2023-2024 Executive Board
Co-Presidents
Favorite Thing to Eat in Detroit: 1) Fungi Pizza at Supinos 2) Vegetable Curry from Sy Thai 3) Intore at Baobab Fare 4) Anything at Fly Trap 5) The vegetable skillet at Monty's Grill
Favorite Study Spot: The Gathering Coffee Co, James Oliver, and The Congregation Favorite Volunteer Experience: Student Run Free Clinic-- It is such a lovely feeling to be able to connect a patient to resources for their health that they may not have had access to otherwise. Fun Fact About You: I'm a huge theater nerd and have seen upwards of 20 shows on Broadway! I lived in New York for some time and took advantages of all the discounted/free tickets that I could while I was there. What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: I hope to help create spaces where patients, especially our historically disenfranchised populations, feel safe to advocate for themselves and their health needs. I hope to provide meaningful mentorship to students in med school and those who are considering applying. I hope to support a culture that listens to the community we have entered as medical students and uses their voices to guide sustainable change. |
Favorite Thing to Eat in Detroit: Detroit Shipping Co. especially Bangkok 96
Favorite Study Spot: UHC 6E Favorite Volunteer Experience: Organizing and participating in Lampoon 2023! Fun Fact About You: I auditioned for Jeopardy once and made it past the first round! What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: I hope to contribute to the multiple communities of Detroit through leadership and service. I also hope that with the patient-centered skills I learned at WSUSOM, I can attend to the unique medical needs of Detroit’s residents. Lastly, I hope to serve as a voice and advocate for the betterment of this beautiful and vibrant city. |
Vice PresidentNimra Hassan, c/o 2024 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Detroit 75 food truck!
Favorite Study Spot: Haraz Coffee Favorite Volunteer Experience: Street Runs, Aesculapians volunteering Fun Fact About You: I’ve been on WWE smackdown live What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: To bridge the gap between the medical and general Detroit community! |
SecretaryKaitlin Ross, c/o 2024 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Ottava Via
Favorite Study Spot: The Congregation Favorite Volunteer Experience: Aesculapians (of course), Cass Clinic and the amazing work they do as a SRFC, Medicine in Motion, and Detroit vs Addiction Fun Fact About You: I love tennis, golf, and yoga What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: This year, I hope to build lasting relationships between Wayne State and local organizations to provide support and mentorship to the community of Detroit. My goal is to make a positive difference, no matter how big or small! |
Co-Treasurers
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Tacos!!
Favorite Study Spot: Any cute cafe ;) Favorite Volunteer Experience: Cass Clinic & Street Medicine! Fun Fact About You: I'm a huge podcast girlie. I have all the recs if needed. What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: The community of Detroit is what originally led me to Wayne State, and I hope to leave an impact on the patients I work with along with their outer community through advocacy and service work. |
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Seva, they have awesome cauliflower bites
Favorite Study Spot: Anywhere outside😄 Favorite Volunteer Experience: Street Medicine Detroit! Fun Fact About You: I lived in Seoul, South Korea for 3 years and love Korean food! What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: My goal is to promote preventive health services and social support for the marginalized communities in Detroit, and to inspire and mentor the future medical students who want to study at Wayne State and practice in Michigan. |
WebmasterKaterina Furman, c/o 2024 (she/her)
Favorite Thing to Eat in Detroit: Supergeil-- highly recommend their brunch and cocktails!
Favorite Study Spot: The Congregation, Red Hook Favorite Volunteer Experience: Street Medicine Detroit Harm Reduction Outreach, YWCA Domestic Violence Interim House Fun Fact About You: I can recite over 30 digits of Pi. What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: Through advocacy, empowerment, education, and trust, I hope to increase access to high quality healthcare for marginalized populations in my community. I aspire to be an activist for social justice and cultivate a culture of empathy and cultural competence in medical education. |
HistorianAarti Patel, c/o 2025 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Condado Tacos! Highly recommend the thai chili tofu on any of the tacos!
Favorite Study Spot: The Renaissance Center (just make sure to go with a full charge on your laptop) Favorite Volunteer Experience: AMA Riverwalkers and Robert R. Frank SRFC! Fun Fact About You: I’m always eager to dive into a discussion about your zodiac sign and astrological birth chart! What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: As a medical student and Michigan native, the vibrant and resilient Detroit community has inspired me to pursue a career where I can actively connect and collaborate with its people to uplift their voices and advocate for their needs. I aim to learn from the community’s experiences, partnering with them to improve healthcare access, create supportive spaces for growth, and empower individuals to become advocates for their own well-being and the betterment of their community. |
Activities Coordinators
Becca Adams, c/o 2025 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: The Bee Sting pizza from Mootz! Absolute heaven.
Favorite Study Spot: Cannelle in downtown Detroit. French pastries and coffee make studying a whole lot easier :) Favorite Volunteer Experience: The real highlight of my medical school career is dressing up in an inflatable koala costume and handing out treats to the kids at Children’s Hospital on Halloween. This will be hard to top! Fun Fact About You: I used to be a competitive Irish dancer ☘️ What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: Through my work with Aesculapians, I hope to help our community feel seen and valued. Our Detroit neighbors represent the life and strength of the city, a fact sometimes unfortunately lost in the discussion of “revitalizing” the area. It is their passion that gives Detroit its vibrancy, and I am committed to continuing my service as an Activities Co-Coordinator so that every resident experiences the respect and compassion they deserve. |
Denise Bilbao, c/o 2025 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Bash Original Izakaya (especially their ruby roll <3)
Favorite Study Spot: The Congregation Favorite Volunteer Experience: AMA Riverwalkers in the summer and leading runs for Street Medicine Detroit :) Fun Fact About You: I love baking and am currently mastering the art of making croissants! :) What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: I hope to get our students more rooted in the community we serve and to find ways to support and amplify the missions of the many passionate, proud organizations that are doing amazing work within Detroit. As Detroit continues to grow and flourish, I want to invest in the preservation of the city’s unique voice and culture. |
Riya Shah, c/o 2025 (she/her)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Small World Kitchen!
Favorite Study Spot: Kresge Court @ the DIA! Favorite Volunteer Experience: SRFC and AMA Riverwalkers! Fun Fact About You: Goodreads is by far my favorite social media app! (add me @rshah26) What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: As a native Michigander, I want to invest in Detroit’s success. It is a city full of culture and its unique identity offers so much potential. Hoping to see Detroit become THE place to be! |
Research Coordinators
Timothy Nold, c/o 2024 (he/him)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: Before loans hit? Sgt Pepperoni's pizza. After loans hit? Pi-Sci's BLT pizza with as much aioli as possible
Favorite Study Spot: The Congregation (back when it didn't have a wifi time limit) Favorite Volunteer Experience: Detroit Recovery Project Harm Reduction runs! Fun Fact About You: I originally learned how to play baseball left-handed, but switched to right-handed because Pudge Rodriguez was a righty. (Bonus fun fact: I tried Lox on my bagel for the first time this year-- now I'll never go back!) What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: I aim to help bridge the gap between community-focused service opportunities in Detroit and student-led research initiatives. Our ultimate goal is to get as many students involved in research as we can, while cultivating a safe and fun environment for the people we serve/volunteer with through the CPOTY! |
Abhijay Kumar, c/o 2025 (he/him)
Favorite Thing To Eat in Detroit: La Feria is divine! One of my friends is the co-owner and their vegetarian tapas are supreme. Tell them Abhi sent you :)
Favorite Study Spot: The DIA! You can never go wrong with a museum teeming with some of the world's most incredible art and history. They make for some stellar study breaks! Favorite Volunteer Experience: Street Medicine Detroit, the World Health Student Organization, and the Aesculapians Honor Society, of course! These organizations foster creative yet meaningful opportunities to connect with our community, at home and abroad. I am a changed person because of these dynamic experiences. Fun Fact About You: I was once stranded in Panama City due to a freak hail storm in Houston, Texas - please ask me about this if we ever cross paths! What impact do you hope to have on the Wayne State/Detroit community: My goal is to leverage authentic, bidirectional partnerships to reimagine an infrastructure that responsibly serves our diverse community's needs. Through the Aesculapians Honor Society, I have the utmost confidence that we can center the voices and lived experiences of our historically disenfranchised neighbors, and together, chart a course towards greater health and well-being. |