communications_committee

Jina Park is a medical student at the McGovern Medical School in the heart of the Texas Medical Center in Houston, TX. She is the daughter of Korean immigrants and is the first in the family to pursue medicine. Prior to medical school, Jina studied English with a concentration in creative writing at Rice University and grew interested in medicine and ophthalmology after working as an emergency medical technician and ophthalmic scribe at a retina clinic. Jina is passionate about addressing disparities in health literacy and care for unhoused communities and hopes to leverage her experience throughout and beyond medical training to improve opportunities for care on a system-wide level. In her spare time, Jina enjoys dancing hip-hop, farming crops on Stardew Valley, and brushing her spoiled dog Mocha.

Akanksha Sharma is a second-year medical student at Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine. Originally from India, she immigrated to the United States when she was 11 years old and completed her undergraduate education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research on mutations in melanopsin receptors and gained experience working collaboratively in a laboratory setting. Before medical school, she worked as a medical and administrative assistant in a psychiatry practice, where she supported patients receiving TMS and Spravato treatment. She has also volunteered as a crisis counselor and at a local food pantry. Her interests include family medicine, internal medicine, and psychiatry, and she looks forward to exploring these fields throughout her medical training.

Maggie Zhou is a third-year medical student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. She is from Chandler, Arizona and completed her B.S. in Biological Sciences at Arizona State University. Prior to starting medical school, she spent a year at UCSF working as a Clinical Research Coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys trying new restaurants (Beli warrior), park days, and spending time with friends and family. She is looking forward to serving as Dermatology SSS Representative this year!

Alisa Luu is a post-baccalaureate pre-medical student at California State University, East Bay, where she serves as President of the APAMSA chapter. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Biology and Society. Alisa’s dedication to pediatric health is deeply tied to her clinical experience with pediatric stem cell transplant patients at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, which inspired a growing interest in stem cell therapy and pediatric hematology/oncology. She actively pairs this clinical focus with advocacy by initiating collaborations with NMDP to organize stem cell donor registry drives on campus. As the Pediatrics Student Specialty Section Representative, she is excited to empower students passionate about pediatrics and the future of stem cell transplantation. In her free time, Alisa enjoys rock climbing and spending time with her orange cat, Wilbur.

Simeon Nelson is a third-year medical student at Lincoln Memorial University–DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM). He earned his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. At LMU-DCOM, he served as President of the APAMSA chapter and as a chapter representative, in addition to serving on APAMSA’s Osteopathic Medicine Committee. Simeon is passionate about advancing evidence-based medical practice, improving equitable access to neurological care, and promoting brain health for all. His clinical interests include neurology and surgery, with a broader commitment to providing compassionate, high-quality care to diverse patient populations.

Ronald Zheng is currently a first-year medical student at the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine – Arkansas. Ronald grew up in Austin, Texas, and graduated from Texas A&M University in 2026 with a Bachelors in Biomedical Sciences. As a member of the Student Specialty Section, he hopes to create avenues for students to explore surgical specialties, develop leadership skills, and build strong mentorship networks. He also looks forward to promoting community service initiatives focused on recycling and redistributing unused medical supplies to underserved communities. Outside of academics, he enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, watching Texas A&M football, and playing the piano.

Serena is a third-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine. She was born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in the United Kingdom and Houston, Texas. She is passionate about research, medical education, community service, and fostering connections within the Asian American medical community. Her research focuses on cancer pain management and neuromodulation at MD Anderson Cancer Center, as well as medical education research at Baylor. She also serves as the Communications and Outreach Chair for Art & Music in Patient Care (AMP), where she helps bring music and art to patients across Houston. Serena hopes to pursue a career in anesthesiology, with a particular interest in critical care medicine. Outside of medicine, she enjoys Pilates, making jewelry, exploring cute cafés and new restaurants around the city, planning events, and traveling with family and friends.

Nathaniel Padre is a second-year medical student at the Jacobs School of Medicine at the University at Buffalo. Originally from the Pacific Northwest and a proud Filipino American, he later moved to New York City where he completed his Bachelor’s in Evolutionary Biology and Master’s in Human Nutrition at Columbia University. Prior to medical school, he pursued a career in dance in Los Angeles and participated in medical mission work in the Philippines. These experiences have strengthened his commitment to global health equity and serving underserved communities. As a future emergency physician, Nate is passionate about uplifting AANHPI voices and advancing equitable, culturally responsive care. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, cooking, Solidcore, playing Pokémon games, and snagging hard-to-get Resys at new restaurants.