Spencer Brooks and his team of mission-driven technology experts have provided Close Concerns with online technology consulting through his company, Brooks Digital, since 2011. After studying Computer Science at Boise State University, Spencer worked with the State of Idaho as a web development specialist and interim webmaster before venturing out to start his own digital agency for mission-driven organizations. In his free time, he moonlights as a professional drummer, recording on albums in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, as well as filling in on tour for the occasional band.

Michael Dougan is Gastroenterology Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and a postdoctoral associate in Hidde Ploegh's lab at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research. He received his MD and PhD from Harvard Medical School in 2011. Michael has had a longstanding interest in the interaction between the immune system and cancer. He conducted his dissertation research in Dr. Glenn Dranoff's lab at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he studied novel approaches to enhancing anti-tumor immunity. In addition to his research, Michael has been a teaching fellow for several graduate and undergraduate courses; his teaching was recognized in 2008 by Harvard's Levenson Award. Michael received his BA from Amherst College in 2002, where he majored in Chemistry and English, graduating summa cum laude (both majors) and Phi Beta Kappa. Michael has worked with Close Concerns part-time since 2006, primarily on Closer Look publications and also serving as an advisor to countless Close Concerns full-time associates.

Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, FACP is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and the Joslin Diabetes Center. He is also the former Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association (ADA). At the ADA, Dr. Gabbay led many transformational initiatives, including guiding the ADA to a deeper focus on primary care through the establishment of the Primary Care Council, comprised of leading primary care organizations in the US, and the ADA Primary Care Alliance of over 2000 primary care practices committed to transform diabetes care. Throughout his vibrant career, he has had many accomplishments as a basic science researcher, developer of patient communication tools, creator of the first broad-scale diabetes registry, designer of care management training programs, digital health innovations, and leader of one of the largest primary care transformation efforts in the US around the Patient Centered Medical Home. Along with an extensive peer-reviewed publication record, he has appeared in and is frequently quoted by the popular press, including the New York Times, CNN, the Washington Post, and NPR.

James S. Hirsch, a former reporter for The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, is a best-selling author whose most recent book is "WILLIE MAYS: The Life, the Legend", the first biography of Mays written with his cooperation. Hirsch has also written "CHEATING DESTINY: Living With Diabetes", "HURRICANE: The Miraculous Journey of Rubin Carter", "RIOT AND REMEMBRANCE: America's Worst Race Riot and Its Legacy," and "TWO SOULS INDIVISIBLE: The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam." Jim has an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and a graduate degree from the LBJ School of Public Policy at the University of Texas. He lives in the Boston area with his wife, Sheryl, and their children, Amanda and Garrett. Jim has worked as an editor and contributor to Close Concerns since 2004

Elaine Young joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in Fall 2020 and returned as a full-time Associate after graduating from Dartmouth College in June 2022 with degrees in Neuroscience and Hispanic Studies. She was promoted to Director of Strategy in June 2024. At Dartmouth, Elaine conducted obesity research investigating the effects of exercise on diet choice. She also spent a summer at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles volunteering and learning about clinical trials in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes. Outside of school, Elaine played cello in the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and taught cello and piano as president of Musical Empowerment, a national nonprofit club that provides students in school districts in New Hampshire and Vermont with free instruments and one-on-one music lessons. In her free time, Elaine enjoys snowboarding, skating on frozen ponds, and listening to film scores and songs from Broadway musicals.

Adam Brown started as a summer intern at Close Concerns in 2010, returned as a full-time associate in 2011, and held various leadership roles through 2019. In his role as the head of diabetes technology & connected care, Adam brought nearly two decades of personal experience with diabetes to all of his work – including extensive writing on CGMs, insulin pumps, automated insulin delivery, glucose meters, mobile apps, and wearables. He also served as a senior editor and regular contributor at diaTribe.org, where his acclaimed column (Adam’s Corner) has brought diabetes tips to over one million people since 2013. His first book, Bright Spots & Landmines: The Diabetes Guide I Wish Someone Had Handed Me, was published in 2017 and received immediate praise for its actionable advice on food, mindset, exercise, and sleep. To date, over 180,000 copies of Bright Spots & Landmines have been distributed via name-your-own-price downloads and purchases on Amazon. Adam has also presented at high-profile public venues, including FDA and NIH meetings, major scientific and technology conferences, and patient events. He graduated summa cum laude in 2011 from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, pursuing concentrations in marketing and health care management & policy. Adam was a Joseph Wharton and Benjamin Franklin Scholar and completed his senior thesis on the motivational and financial factors associated with optimal diabetes management. He gained his Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology at The Wright Institute, and is today a licensed therapist based in San Francisco’s Presidio, focused on diabetes and mental health – see more at helloAdam.org.

Mahima Chillakanti joined Close Concerns in 2022 after graduating from USC with a Master’s in Global Medicine and a Bachelor’s in Human Biology and is now attending David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. While at USC, she had been involved in multiple service organizations, including MEDLIFE, a nonprofit organization working to increase access to health care in under-resourced populations abroad; Science Outreach, a student-led science education program for elementary schools surrounding USC; and SC Project RISHI, student-run nonprofit organization committed to the sustainable development of rural India. Outside of her interests in global health and healthcare operations management, Mahima loves to play poker, complete the daily Wordle, and try out new restaurants!

Katie Lingen joined Close Concerns in 2022 after graduating from Amherst College, where she majored in Biology and is now attending the University of Michigan Medical School. As an undergraduate, Katie researched immunotherapy treatments for malignant breast and brain cancers at MD Anderson Cancer Center and wrote an honors thesis on the role of a novel kinase. Outside of research, Katie was a four-year member and senior captain of the Amherst Track and Field team, a tutor to students in the Biology department, and a volunteer at Get Us PPE, which seeks to equitably distribute PPE to those who need it most. In her free time, Katie loves to read, cook, and be outside!

Ashwin Chetty joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Yale University with a double major in Philosophy and Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry. Ashwin co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, and is now attending the Yale School of Medicine. At the Yale School of Medicine, Ashwin investigated kinase specificity between serine and threonine phosphosites using X-ray crystallography, and at AstraZeneca he developed a machine learning model to predict the photooxidative degradation of protein therapeutics. Outside of academics, Ashwin danced for the Yale bhangra team and organized hikes, movie nights, and large cooking sessions for the South Asian Society. At Close Concerns, Ashwin immersed himself in the world of diabetes and obesity, writing constantly about what he learned, and clarifying what his future in healthcare may look like. In his free time, Ashwin enjoys running, learning to cook, reading, and watching documentaries.

Claire Holleman joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Amherst College with a degree in Economics. Claire co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, and is attending Harvard Medical School. As a senior at Amherst, Claire completed an honors thesis looking at the impact of school-based health centers on education outcomes for underserved students. Claire also spent a summer at Boston Children’s Hospital conducting clinical research on the relationship between socioeconomic status and congenital heart disease. During her time in college, Claire was a four-year member of the women’s crew team and the captain of the club ski team. In her free time, Claire loves to be outside! Skiing, biking, and running are among her favorites, and she also immensely enjoys reading, eating ice cream, and exploring new places.

April Hopcroft joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating summa cum laude from Smith College, where she majored in Neuroscience and Spanish. April co-led the therapy team at Close Concerns, based on her deep interest in public health. She researched approaches to treating postpartum depression among physicians in Buenos Aires, as well as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on childcare providers and universities throughout Ohio. At Close Concerns, April deepened her understanding of diabetes and the different players in the US healthcare system to advance her career in public health. Following this opportunity, she became a lead writer for diaTribe.org. As a co-founder of Smith’s casual running club and a four-year member of the University of Massachusetts synchronized skating team, she continues to pursue these interests. In her free time, she can often be found running, biking, or hiking; she also enjoys listening to podcasts and practicing Spanish.

Armaan Nallicheri joined Close Concerns in 2021 after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Chemistry and a minor in Computer Science. Armaan led the technology team at Close Concerns, and is attending the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Armaan researched whether circulating tumor DNA in urine could act as a noninvasive liquid biomarker for bladder cancer in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Armaan’s broad interests in medicine, business, and technology led him to intern at Aduro Biotech/Chinhook Therapeutics, where he joined the biomarker team to develop novel ELISA assays. He is passionate about making medicines affordable for those who need them the most, and thus was drawn to Close Concerns to learn more about and to contribute to work in diabetes, obesity, and public health. In his free time, Armaan loves to cook, run outside, complete the daily Wordle, and play with his dogs, Lucca and Blaze.

Hanna Gutow joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating from Swarthmore College with a major in Peace and Conflict Studies and a minor in Biology. Following her time at Close Concerns, where she led the technology team, Hanna joined Tufts University School of Medicine. As a senior at Swarthmore, Hanna completed her Peace and Conflict Studies capstone on utilizing community resources to improve maternal healthcare for rural women. She has also spent time researching Women’s Health at Stanford with the OBGYN Clinical Family Planning team. Hanna is passionate about health as a human right and was drawn to Close Concerns to learn more about diabetes and related public health challenges. Hanna was captain of her Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Swarthmore and enjoys traveling, eating good food, watching sports (football and the Tour De France are her favorites), and reading.

Katie Mahoney joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating from Williams College with a major in Chemistry and a concentration in Public Health. She is now a student at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. As an undergraduate, Katie researched novel B-cell lymphoma drugs at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, as well as best advance care planning practices in hospice organizations at the UCSF School of Medicine. Outside of her research, Katie was involved in the Rape and Sexual Assault Network, which supports survivors of sexual assault on campus, worked as a tutor in chemistry and biology, and mentored high-achieving, low-income high school students throughout the college application process as a Matriculate advising fellow. As a senior, Katie founded the Williams Appreciates Staff club to foster gratitude for staff and stronger student-staff relationships. In her free time, Katie enjoys hiking, cooking, doing yoga, and listening to podcasts.

Ursula Biba joined Close Concerns in 2019 after graduating cum laude from Tufts University with degrees in Biology and Community Health. She joined UCLA’s medical school in 2021. As an undergraduate, she researched how different psychosocial and systemic factors influence health outcomes as part of Tufts’ Psychosocial Determinants of Health Lab and as a clinical research intern at Massachusetts General Hospital. At Tufts, Ursula held positions on the Executive Boards of GlobeMed and The Tuftscope Journal, and served as a writing tutor with Tufts Literacy Corps. Her interest in exploring the different facets of health found outside of the clinical environment attracted her to the interdisciplinary work at Close Concerns. In her free time, Ursula enjoys listening to music and attending as many concerts as she can, traveling, and exploring new art museums.

Albert Cai joined Close Concerns as a Summer Associate in 2018 and returned as a Full-Time Associate in 2019. He graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2019 with a major in biomedical engineering. Aspiring to a career in healthcare, Albert came to Close Concerns in order to absorb knowledge about diabetes, obesity, and public health and to figure out where his future role might be in healthcare. As a native Southerner, Albert has particular interests in rural health and football. His favorite movie is Wreck-It Ralph. In his free time, Albert enjoys fishing, listening to country music, and reading.

Rhea Teng joined Close Concerns in 2019 after graduating cum laude with distinction from Yale University with a degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She is now a student at Harvard Medical School. As a senior at Yale, she completed her thesis research on studying the effects of m6A RNA modifications on blood system development and leukemia. Outside of the lab, Rhea immersed herself in the sustainable food scene at Yale by leading the pop-up restaurant group Y Pop-Up and heading the undergraduate beekeeping club Yale Bee Space. In her free time, Rhea can be found experimenting in the kitchen, reading poetry, or playing the cello.

Joseph Bell joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating magna cum laude from Columbia University with honors in Biological Sciences. He is now a medical school student at Wash U in St. Louis. As an undergraduate at Columbia, Joseph researched the mechanisms of human parainfluenza infection and later the neuronal underpinnings of long-term memory deterioration as part of laboratory projects at Columbia Irving Medical Center. Outside of academics, Joseph additionally studied jazz guitar at The Juilliard School as part of the Columbia-Juilliard Exchange program and managed a folk music venue for local NYC performers. He was a semi-finalist in the 2019 Herbie Hancock International Jazz Guitar Competition and has performed and/or recorded with artists such as Macy Gray, the GRAMMY Jazz Ensemble, and the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra across the US, Japan, and Europe.

Kira Wang joined Close Concerns in 2020 after graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with a degree in psychology and minors in biology and chemistry. She is now a student at Harvard Medical School. At Duke, she wrote a senior thesis on the coping strategies of parents and youths with chronic illness and spent over two and a half years researching retinal imaging techniques in the Duke Eye Center. She also designed an educational resource for pediatric leukemia patients and worked as a chemistry teaching assistant and MCAT instructor. At Close Concerns, she was interested in merging her interests in healthcare and education to improve patient lives. In her spare time, Kira loves playing tennis, hiking, and searching for the best ice cream spot in every city.

Ani Gururaj graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Washington University in St. Louis with a major in Anthropology - Global Health and the Environment and a minor in Chemistry. He is interested in becoming a public health physician and held summer internships at Partners in Health sites in Boston and Haiti, the World Health Organization, and Novartis. He graduated from the University of Michigan and is a resident in family medicine at the University of Arizona. Ani is also passionate about amplifying the narratives of marginalized communities. He wrote a thesis on mental health outcomes among the Bhutanese refugee population and conducted independent journalism on resettlement policy through a fellowship at the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. In his spare time, he loves playing any sport that requires a racket, traveling, and trying new restaurants.

Melissa An joined Close Concerns as an associate after graduating from Dartmouth College in 2014, with a major in Neuroscience and minor in the Anthropology of Global Health. She was promoted to Senior Associate in 2015 and focused much of her time on obesity and public health. She also served as the company’s Chief Technology Officer and was involved in leading conference planning, recruiting, and budgeting. Throughout her undergraduate years, Melissa explored her interests for global health by leading Dartmouth’s chapters of GlobeMed and China Care. In addition, she served as Executive Director of the Dartmouth Global Leadership Program and as a residential advisor. Melissa also conducted psychiatry research on treatment that addresses post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse. Currently, Melissa is in medical school at the University of Missouri.

Dan Belkin joined the Close Concerns team in 2006 after graduating from Amherst College magna cum laude with a degree in Philosophy and worked full time with Close Concerns before starting medical school at Weill Cornell Medical College in 2007. At Cornell he was awarded both Honors in Service for his leadership at the medical student free clinic and Honors in Research for his work in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. He also won several research awards for this work. He has contributed to Diabetes Close Up and diaTribe and has attended various conferences globally for Close Concerns. He is a board-certified dermatologist who is fellowship-trained in cosmetic dermatology, laser surgery, and Mohs micrographic surgery. He is currently an Associate dermatologic surgeon, specializing in Mohs micrographic surgery, laser surgery, and cosmetic dermatology at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York.

Ann Carracher joined Close Concerns in 2017 after graduating cum laude from Dartmouth College. As an undergraduate, she majored in Biology and Classical Studies, for which she spent three months in the Aegean studying Greek archaeology and completed a Presidential Scholars research project on the ancient craft of tablet weaving. During college, Ann spent off-terms studying adolescents with type 1 diabetes from the perspective of behavioral psychology, working on incentive-based behavioral interventions to improve glycemic control and learning about the psychosocial aspects of health. Ann was drawn to Close Concerns by her interest in pediatric endocrinology, prompted by her younger sister’s diagnosis in 2007. In her free time, Ann enjoys trying to cook healthy food, getting new passport stamps, and playing tennis.

Eric Chang became a member of Close Concerns in 2009 after graduating from Pomona College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Neuroscience. At Pomona, he received the Rena Gurley Archibald Prize, presented to the highest ranked student in the class of over 450 students. He spent the early years of his university life in the laboratory and clinic, investigating the therapeutic potential of homing endonucleases with Dr. Lenny Seligman at Pomona and volunteering at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Following a semester abroad in Beijing and Inner Mongolia, he developed a passion for holistic approaches to healthcare. This interest translated into his senior thesis research in which he examined the neuroprotective effects of Panax ginseng and its constituent active compounds. After developing an interest in regulatory policy at Close Concerns, he additionally completed a summer research internship at the US Food and Drug Administration in the Division of Psychiatry Products. Eric earned his MD degree from UCSF School of Medicine in 2015. He completed a preliminary internship at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is currently in residency in Radiation Oncology at UCLA.

Hannah Deming joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with a major in Biology and a minor in Public Policy. She wrote a thesis examining differences in the quality of care and outcomes uninsured patients incur when treated in a nonprofit or for-profit hospital. In the summers before her junior and senior years, Hannah performed computational neuroscience research with Dr. Paul Prucnal at Princeton University resulting in a publication. During the second summer she also performed clinical research in Cooper University Hospital's Emergency Department. Outside of the academic setting, Hannah played four years of varsity soccer and was a co-captain her senior year. She also organized and led science experiments for low-income children. She is now a fourth-year medical studentat UCSF.

Jessica Dong joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College with a BA in Biological Sciences and a minor in Environmental Studies. During her undergraduate years she devoted much of her time to biomedical research, completing a senior honors thesis investigating the structure and function of G0S2, a gene implicated in tumor suppression and the regulation of fat breakdown. In previous summers, Jessica volunteered as a Community Health Educator in the western highlands of Guatemala and worked as an Environmental Education Intern at the Audubon Naturalist Society. Outside of the classroom she has also participated in a range of women's interest groups; in her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball and reading. She is now a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and completing a MD/MBA dual degree, on track to graduate in 2019.

Abigail Dove joined Close Concerns in 2016 after graduating Phi Beta Kappa from Swarthmore College with highest honors in Neuroscience. She was awarded the Leo M. Leva Memorial Prize for a graduating student showing unusual promise in the field of biology and spent her undergraduate career heavily involved in basic neurobiology research, ultimately producing a thesis examining the capacity of social experiences to alter sleep and circadian behavior in the fruit fly. Abigail is inspired by Close Concerns’ core mission of providing synthesized insight on scientific issues as complex and consequential as diabetes and obesity; she learned to appreciate challenge and importance of communicating science effectively over several semesters of work as a biology and chemistry TA at Swarthmore. Her free time is spent reading, biking, and attempting to visit all 50 states.

Katelyn Gamson has been a contributor to Close Concerns since 2005-2006, when she worked for the company as an Associate. Katelyn graduated from Amherst College in 2005 with a degree in Chemistry; she is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Katelyn's experience with diabetes is prodigious; in 2003, working under the famed Dr. Lois Jovanovic, she conducted clinical research at Sansum Diabetes Research Institute to develop an algorithm that would suggest insulin dosages for patients with type 1 diabetes. While at Sansum, Katelyn co-authored an article on the safety and efficacy of insulin analogs in pregnancy; this article was published in the Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, with Katelyn as the primary author. While at Amherst, Katelyn was awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for her research on diabetes. Katelyn is devoted to community service, and in addition to her work with Close Concerns, she also worked as an AmeriCorps member of the National AIDS Fund, in Washington, DC from 2005 to 2006. Katelyn completed her medical school degree at UCSF and went on to complete her Internal Medicine residency and Chief Residency at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. She now works at Kaiser Permanente in Redwood City as a full-time hospitalist.

Helen Gao joined Close Concerns in 2015 after graduating with general honors from the University of Chicago. She majored in Biological Sciences with an Endocrinology Specialization and minored in History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Science and Medicine. In college, she spent three years with Health Leads, providing case management services to connect patients of community health clinic to resources to address their social determinants of health. She also spent her last year of college learning the ins and outs of Affordable Care Act implementation as a policy fellow for the Illinois Health Insurance Marketplace. During her summers, she worked as a residential assistant for UChicago-run high school academic programs and pursued a social justice-focused internship with the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, exploring new places, and listening to audiobooks. Currently, she is a MD/MPH Candidate at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine.

Varun Iyengar joined Close Concerns in 2014 after graduating magna cum laude from Amherst College with an honors degree in Neuroscience. As a senior, he wrote a thesis characterizing spontaneous hair-cell activity and spike encoding in the zebrafish lateral-line system. In previous summers, Varun focused largely on building his research repertoire, volunteering in the motion laboratory at Shriner’s Hospital for Children and studying the effect of low oxygen tension on stem-cell chondrogenesis for articular cartilage repair at Oregon Health and Sciences University. During his undergraduate career, Varun was also active in the surrounding community, as a Community Engagement Leader for a middle school tutoring program and as a nurse’s aide in the telemetry ward of a local hospital. He wrote for the Amherst Student and was a member of the Ultimate Frisbee team. Pursuing this passion for sports, Varun also spent one summer working as a copy editor at ESPN. His free time is often spent reading, on running trails, or cheering for his hometown Portland Trailblazers.

Jenny Jin joined Close Concerns in 2006 after graduating Harvard College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Chemistry. During college she devoted much time to basic science research beginning in summer 2004 when she studied the organ-specificity of eukaryotic heat shock protein TCP-1 at the Nanotechnology & Astrobiology Research Group at NASA Ames Research Center. Subsequently, she joined Harvard Professor Greg Verdine's lab and worked on the crystallization of prokaryotic sporulation protein SpoIIIE. She received the Herchel Smith Undergraduate Research Fellowship to fund her research in summer 2005. In addition to her experimental work, Jenny has instructed in science as a Teaching Fellow for organic chemistry at Harvard. In college, she also served as captain and president of the Harvard-Radcliffe Kendo Club and organized the 8th Annual Shoryuhai Kendo Tournament in April 2004, the largest intercollegiate kendo tournament in North America. During her medical school training at UCSF, she studied the use of nano-aligned tubular conduits for the use of nerve repair in a rat model in Dr. Hubert Kim's lab. She completed her residency at the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Residency Program and was the Chief Resident at Massachusetts General Hospital. She completed her fellowship training in arthroplasty at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Currently, she is a practicing physician at the Joint Reconstruction practice at Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise, Idaho. She enjoys playing with her son Nathan, rock climbing, and hiking in her spare time.

Erin Kane joined Close Concerns in 2005 after graduating from Harvard College with a degree in History and Science, magna cum laude with highest honors in field, and a Certificate in Health Policy. At Harvard, she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She also received the Detur Book Prize, awarded to the top 10 percent of the freshman class, and the John Harvard Scholarship for academic achievement. Erin graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2010. She worked at McKinsey & Company in Washington, DC, where she served a range of hospital, health system, and payor clients in public and private sectors. Erin has done research at the Joslin Diabetes Center, the Centers for Disease Control, the Pasteur Institute, and Massachusetts General Hospital. She has published on a range of topics, including obesity education in medical school and cell signaling in glucose metabolism. She finished her medical training in Emergency Medicine at Johns Hopkins as Chief Resident. She is currently an emergency physician and the Assistant Medical Director at Johns Hopkins Capacity Optimization.

Ben Kozak became an Associate at Close Concerns in 2010 after graduating from Pomona College magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Biology. At Close Concerns, Ben specialized in type 1 and type 2 diabetes drug development. He served as Co-Managing Editor for the diabetes patient newsletter diaTribe, and through this role, Ben co-authored a patient-centered book on type 1 diabetes cure research entitled "Targeting a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes: How Long Will We Have to Wait?" With other members of the Close Concerns team, Ben also contributed articles quarterly to the Journal of Diabetes on topics related to diabetes and obesity drug development and public health, with a particular emphasis on Asia. Ben earned his MD degree from UCSF School of Medicine in 2016. He completed his internal medicine internship at Kaiser San Francisco Hospital. He is now training to be a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. In his spare time, Ben is an avid sports fan and loves to play tennis and golf.

Martin Kurian joined Close Concerns in 2018 after graduating from Princeton University with a degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering and a minor in Engineering Biology. As an undergraduate, he was heavily involved in scientific research that focused on the physical mechanisms that cells use to organize their contents. This research culminated in a senior thesis project on using optogenetic tools to study the assembly and dynamics of germ granules in the model organism C. elegans. He also enjoyed leading freshman orientation trips based on environmental service projects and dancing with the Princeton NAACHO dance company. In his free time, Martin enjoys playing basketball, watching basketball, and reading about basketball. Martin started at the Perelman School of Medicine in the Fall of 2020.

Brian Levine joined Close Concerns in 2016 after graduating magna cum laude from Williams College with highest honors in Biology and a concentration in Neuroscience. He worked in various neurobiology labs during the summers of his undergraduate career and during his semester in Spain, studied the molecular mechanisms that regulate peripheral nerve development and repair. Brian completed his senior thesis at Williams using optogenetics to investigate the effect of hypothalamic hunger circuit activation on sleep/wake architecture. Outside of the scientific realm, Brian is an avid drummer and music aficionado, enjoys traveling, and cheering on the UConn basketball teams.

Kira Maker joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating with distinction from Stanford University in 2011 with a degree in Human Biology. As an Associate at Close Concerns, Kira specialized in diabetes devices and mobile health. Kira has been teaching high school Biology in Oakland since earning her Master's in Education from Stanford University in 2015.

Payal Marathe joined Close Concerns in 2016 after graduating magna cum laude from Yale University, where she studied Neuroscience and Psychology. As an undergraduate, she dedicated much of her time to writing and journalism, and wanted to apply these skills to improve science communication, especially in the healthcare space. She was editor-in-chief of the Yale Scientific Magazine, a science journalism publication. Payal also enjoyed creative writing and screenwriting, working on student mental health initiatives, and performing with her dance team while in college. In her free time, she reads fiction, chats with her three sisters, plays cards, and watches sports. She was excited to move from the East Coast to San Francisco — not only to join Close Concerns, but also to be closer to her favorite professional sports teams. She is currently an MPH Candidate at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Hannah Martin joined Close Concerns in the spring of 2013 after graduating from Swarthmore College with a major in Psychobiology and a minor in Cognitive Science. Her focus at Close Concerns was on medical technology advisory and operational and strategic objectives. She was the editor of Close Concerns quarterly newsletter Diabetes Close Up. Throughout her undergraduate career, Hannah performed research on a variety of topics including the evaluation of the prenatal risk of Down syndrome, the pathways of blood pressure regulation, and the cellular abnormalities in developmental bone mutations. Although her major interests lie in biological sciences, she enjoyed completing her senior thesis and expanding her knowledge psycholinguistics by understanding the brain processes behind sentence construction. Hannah also tutored elementary school children in nearby neighborhoods and at a school for children and adults with mental disabilities. In 2015 she became an assistance clinical research coordinator at UCSF and is currently a Medical Student at Tufts University School of Medicine.

Brendan Milliner joined Close Concerns in 2008 after graduating from Amherst College with a degree in neuroscience. After a year with the team, he headed to the east coast for med school, and completed his Emergency Medicine residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City in 2013. He has a strong interest in global health and the use of portable ultrasound in areas without access to other advanced imaging. When not at work he can be found rock climbing, biking, and perfecting his dumpling recipe. Currently, he is a Wilderness Medicine Fellow at University of Utah.

Martha Nelson served as a medical writer and researcher at Close Concerns from 2003 to 2005 and continues to engage with the company. After graduating with a Biology degree, magna cum laude, from Amherst College in 2004, she served as a full-time writer for Diabetes Close Up and worked on special reports and projects related to new scientific studies, drugs, and technology. Martha was a Howard Hughes summer research fellow at the Indian Health Service in Albuquerque, N.M., where she investigated how infectious diseases such as HCV contribute to diabetes progression among Native Americans. She continued to study infectious disease dynamics during her doctoral study, completing her PhD at the Pennsylvania State University in 2008 with a thesis titled 'The genomic evolution of influenza A virus.' Martha is now a Staff Scientist at the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, MD. Martha's father, paternal grandfather, great-grandmother, and granduncle all have had type 2 diabetes, and Martha retains a keen interest in diabetes therapeutics, prevention, and basic research.

Margaret Nguyen joined diaTribe in 2013 after graduating from and working as a research assistant at Pomona College. She completed an experimental senior thesis investigating the role of the HSPG Syndecan in nervous system development and earned a degree in Neuroscience. While she was an undergraduate student, she worked with her community by tutoring high school students in the Upward Bound program and by volunteering in hospitals with the Clinical Care Extender (CCE) program. After graduating, she continued to study HSPGs and their interactors in the regulation of synapse development. Outside of the laboratory, she volunteered with the CCE program – in the hospital and on their leadership team – and in elementary school classrooms where she introduced students to neuroscience through games and experiments. She currently attends New York Medical College.

Nina Ran joined Close Concerns in 2012 after graduating with honors from Princeton University with a degree in Molecular Biology and a minor in Neuroscience. She wrote her senior thesis on the etiopathogeneses of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease and their interface. In previous summers, she conducted research on intracellular trafficking at Dr. Frederick Hughson's lab at Princeton and helped developed a new mouse model of Schizophrenia at Dr. Joseph Neale's neurobiology lab at Georgetown University. Nina received her MD from the University of Pennsylvania, where she was inducted into the AOA Medical Honor Society. At Penn, she was awarded a CTSA TL1 training grant to also obtain a Masters in Translational Research. Following her dermatology residency at the University of Pennsylvania, she is now a Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology Fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Emily Regier joined Close Concerns in 2014 after graduating magna cum laude from Brown University with a BS in biology. During her undergraduate career, she volunteered as an EMT at Brown for three years and devoted much of her time to developmental biology and toxicology research, completing a senior honors thesis about the effects of digoxin on embryonic development in zebrafish. Aside from her academic and medical interests, Emily participated in the Brown Madrigal Singers and the Brown University Chorus, served as president of the Brown chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, a coed literary society, and volunteered for several political campaigns. In her free time, she enjoys running and reading, and spending time with family and friends. Emily graduated from Boston University School of Medicine.

Peter Rentzepis joined Close Concerns in 2018 after graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Pomona College with a major in Chemistry and minor in Computer Science. He is now at Harvard Medical School. Over the course of three years, he constructed and optimized a novel TIR-Raman spectroscopy system for the detection of low concentration volatile organic compounds in breath to diagnose respiratory diseases. He was awarded the Stanley D. Wilson Prize for creativity in his research and presented his work at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting. Outside of the lab, Peter has worked as a phlebotomist and was the captain of the Pomona-Pitzer soccer team. He spends his free time reading, hiking, and biking.

Lisa Rotenstein graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College in 2011 and earned her MD and MBA at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School. Lisa served as Editor in Chief of Diabetes Close Up, Close Concerns’s quarterly roundup of diabetes news. While a Senior Associate at Close Concerns, she focused on novel therapies for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Fueled by this interest, she initiated and was the lead author for the patient-centered book “Targeting a Cure for Type 1 Diabetes: How Long Will We Have to Wait?” Lisa additionally spearheaded Close Concerns’ Information Technology efforts from 2011-2012 and was the lead author on Clinical Diabetes articles on the ideal diabetes therapy and biosimilar insulins. Lisa has continued to pursue her interest in improving chronic disease care while at HMS. As an Innovation Fellow at the Jen Center for Primary Care, she led a multidisciplinary effort to develop an electronic care plan tool for complex primary care patients. Her clinical research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital demonstrated that the blood pressure drug spironolactone improves hippocampal memory in obese subjects. Lisa also leads innovation efforts for the Center for Primary Care’s Student Leadership Committee, served as Co-President of Harvard’s American Women’s Medical Association Chapter, and directed Clinic Operations for the Crimson Care Collaborative student-faculty clinic at MGH Chelsea. She was listed as one of MedTech Boston's 40 Under 40 Healthcare Innovators in 2017. She is currently a Resident Physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is the Co-Founder of the Care Advancement Network, formerly CareZooming.

Joseph Shivers joined Close Concerns in 2010 after graduating cum laude from Harvard University with an BA in Chemical and Physical Biology. As a full-time associate at Close Concerns he specialized in diabetes devices, emerging technologies, and mobile health. Joseph is the former Editor in Chief of Diabetes Close Up, a quarterly round-up of news in diabetes and obesity products and research, and has drawn dozens of cartoons for the patient newsletter diaTribe. He completed medical school at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2017 and the following year was an intern at the Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine Internal Medicine Intern. He completed his residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and a value-based Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is now a specialist in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Jessica (Swienckowski) Fried joined Close Concerns in 2009 after graduating in 2008 from Vassar College Phi Beta Kappa with general honors and departmental honors in Neuroscience and a correlate in Molecular Biology. Jess graduated from the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine in 2015 and moved on to Lankenau Medicine Center for an internship in Internal Medicine prior to starting her research-track residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and an Abdominal Imaging Fellowship at the University of Michigan. Since 2021 she has been serving as a Clinical Assistant Professor for Abdominal Radiology at the University of Michigan.

Maeve Serino joined Close Concerns in 2017 after graduating magna cum laude from Williams College as an inductee of the Phi Beta Kappa Society with an honors degree in Biology. Following earning her MD at Northwestern Medical School, she is now pursuing a residency at Temple in OB/GYN. During her senior year, she wrote a thesis investigating the role of heat shock proteins in cardiac left-right asymmetry using the CRISPR/Cas9 system in zebrafish. In addition to her pursuits in the laboratory, Maeve also gained clinical research experience as an intern in the division of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, where she initiated several projects concerning topics ranging from neonatal outcomes and food deserts to idiopathic toe-walking. In previous summers, Maeve has spent her time volunteering for Unite for Sight in Chennai, India and working as a sailing instructor. During her undergraduate career, Maeve was an active member and captain of the Williams College Sailing team and enjoys hiking, skiing, and playing guitar in her free time.

Melissa Tjota joined Close Concerns in 2008 as a full-time associate after graduating from Harvard College summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in Biochemical Sciences and a secondary field in Spanish. During college she spent much of her time conducting research at Harvard's Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology in Cambridge, MA, the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Experimental Immunology in Bonn, Germany, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. Her undergraduate thesis work was carried out in the laboratory of Dr. Shannon Turley in which her project examined peripheral tissue antigen and cytokine expression in murine lymph node stromal cells and human mesenchymal stem cells. Following her time at Close Concerns, Melissa received a MD and PhD from the University of Chicago.

Manu Venkat joined Close Concerns as a full time associate after he graduated from Brown University in May 2013, Phi Beta Kappa, with a joint concentration in Neuroscience and Urban Studies. Manu’s primary focus at Close Concerns was on basic and clinical science; he led Close Concern’s writing on oral and injectable therapies for type 1 and type 2 diabetes during his two years with the organization. Manu holds a longstanding interest in the life sciences, and enjoys drawing connections between biology and other subject areas. His interest in diabetes and obesity grew through a summer research project with Dr. Suzanne de la Monte of the Brown University Liver Research Center, in which he investigated possible connections between insulin resistance and neurodegenerative diseases. Duringhis free time, Manu is an active member of Brown Model United Nations and a volunteer science teacher for Providence-area high school students. He is also a certified private pilot and general aviation enthusiast. He earned his MD at UCSF, completed his residency in internal medical at Columbia, and is currently an internist at NYU Langone.

Nick Wilkie worked with Close Concerns since 2009. He graduated from St. Olaf College with a BA in Chemistry and Psychology and then earned his master's degree in neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. For his master's research, he investigated the molecular biology of the neuroendocrine system and the effects of synthetic steroids on brain tumors. Following graduate study, he worked in a clinical DNA microarray laboratory analyzing small genetic aberrations in congenital developmental disorders. His primary interest in diabetes is the role of the nervous system and diabetes-related pathologies. He had a strong focus at Close Concerns on diabetes market research. Currently, Nick is pursuing an MD degree at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

Mark Yarchoan joined Close Concerns in 2007 as a full-time associate, where he was an editor of Diabetes Close Up and a frequent contributor to Closer Look and diaTribe. Mark received a BA from Amherst College and an MD degree at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and was a medical oncology fellow at The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. He completed his residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and is now an Assistant Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins medicine.

Sharika Shithi joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in June 2025. She is a rising sophomore at Dartmouth College majoring in Biology with a strong interest in chronic illness, particularly diabetes and cancer. Sharika’s passion for healthcare stems from personal experiences growing up in a household where both parents have diabetes. At Dartmouth, she is involved in shadowing at Dartmouth Hitchcock, pre health programming, and campus life, and has previously volunteered in clinical and hospital settings in New York. In her free time, Sharika enjoys playing tennis and traveling. Through her fellowship with Close Concerns, she hopes to explore how the newest technologies and therapies can improve outcomes for people with diabetes around the world.

Andrew Serrano is a sophomore at Dartmouth College studying Cognitive Science with minors in Environmental/Health Policy and International Studies. He is on the pre-med track and is especially interested in the intersections of healthcare innovation, public policy, and chronic disease management. Originally from Kansas City, Andrew has lived with type 1 diabetes for 17 years and has been involved in advocacy and community engagement through Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF). At Dartmouth, he serves as the President of South House Executive Council and is active in student leadership and health equity initiatives on campus. Andrew was drawn to Close Concerns to to deepen his understanding of the diabetes landscape.

Jolynn joined Close Concerns as Dartmouth Fellow #69 in January 2025. She is a junior at Dartmouth College, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Native American and Indigenous Studies on the pre-health track. While at Dartmouth, Jolynn works with a psychology lab that mainly researches social interactions. She is also an active member of Sigma Delta Sorority, Women's Club Basketball, and Native Americans at Dartmouth (NAD), holding leadership roles in many of their sub-clubs, like American Indians in Science and Engineering Society (AISES) and the Alaska Native Cultural Committee (ANCC). Other hobbies include baking and spending time outside, hiking, or snowboarding. Jolynn hopes that through her work in healthcare fields, she can gain valuable knowledge that she can use to assess and eliminate healthcare disparities in her Native community and other minority communities.

Nayeli Yanez joined Close Concerns as Dartmouth Fellow #68 in September 2024. Nayeli is studying chemical engineering on the pre-med track at Dartmouth College. She spends her time on campus helping conduct research about new treatments for women’s health conditions at the Dartmouth Biomedical Engineering Center. She also spends time at the Minority Association of Pre-Health Students learning about different facets of healthcare, and engaging with the Coalition For Immigration Reform and Equality at Dartmouth. She enjoys reading, baking, and studying Japanese in her free time.

Allison Nathan joined Close Concerns as Dartmouth Fellow #67 in June 2024. At Dartmouth, Allison is studying biology, international relations, and Spanish on a pre-health track. Outside of the classroom, she engages with vaccine research at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, races with the triathlon team, and helps to manage the Dartmouth Coalition for Global Health. She is passionate about working to increase access to safe and sustainable healthcare globally. In her free time, Allison enjoys volunteering at the local food shelf, cooking and hiking.

Erika Huston joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in March 2024. She is studying cell biology and art history on the pre-med track at Dartmouth College. Erika is Co-President of Dartmouth Tae Kwon Do as a second-degree black belt, as well as a member of the Dartmouth Women’s Club Soccer team, Dartmouth EMS, and the Greek organization Chi Delta. She also conducts research at the Geisel School of Medicine on substance abuse and fetal brain development. In her free time, Erika enjoys snowboarding, writing calligraphy, and cooking.

Chris Zhao joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2024. She studied biomedical engineering on the pre-health track at Dartmouth College. Outside of the classroom, Chris was involved with the People of Color Outdoors Club and the Diversity and Equity Inclusion team of her sorority, Alpha Phi. She worked on the social media team of The Dartmouth, and she was also one of the faces at the front desk of Collis Student Center. Chris volunteers at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center on the Design Subgroup of the Patient Education Advisory Council, and at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless’ Foot Clinic. In her spare time, Chris stayed busy by reworking secondhand clothing, scrapbooking, and hiking. After graduation, Chris intends to pursue a career in medicine with a focus on providing equitable and accessible healthcare, especially for women and people of color.

Isabelle Lin joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2023. She studied psychology and minoring in biology at Dartmouth College. Outside of the classroom, she conducted research through the Presidential Scholars Program with a cardiologist at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. She was a member of the Dartmouth Varsity Equestrian Team, a Biology Learning Fellow, and a Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Patient Support Corps Volunteer. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, listening to music, and exploring new cafes.

Faith Niyi-Awolesi joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in June 2023. She is studying Anthropology and minoring in Human-Centered Design. Passionate about the intersection of design thinking and medicine, she aims to promote health equity through her work. As a UI/UX designer at the DALI Lab within Dartmouth, she actively explores innovative ways to leverage design in the medical field. Beyond design, Faith is engaged in campus research activities. Serving as a Research Assistant at a social psychology lab, she focuses on investigating how mentorship can effectively close the achievement gap among minority groups. These experiences contribute to her aspiration of pursuing an MD/PhD after graduation, with a specific interest in specializing in Medical Anthropology for her PhD. During her free time, Faith enjoys crocheting, taking long walks, trying out new cafes and spending time with her friends and family.

Alan Hatch joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2023. He studied Neuroscience and Italian on the pre-health track. He is passionate about improving health equity and the culture surrounding the treatment of obesity both in and out medicine. Outside of the classroom, Alan is a member of the Greek organization Alpha Chi Alpha, the club triathlon team, and the Dartmouth Aires, Dartmouth's premiere a cappella group. In his free time, Alan enjoys running, singing, photography, and cooking.

Ethan Litmans joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2022. He studied Cellular and Molecular Biology, Economics, and French. He is passionate about ensuring a patient-centric approach to healthcare and improving health equity, and hopes to work in global health after graduating from Dartmouth. Outside of the classroom, Ethan works with nonprofits in the New Hampshire Upper Valley as a member of Consult Your Community, writes for the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, and is a member of the Dartmouth Club Ski Team. In his free time, Ethan enjoys skiing when possible, rock climbing, and hiking.

Ray Tiersky joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in June 2022. She was on the pre-health track double majoring in Biology and Studio Art. Outside of the classroom, Ray does research in plant biology, draws, and is a teaching assistant. After graduation, Ray intends to pursue an MD-PhD in Genetics in order to work with at-risk mothers and children. In her free time, she loves to scuba dive and do yoga.

Ayushya Ajmani joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in April 2022. He studied Biochemistry and International Policymaking on the pre-health track. Outside of the classroom, Ayushya organizes new member education programming for Dartmouth EMS, researches the impact of digital interventions for young adults with type 1 diabetes at Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine, and works on geopolitical advocacy as a member of Dartmouth's Parliamentary Debate Team. After graduation, Ayush intends to pursue a career in medicine and bring awareness to cultural and developmental barriers that plague the healthcare system.

Aarun Devgan joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2022. He studied Neuroscience and plans on going to medical school. He is an Executive in the global nonprofit Medicine in Motion and is passionate about wellness through physical activity. At Dartmouth, he is a Learning Fellow, Presidential Research Scholar, a member of the Greek organization Phi Delta Alpha, and a player for the club tennis team. In his free time, he loves playing ping pong and trying new restaurants with his friends.

Anahita Kodali joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2022. She was on the pre-health track double majoring in Biology and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Outside of the classroom, Anahita is the President of the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science, a Student Director of Dartmouth Cancer Scholars, a War and Peace Fellow, and a Global Health Fellow. She also conducts research related to obesity in Dartmouth’s Department of Economics and the Geisel School of Medicine’s Department of Epidemiology. In her free time, Anahita enjoys going to the gym and exploring new restaurants.

Annaliese OuYang joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2021. She studied Neuroscience, English, and Biology on the pre-health track. Outside of the classroom, Annaliese coordinates programming for the Nathan Smith Society (Dartmouth’s Pre-Health society), researches the impact of autism-related mutations of the Pten gene on neuronal form and function in a biomedical lab at Geisel, and tutors General Chemistry and Physics. She also works as a substitute special education teacher in her hometown of Syracuse, NY between terms. In her spare time, Annaliese enjoys learning about sustainability and food systems at the Dartmouth Organic Farm, ice skating on Occom Pond, and running.

Valentina Fernandez joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in July 2021. She was on the Pre-Med track, immersed in biology, French, and art history classes. On campus, you will often find her at triathlon team practice or work at the front desk as a building manager of the Collis Student Center. She’s also working in a lab that studies Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. In her free time, Valentina enjoys watching comedy movies, cooking, baking, and playing the piano.

Ali Dickstein joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow for the summer 2021. She majored in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Spanish. On campus, she works as a research assistant in on social perception in a Neuroscience lab. She is passionate about dancing, and on campus is the director of SHEBA Dance Troupe. She is also a tertiary first-responder with Dartmouth EMS and a volunteer for ASPIRE, spending time with kids that have autism. She also volunteers at Seattle Children's Stanley Stamm Camp, an overnight camp for medically fragile children. In her free time, Ali enjoys yoga, hiking, and spending time outdoors. After graduation, Ali hopes to pursue a career in medicine, working to help children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

Helen Horan joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow for Summer 2021. She majored in Neuroscience and minoring in Art History and Chemistry with hopes to attend medical school. Helen is involved in neuroscience research on campus with the Computational Social Affective Laboratory and with the Osher Center at Harvard Medical School. She is interested in the efficacy of mindfulness, nutrition, and physical activity to improve patient outcomes and currently holds a degree from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. On campus, she is involved with coordinating events at the Hood Museum of Art, writing for the newspaper, and tutoring in Neuroscience. For fun, she loves to run and spend time outdoors.

Lucy Fu joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth fellow in March 2021. She majored in biology with a focus in cell biology and minoring in neuroscience, though she enjoys classes in a wide range of topics including education and studio art. At Dartmouth, she is the student director of the mentoring program SIBS, co-director of the dance group Fusion, and serves as a Learning Fellow. She is also conducting research on the impact of COVID-19 on rural healthcare. In her free time, you can find Lucy painting, baking, or hanging out with her cat Sunny.

Jay Kang joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in March 2021. He majored in Anthropology modified with Global Health and Biology while on the pre-medical track. He is passionate about applying principles of medical humanities, narrative medicine, health equity, and social justice to empower patient-centered care. He has engaged in research with immunology through the Geisel School of medicine as well as impacts of COVID-19 on rural infrastructure and public health with the Dartmouth center for Health Equity. On campus, he is an undergraduate advisor, member of Dartmouth's EMS, Eric Eichler Fellow, and leader in Dartmouth Generations. In his free time, he enjoys running and taking in the great outdoors.

Reva Dixit joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2021. She double majored in Biology and English while on the pre-health track. She has conducted research on the secretory pathway of Candida albicans and co-authored a paper on its role in virulence. She is also fascinated by the intersection of genetic research and epidemiology/public health. On campus, she is involved with the Thought Project, i2 and Spare Rib Magazine, Club Swim, and SAPA. In her free time, Reva loves creative writing, playing the guitar, and going to the beach with her dog, Lucy.

Lydia Davis joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in 2021. She double majored in Biology and Art History while also on the pre-health track. She is interested in the physiology of disease (both communicative and non-communicative) and disease treatment methods. When on campus she has worked at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center with the New Hampshire Birth Cohort. Recently she has also helped Prof. Karl Griswold from Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering complete remote research about antimicrobial interactions between antimicrobial peptides and human lysozyme. In her free time, she enjoys art and drawing (mainly using colored pencil) and listening to all forms of music.

Chris Cardillo joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2021. He was double majoring in Neuroscience and Economics with a focus on international economics and finance. He is especially interested in the economics of the healthcare industry, focusing on innovative solutions to make healthcare affordable for everyone. From Buffalo, NY, Chris has worked at Wegmans Food Markets for over four years, most recently as a Customer Service Representative during the pandemic. At Dartmouth, he is a member of the club hockey team, an executive of his fraternity, and an orientation leader through the Collis Center for Student Involvement. In his free time, he loves getting outdoors, traveling, skiing, and journaling.

Gabrielle (Gabby) Mitchell joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2021. She double majored in Biology and African and African American Studies while on the pre-health track. After attending a series of public health seminars hosted by Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Gabby became fascinated with public health, specifically the healthcare accessibility in diverse communities. On campus, she has joined the executive board of the Minority Association for Pre-Med Students and Dartmouth Alliance for Children of Color. In her free time, Gabby loves working and building sets for the Mainstage Productions at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, giving prospective students tours of campus for the Admissions Office, and planning events with Dartmouth’s Programming Board.

Mary joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2021. She was a Government major and minors in Psychology and Biology and is on the pre-med track. She has worked in Geisel’s Medical School’s Microbiology department to research the involvement of specific genes and gene mutations in cystic fibrosis. She is also an Eric Eichler Fellow, which works to develop a new method of training future leaders in healthcare. In her free time, she enjoys running, hiking, learning new skills, and being around her dog.

Wilson Murane joined Close Concerns with the January 2021 Dartmouth Fellow cohort. He studies Biology with a minor in Music and is on the pre-med track. Wilson is the Co-President of Hear Your Song Dartmouth - a non-profit organization that empowers children and teens with serious illnesses and complex health needs to make their voices heard through collaborative songwriting. Throughout 2020, he helped lead a national COVID-relief fundraiser for healthcare professionals and also serves as a member of the Dartmouth Cancer Scholars. Wilson is passionate about pediatrics, oncology, and the background healthcare policymaking that structures both of these fields. In his free time, Wilson can be found reading science fiction and history books, watching a movie, or skiing and fly- fishing around the Rocky Mountains.

Ida Claude joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2020. She is majoring in Music modified with Medieval & Renaissance Studies and has taken classes in chemistry and biology. Although she is originally from Chicago, Ida moved to a remote island in Wisconsin to work in fast food during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she developed an interest in rural public health. At Dartmouth, Ida is very involved with the Hopkins Center for the Arts as a violinist and manager of the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra and a Hop Fellow. Ida also serves on the Inter-Sorority Council, and in her free time can be found playing chamber music with friends, drinking coffee, or getting outdoors.

June joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2020. She was a pre-med majoring in Quantitative Social Science with a focus in development economics and a minor in English. June loves learning about the intersection of economics and healthcare in its delivery and policymaking, which has also prompted her interest in global health. On campus, she competes for The Dartmouth Figure Skating Team, conducts anti-aging drug research at DHMC, and serves as a Learning Fellow for biology courses. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano, solving crossword puzzles, and is currently training for a half-marathon.

Sara Fragione joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow for the fall of 2020. She majored in anthropology on a pre-medical track. She is contributing to a research project at Geisel Medical School that focusses on advancements in immunotherapies for lung cancer. Sara has also worked in the epidemiology department at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical center as an administrative research assistant for the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. As a member of the track and field team at Dartmouth, Sara enjoys running in her free time, along with exploring nature and spending time with friends.

Kamren Khan joined Close Concerns as Dartmouth Fellow in the fall of 2020. He plans to major in neuroscience and English and worked as a research assistant in a psychology lab studying social interaction during his freshman year. He is now a student researcher at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center where he studies the applications of music within the medical sphere. On campus he writes for The Dartmouth newspaper and leads the Dartmouth Outing Club’s diversity and inclusivity newsletter. Recently, Kamren has acted as a Senior Orientation Peer Leader to introduce the Class of 2024 to Dartmouth. Kamren is also a Great Issues Scholar, participating in seminars on global issues. In his free time, he enjoys running, hiking, rock climbing, and reading.

Leeza Petrov joined Close Concerns with the September 2020 Dartmouth Fellow cohort. She studied Biology with a minor in Art History and is on the pre-med track. Leeza has researched the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis, first at Massachusetts General Hospital in an ALS laboratory, and later at Dartmouth. Her current project involves understanding oligodendrocyte life cycles and myelin networks in the brain as they relate to multiple sclerosis. She is passionate about healthcare equity and the intersection between health and social justice. In her free time, Leeza is a leader in the Dartmouth Outing Club and enjoys hiking, rock climbing, and open-water swimming. You can find her at a local concert, at her favorite coffee shop, or reading in a hammock near the Connecticut River.

Reshma joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September of 2020. She was a pre-med student pursuing a major in Neuroscience and minors in both English and Chemistry. She also enjoys taking classes in the computer science department. Having grown up in a family of scientists, she is very passionate about doing research. On campus, she has participated in research with both the mathematics and psychology departments. Reshma is also extremely passionate about education. She is an active instructor at Mathnasium where she works with K-12 students on developing good math habits. She also tutors students on campus in chemistry and neuroscience. She has a strong interest in global health that stems from her connection to India. She was born in the southern part of the subcontinent and moved to the United States at a young age, but much of her family still resides in India. Due to this, she has been exposed to the large global health disparities which drives her enthusiasm to pursue a career in health. In her free time, Reshma enjoys reading, running, baking, learning new languages, and traveling.

Jess joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth fellow in September 2020. She is majored in Biology with a concentration in genetics and a minor in Anthropology. She is originally from New Hampshire, but currently lives in Scarborough, Maine. She is interested in drug discovery and development and has participated in research both at Dartmouth and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for the past three years. At Dartmouth, she is the president of the Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, an Anthropology TA, and works the front desk at Baker-Berry Library. In her free time she enjoys biking, hiking, and being around animals.

Sophie Skallerud joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2020. Sophie is a pre-med student majoring in Biology with a minor in Religion. Prior to remote learning Sophie was a research assistant in a plant lab studying light stress. More recently, she joined an epidemiology lab where she studies and creates fact sheets about perfluoroalkyl contamination in NH. Additionally, Sophie has been working at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department as an access screener to help minimize COVID-19 transmission within the hospital and make patients as well as visitors feel comfortable. She is passionate about her mentorship roles in the Pre-Health Peer Mentor Corps and one-on-one SIBS program. In her free time you will find Sophie on the lacrosse field, paddle boarding on the river, reading Harry Potter or walking dogs through Rover.

Cindy majored in Biology with a concentration in Biochemistry. She joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in June 2020. Cindy is passionate about the research process and learning how clinicians, researchers, and policy makers can improve the patient experience. Her interest in medicine was sparked during her freshman summer, when she interned at a non-profit clinic assisting patients with applications for subsidized healthcare coverage. On campus, she volunteers at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, conducts cancer research with the Geisel School of Medicine, and serves as the co-director of Camp Kesem, a national non-profit that serves families who have been impacted by a parent’s cancer. To get fresh air, she loves to go on long runs and is training for the 2021 LA marathon.

Bradley joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in March 2020. He majored in Applied Mathematics and Biology, with a concentration in Cancer Biology and Dynamics. Bradley enjoys the research process; he appreciates its potential to challenge “status quo” treatments and inform patients and providers alike. Just last term, he fell in love with mathematical biology research during a 10-week Dartmouth Study program at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, FL, where he created models to simulate and minimize the in-vitro evolution of major cancer cell lines. On campus, Bradley has the pleasure of serving as an EMT and CPR instructor for Dartmouth Emergency Medical Services, a captain for the Dartmouth Running Team, and a mentor for the Dartmouth SIBS program. Off campus, he loves long trail-runs, TV nights with his family, and cats.

Sahaj Shah joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in January 2020. He majored in Computer Science and Biology. Sahaj is passionate about the intersection of technology and healthcare and his academic interests include machine learning and its applications in precision medicine. On campus, he is involved with Health Access for All, a non-profit organization dedicated to tackling health care disparities around the Hanover area, and volunteers with Memory Café. He performs cancer research at Norris Cotton Cancer Center and serves as a study group leader for courses in computer science and chemistry. He is also an undergraduate resident advisor for the Thought Project, a living-learning community on campus. In his free time, Sahaj loves hiking, traveling, reading, and spending time outdoors.

Becky joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September 2019. She is majoring in Anthropology modified with Global Health with a minor in French. Becky loves learning about how health and wellness are experiences by different communities and is especially interested in ways that the healthcare system can best support and treat diverse populations. On campus, she mentors low-income children from the surrounding area as a part of the DREAM program, gets outside with Women in the Wilderness, and is a member of Dartmouth College Hillel. She enjoys hiking, paddleboarding and trying new breakfast foods.

Meghna joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in March 2019. She is a pre-med and majoring in Quantitative Social Science with a focus in global health and sustainable development. Meghna’s interest in global health stems from her many moves; she was born in India, moved to England at a young age, and immigrated to the United States in middle school. Seeing the inequality in healthcare inspired her to pursue a career in medicine. Her strong interest in global health has led her to work closely with the Healthy Heart Initiative, a non-profit focused on cardiovascular health awareness and early detection of risk factors. She has published and presented her findings at the American Heart Association and Indian Heart Journal. On campus, Meghna is involved with Dartmouth EMS, the Political Violence Lab, Global Health Fellows, and the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and traveling.

Peninah joined Close Concerns in 2019 as a Dartmouth Fellow. She graduated from Dartmouth College in 2020 with a major in Economics and Design, and a minor in Spanish. Diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes at the age of seven, Peninah has always been passionate about health, helping others, and raising awareness for diabetes. Her strong interest in global health led her to spend five summers setting up camps for children and adults in the Dominican Republic with AYUDA (American Youth Understanding Diabetes Abroad). On campus, she was on the Varsity Sailing Team, the Triathlon Team, and involved with the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy and Hillel. Come October, she will be working in Boston at Putnam Associates, a healthcare consulting firm. In her free time, she loves being outdoors, hiking, cooking, and traveling.

Sarah Kolk joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in September of 2018. She is a junior at Dartmouth College, majoring in anthropology modified with biology with a focus in public health. Sarah loves learning about the way illness impacts communities differently across the country and world. Her studies have focused on emerging disease and cross-cultural differences in healthcare, as well as the intersection of geography and public health. Sarah is passionate about the outdoors and loves kayaking, hiking, and skiing. She spends her free time on campus leading trips for the Dartmouth Outing Club and volunteering as a National Ski Patroller.

Kenneth (Ken) Zhu joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in the spring of 2018. Outside of the sciences, he is interested in Japanese language and culture and studied abroad in Japan his freshman summer. Around campus, Ken volunteers with VCP (Volunteers for Cancer Patients) and Art Cart at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC). Also at DHMC, he is involved in research that synthesizes and purifies peptides that display potential anti-pancreatic cancer activity. In his free time, Ken enjoys running (especially outside), cooking/eating, traveling, and discovering new music.

Megan Clyne joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in the winter of 2018. Passionate about healthcare and language, she attended medical classes and observed surgeries in a Spanish-speaking hospital in Argentina. She continued to pursue her interest in healthcare when she participated in a program called Project Healthcare at Bellevue Hospital. During her time at Bellevue, she worked in different areas of the emergency department, such as the Adult, Pediatric, and Psychiatric Emergency Services, Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Operating Room, and Trauma Unit. She is also interested in design and enjoyed constructing a prosthetic hand using a 3D printer as part of the e-NABLE foundation. At Dartmouth, Megan is a member of the Nathan Smith Society Executive Board, and she is excited to co-lead the Nathan Smith Society Good Neighbor Health Clinic Project. She also likes writing for The Dartmouth, the oldest college newspaper in America. In her free time, Megan enjoys skiing, baking, trying new foods, traveling, and spending time with her friends.

Amanda Jiang joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in December of 2017. Passionate about combating life-threatening diseases, Amanda has conducted molecular biology research to find solutions to topics ranging from invasion and metastasis in uveal melanoma to calcium-dependent platelet formation to diabetic retinopathy. Outside of research, Amanda is working with America Reads to bring more reading and arts and crafts to children around the Hanover, NH, area. She is also part of the Sugarplum student dance group, an avid member of the Dartmouth ping pong team, a researcher as part of the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team, and a writer for the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science. In her free time, Amanda enjoys baking, reading, skiing, spending time outdoors, and exploring new coffee shops with friends.

Anna Nguyen joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in December of 2017. Her academic interests include global health and environmental science. In addition, she has a strong passion for nutrition, healthy living, and sustainable living. She is also heavily invested in her living learning residential community where she helps organize student-run events. At Dartmouth, she is a part of the Dartmouth College Fencing Club, where she fences foil. In her free time, Anna enjoys experimenting with healthy recipes, reading, running, knitting, and traveling.

Ben Ose joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in fall 2017. Ben is a tutor in math and science courses on campus. He is also involved with the DREAM program, mentoring kids from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Upper Valley. He has been involved for the past five years with Healing Haiti, a nonprofit mission organization serving the greater Port-au-Prince area where he has worked to plan and set up short term mission trips. Ben is a member of the Track and Field team at Dartmouth where he competes in the Heptathlon and Decathlon. In his free time Ben enjoys being outdoors, hiking, boating, snowboarding, fishing and being with friends.

Elizaveta (Lisa) Maslak joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in fall 2017. Her academic interests include global health, public policy, finance, and environmental science. In addition, she has a strong interest in research and has completed several internships and independent research projects in genetics and ocean sciences throughout high school. Lisa is a research assistant working on projects related to identifying Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) risk factors in the Neurology Department at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. At Dartmouth, she is an economics tutor and is involved in the Smart Woman Securities program, which is focused on investment education for undergraduate women. She has a passion for dance and has been involved with the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble since her freshman fall. In her free time, Lisa enjoys reading, playing tennis, painting, and traveling.

Emily Yang joined Close Concerns as the Dartmouth Fellow in the summer of 2017. She began research on p53 tumor suppressor pathways her freshmen year, working as a Sophomore Science Scholar and publishing in an encyclopedia her sophomore year. Due to her interest in primary care and public health, she currently conducts research with the Geisel School of Medicine on the relationship between the timing of circumcision and breastfeeding patterns as a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar. On campus, she is a freshmen residential advisor, a leader of pre-medical societies, a teaching assistant in the biology and psychology departments, and a volunteer with the Patient Support Corps. In her junior year, Emily interned with a community health center in the Mission District of San Francisco, organizing diabetes support groups and improving patient education. In her free time, Emily enjoys going to art museums, playing the flute, running, and baking.

Jacqueline Anders joined Close Concerns in the spring of 2017. She is a member of the Gamma Sigma Alpha and the Order of Omega Honor societies. Jacqueline has a strong interest in research, working in a genetics lab as a Women in Science intern her freshman year and a Barbara E. Crute memorial intern her sophomore year. Her junior year she became a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar and began her work in a biological inorganic chemistry lab, focusing on metal protein interactions in insulin. On campus she is the treasurer for Colleges Against Cancer, Vice President of the Argentine Tango society, a chemistry teaching assistant, a snowboard instructor, and a volunteer for the cancer and patient services. In her free time Jacqueline enjoys reading, skiing and snowboarding, hiking, and cooking.

Hae-Lin Cho joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in the spring of 2017 during her senior year of Dartmouth College, where she majored in Biology and minored in Spanish. She is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a Rufus Choates Academic Scholar. Due to her strong interest in oncology, Hae-Lin has been doing undergraduate research on the role of regulatory T cells in melanoma tumorigenesis in the Turk Lab at Geisel Medical School, which she started as a James O. Freedman Presidential Scholar, and has taken part in the Dartmouth Cancer Scholar program. At school, she is a part of GlobeMed at Dartmouth, the editor in chief of the Dartmouth Journal of Undergraduate Sciences, and volunteers with Cancer and Patient Services. In her free time, Hae-Lin enjoys painting, reading, writing, and going on hikes.

Jennifer Zhao joined Close Concerns as a Dartmouth Fellow in fall 2016. She is a Biological Chemistry major, a Chinese Language and Literature minor, and is very interested in the complex world of healthcare, especially from the drugs perspective. She has extensive research experience, having spent her sophomore year as a Sophomore Science Scholar working in a biochemistry lab with the fungus Candida albicans and her freshman year as a Women in Science Project intern studying the materials science of chocolate with frozen sugar scaffolds. Outside the lab, Jennifer is involved in the Nathan Smith Society, Dartmouth's pre-health student group, and carries out events with pharmacists and doctors. She is also heavily engaged within her living learning residential community and aims to build stronger relationships with students and faculty members outside the classroom. Jennifer is passionate about social issues on campus, and during summer 2016 trained to be an OPAL IMPACT fellow and has funding to carry out a social change project for the academic year — she has been thinking about promoting resources for the Asian American community on campus. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys spending time outdoors, running, biking, rock climbing, and writing poetry.

Sadie Bronk joined the Close Concerns team as a Dartmouth Fellow in summer 2016. Sadie has worked with a number of non-profit organizations including Mercado Global, a non-profit organization that works with indigenous women in Guatemala to sell their products for fair trade prices in the US and other countries while helping these women become financially independent and send their children to school. She received a grant from the HAND Foundation to travel to Guatemala to interview artisans and family members to better understand the impact Mercado Global has had on them. Additionally, Sadie developed a Mother-Daughter trip to Guatemala where she taught young girls how to fundraise in order to raise $12,000 to support a new cooperative of artisans to join Mercado Global. She has also focused on mentoring teens through the Jewish Teen Foundation on how to effectively fundraise and allocate funds to organizations that fit a mission statement. At Dartmouth, Sadie is a member of the Club Tennis Team and enjoyed participating in the shadowing program with the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center. In her free time Sadie enjoys skiing, reading, playing the piano, and spending time with friends.