Current Students

Cynthia Auma Aluoch

Cynthia is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Global Health Implementation Science Program.

Amanda Debuo Der

Amanda is a first-year MPH student in the Department of Global Health and a Fulbright Scholar from Ghana. She holds a Master of Science in Bioethics from the University of Ghana and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health (Health Promotion) from the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ghana. Amanda’s academic and professional journey is grounded in advancing sexual and reproductive health, particularly among adolescents and underserved populations. Her research spans ethical issues in comprehensive abortion care, contraception, reproductive autonomy, socio-ethical issues of surrogacy in Ghana, HIV service uptake and lost to follow-up including assisted partner services. As a Public Health Practitioner in Ghana, Amanda played a pivotal role in designing and implementing community-centered health promotion programs. She led public health education campaigns in schools, communities, and through mass media, with a strong focus on adolescent sexual and reproductive health and non-communicable diseases. She is passionate about implementation science, health policy, advocacy, community engagement, and advancing ethical frameworks in reproductive and global health research. Through the Global WACh Certificate Program, Amanda hopes to deepen her expertise in women, and adolescent health – including child health, learn from the interdisciplinary team, and gain mentorship that will support her growth as a global health leader committed to advancing equity, advocating and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.

Brooke Erickson

Brooke is a first-year student pursuing a Master of Public Health in Global Health at the University of Washington. She graduated with High Honors from Lehigh University in May 2024, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Health, Medicine, and Society and Psychology with a Global Health minor. Brooke cultivated her passion for community health, women’s health, and global mental health as a member of the Mothers of Sierra Leone team, where she created documentary films amplifying community members’ voices through storytelling, contributing to a reduction in the high maternal mortality rate in Sierra Leone. She also conducted independent research on mental health in rural Bududa, Uganda, through the Uganda Sustainable Livelihoods Program. Throughout her time at the University of Washington, Brooke will serve as a SCOPE fellow researching mental illness in Ethiopia and promoting well-being through a community-centered framework that connects Orthodox priests, healthcare professionals, and residents. Brooke is pursuing the Global WACh certificate to enhance her skills in ethically addressing global health challenges that disproportionately impact women, such as program implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, along with furthering her quantitative and qualitative research and advocacy skills.

Chidozie Declan Iwu

Chidozie is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Epidemiology. He has received multi-disciplinary training in public health microbiology, epidemiology, and disease control. He is passionate about infectious diseases and its impact on vulnerable population including women and children. He is also interested in understanding the transmission dynamics of emerging/re-emerging microbial diseases using the One-Health framework, and how these dynamics intersects various social determinants of health. Chidozie has a wealth of experience conducting research across multiple facets of public health, including global disease burden, vaccine preventable diseases, and antimicrobial resistance/stewardship. On completion of the Global WACh certificate program, Chidozie hopes to advance evidence-based interventions that address the complex interplay between health and social determinants, ultimately contributing to the improved health and well-being of the vulnerable populations worldwide.

Angella Kim

Angella is a Master of Public Health student in the department of Health Systems and Population Health with a background in mixed-methods and community-engaged research. Her interest is in the utilization of primary care to enhance preventive healthcare, particularly regarding cervical cancer and childhood immunizations. She received her undergraduate degrees in Public Health-Global Health and Informatics from the University of Washington in 2023. Angella is currently working as a research assistant at UW Medicine where she supports primary care research in immigrant communities. Through the Global WACh Certificate program, Angella hopes to expand her knowledge in research and effective health promotion strategies on a global scale.

Elizabeth Momoh

Elizabeth is an international student from Nigeria and received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Cameron University, Oklahoma. As a Ph.D. student in the department of Chemistry, her research focuses on studying host immune responses evoked by malaria antigens isolated from South Asian P. falciparum and P. vivax using bioinformatics and immunology tools. Elizabeth is a student researcher with a deep interest in infectious diseases and global health. She is especially passionate about water and sanitation practices in rural African communities. Through the completion of the Global WACh Certificate Program, she hopes to advance her knowledge of global women’s health, policy implementation, and best practices to protect mothers and infants against placental malaria and other communicable diseases.

Margaret Nickel

Margaret is a Master of Public Health student in the Department of Global Health at the University of Washington. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Rutgers University Honors College in May 2024, earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health, a Minor in Spanish, and a Certificate in Global Health and Health Policy. While at Rutgers, Margaret conducted independent research as part of the Bloustein Honors Research Program, collaborating with Ipas Bolivia to explore barriers women face in accessing quality maternal healthcare through interviews with doctors. Margaret was a four-year member of the varsity Rutgers Women’s Rowing team, an experience that has fueled her passion for improving mental health support for women and girls, as well as advocating for the accessibility and benefits of sports for adolescent girls. Through the Global WACh certificate, Margaret aims to deepen her expertise in program evaluation, management, and implementation to address health disparities affecting women and children. She is committed to building a robust professional network that will empower her to drive meaningful change in maternal and child health.

Lisa Orii

Lisa Orii is a Ph.D. student in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington. Before starting her Ph.D., she received a B.A. in Computer Science and Philosophy from Wellesley College. Her research examines the delivery of healthcare with human-centered technologies in low- and middle-income countries. Her recent projects include enhancing data security for a mobile medical record system in a national HIV care program in Malawi and designing and implementing a mobile application that provides contraceptive education and decision support for youth in Kenya. Moreover, she is passionate about improving the quality of care for vulnerable communities. Through the Global WACh Certificate Program, Lisa hopes to equip herself with the skills and knowledge to bridge the technical and health domains. She is also excited to join a community that is grounded in a shared passion to improve health globally.

Yvette Rodriguez

Yvette is a PhD student in the UW School of Nursing. She is a Latina of Mexican American and Puerto Rican descent from San Antonio, TX. She has a B.S. in Biology from Texas A&M University-San Antonio and a B.S. in Nursing Science from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. As a graduate student at the University of Washington, she has had the opportunity to assist with global health research in-person in Peru and remotely in Kenya and Argentina. Her research interests include infectious diseases, health disparities, adolescent health and adolescent health advocacy, and innovative digital health technologies. Her dissertation will focus on utilizing patient-centered health technologies to support adolescents and their mental health needs during tuberculosis treatment in Argentina.

Akane Sugimoto Storey

Akane is a student in the Doctor of Global Health Leadership and Practice (DrGH). She has an MSc in Maternal and Infant Health and a BA in International Studies. She has over ten years of experience in midwifery practice, clinical capacity building, midwifery education, and health systems strengthening with a focus on maternal and newborn health, sexual and reproductive health, community-based health services, and management and leadership. Prior to beginning her DrGH, she implemented USAID-funding programming in Afghanistan focused on strengthening quality of care across the Afghan health system, primarily in targeted rural areas. Her experience includes midwifery practice and clinical direction at a midwifery-led center in southern Mexico, clinical direction at a direct-entry midwifery program in the USA, and working with community-based organizations in Mexico, Central America, and the USA. Akane is passionate about scaling community-based, right-sized, person-centered models of care and strengthening the connections between the components of health systems. Through the Global WACH certificate, she hopes to strengthen skills for project and program leadership, build professional networks, and continue to develop strategies for enabling the health and wellbeing of women, adolescents, children, newborns, and families.