Executive Committee 2021
Munir Buhaya – Conference Co-Chair
Humsini Viswanath – Conference Co-Chair
Patenne Mathews – Workshop Chair
Timothy Fan – Public Relations Co-Chair
Katelynn Tran – Public Relations Co-Chair
Rhea Soltau – Funding & Grants Co-Chair
Talhatou Diallo – Programs Co-Chair
May Al Ameri – Programs Co-Chair
Jadsia Roopchand – Logistics Chair
Executive Committee Bios:
Munir Buhaya – Conference Co-Chair
His interest in global health arises from an early exposure to tropical infectious disease in Latin America, in which he witnessed firsthand the burden of disease on disadvantaged communities but also the importance of global collaboration to alleviate suffering and improve health. In medical school, he gained an interest in general surgery, and he would like to integrate global health into his surgery training as well as throughout his future career as a surgeon. He served as fundraising chair of the HGHC 2020 conference, and he is very excited to now serve as conference co-chair.
Humsini Viswanath – Conference Co-Chair
Humsini is a 4th year medical student at Texas A&M College of Medicine. She graduated from University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in Cognitive Science and minor in Global Poverty & Practice. She then attended University of Texas, Houston School of Public Health and received a MPH in Epidemiology and Global Health.
Humsini has always had an interest in Global Health since high school from her trips to India and research and non-profit work in India and Nepal. She is specifically interested in chronic diseases, with a focus on neurology and psychiatry. Since attending the very first HGHC conference to helping plan 3 of them, Humsini believes HGHC is a great way to open up avenues for collaboration between academics, students, physicians, and non-profits within the TMC and Texas to promote global health research and education and improve the quality of health care locally and abroad.
Patenne Mathews – Workshop Chair
Patenne is a second-year MPH student at UTHealth School of Public Health, where she is majoring in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences. She attended Duke University for her undergraduate degree, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Global Health and Chemistry. Her main research interests include global mental health, social determinants of health, and health disparities.
Patenne became involved with HGHC because she wants to learn more about global health research in the TMC and participate in disseminating information about this research. There is so much important work being done, and she believes this conference is a great way to bring students and medical professionals together for a common purpose. Patenne’s goal for the HGHC conference this year is to create and embed an interactive workshop experience for attendees that encourages hands-on learning in a unique way.
Timothy Fan – Public Relations Co-Chair
Timothy is a 4th year medical student at Texas A&M College of Medicine. He grew up in Taiwan before moving to Texas in high school. He subsequently graduated from Texas A&M University with B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and minor in Psychology.
Timothy’s passion for global health stemmed from his split childhood between two continents, and multiple medical mission trips to Southeast Asia, Africa, and South America throughout his educational journey. His medical interest lies in Otolaryngology, and he strives to provide the clinical and surgical skills the specialty has to offer to others in need in the future. Timothy is excited for the opportunity where he can meet and work with present and future leaders of global health through HGHC as the Public Relations Co-Chair. He aims to reach out to broad audience to both enhance general public’s awareness of global health issues, while connecting students and educators alike to the HGHC conference.
Katelynn Tran – Public Relations Co-Chair
Katelynn is a 4th year pharmacy student at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. She graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and minor in Biology.
Katelynn’s passion for global health began in 2015 when she had the opportunity to go to Honduras to provide free healthcare to the communities. In 2016, she was able to go on another trip to Nicaragua where she participated in public health projects to improve hygiene and sanitation practices along with providing healthcare and education. As an avid volunteer in pharmacy school, she’s provided many health screenings, vaccinations and education to underserved areas throughout the Houston community. In 2020, she attended the HGHC Conference as a volunteer and wanted to become involved to bring awareness to global health and continue to strive for health equity all over the world. Her goal this year is to bring awareness to the importance of global health and encourage the community to attend the conference to further their education in global health. She really hopes to reach out to students and professionals of all backgrounds (medical, nursing, pharmacy, public health, etc.) who have any interest in global health and aren’t sure how to contribute or get involved.
Rhea Soltau – Funding & Grants Chair
Rhea Soltau is a 4th year pharmacy student at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy. She completed her undergraduate work at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio before moving to Houston for pharmacy school. Following graduation from pharmacy school she plans to pursue a residency in the Texas Medical Center for clinical pharmacy.
Her interest in global health started well before college and was especially strengthened during her extensive travels. Rhea has been involved in many global and local health projects to bring medical access to people facing multiple barriers to access. She felt a calling to serve on the HGHC Conference Committee due to her realization that a strong network is needed to develop sustainable health projects. She recognized how the HGHC conference connected like-minded people striving to address health inequity, lack of access and a multitude of other issues. Therefore, making this more than just a conference but also a place for collaboration and connection. As the Fundraising Chair, Rhea plans to spend the next year building a relationship with donors to provide the conference a sustainable avenue of funding for years to come.
Talhatou Diallo – Programs Co-Chair
Tadia Diallo is a graduate student at UTHealth School of Public Health. She previously graduated with a Medical degree in Guinea and a Liberal Arts and Humanities degree at Houston Community College.
Her interest in global health comes from her early exposure to the medical environment in developing countries where, as a medical doctor, she witnessed firsthand how the context of social structure and health care systems impact global health. Through her non-profit work and her research on infectious diseases among the incarcerated population in Guinea she realized that in order to make healthcare accessible and affordable for everyone, we must first understand the social, political, and economical determinants of health. She is enthused to serve as Program Chair of HGHC 2021. She is looking forward to connecting with other global health experts and expanding her knowledge on the field to be able to properly address health challenges and be part of ending the cycle.
May Al Ameri – Programs Co-Chair
May is a 1st year medical student at UT McGovern. She received her Bachelor of Science in Honors Biomedical Sciences with minors in Medicine & Society, Phronesis, and Chemistry from the University of Houston.
May is very interested in immigrant and refugee health in Houston and around the globe. She was an Albert Schweitzer Fellow which deepened her understanding of the importance a diverse global health education for medical professionals, especially in Houston. Her goals are: 1) To allow student from different health disciplines to understand their role in the giving adequate care to international communities 2)To address and bring attention to disparities, especially in terms of social determinants of health that international, migrant, and refugee populations face. 3) To open a channel of networking and collaboration between experts and students interested in global health research and education.
Jadsia Roopchand – Logistics Co-Chair
Jadsia is a nursing student at the University of Texas Cizik School of Nursing. Previously, she graduated from the University of Houston with a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English Literature.
Her curiosity for global medicine began on a medical mission to Haiti where she was first introduced to the challenges of sustainable global healthcare and mental health resources, especially in under-resourced communities. She is interested in destigmatizing mental health and helping to shape the nurse’s role in global healthcare. Since attending HGHC for this first time in 2019, she has been eager to get involved with the conference and continue to promote its positive environment of collaboration and global health education. Jadsia is serving as the Logistics Chair for HGHC 2021 and is looking forward to making this conference a valuable experience for all that encourages continued attendance and collaboration.