Connect With Students

Virginia Suarez is a second year MPH student in the Department of Community Health Sciences who received her BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 2018. Her previous experience includes work directly addressing the social determinants of health needs of families, supporting community-based participatory research with Native youth, and assisting national projects that aim to improve care and lower healthcare costs for older adults. At FSPH, Suarez is a trainee with the UCLA Center of Excellence in Maternal and Child Health, pursuing the Health Promotion/Health Education certificate, working as a Teaching Assistant, and serving as Finance Chair for the Maternal and Child Health Student Interest Group. She serves the FSPH community as the ambassador program coordinator.

Jason Cruz Velasco is a first-year MPH student in the Department of Health Policy & Management who received his bachelor’s degree in Public Health from California State University, Northridge. In his undergrad, he played a pivotal role in promoting healthy lifestyles and addressing community needs by interning at the Health Equity Research & Education Center where he developed health education materials focused on health literacy and presented his work to over 300 residents across the San Fernando Valley. Since graduating, he has worked at UCLA Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center and MEND a non-profit where he oversaw the implementation of the California Community Health Project. His journey in public health has been a fulfilling and enriching one, marked by a commitment to making a positive impact in underserved communities.

My name is Mohammad Khorgamphar, and I am a rising second-year health policy student in the HPM department. My academic journey is fueled by a deep passion for addressing healthcare disparities, promoting equity, and combating injustice. In my leisure time, I find enjoyment in reading, playing chess, and traveling. I would like to extend my warmest wishes to everyone for a productive and fulfilling year ahead. I am eagerly looking forward to the opportunity of meeting you all.

Brianna Murillo is a first-year MPH student in the Department of Epidemiology who received her bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Political Science from UC San Diego in 2021. After graduating, Brianna was a fellow in the inaugural cohort of the California Pathways into Public Health Initiative Program. During her time there, she worked at Kern County’s Public Health Department as part of the Healthcare-Associated Infections Program. This experience solidified her decision to pursue a career in the infectious diseases field.

Connie Wong is a first-year MPH student in the Department of Community Health Sciences who received her BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2018. Since graduating, Wong has been an active member of the Penn Alumni Ambassador Program, conducting conversations with prospective students each undergraduate admissions cycle. After graduation, Wong worked at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC, conducting clinical research with adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes. Interacting with a diverse patient population at Children’s National, Wong became passionate about addressing health disparities and improving access to health care. Most recently, she worked as a Research Associate for Communicate Health, a health communication company focused on designing health information that’s easy to understand and use. There, she also served as a member of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Council.

Wong is FSPH’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) admissions ambassador. In this role, she hopes to serve as a resource for students from underrepresented and first generation backgrounds and to make FSPH an inclusive, welcoming environment for everyone. Feel free to contact her with questions about applying to graduate school or the graduate school experience. She can be reached at askfsph@gmail.com.

Graduate Student Ambassador

Madeline Mai is a third-year Public Health (B.S) major and is looking forward to being a part of the Fielding community! Her passion for public health stems from her experiences working closely with underserved communities in Kern County at the Rio Bravo Cancer Center and interning with the UCSF Oncology Database. She currently serves as an ACS CARES volunteer conducting social determinants of health assessments to enhance patient support and alleviate barriers to care. Madeline is very excited to be a part of the 2023-2024 FSPH Student Ambassador Team and can’t wait to cultivate bonds with other passionate and driven individuals!

Malakai Espinosa is a current 4th year UCLA undergrad majoring in Human Biology and Society with a double minor in Public Health and Anthropology. For the past 2 years, he has interned at the FSPH Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities under the All Children Thrive Project. In addition, he works with the Healthy Tomorrows program through UCLA Medicine-Pediatrics. Outside of public health, Malakai also serves as the Co-president for Samahang Pilipino and plays tuba in the UCLA Marching Band! He's so excited to be one of the first Fielding Undergraduate Ambassadors this year!

Phoebe Kim is a current third year Public Health (B.S.) major and is so excited to be a part of the inaugural undergraduate cohort and one of the first undergraduate ambassadors of FSPH! Her current interests of study include the mental health of mothers specifically in immigrant and refugee communities as well as increasing quality educational access in underprivileged areas. As a San Diego native, she loves the beach, tacos, and being in the sun as much as possible!