Dr. Marzotto’s interest in global health was sparked through early experiences working with underserved communities abroad, where Dr. Marzotto witnessed how cultural context and limited resources shape healthcare delivery. While studying global health and tropical disease in Costa Rica during a semester abroad, Dr. Marzotto gained insight into diverse healthcare systems and conducted community-based research on Leishmaniasis. This foundation grew through two different outreach trips to rural Honduras, where caring for children in resource-limited settings inspired Dr. Marzotto to pursue residency in Pediatrics. As Director of Primary Care and Pediatric Research with Action for Education, Dr. Marzotto has since led initiatives to improve continuity of care, strengthen prevention strategies, and ensure ethically sound, culturally informed practices in partnership with local leaders. These experiences have solidified Dr. Marzotto’s commitment to pediatric global health and a desire to continue building community-engaged, sustainable healthcare programs.

Dr. Mouzon has actively engaged in global and community health through multiple service initiatives. During two service trips to Nicaragua with the Global Brigades Chapter, Dr. Mouzon focused on public health and medical care, including building a water pipeline in a rural village and distributing anti-parasitic medications. These experiences highlighted the critical role of basic infrastructure in community health. Additionally, Dr. Mouzon has volunteered locally at a women’s shelter in Philadelphia and with Prevention Point in Kensington, contributing to efforts addressing the opioid crisis. These diverse experiences have deepened Dr. Mouzon’s commitment to improving health outcomes through both grassroots and systemic interventions.

Dr. Rao, a first-generation American and proud daughter of Indian immigrants, understands the critical role that cultural nuances play in health literacy and medication adherence. During medical school, Dr. Rao participated in a global health trip to Indonesia, where she ran an afterschool program in a rural village school. There, she developed engaging and educational lesson plans on hygiene and nutrition. Additionally, she volunteered at a free clinic in the Bronx, NY, providing primary care to underserved populations during her clinical years. These experiences have reinforced her commitment to culturally sensitive, patient-centered care in both local and global settings.

Dr. Farese is originally from Italy and is fluent in Italian, Spanish, and English. She graduated with a degree in International Studies, emphasizing Global Health, and completed an honors thesis on the importance of global health education for medical students. Dr. Farese earned a Global Health certificate from the University of Utah School of Medicine, completing multiple global health courses, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. She further deepened her global health knowledge by completing a Sub-Internship rotation in Internal Medicine in Italy. Dr. Farese has volunteered extensively with refugee populations in Salt Lake City, teaching English and serving as an interpreter at a free medical clinic for three years. Additionally, they contributed to the development of the first college-in-prison program at Utah State Prison by working with incarcerated populations. 

Dr. Montalbano became interested in global health through her time working on a water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) project and menstrual hygiene project in Mpoma, Uganda through the University of California - Los Angeles. She was also a lead of the Global Health Track at the University of Colorado and currently enjoys working in the refugee clinic at the Brown Med Peds clinic. She hopes to become involved in capacity building in global health. 

Dr. Abrantes grew up in a small farming village off the coast of Portugal, where limited access to medical and subspecialty care impacted many, including their uncle who suffered from palmoplantar pustular psoriasis without adequate treatment. These early experiences inspired a deep commitment to addressing healthcare access barriers. Throughout college and medical school, Dr. Abrantes led service trips with Global Medical Brigades in Nicaragua, helped establish clinics serving hundreds of patients, and founded Getting Under Your Skin, a community outreach program educating underserved Rhode Island students about skin cancer and sun protection. During medical school at Brown, Dr. Abrantes worked extensively with Clínica Esperanza and the Rhode Island Free Clinic, which serves a large immigrant population. They served as the medical student leader and liaison for the dermatology clinic and now, as a dermatology resident, co-direct the clinic. Fluent in Portuguese and conversational in Spanish, Dr. Abrantes uses their language skills to connect with underserved patients, ensuring clear communication and compassionate care. 

Dr. Gill completed a clinical exchange with AMPATH Kenya at Moi University during their third year of residency, gaining valuable hands-on experience in global health. Dr. Gill is striving for a career of international infectious disease research and practice. 

Dr. Onwubueke has extensive experience working with underserved populations, including part-time work during the last two years of medical school at a nonprofit focused on community empowerment for single, at-risk mothers in urban Cleveland, Ohio. They completed a refugee health elective and partnered with the Migration & Refugee Services at Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland to provide mentorship for refugee families, collaborating with the global health interest group they co-founded. Dr. Onwubueke also has research experience in global health, including basic science work on yellow fever vaccination during pregnancy. They are fluent in Spanish and pursuing certification in medical Spanish. Dr. Onwubueke has built and maintains connections with healthcare personnel in Nigeria. Additionally, Dr. Onwubueke earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in global health.

Dr. Shah has a strong background in global and community health, with experience in clinical care, public health education, and data-driven program evaluation. As a volunteer physician at a basic healthcare unit outside Islamabad, Pakistan, which served as the only primary care facility in the area, Dr. Shah conducted community awareness events and played a key role in developing the local immunization program. She also worked with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), analyzing field data from MSF Holland programs in Baluchistan to produce annual medical activity reports and support program evaluation efforts. More recently, Dr. Shah served as co-director of Pakistan’s first HIV certification course for care providers. This initiative created a platform for education and discussion, equipping healthcare professionals with tools and resources in response to recent HIV outbreaks. During her undergraduate studies, Dr. Shah served as a peer educator for Leave the Pack Behind, providing smoking cessation support, and also volunteered as a tutor at the Toronto Public Library, mentoring at-risk youth through the Leading to Reading program. Dr. Shah remains dedicated to advancing health equity and education both locally and globally.

Dr. Lee is deeply committed to global health, with formative experiences that span research, community development, and health systems improvement. As a freshman, Dr. Lee studied abroad at the University of Nairobi Medical School, researching public knowledge of nutrition and gaining insight into barriers to clean drinking water in Kenyan communities. This experience led to active involvement in GlobeMed, where Dr. Lee partnered with Kitovu Mobile in Uganda to create sustainable water wells in rural areas. After securing a USAID scholarship, Dr. Lee traveled to Uganda to assess community needs and collaborate with local engineers on sustainable water sanitation practices. During a gap year, Dr. Lee worked as a project manager at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston, focusing on initiatives across the Africa region. Their primary project supported the development of maternity rest centers in Ethiopia, helping women safely access facility-based deliveries. Dr. Lee prepared statistical reports and presentations for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and worked closely with stakeholders to secure continued funding.

Dr. Eberts volunteered for a year at a safe house in Ecuador, studied abroad in Spain for a semester, and worked as a researcher for a year in Chile. These international experiences fostered a strong interest in global health. Additionally, Dr. Eberts has volunteered as a Spanish medical interpreter at community clinics throughout college and medical school, engaging directly with underserved populations and enhancing both language proficiency and cultural competence. They also completed a Master of Public Health during medical school, which deepened their understanding of health disparities and population-level interventions. Dr. Eberts is committed to applying these skills to improve healthcare for diverse and underserved communities in their future work.

Dr. Eskander's passion for global health was born out of her own immigrant community and has grown to encompass service to multicultural patients both locally and internationally, language learning, and formal global health training. Her language skills in Medical Spanish, Medical Portuguese, and conversational Arabic have been cultivated to enhance communication with patients from various backgrounds. Dr. Eskander's service work at free clinics for multicultural immigrants and international medical missions to Puerto Rico, Bolivia, and Kenya have contributed to practical understanding in global health. She is thrilled to join and learn from the BRIGHT community, to continue developing a framework for leading sustainable, longitudinal, and collaborative global health initiatives.