AMSA Executive Board 2019-2020: We’re Here To Help!
President: Praticha Jagdish
Vice President: Daphne Blount
Secretary: Alisha Relan
Treasurer: Regan Bradley
Public Relations: Lindsey Flieth
Health Advocate: Michael Dahl
Volunteer Coordinator: Madeline Lawrence
Events Coordinator: Jessica Haines
Travel Coordinator: Rachel Keenan
Name: Praticha Jagdish
Position: President
Year: Senior
Major: Physiology
Campus involvement: I am involved with the Society of Women Engineers ( a great group btw!!)!
Hobbies: I really like to play my violin, dance, bake, and do pilates!
Specialty of interest: I would really like to work in Pediatric Oncology, and I know, I know that that line of work is super tough, but I think it would be really rewarding. I also have personal experience with someone battling cancer at a young age.
Most treasured AMSA memories: One of my favorite memories from AMSA was attending the first pre-med dinner of my first year in AMSA, it was really rewarding. I spoke with a lot of physicians and got their advice, plus I made some new friends!
Favorite quote that motivates you: “We may encounter defeats but we must not be defeated”-Maya Angelou
Contact: jagdi003@umn.edu
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Name: Daphne Blount
Position: Vice President
Year: Junior
Major: Cellular and Organismal Physiology
Campus involvement: Nutritional Aide at MHealth, volunteer in the Physical Activity Epidemiology Lab and also in the Sports and Exercise Science Lab, Co-Vice President Lean-In U of M
Hobbies: Yoga and weightlifting, building furniture/decor, cooking and baking, listening to podcasts, playing random sports (volleyball, tennis, baseball, etc.), reorganizing things to procrastinate
Specialty of interest: Psychiatry or PM&R
Most treasured AMSA memories: Hearing a new AMSA member say that the friends she made in our group were “way more normal and less scary” than she expected pre-med students to be. We are all dealing with our own struggles and while other pre-meds may appear to have it figured out, everyone is still a mess in some regard! We’re all a part of AMSA to help each other out and be a part of an amazing and supportive community. ❤ Embrace it!
Favorite quote that motivates you: Comparison is the thief of joy (I am still learning to internalize this)
Contact: bloun025@umn.edu
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Name: Alisha Relan
Position: Secretary
Year: Junior
Major: Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development Minor: Leadership
Campus involvement: I am a researcher in the Laboratory of Medicine and Pathology on campus working with a category of melanocytic lesions. I also started working as a medical scribe this past summer! Last year, I was a Sophomore Guild Leader for the College of Biological Sciences. A large portion of my time is also spent dancing with the UMN Dance Collective!
Hobbies: Aside from classes and research, I enjoy dancing, hanging out with friends and family, eating lots of ice cream, watching movies, shopping, and traveling!
Specialty of interest: In the future, I would like to pursue a specialty in either Family Medicine, Pediatrics, or Emergency Medicine.
Most treasured AMSA memories: Getting the opportunity to travel to AMSA Nationals last year in Washington D.C. with the board and general members! I also am a big fan of the suture clinics and physician dinners.
Favorite quote that motivates you: “Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken… Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”
Contact: relan007@umn.edu
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Name: Regan Bradley
Position: Treasurer
Year: Senior
Major: Biology, Society, & Environment and Psychology Minor: Public Health
Campus involvement: AMSA, VP of USIG, Anatomy TA, and a cycling instructor at the RecWell.
Hobbies: Hiking and walking my dogs as well as cooking (at least attempting).
Specialty of interest: I hope to become a surgeon or work in critical care/ trauma, maybe combine them both and be a trauma surgeon either in civilian or military life. Of course, I still find almost everything fascinating so it will be interesting to see where I end up.
Most treasured AMSA memories: Sitting in my first ever AMSA meeting realizing there are so many people like me who are as passionate about medicine and a life of serving others.
Favorite quote that motivates you: “Get to the point where you are living the life you used to be jealous of.”
Contact: bradl393@umn.edu
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Name: Lindsey Flieth
Position: Public Relations
Year: Sophomore
Major: Human Physiology and Spanish Minor: Pharmacology, and Neuroscience
Campus involvement: I am currently in the process of finding a volunteer position and possibly a lab position for this upcoming year. I am also the secretary of MinnesoTap, a student led tap dance company.
Hobbies: I like dancing, playing tennis, traveling, attending gopher sporting events, and drowning my problems in ice cream 🙂
Specialty of interest: I am open to almost any specialty (except podiatry) and am incredibly excited to experience many different specialties and find what I am most passionate about.
Most treasured AMSA memories: I loved attending many different volunteer events and being on the volunteer committee! Volunteering through AMSA was a great way to meet more pre-med students. Also see Michael’s memory (he made a great verbal punching bag).
Favorite quote that motivates you: “At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” -Frida Kahlo
Contact: fliet006@umn.edu
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Name: Michael Dahl
Position: Health Advocate
Year: Senior
Major: Neuroscience Minor: Psychology
Campus involvement: I am an undergraduate researcher in the Saunder’s Lab where we focus on behavioral mechanisms and how they relate to addiction. I am the VP of Recruitment for Minnesota Medical Leaders as well as an officer for the Citizen Student Movement! I’m also the Neurobio 1 TA for Fall 2019, and I work at the UMMC ED.
Hobbies: ha
Specialty of interest: To be frank, I don’t want to try and speculate on a specialty before I even apply to medical school. As an undergrad I simply want to keep myself open to all areas of medicine and see how different professionals in each subfield work to improve health outcomes.
Most treasured AMSA memories: Being a member of the volunteer committee last semester and serving the greater Twin Cities communities with my kind-hearted AMSA peers while also serving as a verbal punching bag for all of our volunteers who were dealing with the stress of school.
Favorite quote that motivates you:
“Test days are the best days. They’re a celebration of knowledge!” – some student in my genetics class last semester.
“I can’t control the wind. I can only adjust my sails.”
Contact: dahlx546@umn.edu
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Name: Madeline Lawrence
Position: Volunteer Coordinator
Year: Senior
Major: Biology and Chemistry
Campus involvement: I volunteer at the UMMC Emergency Department, and I (hopefully this fall) work in a kinesiology lab!
Hobbies: I like to play piano and explore nature.
Specialty of interest: Gastroenterology, but I want to actually get into medical school before I set my heart on any one specialty
Most treasured AMSA memories: Our volunteer events are where I got to meet a lot of the friends I have on campus. They’re a lot of fun and a great way to meet new people (and also to make fun of Michael).
Favorite quote that motivates you: “The best way out is always through.”
Contact: lawre427@umn.edu
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Name: Jessica Haines
Position: Events Coordinator
Year: Senior
Major: Double majoring in Microbiology and French
Campus involvement: Volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, work in the Masonic Children’s Hospital, and research in the Baughn Lab where I research biosynthesis pathways in tuberculosis. I also research for the Institute for Molecular Virology, where I work with HIV-2.
Hobbies: Swing dancing, hiking and backpacking, running, reading, cooking, and slowly turning my apartment into a forest one plant at a time.
Specialty of interest: Virology and Immunology. I’m planning to attend an MD-PhD program, so I will be majoring in Virology.
Most treasured AMSA memories: All of the volunteer events, where I met so many people while doing some good, but especially the ELE program. It was amazing to interact with 5th graders and teach them about neurology – we definitely inspired some of them to pursue science.
Favorite quote that motivates you: “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life — It goes on.” -Robert Frost
Contact: haine097@umn.edu
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Name: Rachel Keenan
Position: Travel Coordinator
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biochemistry Minor: German
Campus involvement: I am a sophomore guild leader for CBS (go Dempsey!) and hopefully(fingers crossed) will be working in a lab this upcoming semester.
Hobbies: I love running, traveling, and baking fun little treats. Oh and binge watching netflix to avoid deadlines and homework!
Specialty of interest: As of now, I am really leaning to dermatology or oncology, but very interested to see where I will end up!
Most treasured AMSA memories: I loved my first Cook for Kids event! My parents stayed in the Ronald McDonald House when I was a baby for me and it was so nice to give back to the place that helped my family in a time of need. The kids and parents are always so thankful and it really warms my heart to help out where we can!
Favorite quote that motivates you: Remember you’re the only one who can fill the world with sunshine.” -Minnie Mouse
Contact: keena194@umn.edu
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2018-2019 Previous Board Members
Tyler Johnson – President
April Feist – Vice President
Ashish Varma – Treasurer
Maya Santosuosso – Secretary
Alisha Relan – Public Relations
Praticha Jagdish – Events Coordinator
Daphne Blount – Travel Coordinator
Sydney Grubb – Volunteer Coordinator
Regan Bradley – Health Advocate
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2017-2018 Previous Board Members
Sena Uzunlar – President
Kelsey Ward – Vice President
Karla Rodriguez-Naranjo – Treasurer
Henri Swanson – Secretary
April Feist – Public Relations
Megan Olson – Events Coordinator
Ashish Varma – Travel Coordinator
Tyler Johnson – Volunteer Coordinator
Maya Santosuosso – Health Advocate
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2016-2017 Previous Board Members
Olivia Schneider – President
Alex Khan – Vice President
Jun Chen – Treasurer
Samar Shahid – Secretary
Kelsey Ward – Public Relations
Sena Uzunlar – Events Coordinator
Karla Rodriguez-Naranjo – Travel Coordinator
Jonah Kuske – Volunteer Coordinator
Jacqueline Cassman – Health Advocate
