National Board Bio

Helen Heo is a fifth-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 focuses on the development and specification of white matter astrocytes.

She was previously the Duke APAMSA President, served as National Conference Logistics Director for the 2025 National APAMSA Conference at the Duke University School of Medicine, and a Region IV Director. She is looking forward to connecting more with APAMSA and AANHPI students with alumni this year as an Alumni Director!

Maggie Zhou is a rising 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 Alumni Director this year!

Madeline Pan is a student at the University of Texas Medical Branch and will be the first in her family to become a physician. Prior to medical school, she received her undergraduate degree from Southern Methodist University in Biological Sciences and Health & Society. She is passionate about fostering supportive environments for women in medicine of various AANHPI backgrounds. She believes that by amplifying unique voices and perspectives, we can strive to break stereotypes, address systemic challenges, and advance gender equity. In her free time, she likes to learn languages, travel, and spend time with her cat Mina =^..^=

Audrey Lam is a third-year medical student at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. She was born in the San Gabriel Valley, California, and raised by first-generation Chinese-Vietnamese refugees. She graduated from the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology with a B.S. in Human Development and Aging and is passionate about advancing health equity for geriatric and LGBTQIA+ communities.

Audrey was a recipient of the NIA-funded Medical Student Training in Aging Research (MSTAR) grant, where she designed a research project developing a novel educational webinar series to address the needs of dementia caregivers from marginalized populations, including those with LGBTQIA+ identities. She is also currently investigating LGBTQIA+ health disparities within AANHPI communities with Dr. Elaine Hsiang.

As the APAMSA LGBTQIA+ Director, she looks forward to advocating for individuals with intersecting identities and advancing inclusive representation and improving health outcomes for these communities.

Diane Janelle, “D.J.”, Camonayan is a fourth year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Georgia. She completed her B.S. in Nursing at Georgia State University and worked as a registered nurse before deciding to pursue medicine. She is the eldest daughter to Filipino immigrants, and loves staying in touch with her culture. So naturally, APAMSA was a perfect fit for her, integrating both the Asian American experience and the love for healthcare. She has enthusiastically served as Vice President of APAMSA’s PCOM Chapter and National APAMSA’s Region IV Director, prior to becoming the now Southeast Asian Director. Being a Georgia peach, she hopes to promote advocacy for SEA patients and representation of SEA medical students in the South and beyond in her new role. Outside of school, she loves to travel, run races, practice hot yoga, try new places to eat, and go on side quests (she just graduated from the Citizens Police Academy and recently took Curling lessons). She hopes to be an Emergency Medicine physician in the near future.

Shravani Khisti is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC). She also completed her BA through UMKC’s accelerated 6-year BA/MD program. She was born in Pune, Maharashtra, India, and immigrated to the United States at the age of five, a journey that shaped her deep interest in community advocacy, and advancing health equity for South Asian populations. Shravani has been actively involved with the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) for the past six years. She has served as Publicity Director, Vice President, Co-President, and Advisory Board member at the local level and nationally as a member of the Leadership Committee, now currently serving her second year as the APAMSA South Asian Director. She works to amplify South Asian health advocacy, promote culturally meaningful programming, and foster collaboration across the APAMSA community. Shravani is interested in pursuing ophthalmology and enjoys exploring research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and health disparity. In addition to her scientific interests, Shravani is passionate about mindfulness and well-being in medicine having completed Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) training and being recognized with distinction in mindfulness in medicine. Outside of medicine, Shravani enjoys cultivating creativity and curiosity into her everyday life. You can often find her practicing Spanish while listening to Latin hits, sketching, or spending time outdoors hiking or playing pickleball. Whether through advocacy, leadership, or community building, she hopes to continue uplifting South Asian voices in medicine while creating spaces that support both wellness and meaningful connection.

Regan Keonelehua Kame Stradtmann-Carvalho is a first-year medical student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa John A. Burns School of Medicine and a graduate of the ‘Imi Ho‘ōla Post-Baccalaureate Program, with a B.A. in Natural Sciences (Biology and Philosophy) from Johns Hopkins University. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, she brings a strong commitment to serving Pacific communities, grounded in both her academic training and lived experience. Her background includes immunology and virology research at Johns Hopkins and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the NIH, where she contributed to several peer-reviewed influenza research papers. Clinically, she has served as an EMT-A, emergency department technician, and pediatric hematology/oncology patient care technician, reflecting a sustained dedication to hands-on patient care. In addition to her scholarly and clinical work, she has demonstrated leadership as a class representative, current MS1 Co–Vice President, and Pū Paʻakai Ambassador, while engaging in mentorship and community service initiatives. She hopes to become an emergency medicine physician and return to the Big Island to serve her community.

Jessie Chen is a fourth year MD/MPH medical student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. She was born in San Jose, CA then graduated from UCLA with a B.S in Physiological Sciences and a minor in Asian American Studies. She has worked extensively with the AANHPI communities through Asian Pacific Health Corps at UCLA during undergrad and more recently through medical school and APAMSA as local chapter Events Coordinator, Advocacy Chair, and Mentorship Chair, Advocacy Committee Member, and Committee Co-Chair. She is very interested in health policy and advocacy and health inequities particularly in the AANHPI populations. She hopes to integrate all of these interests into her medical practice in the future as she aims to pursue a career in Internal Medicine or Internal Medicine-Pediatrics.

Pehr is a first-year medical student at California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM). He earned his B.S. in Physiology from San José State University and previously worked in biotechnology research at ACDBio, where he focused on assay development and translational science. He also led a volunteer team with the Radiology Department at Stanford Health Care, supporting clinical education initiatives and expanding exposure to underrecognized fields of medicine.

As Rapid Response Director for the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA), Pehr is committed to advancing timely advocacy efforts that address emerging health policy issues affecting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. His interests include health equity, radiologic innovation, and the ethical integration of technology in healthcare. Through leadership, research, and policy work, he aims to strengthen APAMSA’s national impact and promote equitable access to care for underserved populations.

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Karen Zhang is currently a fourth-year medical student at McGovern Medical School in Houston, TX. She completed her B.S. in Biochemistry at UT Austin. She was the co-president for her local chapter and is excited to serve as the Medical Education Director in her second term. Karen is interested in urology, medical humanities, and education.