Tag Archive for: science communications

A graphic with nine headshots introducing new team members; text says: Meet the team sophie stein research support intern jeremiah paul fundraising support intern samy sharif science communications intern sara gerber research support intern sally leung research support intern jhanavi kotian science communications intern kait fedor development fellow vaishali jain fundraising support intern anna gould science communications intern

New Team Members Join Chelsea’s Hope for the Summer

/by

We are thrilled to introduce nine new team members who will be joining us this summer. Chelsea’s Hope was amazed when we had more than 500 applications for our 2025 internship program. As the organization seeks to expand its capabilities to achieve our mission, we have brought on as many team members as possible to work on a variety of projects and provide community assistance. This work is possible thanks to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and individual sponsors. 

Research Support Interns

Sophie Stein Sophie Stein is a rising senior at Cornell University pursuing a degree in Human Development. She has a special interest in medical research.

Sara GerberSara Gerber is a genetic counseling graduate student at Stanford University. She is passionate about rare disease research and advocacy, bioethics, and public health. 

Sally LeungSally Leung graduated from UC Irvine with a B.A. in Public Health Policy. She is excited to start a Master’s in Public Health program and is interested in exploring how healthcare inequities affect chronic and infectious diseases in medically underserved communities

Fundraising Support Interns

Jeremiah PaulJeremiah Paul is a rising senior at the University of Miami, studying Business and Computer Science. Diagnosed with a chronic illness at a young age, he understands the challenges faced by the Lafora community and wants to use his skills to support our cause.

Vaishali JainVaishali Jain is a rising junior at UC San Diego majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Global Health. She is passionate about health equity, community outreach, and advocacy.

Science Communications Interns

Samy SharifSamy Sharif is starting medical school in the fall and is eager to help with Lafora advocacy efforts. He wants to make a lasting impact by creating accessible resources and sharing powerful stories. 

Jhanavi KotianJhanavi Kotian is a senior at San Jose State University, majoring in Biological Sciences. She is eager to bridge the gap between families and the scientific community through effective, compassionate communication.

Anna GouldAnna Gould is a rare disease advocate who graduated from Washington University with a degree in Biology in 2024. She shares about her journey with Marfan Syndrome on her blog and is eager to bring her skills to help the Lafora community.

Organization Development Fellow

Kait FedorKait Fedor has a passion for nonprofit development and a drive to raise funds and support for the Lafora disease community. She earned her MS in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy from Bay Path University in 2024. 

New Team Members Committed to the Mission

Our expanded team remains committed to improving the lives of those affected by Lafora disease and helping accelerate the development of treatments. Please make everyone feel welcome as they assist with projects this summer, and don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

 

MEET THE TEAM

Five Interns to Join Chelsea’s Hope

/by

Chelsea’s Hope is delighted to announce we are expanding the team by hiring five interns through March and April. While the organization initially posted three opportunities, there were so many impressive candidates that the Board of Directors approved five internships.

Chelsea’s Hope is expanding its capabilities to meet our goals and strategy by hiring interns to work in these areas:

  1. Science communications – to help families affected by Lafora Disease better understand the latest research, create educational resources, and expand the website’s science sections.
  2. Research network development – to develop a database of current tools and resources for the Lafora scientific community to promote research collaboration.
  3. Caregiver registry – to develop a registry of Lafora caregivers and create the first questionnaire to support families better.

Meet the Team

Text says 'MEET THE TEAM' on top of a photo of Maysoon Hussain, Celine Lozach, Tomás Quintero, Emilie Heller, and Mariah Merriam

Science Communications

Maysoon Hussain recently graduated from Ross University School of Medicine and is applying for her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She became interested in the rare disease space through her mother’s work and her time as a research intern at UT Southwestern. She will start as a Science Communications Intern in March.

Celine Lozach is majoring in Economics and Environmental Science at Baruch College. She has research communication experience as a Yale Conservation Scholar and previously worked at Make-A-Wish. She will start as a Science Communications Intern in March.

Tomás Quintero is a recent graduate from Davidson College with a passion for neuroscience and medical research. He is a Fulbright Scholar in Colombia and is committed to making science accessible and engaging for everyone. He will start as a Science Communications Intern in April.

Research Network Development

Emilie Heller is majoring in Chemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle. She looks forward to working with Lafora Research Labs to enhance collaboration and facilitate open science. She will start as the Research Network Development Intern in March. 

Caregiver Registry

Mariah Merriam is a longtime volunteer and patient advocate with Chelsea’s Hope. She has two siblings with Lafora Disease and is passionate about reaching a cure and any work to improve the lives of those affected. Mariah is a Research Assistant in Dr. Berge Minassian’s Lafora Disease lab at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and she will start medical school at Western University in Oregon this fall. She will start as the Caregiver Registry Intern in March.

Building a Brighter Future

The internship opportunities closely align with the interns’ career aspirations and personal goals. They will work 10 hours a week under the management of Science Director Dr. Kit Donohue.

Chelsea’s Hope welcomes Maysoon, Celine, Tomás, Emilie, and Mariah. Their passion and commitment to our cause gives us hope for a brighter future, especially in the face of recent challenges in securing treatments for our children. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to improve the lives of those affected by Lafora Disease.

 

Tag Archive for: science communications