Christine Thang
Director of Publicity
MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Christine Thang was born and raised in Glendale, California, and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of California Los Angeles. She majored in Physiological Sciences, with a minor in Asian American Studies. Ms. Thang is currently the Vice President of the Class of 2015 Medical Student Council and President of the American Medical Student Association at UCLA. She stays involved in her community as an Albert Schweitzer Fellow working with the KP KIDS Program at the Venice Family Clinic. Ms. Thang sees her niche in medicine in the field of pediatrics and aspires to work in the field of pediatrics and in underserved communities.
Brad Turner
Director of Speakers
MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Bradley Turner is a second year UCLA medical student interested in health care delivery systems and innovation. He grew up in Northern California and went to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah where he received his degree in Business Management. Between his first and second year at BYU, Mr. Turner spent two years volunteering with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Arkansas and Tennessee. After completing his undergraduate degree, he worked in the finance group of Biosense Webster, a Johnson & Johnson company. Currently he is working with UCLA’s Institute for Innovation in Healthcare. Outside of medical school Mr. Turner enjoys hiking, singing, and whitewater river rafting.
Michelle Strong
Director of Logistics
MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
As a second year medical student, Barbara Michelle Strong, has continued to pursue activities that allow her to integrate her dedication to helping individuals in underserved communities, her sociology degree, and medicine. After graduating from Dartmouth College, she attended the Columbia University Premedical Postbaccalaureate Program. She has made the commitment to practice as a primary care physician in a health professional shortage area as a current National Health Service Corp Scholar and as a Scholar in the National Medical Fellowship Primary Care Leadership Program this past summer. In her role as the Co-President of the Student National Medical Association, she continues to be involved with community service by volunteering helping to organize the Synergy Health Fair in South Los Angeles as well as mentoring in the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. It is also her hope that her role as Logistics Coordinator for Health Care Symposium will allow her to increase her knowledge as well as her fellow classmates’ knowledge of the innovation that is allowing for improvements in quality and cost in health care today.
Margaret Wei
Director of Logistics
MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Margaret Wei was born and raised in Northridge, CA where she attended Van Nuys High School’s Math and Science Magnet program. She went on to study Bioengineering at the University of California Berkeley as a Regents and Chancellor’s Scholar. Throughout her career as an engineer, Ms. Wei worked at the biotech start-up CellASIC Corporation helping to develop microfluidic cell culturing plates. This past summer, Ms. Wei researched the potential for using cystatin C as a novel and independent biomarker for kidney transplant outcomes. Margaret continues to have a passion for innovation and technology. She hopes in her work as a physician to continue to champion these principles while working to improve healthcare access and quality.
Yas Sanaiha
Director of Finances
MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Yas Sanaiha is a second year medical student in the David Geffen School of Medicine. She is a California native, graduating from University High School in Irvine and then UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. As an undergraduate, Yas balanced commitments to biomedical research in the field of learning and memory with service in primary care clinics in California and Mexico. Her passion for pushing medicine forward in the lab and in the clinic has broadened in medical school, with a strong interest in the role of future physicians at the level of systemic change. Yas looks forward to integrating her diverse interests in research, patient care, and systems innovation in her service to her local and global community.
Photo credit: Aaron Jen, MS2, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA