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Sophie is originally from Northern Indiana and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate education. Her path toward an MD-PhD has been shaped by the drive to research and apply new findings to help others, like her, with chronic illness. She is passionate about providing access to knowledge and resources and has been working to share this kind of information since high school. MSDCI National has been a wonderful and much-needed community over the past few years. She is excited to continue to build and grow in community, advocacy, education, and accessibility as Executive Director.
She/Her/Ella
Rush Medical College
Dahlia Chavez is a proud Latina, a first-generation college graduate, and the first in her family to pursue medicine. Growing up in a medically underserved community, she witnessed the barriers many patients face in accessing care, fueling her passion for advocacy and equity in medicine. She is dedicated to ensuring that future physicians have the support they need to thrive and provide the best care for their communities.
She currently serves on the LMSA National Board and continues her work with MSDCI as Associate Director, building a stronger, more inclusive network for students navigating medicine. Beyond advocacy, Dahlia is actively involved in rheumatology research, focusing on chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia and endometriosis, as well as medical education. She hopes her work will contribute to a future where healthcare and medical education are more inclusive, accessible, and representative of diverse communities.
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Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
Raised along the US-Mexico border, Melissa has firsthand witnessed how cultural barriers and access to care affect not only patients but also medical trainees who are underrepresented in medicine.Her lived experience navigating medical training with a chronic health condition inspired her to become involved with the MSDCI community, where she developed a strong interest in improving access to accommodations, resources, and inclusive spaces that support trainees and professionals of all abilities and identities.
She previously served as MSDCI National Communications Director, where she combined her passion for visual arts with disability advocacy to create and distribute original social media content across multiple platforms.Building on the skills she developed in this role, she designed and co-authored a published trauma-informed mental health workbook, reflecting her passion for psychiatry and patient-centered care.
Now serving as a National Associate Director, she looks forward to expanding MSDCI National’s reach, strengthening community engagement, and continuing to develop accessible resources for MSDCI members and beyond.
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Druv is passionate about amplifying the advocacy efforts of students and trainees across the country. As the future first physician in his extended family, he has been an advocate as they navigated the healthcare systems in the U.S. and abroad. As a biomedical engineer, he is passionate about systems-based approaches.
In addition to his work with MSDCI, Druv serves on the American Medical Association’s Disability Advisory Group, in addition to many other roles over several years. He has also served as Section Alternate Delegate on the Medical Student Section Governing Council, helping to lead the policy process and advocate for student-driven policy in the AMA House of Delegates and Capitol Hill. He hopes to leverage these experiences to elevate the voices of trainees with disabilities and chronic illnesses.
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Elena is passionate about disability representation and advocacy in medicine, and her lived experience with spina bifida has shaped her commitment to improving accessibility and inclusion for patients and trainees with disabilities. She is dedicated to advancing environments in medicine where all individuals are supported in their ability to learn, train, and provide high-quality care.
As Director of Research for MSDCI, Elena is excited to support the growth of research opportunities and strengthen connections among trainees interested in academic medicine. She is especially interested in fostering mentorship, collaboration, and accessible pathways into research for students from diverse backgrounds. In addition to her role with MSDCI, she serves as Chair of Advocacy for the American Physician Scientist Association, previously founded Fellows of All Abilities at the NIH to support individuals with disabilities in research training, and co-founded a program at Anschutz that encourages teens with disabilities in the Denver area to pursue careers in medicine and science. She looks forward to contributing to MSDCI’s mission by expanding opportunities for mentorship, collaboration, and engagement in research.
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Gianna was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age four and has since developed a strong commitment to advocacy, mentorship, and community-building for trainees living with disability and chronic illness. Gianna is passionate about developing meaningful community spaces, creating opportunities for mentorship and connection, and amplifying the voices of students with lived experience. As Co-Director of Community, she is excited to strengthen connections across chapters and help cultivate supportive networks for trainees nationwide.
She previously served as Vice President of her local MSDCI chapter, where she worked to foster a more welcoming, inclusive, and supportive environment for medical students navigating health challenges. She continues to remain actively involved in chapter initiatives and collaborates with peers to expand programming centered on visibility, accessibility, and peer connection.
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Afiel is dedicated to building a resilient national network by bridging the gap between high-level initiatives and the lived experiences of local chapters, ensuring that the vision for structural parity and a culture of belonging translates into tangible support for future physicians.
Afiel’s leadership is uniquely informed by his background as a disciplined martial artist and Taekwondo master instructor. He translates the mental fortitude and focus cultivated through years of training into the complexities of national advocacy. This perspective allows him to maintain a strategic, calm presence while addressing the challenges of building an egalitarian and accessible healthcare landscape—encouraging individual excellence to drive the collective progress of the medical community.
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Hannah Maclellan is passionate about advancing disability inclusion in medical education and developing community-based programs that support individuals navigating disability. As Director of Mentorship for MSDCI, she is committed to fostering an inclusive community and expanding mentorship for students with disabilities at every stage of training, with the goal of ensuring no student has to choose between their health and their future in medicine. Her passion for disability advocacy and mentorship is driven by her experience navigating disability and the transformative role that student mentors played.
She also serves as President of the Duke Med Disability Alliance, leading efforts to enhance accessibility through policy, curriculum, and community engagement. Prior to medical school, she worked as a consultant at Deloitte, supporting healthcare strategy and technology policy initiatives for vulnerable populations, including individuals with disabilities. Her research focuses on identifying barriers to food access for individuals with disabilities and developing solutions to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
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Michael is passionate about disability advocacy, accessible medical education, and building supportive communities for students navigating medicine. Through his work in mentorship, advocacy, and community engagement, he is dedicated to improving how disability and chronic illnesses are understood and supported in medical training.
As Director of Education for Blog Posts and Guides, Michael is eager to help create resources that inform, empower, and connect students nationwide. He’s especially interested in making educational content practical, inclusive, and accessible for learners at all levels. He looks forward to contributing to MSDCI’s mission by expanding opportunities for advocacy, education, and community-building.
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Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Buffalo
Kelsey’s commitment to disability justice is shaped by her lived experience with multiple disabilities and drives her work to reduce ableism in medical education through expanded access to accommodations and curriculum reform.
As former Vice Director of Mentorship for MSDCI, she helped lead a national mentorship program supporting disabled and chronically ill medical trainees. Her public health training informs her understanding of structural inequities and strengthens her focus on building more inclusive health systems. She is particularly passionate about addressing the stigma and shame surrounding disability in medical education.
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Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
Annika is passionate about disability awareness and education, and her personal experiences with chronic illness have informed her approach to inclusion and accessibility with intentionality and the goal of genuine change. In her role as MSDCI’s Director of Advocacy and Policy, she is dedicated to working with the AMA to advance policy agendas which support the ability of all students to access equitable resources and provide the best standard of care.
In addition to serving on the MSDCI national board, Annika previously served as a student lead for Washington University’s local MSDCI chapter, which has been instrumental in advocating for university-wide curriculum and technical standards reform. Her research focus centers on identifying and addressing educational disparities for first-generation and minority-identifying students, with the goal of establishing a more intentionally inclusive environment within medical education. She is committed to a career in pediatrics, where she aims to empower children with disabilities to live their most fulfilling lives.
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Yale School of Medicine
Ada graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Political Science and Disability Studies. Ada is deeply passionate about using medicine and policy to advocate for inclusive healthcare systems, with a particular focus on asylum health and disability health.
She previously served as a Policy Fellow at the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) and as a Youth Engaged for Change Intern for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In her role at NACDD, she has produced COVID-19 fact sheets, support letters, blog posts, and participated in Congress budget conversations. She also worked to create a report on gaps in vaccine allocation and distribution for individuals with developmental disabilities during the pandemic. This report was presented to the Administration for Community Living at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Originally from Illinois, Venkatsai’s journey into medicine has been profoundly shaped by his lived experience with chronic illness. A pivotal moment in his training was transitioning to medical school and finding his local MSDCI chapter, a space where his experiences were innately understood. This irreplaceable sense of belonging fueled his desire to serve as Co-Director of Internal Affairs, where he now aims to cultivate that same supportive environment for students across the country. At the local level, Venkatsai co-leads Brown’s MSDCI chapter, spearheading everything from clinical panels to community outings. As a future physician-innovator and educator, Venkatsai is dedicated to increasing disabled representation in the healthcare workforce. Outside of the clinic, he is an avid film photographer; he applies the same slow, methodical intentionality required by film to his advocacy work, ensuring every initiative is handled with purpose and care.
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Julia is a first-generation college graduate and excited to be pursuing a career as a physician. Julia is passionate about improving inclusivity across healthcare and encouraging culture shifts and peer-driven education as part of the next generation of medical providers. As co-director of Internal Affairs for MSDCI, she is looking forward to helping foster a year of program expansion and broadening the reach of this wonderful organization. Outside of MSDCI, Julia loves to combine her childhood experiences as an IBD patient with her clinical interests by focusing on pediatric gastroenterology research, volunteering, and mentoring.
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Sydney is passionate about promoting inclusivity, equity, and representation of diverse identities in the healthcare space. As co-Director of communications for MSDCI, she is looking forward to creatively expressing MSDCI’s mission through social media platforms, monthly newsletters, and other means of communication. She also looks forward to publicly celebrating the accomplishments of MSDCI members, as well as recognizing the historic groundwork set by those with disabilities and chronic illnesses before us. Outside of MSDCI, Sydney is an aspiring hematologist and is the founder of HUCM’s Anemia Awareness Group, where she organizes educational sessions, community service events, and other activities to promote awareness of anemia, with a special focus on sickle cell disease. She believes the multiple causes of anemia broadly come down to demographic, genetic, and nutritional factors, which means that the disadvantaged groups of society have more risk factors for acquiring this condition. She believes that emphasizing the socioeconomic risk factors as well as the medical risk factors can lead to an overall decrease in the prevalence of anemia, and an improved quality of life for people with genetic causes of anemia, such as SCD.
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Simrat Kaur is passionate about advancing equitable and accessible healthcare by building inclusive spaces, fostering mentorship and community, and increasing representation for both patients and trainees, with a strong interest in pursuing a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation. Shaped by both her lived experience with a spinal cord injury and her journey as a first-generation student, she is committed to increasing representation and strenghening support for underrepresentated individuals in medicine, both for trainees and for the patients they serve. Her current research with the Burn Model System focuses on mental and social health recovery following burn injuries, with an emphasis on patient-reported outcomes and long-term reintegration. This work has reinforced her commitment to supporting individuals living with chronic and disabling conditions, emphasizing both the challenges of long-term recovery and the potential for meaningful improvement with appropriate support, rehabilitation, and advocacy. As Co-Director of Communications for MSDCI National, Simrat is excited to creatively amplify the organization’s mission through storytelling and community engagement. She is especially passionate about highlighting the experiences and accomplishments of trainees with disabilities, fostering connection across the community, and expanding the reach of accessible, inclusive messaging in medicine. She looks forward to enhancing MSDCI National’s presence while building a platform that empowers and uplifts its members.
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Simran’s path has been shaped by health policy research, hands-on community work, and leading disability advocacy efforts in medical education, where she has focused on translating lived experiences into practical changes in how students are taught and how care is delivered. Through this work, she has seen how the barriers faced by patients and trainees with disabilities often mirror one another across institutions, which drew her to MSDCI’s mission of connecting and amplifying these efforts nationally. As Treasurer, she is excited to support the organization by creating clear, sustainable financial systems that allow its educational, advocacy, and community initiatives to grow and thrive. She is especially interested in ensuring that operational structures feel accessible and empowering to student leaders. Outside of medicine, Simran loves traveling, dancing, and hosting potlucks that bring people together—usually over good food and even better conversation.
