Team Members

Priyasha Maharjan

Priyasha is a candidate for the Doctor of Global Health Leadership & Practice degree at the University of Washington. She is strongly interested in maternal and child health – addressing health disparities in underserved populations through the development and implementation of community-oriented, culturally sensitive public health interventions. She was nominated for the Distinguished Thesis – Social Sciences category for her work exploring perinatal depressive symptoms in women living in intergenerational households.

Priyasha received her MPH degree in Global Health from UW as a Fulbright Scholar from Nepal and her MBA from Westcliff University. She has over eight years of experience working with diverse communities as the co-founder and director of Samartha Nepal, a profit-not-sharing company. She was nominated by the US Department of State for the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) in Public Health in 2018. Priyasha received her MPH degree in Global Health from UW as a Fulbright Scholar from Nepal and her MBA from Westcliff University.

Steve Gloyd

Steve Gloyd is a physician and a University of Washington (UW) faculty member. He has worked as a District Medical Officer and  collaborator with the Mozambican Ministry of Health since the 1970s.

He has also worked in many other countries of Africa, Latin America, and Asia as a clinician, manager, researcher, teacher, policy advocate, and activist.  Steve was the founder of HAI (Health Alliance International) and the International Health Program at the UW School of Public Health, and was the first academic director of the UW Department of Global Health. His research focuses on strengthening Primary Health Care and understanding the impacts of neoliberalism and international aid on health. He continues to work with Ministries of Health and universities globally. Steve received his BA and MPH degrees from Harvard University and his MD from the University of Chicago.

Alina Metje

Alina is a medical doctor, researcher, and activist and has worked in Germany, South Africa, and the USA. She feels passionate about maternal, child, and adolescent health in recourse-restricted settings and aims to contribute to improving health outcomes and reducing health inequities for vulnerable populations. Alina holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Washington and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) from the University of Muenster, Germany. In her free time, she enjoys caring for the many animals on her urban farm and being part of her children’s school community.

Assem Suleimenova

Assem Suleimenova is a second-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health. She is an oncologist and Fulbright scholar from Kazakhstan. Through his first-hand experience in cancer care, Assem has gained an understanding of

how to help more people overcome cancer through prevention, screenings, and raising public awareness. This inspired her to apply to the University of Washington to study public health. Her research interests include cancer epidemiology, HPV screening, vaccination, women’s health, and health information systems.

Patience Komba

Patience Komba is a student pursuing a Doctorate in Global Health Leadership and Practice (DrGH) at the University of Washington. She also works with the Digital Initiatives Group at I-TECH(DIGI), focusing on monitoring and evaluating global digital health initiatives.

Patience is keen on leveraging technology to strengthen healthcare systems, ensuring the delivery of efficient, safe, timely, and high-quality healthcare services. Her research is centered on leadership strategies for implementing and scaling digital health initiatives in low and middle-income countries.

During her leisure time, Patience indulges in her passions for travel, exploring nature, and volunteering in community activities, particularly those dedicated to adolescent and women’s health. She currently serves as an advisor for the Women in Global Health (WGH) Seattle Chapter.

Ananditha Raghunath

Ananditha Raghunath is a 4th year PhD student in Computer Science at the University of Washington advised by Dr. Richard Anderson. She works at the intersection of global health and technology, exploring health worker – AI teaming and the integration of people-centered diagnostic devices into clinics, homes and health systems. She is passionate about ending morbidity and mortality that is caused by structural inequality. She has experience thoughtfully designing and integrating technology into rural LMIC settings such as NW Tanzania, where she spent 5 months in 2022. Prior to her PhD, she worked at MIT researching AI, Networks, and Health. She received her BA in Mathematics and Computer Science at New York University, where she was a Presidential Honors Scholar, Women in Science Scholar, and Presidential Service Award recipient.

Amaya Gatling

Amaya Gatling is a Master of Public Health candidate in the Department of Global Health. She is also pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Global Health of Women, Adolescents, and Children (Global WACh) and is a FLAS-French Fellow in the University of Washington Canadian Studies Center. Amaya is passionate about the intersection of sexual and reproductive health, human rights, and social justice. As an African American woman, improving the health of the African diaspora is a critical component of her professional interests. In her free time, Amaya loves to study languages, go on hikes, and spend time with her cat Franklin.