Oryema Fellows and Interns
Vanessa Voller, 2019-2020 Oryema Fellow in Social Medicine
Vanessa is a second year doctoral student at the College of Education and Human Development and School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. While originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, Vanessa has lived and worked in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Zambia, the Southwest region of the United States and the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. Her research seeks to examine the intersection between adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes and (in)access to comprehensive sexuality education and healthcare services. Vanessa is trained as a community based participatory researcher and utilizes innovative techniques to involve adolescents in her research. Vanessa graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a Master’s of Arts degree in International Development Practice. During the 2019-2020 academic year, Vanessa will be finalizing her application materials for the University of Minnesota’s Medical School with the aspiration of coupling her doctoral training with a medical degree to ultimately become an interdisciplinary educator-healer-activist.
Vanessa is a second year doctoral student at the College of Education and Human Development and School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. While originally from Saint Paul, Minnesota, Vanessa has lived and worked in Bolivia, Costa Rica, Panama, Argentina, Zambia, the Southwest region of the United States and the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. Her research seeks to examine the intersection between adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes and (in)access to comprehensive sexuality education and healthcare services. Vanessa is trained as a community based participatory researcher and utilizes innovative techniques to involve adolescents in her research. Vanessa graduated from Colorado College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs with a Master’s of Arts degree in International Development Practice. During the 2019-2020 academic year, Vanessa will be finalizing her application materials for the University of Minnesota’s Medical School with the aspiration of coupling her doctoral training with a medical degree to ultimately become an interdisciplinary educator-healer-activist.
Leanne Zhang, 2018-2019 Oryema Fellow in Social Medicine
Leanne’s interest in global health was sparked after joining her high school’s FACE AIDS chapter and reading Mountains Beyond Mountains. That interest soon became a full-blown passion, and she has since founded the UMN chapter of Partners in Health Engage, traveled to Kenya to study health and development, and joined forces with UMN professors to develop a global health equity course for undergraduate students. Leanne graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2017 with a B.S. in Microbiology and a minor in Public Health. She is currently working as a researcher studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis and plans to pursue an MPH in the near future.
Leanne’s interest in global health was sparked after joining her high school’s FACE AIDS chapter and reading Mountains Beyond Mountains. That interest soon became a full-blown passion, and she has since founded the UMN chapter of Partners in Health Engage, traveled to Kenya to study health and development, and joined forces with UMN professors to develop a global health equity course for undergraduate students. Leanne graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2017 with a B.S. in Microbiology and a minor in Public Health. She is currently working as a researcher studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis and plans to pursue an MPH in the near future.
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Augie Lindmark, 2017-2018 Oryema Fellow in Social Medicine
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Melissa McCoy, 2013-2017 Oryema Fellow in Social Medicine
Missy graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2011 with a B.S. degree in Biochemistry and is currently pursuing an M.D. at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Prior to her involvement in SocMed, Missy has most recently worked as a hiking guide for a non-profit in Nicaragua leading fellow explorers through volcano ranges. She is also a student director of a free health care home in Duluth, MN working to design and implement a collaborative primary care option for marginalized populations. Missy’s career interests include the advancement of social medicine curricula in medical and public health education as well as exposing students to life-changing international experiences.
Missy graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2011 with a B.S. degree in Biochemistry and is currently pursuing an M.D. at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. Prior to her involvement in SocMed, Missy has most recently worked as a hiking guide for a non-profit in Nicaragua leading fellow explorers through volcano ranges. She is also a student director of a free health care home in Duluth, MN working to design and implement a collaborative primary care option for marginalized populations. Missy’s career interests include the advancement of social medicine curricula in medical and public health education as well as exposing students to life-changing international experiences.
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Aaron Sattler, 2014-2016 Fellow in Social Medicine
Aaron completed his studies in Spanish and Nursing with honors at South Dakota State University in 2012. Aaron has volunteered at a hospital in Cameroon while learning French, studied monkey behavior in Costa Rica, volunteered as a hiking guide in Nicaragua, and has taken the SocMed 2014 course in Haiti. As an R.N. he has worked in critical care as well as camp nursing and has a passion for global health. Looking forward Aaron plans to become a professor and encourage students to incorporate social justice and human rights into their lives by facilitating meaningful and engaging educational experiences, both personally and at the policy level. |
Mengyang (MY) Sun, 2012-2013 Oryema Fellow in Social Medicine
M.Y. graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 2007 with a B.A. degree in Biology and Psychology and minors in Writing and French. She then worked for a year as a Research Technician in a lab studying neurodegenerative diseases. She is currently pursuing an M.D. at Washington University School of Medicine. M.Y. took the SocMed course in 2012 and loved it so much, she will join the team as the Oryema Fellow this year. She is also currently working on a cervical cancer screening project in Uganda.
Anna DiColli, 2011-2012 Course Intern
Anna graduated from the University of Scranton in 2010, where she earned a B.S. degree in Neuroscience with minors in History, Spanish, and Management. Anna served as a stateside intern for SocMed during the 2010-2011 course year before joining the team to Uganda for the third annual course. Prior to her involvement with SocMed, she worked as the Director of Volunteer Programs and Global Operations at the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC). Her career interests include cultural competency in health care and societal influences upon health.
Jessie Mason, 2011-2012 Course Intern
Jessie graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2010 with an interdisciplinary studies BA in social justice. Prior to Jessie's involvement with SocMed, she worked in various roles in post-secondary education. Her career interests lie in global health, specifically in maternal and newborn health in immigrant and refugee populations in Canada, as well maternal health outcomes in East Africa.
Jeff Raunig, 2010-2011 Course Intern
Jeffrey graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2002 with a B.S. degree in Physics. During his tenure as a naval officer, he pursued a career as a nuclear submarine officer and navy diver. In 2009, Jeffrey completed an M.S. in Developmental and Reproductive Biology from the University of Hawaii School of Medicine. In addition to his work on publications, he volunteer his time as a Regional Representative for Partners In Health. He is currently pursuing an M.D. at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Jeffrey graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2002 with a B.S. degree in Physics. During his tenure as a naval officer, he pursued a career as a nuclear submarine officer and navy diver. In 2009, Jeffrey completed an M.S. in Developmental and Reproductive Biology from the University of Hawaii School of Medicine. In addition to his work on publications, he volunteer his time as a Regional Representative for Partners In Health. He is currently pursuing an M.D. at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Brian Blank, 2009-2010 Course Intern
Brian Blank is a former cable news reporter and producer who decided mid-career to pursue medicine. He is a class president at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Brian works for the primary care advocacy nonprofit Primary Care Progress, where he handles media inquiries and outreach initiatives, edits website content and messaging, and manages social media. He is also a Managing Editor of the innovation-themed journal Primary Care Insight.
