Why Are Our Chapters Important?

At Youth Health Focus, health equity looks different in every corner of the world. By establishing chapters across the globe, we’re able to respond to local needs while working toward a shared mission: making healthcare more accessible, inclusive, and youth-led.

Community-Centered Approach

Each chapter is grounded in the realities of its local community -- whether that’s language access barriers, lack of basic health resources, or gaps in health education. This allows us to lead initiatives that are culturally relevant and genuinely impactful.

Broader Reach, Deeper Impact

Our university chapters help us reach more underserved populations and learn from one another’s experiences. From rural areas to dense cities, we’re creating a network of student leaders committed to health equity on a local and international scale.

Diverse Voices, Shared Vision

Working across different regions brings together a wide range of perspectives and ideas. By collaborating across chapters, we strengthen our advocacy, deepen our understanding of global health disparities, and amplify youth voices in the health space.

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Patrick Ting

Co-Founder

President of the Johns Hopkins Chapter

Patrick is a junior at Johns Hopkins University studying Electrical Engineering and Biophysics and minoring in Computer Integrated Surgery. Through service as an EMT in the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department as well as through volunteering in different clinical and non-clinical settings, he recognizes the need to prioritize the basics of healthcare access in ensuring worldwide medical equity. Patrick aspires to continue working and contributing to the ever growing field of medicine in the future.

Ariel Lee

Patrick Ting

Co-Founder

President of the UC Berkeley Chapter

Ariel is a senior at UC Berkeley majoring in Integrative Biology. Through her volunteer work at senior centers and research on brain and spinal disorders, she has seen how language and cultural barriers can limit access to healthcare. She is passionate about bridging those gaps through health education and community-centered initiatives. Ariel hopes to become a compassionate physician who works to make healthcare more equitable and accessible.

Nick Daum

Patrick Ting

Ammar Mandviwalla

Co-Founder

President of the Penn Chapter

Nick is a junior at Wharton studying finance and business economics. He joined YHF to help raise awareness for the situation in Haiti and organize campus-wide events. He will be focusing on financials in the organization but he also hopes to be involved with student outreach, recruiting, and event planning. Nick is excited to grow our organization!

Ammar Mandviwalla

Co-President of the Johns Hopkins Chapter

Ammar is a junior majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology at Johns Hopkins University aspiring to become a Vascular Surgeon. He is passionate about addressing healthcare disparities among diverse populations, particularly in relation to cardiovascular health. Outside of class, Ammar spends his time in a genetics lab and volunteering with elderly inpatients at a local hospital.

Mei Mei Hu

Ammar Mandviwalla

Amani Khanna

President of the Duke Chapter

Mei-Mei is a sophomore at Duke University majoring in Neuroscience and Global Health. Born in China, she has witnessed firsthand how language and cultural differences can create barriers to care. Through volunteering in hospice facilities and international experiences interning in clinical Gynecology surgery in China, Mei-Mei has developed a passion for bridging healthcare disparities through culturally informed education and patient-centered initiatives. Mei-Mei hopes to pursue a career in medicine focused on elevating patient narratives and advancing equitable, accessible care.

Amani Khanna

Ammar Mandviwalla

Amani Khanna

Co-President of the UCSC Chapter

Amani is a Junior at UC Santa Cruz majoring in Neuroscience. She is deeply committed to advancing healthcare equity, particularly for underrepresented communities. Through her work with The Pink Project and among other projects, she organized and delivered hygiene products to Women’s shelters. As an intern at the UCSC Women’s Center, she supported programs that foster inclusivity and empowerment. Her experience as a medical assistant has highlighted the critical importance of accessible information and resources in patient care, as well as the impact of language barriers on achieving true patient-centered care. Furthering these initiatives, Amani aspires to a career in medicine where she can integrate advocacy, cultural awareness, and clinical practice to improve healthcare access and outcomes.

Kingel Naik

Co-President of the UCSC Chapter

Kingel is a junior at UC Santa Cruz, double majoring in Cognitive Science and Game Design. With leadership roles in both cultural and academic organizations, she is deeply engaged in fostering community and creating spaces for collaboration and growth. Passionate about understanding human experiences, Kingel is particularly interested in how design, technology, and cognitive science can intersect to enhance connection, accessibility, and equity. This perspective has also shaped her commitment to healthcare and advocacy, recognizing that inclusive systems and equitable access are essential to supporting well-being across diverse communities. Looking forward, she aspires to continue blending creativity and research to build inclusive experiences that strengthen communities and improve how people interact with the world and with one another.

UC Berkeley Chapter

Ariel Lee

Grace Van Wyhe

President

Ariel Lee is a senior at UC Berkeley majoring in Integrative Biology. Through her volunteer work at senior centers and research on brain and spinal disorders, she has seen how language and cultural barriers can limit access to healthcare. She is passionate about bridging those gaps through health education and community-centered

President

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Grace Van Wyhe

Co-President

Grace is a senior at UC Berkeley double majoring in Integrative Biology and Molecular and Cellular biology. She is currently involved in an on-campus Metabolic bioengineering lab and is interested in pursuing a career in medical research. She has engaged in a number of local volunteer projects, her favorite being an on-campus initiative assembling care kits for hospitalized children. Grace hopes to continue to engage in community healthcare efforts to build solutions to healthcare inequities and uplift the community she so loves.

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Hanbin Yu

Grace Van Wyhe

Maddie Piao

Vice President

Director of Communications & Media

Hanbin Yu is a senior at UC Berkeley, double majoring in Public Health and Political Economy with a focus on Healthcare Policy. Through research in the Dominican Republic and work as a Korean medical interpreter, she’s developed a strong commitment to health equity. Her experiences in gover

Vice President

Director of Communications & Media

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Maddie Piao

Co-Director of Research & Journalism

Maddie is a senior at Berkeley majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Medical Biology and Physiology. She is particularly passionate about cancer research, specifically breast cancer, and is driven by the desire to improve treatment outcomes for cancer patients. She is especially committed to addressing healthcare disparities and ensuring that advancements in cancer therapies benefit people from all backgrounds.

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Anjana Goli

Maddie Piao

Anjana Goli

Co-Director of Research & Journalism

Anjana is a freshman at UC Berkeley majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. Anjana is passionate about synthetic biology and cancer research, personalized medicine, and healthcare accessibility. She is especially passionate about making medicine more accessible and sustainable, and making STEM more dive

Co-Director of Research & Journalism

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Via Cho

Maddie Piao

Anjana Goli

Co-Director of Health Education & Medical Initiatives

Yehin is a senior at UC Berkeley concentrating in Molecular and Cell Biology. Her academic pursuits revolve around her deep interest in developmental biology and pharmaceutical chemistry, supported by her research under the Oral Medicine Department, drug product manufacturing, and volunteering at disabled rehabilitation centers. Yehin is passionate to advance health equity and alleviate unjust disparities, in hopes to bring the right medicine to the right person in a timely, affordable manner.

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Makaha morishita

Co-Director of Health Education & Medical Initiatives

Ines Sanchez

Makaha morishita

Co-Director of Health Education & Medical Initiatives

Ines Sanchez is a third year pre-med student at UC Berkeley majoring in Nutrition and Metabolic Biology. Ines is passionate about making health education more accessible and culturally relevant, especially in underserved communities. Through her work, she aims to bridge gaps in healthca

Co-Director of Health Education & Medical Initiatives

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swati charan

Makaha morishita

swati charan

Co-Director of Outreach & Community Engagement

Swati is a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in Molecular Environmental Biology and minoring in Global Poverty and Practice. Through her work, she’s developed a strong passion for health equity and the impacts of climate and environmental change on community health. She is particularly driven to

Co-Director of Outreach & Community Engagement

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Sean Kim

Christina Chi

swati charan

Treasurer

Co-Director of Outreach & Community Engagement

Treasurer

Co-Director of Outreach & Community Engagement

Sean is a first-year student at UC Berkeley studying Nutritional Sciences. With aspirations to make an impact both at the individual and systemic levels of healthcare, Sean is passionate about supporting underserved communities through patient-centered care and health advocacy. His previous experience volunteering in non-clinical community settings has deepened his understanding of the structural barriers many face in accessing care—and the importance of collective action in addressing those gaps. Looking forward, Sean hopes to pursue a career where he can bridge personal compassion with broader healthcare reform.

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Christina Chi

Director of Communications & Media

Christina Chi is a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in Integrative Biology with a strong interest in preventative oral healthcare and medicine. Through her work in volunteering, she hopes to make health education more accessible and build inclusive communities, especially for those in need. Christina is

Director of Communications & Media

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Johns Hopkins Chapter

Patrick Ting

Ammar Mandviwalla

President

Ammar Mandviwalla

Co-President

Brian Liu

Ammar Mandviwalla

Heemee Ton

Vice President

Brian is a neuroscience major at John Hopkins University. He's also minoring in Psychology and Philosophy. Brian loves weightlifting and martial arts. Helping different communities in health related fields is what he is interested in, and why he am part of Youth Health Focus!

Heemee Ton

Nat Nimmanpipak

Heemee Ton

Co-Director of Research and Journalism

Heemee Ton is a Junior pre-med at Johns Hopkins pursuing an MBA in Molecular & Cellular Biology. With experience in volunteer initiatives in healthcare and low-income communities, Heemee is invested in addressing health disparities resulting from low socioeconomic status. Outside of his academic role, he enjoys weightlifting, cooking, and hiking.

Nat Nimmanpipak

Co-Director of Research and Journalism

My name is Thanapat (Nat) Nimmanpipak from Bangkok, Thailand, and I’m a sophomore majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Outside of class, I’m passionate in research and volunteering, aspiring to become a pediatric oncologist. The reason I joined Youth Health Focus is because I wish to make an impact in delivering better healthcare to those in need

Tristan Faze

Nat Nimmanpipak

Co-Director of Health Education and Medical Initiatives

Tristan is a Junior at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. With a strong interest in translational research, he has contributed to projects involving targeted drug delivery, nanomedicine, and neuro degeneration. As a transfer student, Tristan is passionate about building community and broadening access to academic and research opportunities. He hopes to continue working at the intersection of science and medicine to support equitable and innovative healthcare solutions.

Justin Chiuwei

Co-Director of Outreach and Community Engagement

Justin Chiuwei is a junior at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Applied Math and Statistics. He aspires to become a physician and is interested in cardiovascular and neurosurgery as well as radiology. He is currently involved in research labs focusing on medical imaging of the heart as well as sensorimotor circuits using rodent models. For fun, Justin likes to play basketball, golf, and run long distances.

Cheryl Chong

Justin Chiuwei

Co-Director of Communications and Media

I am a rising sophomore studying Neuroscience on the pre-medical track, with a growing interest in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. I hope to bridge cultural gaps through advocacy and community engagement. Outside of the classroom, I enjoy exploring music, baking, playing the piano, and mixing tracks for fun.

Ethan Bai

Justin Chiuwei

Winston Wongso

Co-Director of Communications and Media

Ethan Bai is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins majoring in BME with a focus in Immunoengineering. Through volunteering in hospital emergency departments and serving his community as an EMT, he developed a passion for spreading healthcare equity, which he looks forward to improving at Youth Health Focus. Ethan also spends his time tutoring math and doing cardiac research at a BME lab.

Winston Wongso

Paul Bermudez Cobo

Winston Wongso

Co-Director of outreach & community Engagement

Hi I’m Winston, I’m a junior at Johns Hopkins majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. I’m from Irvine, California and i enjoy kickboxing, snowboarding, weightlifting, and playing drums. I hope to serve the community effectively and immediately through Youth Health Focus.

Paul Bermudez Cobo

Co-Director of Health Education and Medical Initiatives

Paul Bermudez Cobo is a driven junior at Johns Hopkins University double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Public Health. As an Ecuadorian-American, his heritage fuels his commitment to addressing global health disparities. Passionate about medical research, he aspires to become a pediatric oncologist dedicated to advancing therapies for childhood cancers. His ultimate goal is to combine scientific innovation with humanitarian advocacy to promote global health equity.

Mark Naddour

Paul Bermudez Cobo

Co-Director of Health Education and Medical Initiatives

Mark is a Junior at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Public Health. Through his work as a medical assistant and research on neurodevelopmental disorders, he has demonstrated a profound interest in improving healthcare delivery for vulnerable populations. Outside of class, he spends his time running, weightlifting, and playing video games.

Maximus yang

Treasurer

Ruby Tsai

Ruby is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology. She is exploring a career in optometry, driven by a deep interest in vision science and a commitment to expanding healthcare access. Through Youth Health Focus, Ruby looks forward to collaborating with like-minded peers to address public health issues and advocate for underserved communities.

Ryan Zhang

Steven Xiang

I’m Ryan, a sophomore at Johns Hopkins majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Applied Math & Statistics on the pre-med track. I’m passionate about community health, especially how social and economic factors affect access to care. I’ve volunteered in both hospital and community settings and am especially interested in youth health education and advocacy. I’m excited to be part of YHF because I believe early education and outreach can make a huge difference in long-term health outcomes.

Steven Xiang

Steven Xiang is a rising sophomore at the Johns Hopkins University studying Biomedical Engineering on a pre-med track. He is interested in using his combined engineering and medical background to find novel solutions to diseases and make healthcare more accessible to disadvantaged communities. He enjoys playing basketball, reading scientific novels, and collecting lego sets.

Duke Chapter

Mei Mei HU

Justine Prophete

President

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Justine Prophete

Vice President:

Justine Prophete is a senior at Duke University, majoring in Neuroscience on the Pre-Med track. She performs research focused on improving health outcomes for women with fibromyalgia and for underserved patient populations undergoing spinal surgeries. These experiences have helped deepen her understanding of how social and

Vice President:

healthcare access and outcomes. Justine aspires to become a physician committed to addressing these systemic barriers and advancing equity in her practice. She is excited to join

YHF and contribute to a community dedicated to transforming healthcare.

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Jiazhuo(Markus) Cheng

Director of Research:

Jiazhuo(Markus) Cheng

Markus is a sophomore at Duke University. He is interested in biology and life. He is

passionate about exploring unknowns and wants to use new knowledge to improve people’s health/life qualities. He is really excited to be a part of the YHF club to improve health access

to more people.

Maya Behura

Jiazhuo(Markus) Cheng

Director of Communications & Media:

Maya is a member of the class of 2029 and is hoping to pursue a psychology major with a

global health minor. She is passionate about the field of public health and giving back to the community. She enjoys reading, going to the gym with friends, and exploring new coffee

shops!