. When I'm not studying at the library or shadowing a physician you can find me there jamming out to some good music. I can't wait for all the awesome that's going to unfold this year, and I also can't wait for all the memories were going to make. It's going to be a good year! Email: [email protected] Brittany Henry   Hello everyone, my name is Brittany Henry (Brit for short) and I will serve as one of your 2017-2018 Directors of Pre-Medical Affairs. I am in my senior year and I am pursing my bachelors in Biology. This year I will also serve as a NSF LEARN Peer Mentor for incoming STEM transfer students. In my spare time, I enjoy kick boxing as well as spending time with my family. I am extremely excited and looking forward to meeting and working with you all this year. Go Owls! Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH Andrea Parra Hello everyone! My name is Andrea Parra and I am honored to be serving as one of your Directors of International Outreach for the 2017-2018 academic year. Along with my co-director Kaitlin Waite, we will be planning and coordinating the next missionary trips to other countries, so that all members can have the opportunity to experience medicine from a different point of view. I became part of the AMSA family in the Fall of 2015, and without doubt, it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made! I was born in Venezuela and at the age of 12 my parents and I moved to Madrid, Spain, where I lived for 8 wonderful years. I moved to the United States 3 years ago to begin college, and I transferred to FAU in my sophomore year, which is when I decided to become part of AMSA. Getting actively involved with the organization opened many doors for me, making me feel at home again. I am beyond excited to work alongside the rest of the leadership team to make this year a memorable one! I am currently a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and my ultimate goal is to become an OB/GYN. On my free time I enjoy singing, writing, reading, and of course, traveling. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any ideas, questions, or concerns! “I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become.” -Carl Jung Email: [email protected] Kaitlin Waite Hi! My name is Kaitlin Waite and I am the Co-Director of International Outreach. I am so excited to start this year with AMSA, and cannot wait to begin this amazing journey. Last fall, I attended the New Providence Outreach Trip and absolutely loved it and the impact we had on the communities that we served. This inspired me to run for the leadership role, and here I am! Currently, I am Sophomore and a double major, a B.S. in Biology and Business Accounting. Other than AMSA, I'm currently involved in other clubs, such as Global Medical Brigades as the Triage Director, and I am also a Peer Mentor for the University Honors Program here at FAU. Lately, I have been really interested in surgery, and plan to shadow a surgeon next semester in order to gain more information regarding the field, as well as open my eyes to different specialties. My goals this year are to create new opportunities for our members on our trips, as well as make it as fun and enjoyable as possible. I also want to meet and get to know as many of you as I can, so please feel free to come up to me and talk! Some things about me are I love to go to the beach, hang out with friends, travel, and read! I am so excited for this year and I hope you all are to!Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, concerns, or even ideas for our trips. Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF CLINICAL SKILLS Jennyferd Barco Hi! My name is Jennyferd Barco and I am so excited to serve as your 2017-2018 Co-director of Hypertension and Heart Disease Screening Clinic. I am currently a Junior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and Behavior with a concentration in Pre-health. This is my second year as an AMSA member and my first year as a director. I am very honored to have the opportunity to spread awareness in the community about this cardiovascular disease. I believe this is a great way for people to become aware of the life threatening disease and what actions they can take to lead a healthier lifestyle. I was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador and coming from a developing country I have seen how cardiovascular diseases has impacted communities due to lack of awareness. My goal is to prepare AMSA members and train them in taking blood pressure, body m index, and pulse rate in order for them to participate in community events and the Bahamas and Costa Rica Mission trips this year. Although we can’t legally diagnose individuals, I encourage everyone to come to the training sessions and events since they are fun, and you are able to gain valuable experience that will be p ed on into your future health careers and possibly save individuals lives by referring them to a physician due to your screenings. I aspire to be a pediatrician, since I love kids, and I am currently a medical scribe. In my free time I love to volunteer in a Hospice unit and visit Hospice patients, as well as watch Netflix, go on runs, and sleep. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me! Email: [email protected] Princess Maryam Abdul-Akbar My name is Princess Maryam Abdul-Akbar and I am honored to be one of the Co-Director of Hypertension and Heart Disease Screening Clinic. This is my second year as a member of the American Medical Student ociation at FAU. I’m an undergraduate pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a minor in Psychology. I am currently involved in research in the Nursing Department at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing. I was previously involved in Mock Trial where my team and I had the opportunity to travel to Connecticut and participate in a national competition at Yale University. In addition, I volunteered at Bethesda Hospital and Garden of the Sahaba Academy. I work as a math tutor at the FAU Boca Campus. In my spare time, I like to go biking, driving, or watching Netflix at home. I was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Florida as a child. I was inspired to teach people about cardiovascular disease and its importance in our health because my family personally suffers from this disease. With that being said, I will take this opportunity to serve and represent AMSA to the best of my abilities.  If you have any questions, comments, or concerns please do not hesitate to ask. “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.” - Aristotle Email: [email protected] DIRECTORS OF RESEARCH Alexandra Urdaneta Hello! My name is Alexandra Urdaneta and I am both honored and thrilled to be serving as your Co-Director of Research. Currently, I am in my senior year of my bachelor’s degree in Biology. I am pursuing an Honors Thesis focusing on the comparison of isolation methods of breast cancer derived extracellular vesicles. In addition to being AMSA’s Co-Director of Research, I am also a NSF Learn Program Research Mentor and the Vice President of the SMART (Scientific Mentoring for Academic Research Training) Club. I aspire to obtain a master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences and then go to medical school. My p ion for medicine came during my time living in my home country of Venezuela - I was inspired to make healthcare more accessible to people of all walks of life. During my journey through medical school and beyond, I hope to help as many people as I can. As Co-Director of Research, I aim to help as many of you to get started and thrive in the research community both here, at FAU, and in other outside institutions. In my (scarce) free time, I enjoy practicing yoga and meditation, traveling, and reading. I also love art and music! In particular, I love going to concerts and music festivals. Feel free to contact me if you want to talk research or anything at all. Email: [email protected] Alaina Tillman Hey you guys! My name is Alaina Tillman and  I will serve as one of your fellow Co-Directors of Research for the 2017-2018 year. I look forward to working with every single of one of you this year in your pursuit of research. Currently, I am double majoring in Neuroscience & Behavior and Sociology, as well as minoring in Spanish. I always love taking on a good adventure. I have always adored learning more every single day about the world around us.My father is a pilot for a commercial airline, so I take the opportunity to travel to new and exciting places year round. You can usually find me spending my days at the beach either skim boarding, snorkeling, waking up to see the sunrise at the beach, or doing any other activity involving the ocean (I have even taken part in shark tagging for research). I absolutely love going to the gym and doing any type of sport or physical activity outdoors. I have been in love with listening to EDM over any other music genre for the past six years and my playlist consists of over 1000 songs on Spotify that I have compiled over time. I volunteer at Boca Regional Hospital in the IV Therapy unit weekly. I am currently in a lab where we are focusing in on investigating the internal and behavioral characteristics involving epilepsy. Alexandra and I have many exciting opportunities to provide to the fellow members of AMSA that are interested in becoming more involved with research this upcoming semester. I hope to pursue an occupation in pediatric neurosurgical oncology. Personally, I find that the beginning years of someone’s life are the most cultivating and influential to who they may be. I would love to provide any sort of help in tending to those children and alleviate any hardships they may be going through. I would love to meet one on one with each of you that want to become more involved with research. These personalized meetings can consist of discussing your interests, potential lab opportunities, to almost anything you need guidance with in order to become more involved with research. Feel free to slide in the dms, and by dms, I mean my email box, and we can set up a time when we are both available to meet over fine wine and cheese (jk I can’t eat cheese and I’m broke but we can go to the Starbucks on campus!!). I look forward to getting to know you guys better throughout the rest of this year! Email: [email protected]   WOMEN IN MEDICINE CHAIRS Stephanie Lyons Greetings everyone! My name is Stephanie Lyons and I am truly excited and honored to be serving as this year’s Co-Chair Women in Medicine. I am a senior majoring in Biology with hopes of becoming a surgeon one day. Ever since I could remember I’ve had a strong p ion for volunteering in the community to help others. I have been an active member of AMSA since Fall 2016. Thus, AMSA has opened many doors of opportunity for me, from participating in the Standardized Patient Program to learning from the Gross Anatomy Labs. Recently, I’ve had the blessed opportunity to shadow transplant surgeons in Fort Lauderdale. I am Colombian-American born and raised in South Florida. During my free time, I love to spend quality time with family, travel, read, and participate in Zumba. As this year’s Co-Chair Women in Medicine, I hope to raise awareness of the problems women still face in the medical field today and empower young women to achieve their goals and never give up. Although pre-med may not be easy, it is definitely worth it! As Barbara McClintock once said: If you know you are on the right track, if you have this inner knowledge, then nobody can turn you off... no matter what they say. Feel free to come talk to me if you have any, questions, comments, or even feedback. Hope everyone has a wonderful year! Email: [email protected] Mishka Paul Hi there, my name is Mishka Paul and I am your co-chair of Women in Medicine for the 2017-2018 academic year. I am a full time pre-med student of course, while being an English major. I live on campus as a Residential Student Scholar in Glades Park Towers, so I am always available for questions or if you just want to say hi. I have a dual love for medicine and literature with dreams of being a Pediatric Endocrinologist. I have been involved in AMSA for a year now and was won over by all the opportunities AMSA has to offer, such as the international medical mission trips, volunteering and shadowing opportunities, amazing interest groups (such as this one), and great advice and motivation on the struggle it is to get into medical school in general. Some of the activities that I balance with school and work are volunteering at West Boca Medical Center in the Pediatric ER and shadowing a Pediatrician, who was my childhood doctor and is a woman who I aspire to be professionally in every way. During my free time (which I never have lol), I love to work out and spend time with my family, boyfriend, and friends. I look forward to meeting all of you and can’t wait to have an amazing and productive year, building memories and learning from all the members of Women in Medicine. Email: [email protected] MULTICULTURAL MEDICINE CHAIRS Leila Lucas Hello AMSA! My name is Leila Lucas and I am truly excited to be the 2017-2018 Co-Chair of Multicultural Medicine. Two quick facts about me are that I am from Haiti and I speak four languages: Haitian Creole, French, English and Spanish. I have been involved with AMSA for two years now and I can only say that those years were fantastic, informative and memorable. AMSA has so much to offer from attending Gross Anatomy Labs to becoming a volunteer for the Standardized Patient Program. It is an organization that pushes you to grow and motivates you to become the best version of yourself. As a co-chair, my goal will be to educate others on the various forms of medicine practice in other cultures. I am a currently a senior pursuing my B.S in Biological Sciences and I have to admit that I am proud of myself for coming this far. My field of interest after graduation is medicine and I aspire to be a Cardiologist. Since I was little,  I have been fascinated with the heart and its disorders. I am amazed that an organ the size of a fist is the pivotal point around which most internal organs strive. Because of its important role in our lives, I feel that it should be protected and well taken care of. In my spare time, I enjoy making home cooked meals to eat with the family while binging on a seven season t.v. show. I love dancing and listening to the sounds of the saxophone. I am also involved in other organizations where I hold leadership positions such as Student Health Advisory Council, Active Minds and Transfer Student Organization. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. I look forward to meeting you all and I hope to create memories that will make a positive impact on each of you. Email: [email protected] Vishala Ramdin Hi AMSA! My name is Vishala Ramdin, and I am one of the Co-Chairs for Multicultural Medicine. I am currently a senior, and I am majoring in Biology. I have always had a strong p ion for life science and medicine.  I also plan on getting my Masters in biomedical sciences, and then going onward to medical school to eventually become a cardiologist. I am obsessed with sea turtles, and love the beach. My absolute favorite band is Imagine Dragons, and I live by their music. I am a full fledged vegan, and I am loving every minute of it! I have been in AMSA for 3 years and counting, and it is truly one of the most phenomenal opportunities that I have had here at FAU. AMSA has allowed me the opportunity to learn so much about medicine and healthcare, it has also presented the opportunity to meet and connect with other really phenomenal students here. Through the Multicultural Medicine interest group, I hope to help you all dive into the world of medicine and diversity as we explore the various topics that are integral to healthcare. I look forward to helping each and everyone of you in the same way AMSA has helped and inspired me. I know this is going to an absolutely amazing year at AMSA, and together we will do great things! Please feel free to contact me for anything at all! Email: [email protected] SPECIALTIES IN MEDICINE CHAIRS Jesse Meagher Hello, my name is Jesse Meagher and I am pleased to be one of your Co-Chairs for the Specialties in Medicine interest group. I am currently a sophomore and majoring in Biological Sciences. I do Neuroscience research looking at sensory perception in the primary somatosensory and prefrontal cortices. I also am a bonding leader for the discussion cl es for General Chemistry 1 and Organic Chemistry 1. In addition to that, I volunteer at Jupiter Medical Center in the ER. I aspire to attend an M.D. program after graduation and complete a neurosurgery residency. As a member of AMSA, I have participated in volunteering events and attended the New Providence Mission Trip. AMSA has also given me the opportunity to learn more about what being a doctor entails. I hope to make meaningful events so you can learn more about specialties and what it takes to obtain the residency program you desire. My co-chair and I are excited to meet you all and hope the best for you in your upcoming semester!  Feel free to reach out to me at any time if you have any questions. Email: [email protected] Olivia Kaszuba Hello everyone! My name is Olivia Kaszuba and I am so excited to be one of your Co-Chairs for Specialties in Medicine this semester! Specialties in Medicine will serve to educate the other members of AMSA about the different career options in medicine through guest speakers and other exciting events! I am new to the leadership team this year, but I am excited to see what the year will bring and excited to meet you all! As for myself, I am currently a junior pursuing a B.S. in Biology and I have been involved with AMSA for almost two years now. Like most of you, I am hoping to attend medical school in the near future though I am currently undecided on which field specifically. In my free time I volunteer, go to the beach, and enjoy spending time outside! I am usually around campus all throughout the week so if any of you all ever need anything or see me around don’t hesitate to ask or say hi! I'm excited to see what this coming year will bring! Email:[email protected] MENTAL HEALTH IN MEDICINE AND RESEARCH CHAIRS Mary Gorora My name is Mary Gorora and I am beyond ecstatic to be an officer of the AMSA family for the 2017-2018 academic school year! I am a senior majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology. If there is one thing you should know about me, it's that I am p ionately curious about the brain! This year, I founded a new interest group called Mental Health in Medicine and Research. I incorporated the scientific research behind mental health into my interest group because I wanted to provide my fellow peers with the latest medical breakthroughs science has to offer. With this interest group, my goal is to better prepare our future physicians in helping patients who have mental illnesses. I entered FAU with the intentions of being a pre-medical student, however after taking only a few cl es in neuroscience, I realized what I really want to pursue is a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Neurobiology. In my spare time, I enjoy reading published journal articles, tutoring in biochemistry (my FAVORITE cl !!), and watching cute kitten videos on the internet. Also, once a week I volunteer in the Boca Raton Regional Hospital's Neuroinstitute and do art therapy with patients. I am a huge fan of puns, dad jokes, and memes (please feel free to send me some at the email address below). A fun fact about me, I drive a Wrangler and I am learning to fix up this car with my own two hands, and along with the guidance of some very experienced friends. I want to encourage all of our members who are very p ionate about any subject in mental health to come speak with me! I want to hear about your p ions, experiences, and interests! Together, let's educate our peers about mental health! Email: [email protected] Taliyah Jackson Hello! My name is Taliyah Jackson and I am honored to serve you all as the co-chair of Mental Health and Research in Medicine. I am a Sophomore here at Florida Atlantic University, pursuing my B.S. in Biological Sciences. I have had a strong interest in mental illness since I was about nine years old when my aunt was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. I believe this position will help me spread awareness for mental health and expand my knowledge about different disorders, while also helping educate Pre-Health students on different topics. On a more personal note, in my free time I enjoy volunteering, cooking/baking, and watching pretty much any horror movie. After I graduate from FAU, I plan to attend medical school with hopes of becoming a Dermatologist. Email: [email protected]