Meet the Team

Rebecca Ng

My name is Rebecca and I am a second year medical student at Queen’s. I am this year’s HHRC Co-Chair in conjunction with my role as the Aesculapian Society’s Global Health Liaison, Senior. I am so grateful to be planning and holding this conference with a theme very close to my heart. As a Master’s graduate in Global Health, refugee and migrant health is a frequently discussed and important area of focus, and it is highly intertwined with global health and relations. I hope to present a panel of diverse and thought-provoking speakers to Queen’s. I am excited to bring a lens of equity to the conference and for us to learn more about migrant health!

Jenna Nensi

Hi! My name is Jenna I am a second year medical student. I am very excited and honoured to welcome our attendees as one of the co-chairs for the Queen’s HHRC 2021-2022. Being a child of a refugee, the unique challenges that new comers and especially refugee face, is very close to my heart. I am very excited for the opportunity to help organize this conference that brings awareness to refugee and migrant health. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, reading, and playing with my cats.

Josie Jakubowski

Hello! My name is Josie Jakubowski, and I am a first-year Medical student. Before Medicine, I completed my Bachelor's in Physiology and a Master's in Kinesiology at McMaster. I have worked extensively with children living with medical complexities and encountered many families who struggled to access care for their child(ren). Most notable were families new to Canada. For this reason, I am eager to participate as a Content Director for this year's Health & Human Rights Conference focused on Refugee and Migrant Health. 

Sawmmiya Kirupaharan

Hello! I’m Sawmmiya, a first year medical student at Queen’s. I’m thrilled to be a Content Director for the HHRC this year. Considering recent world events, the theme for this year’s conference, Migrant and Refugee Health, is as pertinent as ever. As a Content Director, I hope to work together with faculty and community advisors to organize a meaningful conference that holistically explores the experiences of newcomers in the healthcare system. Please stay tuned for more updates on the conference. I look forward to seeing you there!

Jessica Morris

Jessica completed her BScKin at McMaster University, and then went on to complete a MSc in Global Health jointly at McMaster and Maastricht University in the Netherlands. She specialized in the Global Health Leadership and Organization stream, and was involved in a two week symposium at the Prasanna School of Public Health at the Manipal University in Udupi, India. While studying she became involved with advocacy work for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and formed partnerships with the organization Humanity Auxilium to focus on addressing maternal and mental health of women in camps. Jessica is passionate about reciprocal partnerships, implementing sustainable solutions, and women's health. In her spare time she loves being active outside by swimming, biking or running.

Corey Foster

My name is Corey Forster and I am the Finance Director for this year’s HHRC! Having previously worked on local/municipal health projects, I am thrilled to now be part of the HHRC team. In my role as Finance Director, I am responsible for overseeing HHRC’s budgeting and financial affairs. This year, I hope to establish new relationships with sponsors and benefactors to ensure that the team is able to develop and deliver the most comprehensive and meaningful conference possible.

Hannah Ramsay

My name is Hannah and I am currently in my second year of Medicine at Queen's, in the MD/PhD program. I could not be more excited to involved in the HHRC this year as a Logistics Director, and work with this team to tackle the very important topic of refugee and migrant health. I look forward to listening and learning alongside you about a topic that is so important in Canada and around the world, especially in the wake of COVID-19. In my spare time, I enjoy playing soccer, hiking and skiing every mountain I can find!

Nikita Pasricha
 

Hello! My name is Nikita Pasricha and I am a first year Medical School at Queen's. I am excited to be part of organizing the 2021 HHRC! I am passionate about this year's theme of the conference as I feel refugee and migrant health are relevant topics within healthcare and specifically the medical field. Despite the changes due to COVID-19, I have really enjoyed working with the team and hope that the conference will leave you inspired!

Jehan Irfan
 

Hi! My name is Jehan Irfan and I’m a second year medical student. This year’s theme is near and dear to my heart as a personal area of interest and I’m very excited to help this conference come to life! As a previous attendee, this conference always leaves me inspired; I love the dialogue that HHRC consistently sparks about pressing issues of our time and perhaps more importantly, what we can do about it. Outside of school, I am passionate about music, boxing and (slowly) learning how to cook.

Vithusha Yogathasan

Hey, My name is Vithusha and I’m a second year medical student! As one of the PR directors I’m super excited to engage not only Queen’s students but the Kingston community in hosting such an informative yet inspiring conference. This year’s topic will hopefully raise awareness to an under serviced population in healthcare and give everyone the chance to ask questions about how human rights plays a role in these differences. Can’t wait to see it come together!

Mohamed Gemae

Hello! My name is Mohamed, and I am a first-year Medical student with a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology. This year’s topic means a lot to me as a first-generation immigrant because it was difficult for my family to adapt to a new healthcare system due to the language barrier and culture shock. Thus, I decided to volunteer with a refugee family and empower them in navigating their new community, specifically the healthcare system. For this reason, I am thrilled to be the web manager of a conference that aims to educate students in our field on these systemic barriers. Outside of school, I am passionate about soccer, squash, and spending time with my friends and family!

Kiera Liblik

I am a second year Queen's medical student. Before medicine, I worked for the Canadian Mental Health Association as a suicide responder. There, I encountered many people struggling to access healthcare providers - this spurred my interest in global health and I continue to advocate for accessible health for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, Indigenous status, mental health conditions, or disability. I joined the Health and Human Rights Conference as the Finance Director, where I apply for grants and budget the event. It is rewarding to make this conference financially sustainable.

 Jadeesh Upal

I am a second-year medical student and am very excited to be a part of the HHRC exec team this year. I had an excellent experience attending the HHRC conference last year and am grateful for the opportunity to help organize it this year! I am looking forward to working with the exec team to help create awareness – and learn more about - Refugee and Migrant Health. Outside of school, I enjoy playing basketball, swimming, and trying out new café’s.