MHA Ambassadors
Paulina An (bio)
Undergraduate: University of Notre Dame
Email: [email protected]
Shivani Barrot (bio)
Undergraduate: UC Riverside
Email: [email protected]
Nikki Bhuma (bio)
Undergraduate: Truman State University
Email: [email protected]
Andrea Castro (bio)
Undergraduate: CSU Long Beach
Email: [email protected]
Helen Constable (bio)
Undergraduate: Arizona State University
Email: [email protected]
Gabriel Garcia (bio)
Undergraduate: Pepperdine University
Email: [email protected]
Arati Jaiswal (bio)
Undergraduate: UC Riverside
Email: [email protected]
Olivia Kim (bio)
Undergraduate: UC Irvine
Email: [email protected]
Aundrea Martinez (bio)
Undergraduate: CSU Fullerton
Email: [email protected]
Victoria Navarro-Gutierrez (bio)
Undergraduate: UC San Diego
Email: [email protected]
Michael Nelson (bio)
Undergraduate: CSU Fullerton
Email: [email protected]
Austin Nguyen (bio)
Undergraduate: USC
Email: [email protected]
Ashima Seth (bio)
Undergraduate: UC Irvine
Email: [email protected]
Vrushangi Shah (bio)
Undergraduate: Saint Louis University
Email: [email protected]
Lauren Snell (bio)
Undergraduate: UC San Diego
Email: [email protected]
Wenjun (April) Yang (bio)
Undergraduate: Texas A&M
Email: [email protected]
MHA Student Ambassador Bios
Paulina An is a first year MHA student and a firm believer in high-quality, equitable health care. Currently, she serves as the Special Events/Development intern at the Venice Family Clinic. In this position, she supports the Special Events team with event production, donor management, and research, general admin and operational duties, and interface with external stakeholders as needed. An has worked for the University of Notre Dame, UAAYA, and CareOne Medical Center. Her work experience includes implementation of company-wide branding, website management, coordination of special events, developing reports, research, project management, and social media marketing.
Prior to attending USC, An received a Bachelor of Science in Science-Business degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. While at Notre Dame, she was part of the Balfour-Hesburgh Scholars, Fighting Irish Scholars, and QuestBridge Scholars. She served as board members for both BHS and FIS. Upon completion of her MHA degree, Paulina plans to enter the career field of hospital administration.
Shivani Barrot is a first year Masters of Health Administration student and is very excited to be at USC. Shivani is from San Jose, CA, and previously graduated from the University of California, Riverside in 2019 with a B.S. in Biology. Shivani is passionate about having a family in her professional environment and giving back to the community. She currently serves as the Marketing and Communications Chair for the Student Health Council at USC and loves bringing students together. Her main goal from the MHA program is to not only understand the American healthcare system, but to learn ways to contribute to assisting in every way possible to improve it. She truly believes in teamwork and that students working together can make a difference and bridge gaps. She is an advocate for giving back to the community by bringing attention to awareness of social issues and conducting discussions where individuals feel that they can express themselves. She looks forward to being a point of contact at the Price School of Public Policy as a student ambassador.
Nikki Bhuma is a first year Masters in Health Administration student from St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated in 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science. During her Undergraduate career, she was involved in various organizations, research, internships, and volunteering. After graduating, she has spent the last two years working at a non-profit healthcare clinic in administration. Her previous experiences have made her realize the healthcare inequalities those with varying socioeconomic status experience. Her enrollment in the MHA program is driven by her passion for helping others get access to the healthcare they need and deserve! The residency component of the MHA program is what stood out to her most as she found her internship in Undergrad the most helpful for her.
Andrea Castro is a graduate from California State, Long Beach in 2017 with a B.S. in Health Care Administration and minor in Child Development. While in college, Castro was Secretary General and competed internationally in Model United Nations, where she first obtained her interest in public policy. Castro is currently volunteering in the hematology-oncology department at Miller’s Women and Children’s Hospital in Long Beach to grasp a greater understanding at the intersection of health care and children’s education. In addition, Castro is a substitute teacher for the greater Los Angeles area where she works with underrepresented communities and special education to help empower individuals who often get left behind. Castro aspires to obtain a master’s in Health care Administration in the following years from USC school of Price and hopes to help children with special needs at an international level.
Helen Constable is a first year Price MHA student. She is passionate about fostering an environment in which people feel connected to the campus. Constable strive for inclusion as well as making sure everyone finds something for them within the Price community. In her free time, she like to camp, hike, take photos, and cook. Constable look forward to seeing everyone around. Fight On!
Gabriel Garcia is a graduate student earning a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree. Before attending USC, Garcia received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University in 2020. Currently, he serves as the Administrative and Communications Specialist at Pepperdine University’s Student Health Center. As a passionate advocate of high-quality, equitable health care, Garcia selected Price’s MHA program to learn from world-renowned faculty in an environment supported by the program’s vision and values. He is a driven individual who is determined to create positive change. He looks forward to learning how to address health disparities and implement innovative health policies. Garcia plans to enter the career field of hospital administration upon the completion of the master’s program. In his free time, Garcia enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, running, listening to podcasts, and trying new foods.
Arati Jaiswal is a first year MHA & MSG student who holds a bachelor’s in science degree from UC Riverside. She is pursuing the USC dual degree program for Masters in health administration & Masters in Science of Gerontology. In her senior year of college, she realized that her strengths and interests resided within healthcare administration and gerontology. She then decided to pursue a career to help improve the quality of care for people in clinics, hospitals & long term facilities. She has been teaching CPR BLS classes for free of service as an instructor for the UCR School of Medicine for three years now and hopes to continue teaching the community these life-saving skills. The one aspect that truly drew her into the program was the 1000-hour residency requirement, which undoubtedly allows students to apply theory into practice and gain connections with professionals in the field. She also chose USC for its unique curriculum, the cultural diversity of the cohort, the extensive Trojan network in California, and the numerous extracurricular opportunities that the school offers. She is excited about being a student ambassador for the USC MHA program to bring her set of skills, knowledge, & connections to help prospective and current USC students reach their goals.
Olivia Kim is a current first year Master Health Administration student at USC. She was born in South Korea and came to the United States in Junior year in high school. Kim received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine in 2018. Her passion and dedication to work in the healthcare field have grown through various work experiences that are combined with a student internship at a non-profit organization, working as a researcher at school, and an administrator at a hospital. Also, Kim acted as a guest speaker at the Cancer Prevention Seminars for the Korean American Community. As a result, she aspires to further her passion for health care research projects that involve common barriers for immigrants and senior citizens to help implement well-organized healthcare policies, addressing the gravity of low health literacy, linguistic obstacles, and accessibility in the current US healthcare system. The reason she decided to be a part of the Trojan family is the Price MHA program has the 1,000-hour residency component in the program, and the USC offers numerous internship and job opportunities to interact with the top healthcare companies in the world. Kim hopes to engage in analytical, systematic evaluation of hospital management and gain in-depth knowledge of the current healthcare issues.
Aundrea Martinez is currently a first year Master of Health Administration student at USC who has a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Fullerton majoring in Health Science with a minor in Gerontology. Working in the healthcare field for almost nine years in outpatient settings such as physical therapy and hematology/oncology has amplified her interest in management and goal of becoming a future leader in healthcare. She is passionate about making a positive difference in the healthcare system and her local community through effective leadership, quality care, compassion and following a motto of “patients first.” It is a dream come true to be a part of the Trojan family and she would love to serve as a point of contact and provide support to prospective and admitted students as she understands how stressful the application and admissions process can be. Martinez is confident that the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy will support her in accomplishing her goals in healthcare because of the robust curriculum, distinguished faculty and the lifelong networking community it offers. When she is not working or in class, you can find her making flower arrangements, pressed flower jewelry, traveling, hiking, vintage shopping or sipping coffee at her favorite local café.
Victoria Navarro-Gutierrez is a first year MHA students and holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Health from the University of California, San Diego. Prior to pursuing a Master’s Degree, Navarro-Gutierrez was working at a large health system where she was developed consumer research to inform broader consumer initiatives and growth and retention strategies for the health plan. During undergrad, she assisted in various public health research studies and interned across a variety of health systems in Northern California. She was drawn to Price because of the residency, the location and the network USC has to offer. Upon completing her master’s program, Navarro-Gutierrez hopes to leverage her new knowledge and experience to inform a variety of healthcare initiatives to tackle the existing complexities the healthcare system faces. Her career interests include strategy and business development, operations and healthcare consulting.
Michael Nelson is a first year MHA student at USC Price. He graduated from the University Honors program at California State University, Fullerton in May of 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration. As a child, he was exposed to healthcare through frequent medical visits to his local Children’s Hospital, where his initial passion for healthcare administration began. As a freshman and sophomore in college, he gained direct experience as a Physical Therapy Aide and learned the importance of high-quality care. Nelson chose the USC MHA program due to the well-maintained reputation of Price graduates within local healthcare systems and the opportunity to complete an administrative residency. In the future, Nelson is interested in advocating for low-income communities in healthcare and increasing the operational efficiency of healthcare institutions to provide supportive programming to vulnerable populations.
Austin Nguyen is a first year Masters of Health Administration progressive degree student who is completing his final undergraduate year with a degree in Health and Human Sciences from the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Nguyen is passionate about developing systemic changes in our dynamic healthcare system to expand the accessibility of high-quality, cost-efficient care. The MHA program offers an exceptional opportunity for Austin to learn about the complexities of healthcare and engage in powerful conversations with his peers. His previous experience includes his internship in the compliance department at L.A. Care Health Plan where he contributed to the implementation of enterprise-wide initiatives aimed at improving organization compliance. Nguyen is interested in working with a consulting firm to develop innovative solutions to complex problems and implement creative interventions to improve healthcare operations.
Ashima Seth is a first year MHA student from Mumbai, India. She graduated from UC Irvine in 2020 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences and a minor in Philosophy. It is her aspiration to manage operations for an international health institution that focuses on preventive measures and population health improvement across borders. In her free time, you can find Seth reading crime fiction, watching sci-fi and indulging in LA’s diverse and rich food culture.
Vrushangi Shah is a first year MHA student at Price. She graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Management from Saint Louis University in May 2020. At her undergraduate institution, Shah was the founder and president of the undergraduate health management club, a resident advisor, a peer instructor for first-year students, and a Dr. Martin Luther King Scholar. She was most passionate about her advocacy work in D.C. Shah attended a social justice conference & met with U.S. Senators and Representatives regarding criminal, environmental, and immigration justice policies as well as active bills in Congress. She has experience working at SSM Health in St.Louis, where she recreated the internship program spanning across three states. After graduation, she hopes to work in a healthcare setting where she can advocate for minorities, women, and immigrant rights while providing equitable access to healthcare.
Lauren Snell is a first year Master’s in Healthcare Administration student from sunny San Diego, CA. She attended University of California, San Diego and graduated with a B.S. in Public Health and Minor in Biology. She has extensive experience volunteering in various hospital departments, managing a health promotion program for underserved elementary-aged students, and juggling patient care and administrative duties while working in a family medicine/urgent care office. Snell is passionate about leadership and is excited for her new position as Administrative Chair in Price’s Student Health Council. After graduation, she is interested in pursuing a career in hospital operations, care quality improvement, or healthcare consulting. She is confident that her time at USC will mold her into a strong future administrator and give her the tools she needs to needs to make a difference in healthcare.
Wenjun (April) Yang is a first year Master of Health Administration student from China. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Nutritional Sciences back in 2017. She is an international student who has studied both high school and university in the U.S. Upon graduating from A&M, she wanted to focus more on strategical planning in the healthcare field and stumbled upon USC’s MHA program. The aspects that drew her into the program would be the residency requirement and the different exposures she will get from the program. From her previous experiences, she was exposed to the disparity of the health care services and want to provide ways to improve patient experiences and efficient delivery methods on a systematic level from local to global organizations. She hopes to learn more about the complex issues the healthcare field faces and offers her unique perspective to change current healthcare and provide better services for the patients.