AMWHO 2018

Pooja Joshi

Hey y'all! My name is Pooja Joshi, and I'm a junior studying Health Policy and Management with minors in Entrepreneurship and Asian Studies. I'm interested in the process of healthcare innovation and how the public and private sectors can work together to change the face of global health. AMWHO is an amazing organization that fosters engaging debate, and I love that after every conference, delegates go home super excited about implementing new ideas in their own contexts. Outside of AMWHO, you can find me working on entrepreneurship education through Innovate Carolina; singing with my a cappella team, UNC Samaa; and drinking inhuman quantities of coffee (of which there is no shortage in Chapel Hill/Carrboro). I'm really excited to meet you at our upcoming conference this spring!

Nishita Sheth

Hi everyone! My name is Nishita Sheth and I am a junior studying Nutrition and Biology with a minor in Neuroscience. My interests lie in translating a biochemical understanding of the human body into tangible medical, technological, and political interventions that empower patients in order to improve global health outcomes. I love the opportunity that AMWHO provides for students investigate and debate public health issues through a collaborative framework, while inspiring the flow of connections, ideas, and energy throughout the weekend. Apart from AMWHO, you can find me dancing with my dance team, UNC Tar Heel Raas, exploring coffee shops in Carrboro, or failing to make funny jokes. I am beyond excited to meet you at our upcoming conference!

Sanjay Gadi

Hey everyone! My name is Sanjay Gadi, and I’m a senior at UNC Chapel Hill studying Nutrition. I’m particularly intrigued by child nutrition and social determinants of health. As a result of my resonating experience with AMWHO, the impact of health policy on these spheres has become of increasing significance to me. I am also pursuing a minor in Studio Art and particularly enjoy painting and drawing. Some of my less relevant yet equally important interests include eating sushi, binge watching entire seasons of shows for possibly unhealthy stretches of time, and making HGTV references!

Nupur Jain

My name is Nupur Jain and I am serving as one of the AMWHO National Co-Presidents. I am a Senior majoring in Health Policy & Management with minors in Spanish for the Health Professions and Chemistry while also completing a premed track. I have always been interested in health policy and the connections among healthcare, the government, and the people. I dream of a day where healthcare is equally accessible to everyone in the world, and that’s why I do what I do! Outside of AMWHO you can find me sampling new foods on Franklin Street, telling puns to my friends, or taking my dogs on walks.

Annie Chen

Hello everyone! My name is Annie Chen and I am excited to serve as one of your Co-Director of Internal Affairs. I am a junior studying Public Health Nutrition, with a minor in Asian Studies and Chemistry. As I explore public health, I have developed deep interests in local rural healthcare and food access, and learning about my role in relieving food disparities through agricultural initiatives. My passions for rural health extend globally, as I am exploring different countries and learning what other countries’ rural healthcare systems are like. I am an aspiring physicians’ assistant, and am finding the importance of applying public health awareness of patients’ environmental, genetic, cultural, socioeconomic factors to give better, more personalized, and holistic care. I love to travel, eat food, and read! Outside of AMWHO, I am involved in nutritional coaching with Flourish, working with UNC APPLES, and teaching with MEDAL. I am really excited to meet everyone!

Bethany Cole

I am a junior Economics and Public Policy major, concentration in Global and U.S. Health Policy, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am interested in the intersection of health economics, epidemiology, and health policy reform at the global and national scale. I first decided to attend AMWHO to gain real global health policy experience and interact with others that share my passion for public health. I served as a delegate at the 2016 UNC AMWHO Regional Conference on Reproductive Health Equity and the 2016 AMWHO National Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance before joining the UNC AMWHO Executive Team. I have been involved in UNC AMWHO leadership for over a year and a half, serving as Co-Director of Campus Affairs for the 2016-2017 school year, Chair of the AFRO Region during the 2017 UNC AMWHO Regional Summit, and am excited to serve as Co-Director of Internal Logistics for the 2018 AMWHO International Conference on Global Health Innovation.

Sanjana Rao

Hi! My name is Sanjana Rao and I am excited to be serving as Assistant Media Director this year. I'm from Cary, NC, and I'm a sophomore on the pre-med track planning to major in Environmental Health Sciences at the Gillings School of Global Public Health with minors in Chemistry and Spanish for the Health Professions. I began my involvement with AMWHO as a delegate in the 2016 Summit. I enjoyed every minute of it, prompting me to continue my involvement with this amazing organization and furthering my interest in the field of public health. Outside of AMWHO I also enjoy cartooning, dancing, and watching Scandal. I'm excited for this year with UNC AMWHO and to see what we accomplish!

Llana Abella

Hey, everyone! My name is Llana Abella and I am extremely honored to be the Director of Media. I am a sophomore intending to major in Nutrition under the Gillings School of Global Public Health with a minor in Creative Writing. As of now, I am on the pre-medical track. Through organizations like AMWHO and several courses at UNC, I became very interested in Global Health. In the future, I hope to help in closing the gap between access and healthcare. My first experience with AMWHO was the 2016 Regional Conference on Reproductive Health Equity where I represented the United Kingdom in the EURO region. My other interests include: running, chemistry, How I Met Your Mother, Parks and Recreation, taro boba, and sushi. Outside of AMWHO, I am involved in GlobeMed, No Kid Hungry NC, the Carolina Union, and Health Occupations Students of America.

Brian Tanner

I'm a senior at UNC-Chapel Hill majoring in Health Policy and Management at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. I am also pursuing a second major in Economics. My interests include global development, health policy reform, health economics, and how businesses can positively impact health. I am a proponent of experiential learning, as demonstrated by 2 years of involvement in AMWHO and my role as President of the Carolina International Relations Association (Model UN). I am inspired and excited about the collaborative nature of AMWHO’s conferences. Upon graduation, I will be moving to Washington D.C. to start my career at McKinsey & Company.

Jarred Lobo

Hello! My name is Jarred Lobo and I'm proud to serve as the Assistant Director of Finance and Sponsorship. I'm a sophomore and am interested in majoring in Health Policy and Management with a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. My first experience with AMWHO was as a delegate from Australia at the 2016 UNC Regional Summit on Infectious Diseases. At the summit, I enjoyed discussing pressing public health issues and collaborating with other representatives to create a proposal to address them. Participating in this process showed me how complex the world's health problems are and emphasized the importance of health policy as an effective way to confront them. This year, I look forward to helping AMWHO grow so that students across the region and the country will have an opportunity to partake in this unique experience. Outside of AMWHO, I am involved in the Executive Branch of Student Government, GlobeMed, and the Newman Center. My other interests include eating ice-cream, running, and traveling.

Toby Bader

Hi hey hello! My name is Toby Bader and I’m proudly serving as one of the Co-Directors of External Logistics. I am a senior majoring in Biostatistics and minoring in Chemistry and Mathematics. My involvement in AMWHO began as the rapporteur for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, with Nishita’s leadership as chair. I found the experience to be profoundly immersive and rewarding allowing me to explore my interests in solving health disparities throughout the world! Although tackling these issues certainly brings me joy, I have a variety of interests outside of AMWHO. On any random day you could likely find me exploring new running paths around campus, chatting with my residents and coworkers, or challenging strangers to fight me in Tetris (my favorite game) online. I’m beyond excited to meet you all at the upcoming conference!

Rida Shams

Hi there! I'm Rida Shams, and I'm proudly serving as the Dais Director for the 2018 AMWHO International Conference. I'm from Atlanta, GA and I'm a junior majoring in Health Policy and Management at the Gillings School of Global Public Health and a minor in Spanish for the Health Professions. I started my involvement with AMWHO as a delegate of the national conference in 2015, and I have loved staying involved ever since. Outside of AMWHO and academics, I go to the gym, make constant Harry Potter references, and enjoy learning different styles of dance. I am excited to see what we accomplish this year in AMWHO!

Anna Ilyasova