Helen Heo, National Conference Director
Network Director
Helen Heo is a third-year MD/PhD student at the Duke University School of Medicine. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, she completed her B.S. in Neurobiology and Molecular Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison before spending a year in San Francisco, CA as a SENS Research Foundation Postbaccalaureate Research Fellow at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. She then moved to Durham, NC to pursue her MD/PhD training at Duke. She is completing her PhD in lab of Dr. Cagla Eroglu, where her research will focus on the role of astrocytes in Multiple Sclerosis using human cellular models.
She has been involved in Duke’s chapter of APAMSA for the past three years, serving as chapter president in 2023-2024. She is excited to serve as a National Conference Logistics Director for the 2025 National APAMSA Conference, and is looking forward to celebrating APAMSA as well as introducing attendees to Duke and Durham!
Kelly Pu, National Conference Director
Network Director
Hi everyone! My name is Kelly Pu, and I am an MS1 at Duke University School of Medicine. I am originally from Minnesota and majored in biomedical engineering at Columbia University. I’m interested in neuroscience and neurology. Outside of medicine, I enjoy running and the outdoors- I’ve run two marathons (so far) during medical school!
I’m part of Duke APAMSA’s Mental Health Committee and excited to be co-Director of Speaker Relations for the 2025 National Conference!
Katrina Hon, National Conference Director
Network Director
Hi! My name is Katrina Hon and I am currently a first year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. I grew up in Connecticut and got my Bachelor’s in Neuroscience at Harvard. Before medical school, I worked as a healthcare consultant in San Francisco. I am interested in exploring the intersection of neuroscience and medical humanities, as well as finding ways to support and build connections within AANHPI communities. I have loved being able to take a more active role in community engagement through APAMSA, and I am excited to expand my involvement through the national conference! Outside of medicine, I also enjoy traveling, thrifting, and painting!
Jamie Lim, National Conference Director
Network Director
Hi! My name is Jamie, and I’m a medical student at the Duke University School of Medicine. I grew up in Alabama and studied Biology and History as an undergraduate at Duke University. My current medical interests lie in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. In my free time, I love trying new restaurants and cafes, crocheting, taking care of my plants, going on road trips, and enjoying live music.
Hannah Zang, National Conference Director
Network Director
Hannah Zang is currently a third year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. She was born and raised in the Dallas, Texas area. Since then, she has completed her B.S. in Biology and Psychology at Lyon College. Her research before medical school consisted of CRISPR-Cas9 molecular analysis at University of Arkansas and protein transport characterization at Lyon College. In medical school, she is involved with research comparing epidural techniques, improving maternal morbidity and mortality, and investigating AANHPI health disparities. In the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association, she has served as the Social Committee Chair in her local chapter and is motivated to create a stronger sense of community for AANHPI medical students. Outside of school, she loves reading romance novels, writing to penpals, taking care of plants, and trying new restaurants. After medical school, she aims to pursue a career in the field of obstetric anesthesiology.
Allan Chen, National Conference Director
Network Director
Allan Chen is currently a 1st year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine. He grew up in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Duke University in 2021 with a BS in Biology. Since then, he has worked as a medical assistant in orthopedic surgery and completed a Fulbright Scholarship in Mexico. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, baking, watching NFL, music festivals/concerts, and karaokeing to Taylor Swift. He hopes to pursue a career in surgical oncology and continue his work teaching and working with Hispanic and Asian populations.
Stephen Lin, Region I Director
Network Director
Hi everyone! My name is Stephen Lin, and I am a medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine (UNE COM). I was born in NYC but grew up in Wisconsin where I completed my undergraduate studies at St. Norbert College, and obtained my B.S. in Biology. In my free time, I enjoy playing volleyball, playing board games, trying new recipes, making music, and spending time with my family/friends. Last but not least, I love spending time with my cat, Martin (@martin_the_sheriff). I am very excited to join the APAMSA family this year and looking forward to serving you all as the APAMSA Region 1 Co-Director!
Emily Chen, Region V Director
Network Director
Hi everyone! My name is Emily Chen, and I am currently a M1 at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. I was born in Guangzhou, China and immigrated to the US with my parents when I was young. Before medical school, I got my B.S. in Neuroscience at The Ohio State University. I am currently the co-president of my local APAMSA chapter and am heavily involved in our organization’s hepatitis outreach and Mandarin education. In my free time, I love dancing to K-pop, trying new restaurants, and cooking with my family!
National APAMSA Condemns Violent Suppression of Student Protests on College Campuses
On April 18th, 2024, the New York Police Department (NYPD) arrested over 100 peaceful student protestors at Columbia University’s “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” in response to orders by university President Nemat Minouche Shafik. The arrests have ignited a nationwide movement of college students setting up similar encampments to protest US support for Israeli military action in Gaza and to call for divestment of school endowments from corporations that profit from war.
Alarmingly, however, college administrators have continued to escalate against peaceful student protests with violent police suppression, disproportionate disciplinary action, and undue censorship. Administrator-ordered police intervention on several campuses has led to more than 800 arrests of students nationally, with many police officers using excessive force. At the University of Texas at Austin, Governor Greg Abbott called on state troopers clad in riot gear to stop peaceful student demonstrations, while at Emory University police officers and state troopers reportedly used pepper spray, rubber bullets and tear gas on students, tased attendees, and wrestled faculty to the ground. Since November 2023, administrators have employed multiple intimidation tactics to censor pro-Palestinian voices, including suspending students to facilitate police arrests, banning student chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), and even terminating physicians-in-training from residency programs.
National APAMSA condemns the brutal crackdown on academic freedom and free speech on college campuses across the country. We support statements made by organizations such as Asian Texans for Justice, Rise AAPI, Emgage Action, Stop AAPI Hate, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Human Rights Watch (HRW). As a national medical student organization whose mission is rooted in principles of health advocacy, we stand in solidarity with all students exercising their constitutional right to free speech to advocate for human rights. As stated in a previous statement, National APAMSA unequivocally upholds the value of human life everywhere. We remain committed in our demand for a sustained humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza in light of the thousands of innocent lives lost, numerous attacks on healthcare workers and facilities, and restricted access to humanitarian aid.
We call on college administrators to resist political pressures to censor student voices and instead uphold academic freedom––encouraging students to engage in civil discourse on campuses without fear of punitive and disproportionate punishment. Removing peaceful protests using police violence under the guise of improving campus safety further endangers students and creates hostile learning environments. Reiterating previous statements, we likewise continue to condemn accounts of anti-Palestinian racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia reported amid the protests.
For questions or concerns, please reach out to Nataliyah Tahir at rapidresponse@apamsa.org