National Board

What’s up y’all! I’m Phil, an MS3 at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Having been born and raised in Montreal, I attended McGill University for my undergraduate and graduate schooling, but I now call the Sonoran Deserts home. I am super excited to be serving as your Region VII Director as joining APAMSA has allowed me to connect with the many cultures that fall within the AANHPI community. Although region VII has expanded in size this year, I hope to bring us closer than ever before, with more inter-chapter networking socials, community outreach events, and professional development workshops! Outside of medicine, I am a (reformed) golf addict and a huge enjoyer of sleep, so in my free time you can probably find me taking a nap on the golf course.

Hi! My name is Thy (pronounced as ‘tee’), and I am a 4th year undergraduate student at the University of Arizona with a major in Physiology and Medical Sciences. I will be continuing my education at A.T. Still University – School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (ATSU-SOMA) as an OMS-I starting July 2024!

The past four years, I have had the pleasure of serving on the executive board of University of Arizona’s Pre-Health APAMSA chapter. The people I have met in APAMSA have been my heart and soul for the past four years of my life. They have given me grace to grow, and love to thrive – and I will forever cherish the memories I have made with people I regard as second family.

Giving back the love I have received is important to me. As Region VII Director, I aim to honor our community by being proactive in building the success of our chapters and supporting different chapters’ members on a personal level. I am excited to work with more people in different parts of our country and learn more about myself along the way. With growth comes new ideas, and hopefully I am able to help nourish these goals.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy dancing, going to the gym, hiking, trying new food, listening to music, traveling, and being with friends and family.

My name is Gautami and I am a MD student at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. I currently serve as a local chapter co-president and I am honored to be the first national board member from SIU. Outside of school, I enjoy cooking and have been experimenting with different recipes. I also love to hike and have been lucky to make it to a national park every year.

I am currently a first-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. I graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2018 with dual bachelor’s degrees in Biochemistry and Psychology in Human Health. Through APAMSA, I hope to be an advocate for underrepresented students in medicine as well as promote awareness on the unique responsibilities and obstacles of medicine within AANHPI communities. Outside of school, I love immersing myself in video/PC games, watching anime, and cuddling with my @pupperino.pals! I am excited to work alongside my peers to uphold APAMSA values and ideologies.

Hello, my name is Vivian Hoang. I am a DO student at Kansas City University (KCU) in Joplin, MO. I was born and raised in Wichita, KS. In my free time, I enjoy traveling, hiking, longboarding, piano, and spending time with my Pom-Chi, Mocha. This year, I am returning to my role as Region VI Director. I’m excited to continue in this role and connect local chapters with the national APAMSA.

Hi APAMSA! My name is Nicholas Wu, but I go by Nick. I’m currently a third year at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri, and serve as the Regional Director for Region VI. I’m originally from the Bay Area, and graduated from UCLA with a degree in Molecular Biology and double minors in English and Biomedical Research in 2019. In my free time, I love learning about music production and practicing my skills as an amateur DJ!

Hi all! My name is Jordan Sontz, and I am currently an OMSII at Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Before starting at MSUCOM, I received my B.S. in Health Sciences at Purdue University. I then went on to the University of Southern California where I received my Masters of Public Health with a concentration in Epidemiology and Biostatistics. Afterwards, I worked for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health as an Epidemiology Analyst recording reports of COVID-19 pregnant women in LA county. I look forward to working with and advocating for AANHPI patients. In my free time I enjoy lifting weights at the gym and hanging out with my friends.

Hi! My name is Sunshine (and yes, that is my real name) and one of the three Region V Directors! I am currently a OMS-2 at Michigan State University and was the former Chapter President and Director of the last Region V Conference. As the daughter of immigrants and someone who has not only seen but experienced significant health disparities among immigrant and low-income populations, I am passionate and committed to addressing and advocating for AANHPI issues. As a Regional Director, I hope to foster a sense of inclusion within the region while supporting the individual chapters. In my spare time, I love crocheting, baking, drawing, and learning K-pop choreographies.

Hi! My name is Daiana Takashima and I am an M3 at Emory SOM. Previously I served as the Co-President of the Emory APAMSA Chapter in 2022-23 as well as one of the Region IV Directors in 2023-24. I was born and raised in the Bay Area but spent part of my childhood in Japan. I went to Williams College for undergrad and spent my gap years working as a high school biology teacher at a 5-day boarding school in the suburbs outside of Boston before moving to Atlanta for medical school. Attending a predominantly white undergraduate institution motivated me to get involved in APAMSA and stay connected with the AANHPI community. I am specifically interested in mentorship, further exploring the collaborations between Eastern and Western medicinal practices, and bridging health literacy gaps for AANHPI immigrant communities in particular. Outside of school, I love playing volleyball, hiking, and watching kdrama/anime.

Hello, my name is Neil Vuppala and I am a DO student at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine. Before medical school, I obtained my B.A. at Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Chemistry and a double minor in Physics and South Asian Cultural Studies. During this time I also conducted research at WashU on student performance in introductory STEM courses and helped create and modify interventions to help every student succeed. Afterwards, I taught Introductory Chem Lab for a year also at WashU. Currently, I am doing research at Johns Hopkins University on the topic of re-irradiation on glioblastoma patients in my field of interest, radiation oncology. In my free time, I enjoy working out, playing video games, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family.