Co-Presidents
Co-President
Amirsaman Zahabioun
Hi there! My name is Amirsaman Zahabioun, and I am a senior undergraduate at UNC-Chapel Hill on the pre-medicine track, studying Biology, B.S., with a minor in Chemistry. My research lies in investigating how the cell-cycle of human embryonic stem cells changes upon differentiation. I also have a sincere dedication to numerous genres of writing and find pleasure in teaching and leading education, among others! As an advocate for health equity for women and children, I am a firm believer that easy and timely access to clean water should not be a concern in the twenty-first century. Having witnessed firsthand, it is exasperating to face the reality that human lives are endangered every day due to a lack of access to clean drinking water, namely in global settings with large population densities. My central objective at HHI, shared by our team, is to advocate for the most basic human rights: potable water – one that’s been made possible by acquiring and integrating Afridev hand pumps in target regions, starting in East-Asia, through fundraiser events, grants, and donations. I will continue to devote a much-needed compassion and energy to developing sustainable sources of clean water for as many families suffering from this urgent crisis as possible worldwide with the help of our avid, expanding team at the Healthy Hands nonprofit.
Co-President
Sree Gogineni
Hi! My name is Sree Gogineni, I am a sophomore from Edison, New Jersey, majoring in neuroscience following the pre-med track. Some of my interests that I am most passionate about include working with individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses, as well as engaging in public service within my local community. In my free time I love to dance, specifically to Bollywood music, and spend quality time with my friends!
Finance and Media
vp, finance
Tejas Pruthi
My name is Tejas Pruthi and I am a rising Junior Computer Science major at UNC Chapel Hill. I have been very involved in Public Health since coming to college. Taking classes and doing research at the Gillings School of Global Public Health has opened my eyes to the opportunities to address health issues all around the world. I have had the great honor of co-founding this organization and being able to work with such motivated, and hard-working people. I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish as a team!
Outreach
VP, OUTREACH
Molly Ruebusch
My name is Molly Ruebusch, and I am a junior majoring in biology with minors in chemistry and Arabic at UNC-Chapel Hill. It is my belief that global health inequity can best be addressed through the implementation of sustainable solutions that seek to provide basic necessities to all populations. As the Vice President of outreach, I am excited to begin the process of expanding the goals of the initiative by promoting awareness and communication throughout the next year.
External Affairs
vp, external affairs
Aryaman Bana
My name is Aryaman Bana, and I am a sophomore biochemistry major at UNC Chapel Hill. My interests lie in the combination of molecular biology and analytical chemistry, and I hope to continue research alongside a healthcare career in the future. In my visits to India, I had the opportunity to open my eyes to the crisis that is the clean water shortage; it’s disheartening that such a crisis exists, but I’m optimistic about the future, and I can’t wait to work with the rest of the team in alleviating this crisis.
Media and Design
VP, MEDIA AND DESIGN Anna Cobb
My name is Anna Cobb and I’m from Raleigh, NC. I am currently majoring in biology, and I have a passion for all things science! I hope to one day work in the medical field, whether in research or as a clinician, so that I can focus on ways in which science can be applied. Also, I am passionate about public health issues, such as access to clean water and spreading awareness about these often-overlooked issues.
Committee members
external affairs committee
Vinitha Panchikarla
My name is Vinitha Panchikarla, and I am a sophomore at UNC-Chapel Hill, majoring in Health Policy and Management with a minor in Chemistry. My family and I moved from India seven years ago. Having lived in India for the early part of my life, I have seen people in rural areas struggle with essential utilities like access to electricity and clean water even today. Hence, I hope we can serve the underprivileged and make a difference in their lives together as a team!
external affairs committee
Veronika Tomaszycki
My name is Veronika Tomaszycki, and I am a Senior at UNC Chapel Hill, majoring in Medical Anthropology and minoring in Chemistry and Biology. I am from Charlotte, NC and have aspirations of working within the healthcare field and helping those in need. I believe that everyone should have access to clean and sustainable water sources. However, as a Medical Anthropology major, I have learned that for many people around the world, this unfortunately is not a reality. I hope that together we can help provide underserved communities with access to clean and sustainable water in order to improve the longevity, health and quality of life to those who need it most.
outreach committee
Sarah Hwang
My name is Sarah Hwang, and I’m a sophomore majoring in biology at UNC Chapel Hill. I’m from Wilmington, NC, and living close to the beach has provided me numerous opportunities to be engaged in research involving marine specimens. Through these experiences, I have come to appreciate the existence of many lives on earth and have also come to recognize the dire need for clean water that is accessible to not just marine organisms but also to the human race, in places where it’s not naturally present. As a believer of science and universal provision of basic healthcare, I hope to be a part of the change to improve the living conditions in underserved regions in the world through my participation in HHI.
outreach committee
Prima Gurjar
My name is Prima Gurjar and I am a sophomore at UNC- Chapel Hill studying Neuroscience and Medical Anthropology on the pre-med track. Throughout my life, I have consistently volunteered in my community and have found that serving others brings me a tremendous amount of joy. As a result, I wanted to find an organization at UNC focused on social and public welfare that held sentimental value for me. Also, through my medical anthropology classes, I have been exposed to the inequalities that exist in the healthcare world, which drove me to help support in any manner possible. HHI’s mission of promoting social welfare and healthcare appealed to me immensely, especially since it was related to my culture. By being a part of HHI, I hope to apply the knowledge I have learned regarding inequality in my class and make a positive impact in an underprivileged area.
Yash Patel
My name is Yash Patel and I am a junior Neuroscience major at UNC Chapel Hill. As an aspiring physician and healthcare leader and as someone who has lived in India for 2 years, it is important to acknowledge but also act on the health disparities present across the world. Access to clean water should not be a privilege but rather a basic human right accessible to all. Through this, I am excited to be part of the HHI’s mission in providing sustainable water solutions and hope to make a positive impact on the lives of the underserved.
