President: Emily Lopez
Hello! My name is Emily Lopez and I am the current President of Flying Samaritans 2019-2020. I have had the pleasure with Flying Samaritans for the past two years as a regular member, orphanage coordinator, and now President. Flying Samaritans has been an organization that I am very passionate and I hope that I can show that through out my term as President. I encourage all of you to join us during our upcoming meetings, events, and clinics. We have a great board that has many great things in store for you. I graduated from UCR with a Bachelors of Science in Anthropology and was a teaching at LAUSD for about four years. At the moment, I am completing my post-baccalaureate at CSUF to complete the pre-requirements for Medical School. In addition, I am studying for my MCAT for some time next year and I plan to apply to Medical School 2020.
Vice President & Treasurer: Brenda Castaneda
Hello! I am your CSUF Flying Samaritans vice president this year! I recently graduated as a Biology major with a concentration in Cellular and Developmental Biology. Fall 2016 was my initiation to this organization, and since then, I have been intrigued about being involved with others to help an underserved community by providing medical services. Previously as the orphanage coordinator and president, I had the honor to work with such a dedicated team. Our team continues to make an impact on the community’s living standards and also influences our pre-health students. Each semester I have had the opportunity to learn from our patients and members. Personally, my career goal is to practice in underserved communities as a physician. After the course of becoming an MD, I would also like to give back to the Flying Samaritans organization by attending as a physician and by also encouraging and teaching students.
Clinic Coordinator: Sarah May Kamensky
Hi everyone! My name is Sarah May Kamensky, and I am the Clinic Coordinator of Flying Samaritans 2019-2020. I am excited about this new year and look forward to serving the community of El Hongo and CSUF. Before CSUF, I obtained a Bachelor in Science from UC Irvine in Public Health and then a Master in Public Health from Loma Linda University. Afterward, I built a career focused on the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity. My biggest accomplishment was helping three public schools in Orange County obtain the “National Healthy Schools Award.” A first in this county! We created environments that promoted healthy habits based on the best practices set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, I am a Pre-Health Post-Baccalaureate student, and my goal is to be a doctor working in preventative medicine. When not at school, I love to spend time with family and friends. I welcome you to the club and if you have any questions, please reach out at flyingsamselhongo.coordinator@gmail.com!
Secretary: Vanessa Bahena
Hello, my name is Vanessa Bahena! I am the secretary for Flying Sams and currently a fourth year, majoring in biology. After graduating I plan on applying to medical school, to pursue a career in pediatrics or emergency medicine. I’ve been involved with Flying Sams since my first year at CSUF. Going to the clinics has definitely reminded me of why I chose a career in the medical field. Flying Sams has offered several opportunities, from surrounding myself with students who also pursue a career in the medical field, to working aside physicians and aspiring medical professionals as well. Flying Sams has also allowed me to help and meet several of humble, and hardworking people of El Hongo.
Communication Coordinator: Ashmeet Ghotra
Hello everyone! My name is Ashmeet Ghotra and I am the communication coordinator for Flying Samaritans 2019-2020. I recently graduated from CSUF, May 2019, with a BS in Biological Science with a concentration in cell and developmental. Currently, I am studying for the MCAT and working as an EMT in the orange county/LA county area. I plan on applying to medical school in the summer of 2020! In my downtime, I love to go hiking at new locations and detailing my car. I have been with flying samaritans since December 2018 and have enjoyed each moment. Being a communication coordinator for Flying Samaritans is my first board position, and I hope to do it justice! I am looking forward to working with the other amazing board members, volunteers, and providers to give the best care possible for the community of El Hongo, Mexico.
Treasurer: Ryan Ulibarri
Hello, I am Ryan Ulibarri and will be the Treasurer of Flying Samaritans (CSUF) for the 2019-2020 academic year. I am a career-changer in the post-baccalaureate program with the goal of matriculating into medical school in order to practice medicine. I am an alumni of Arizona State University where I obtained my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Accountancy, and subsequently obtained my CPA license where I practiced with the public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche, in their Advisory practice.
My prior volunteer experience includes UCLA's Care Extender Program where I volunteered in many departments and was able to assist the patients and staff in many ways. More importantly, I was able to build relationships with both the patients and staff and was viewed as a valuable asset by the UCLA team, as well as a trusted friend to many of the patients. Further, I quickly became a department coordinator for the Care Extender Program where I was able to offer suggestions to assist in making the program more effective and efficient with its volunteering efforts provided to the hospital staff. With my overall experience, I am hoping I can also assist Flying Samaritans in becoming a better organization overall so we can more effectively serve the families of the El Hongo community.
Other than school and work, I typically enjoy the outdoors doing any activity that has me enjoying nice weather. I also enjoy going to the gym, traveling, going to the movies, and trying different restaurants.
NSM-ICC/BOS: Alyah Kanemoto
Hello! My name is Alyah Kanemoto, and I am the 2019-2020 Board of Students and NSM-ICC Representative for Flying Samaritans. My future plans in this position include to serve the people of El Hongo and the CSUF community wholeheartedly while integrating new ideas and events to better our club. Flying Samaritans is an organization that I hold dearly to my heart. The compassion and humanity that the physicians, health care providers, and members bring with them to serve the people of El Hongo is what drew me to the organization in the first place. When not participating in monthly clinics through Flying Samaritans, I spend my time as an Supplemental Instruction leader for cellular and molecular biology where I create guided study sessions for students to break down complex biological concepts. Outside of school, I spend my time with my family and friends going on adventures. I also enjoy traveling, hiking, yoga, writing, singing, and going to the beach. I look forward to meeting you all! If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at flyingsamselhongo.bosr@gmail.com
Dental Coordinator: Tejus Desai
Hello! My name is Tejus Desai and I am the Dental Coordinator for the 2019-2020 year. I recently graduated from California State University, Fullerton this Spring 2019 with a Bachelors of Science in Health Science. Currently, I am finishing my prerequisite courses here at CSU Fullerton with Open University. I am also a member of the Pre-Dental Society, which gives me the chance to meet new dentists and learn more about the dental field to provide our patients with the best supplies, equipment and doctors. I am extremely excited to begin this journey in helping the people of El Hongo with their oral health. I have always wanted to help underserved communities in a different environment, and I am excited for this opportunity. Aside from this, I enjoy playing basketball, traveling, hiking, and camping. If you have any questions regarding the dental field, extracurricular activities, or the application process, feel free to contact me at desaitejus@csu.fullerton.edu
Sub-Dental Coordinator: Forugh Arsalan
Hi! My name is Forugh Arsalan and I'm the Co-Dental Coordinator for Flying Samaritans here at CSUF. I earned my BA in Political Science and Environmental Science at UC Riverside and I am now pursuing a Post-Bacc degree as a Pre-Dental student. My passion and love for dentistry and community service led me to being a part of Flying Samaritans and it has truly been a great pleasure and honor to attend clinics with the caring members and health professionals on this team. As a student studying to be a future dentist, I view oral health as an essential part of human body’s overall health. Dental care ensures great cosmetic properties such as a beautiful smile, however it also ensures overall health by making sure one doesn’t fall victim to periodontal disease, heart disease, diabetes, or halitosis (to name a few). The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot repair itself. I knew this position at Flying -Samaritans was perfect for me because my ultimate dreams and aspirations in life are to be able to provide free dental services as a dentist to those living in rural areas in the world that don’t have access to such health care otherwise and Flying Samaritans most certainly shares this vision with me. Asides from clinics, I enjoy boxing, traveling, painting, and going on spontaneous food adventures!
Public Health Coordinator: Diane Kang
Hello! My name is Diane Kang, the Public Health Coordinator! I am excited to work with the community to assess their needs, provide outreach and education about health topics, and work with members to provide the services they most desire. Currently, I am a part of the Post-Baccalaureate program at CSUF, with the hopes of entering the medical field. I received my Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley in Public Health and continue to place great importance in addressing health disparities, as well as prevention of health complications. Previously, I have worked with teams focused on sexual violence prevention, providing resources to homeless, pregnant women, and mentoring students in underserved communities. I have a special population interest in women and children and am most interested in becoming a pediatrician or an OB/Gyn. Outside of academics, I am working as a behavior technician, providing care for children on the autism spectrum. When I am not working or studying, I enjoy dancing, trying new foods, and going on hikes!
Orphanage Coordinator: Gabby Castorena
Hello everyone, my name is Gabby and I am a Public Health major at CSUF. Three of my interests include medicine, fitness, and nutrition. Fun fact: In the summer of 2019, I spent 10 weeks in Thailand conducting Public Health research among a rural Thai community. I hope to pursue a career in the health profession and in public health. I see the kids from the orphanage continue to learn and become engaged in several fields/interests. As well as provide the appropriate services to help them in all aspects of their health.
Lab Coordinator: Tessa Williams
Optometry Coordinator: Andrea Bolanos
I am currently the Flying Samaritans Optometrist Chair. I am a fourth-year student at Cal State Fullerton and I am getting my degree in Health Science. I grew up in Northern California but my family is from Nicaragua. The influence of Hispanic traditions has shaped me into wanting to help the Hispanic community. Patient care and interaction are extremely important when it comes to the health and well-being of others and that is exactly what Flying Samaritans focuses on. I'm grateful to say that I've been a part of this organization for one year now and excited to continue as part of the executive board.
