2025-26 Mentorship Fellow
Brock Coleman
Senior Mentor
Year: MS4
Hometown: Layton, UT
Undergrad: University of Utah
My name is Brock Coleman, I greatly look forward to meeting and working with you soon! I grew up north of Salt Lake, and attended Layton High. After high school I spent two years as a missionary in Japan, then obtained my undergraduate in Chemistry at the University of Utah. My wife and I were married in 2022, and our daughter was born earlier this month!
My hobbies have two sides; physical activity and nerdy. I love to play soccer, weightlift, and get together with friends to play pickleball. On the other hand, I enjoy acting as DND dungeon master for a ~2 year long campaign, playing videogames with fellow medical students, and tinkering with how to make Anki a great study application.
Looking forward to getting to know more about you!
Adrian Portillo
Senior Mentor
Year: MS3
Hometown: West Valley, UT
Undergrad: University of Utah
My name is Adrian Portillo, and I am an MS3! I graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in recreational therapy and minors in both chemistry and psychology. In my free time, I enjoy working out, running, playing pickleball, and building LEGOs. On the weekends, I enjoy going out and spending time with my friends and family. I enjoy exploring the different breweries and food spots that Utah has to offer. When the weather is warm, I love paddle boarding and hiking. I grew up playing baseball and wrestling and I enjoy keeping up with professional sports. A fun fact about me is that I am a bone cancer survivor, and that experience is what inspired me to pursue medicine as a career.
Mariam Atobiloye
Mentor
Year: MS4
Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria
Undergrad: University of Southern Mississippi
Hello! My name is Mariam Atobiloye. I was born and raised in the southwestern part of Nigeria and moved to the United States to pursue my college education, earning my bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences. After graduating from college, I worked for biopharma companies in Houston, TX before moving to SLC in August 2022 to begin medical school. My passion lies in addressing health disparities and improving global access to healthcare, and currently, my dream is to become a women's health physician. In my spare time, I like to read fiction novels, dance, watch reality TV shows, catch up with my family back in Nigeria, and considering that I now live in Utah, I consider myself an amateur hiker and think it's safe to include that as one of my hobbies too!
Omar Shihab
Mentor
Year: MS4
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
Undergrad: University of Utah
I was born and raised in Salt Lake City, but both my parents are from Lebanon (where I have a dual citizenship!) I went to the University of Utah for undergrad, where I double majored in Health, Society, and Policy (HSP) and Psychology. Through the Honors program, I was able to engage in and help develop various community projects, and through the Global Health Scholars program I was able to participate in sustainable research. In addition, I found a strong passion for mentorship through various roles, working with a wide array of diverse students both within and beyond the scope of the university. As a medical student, I enrolled in the Tribal, Rural, Underserved (TRU) and Population Health certificate pathways.
Some of my other passions include enjoying our wonderful nature through skiing and biking, but especially skiing. I love photography and taking pictures of nature and interesting urban environments. I am a big fan of anything and everything pop culture, whether it be video games, movies, TV, and/or music; my favorite genre is comedy and I enjoy stand-up shows. Some other fun facts include Halloween being my favorite holiday, probably because of the spooky vibes and the sour candy.
Aruna Dhungel
Mentor
Year: MS2
Hometown: SLC, Utah
Undergrad: University of Utah
I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Utah. Outside of medicine, I love to read, hike, cook, and watch movies—Utah’s mountains have definitely turned me into a weekend explorer! I’m currently exploring different specialties, with interests ranging from anesthesiology and family medicine to OB/GYN and rheumatology. I'm passionate about creating space for underrepresented voices in medicine and advocating for women's health. I'm excited to be a mentor with the OACC this year and look forward to supporting you on your journey.
Timothy Hui
Mentor
Bryanda Woods
Mentor
I immigrated to the U.S. with my parents at nearly 2 years old, we lived with another family for the first few years. I wasn't aware of my legal status until I was a teenage, once I turned 18, I didn't know what I was going to do for work or college. In 2012,the Dream Act was passed. Despite limited scholarship opportunities (DACA doesn't qualify for federal loans or most scholarships), I worked at Subway and other odd jobs to pay for tuition at SLCC until I gained permanent residency in 2019. The same week that I received my white coat, I also attended my citizenship ceremony.
Growing up without health insurance, my parents and I relied heavily on free clinics for medical care, an experience that shaped my desire to pursue medicine. My goal is to make a difference in healthcare, particularly for underserved communities, and to advocate for policies allowing undocumented individuals to purchase insurance while providing low-cost quality care.
Steve Cho
Mentor
Steve likes to say he grew up in “New England.” This is false. Steve, in fact, grew up in South Korea, Toronto, and Connecticut, but most strongly identifies with the state he went to college in: Maine.
After earning an A.B. in Music Theory & Composition and Marine Biology at Bowdoin College, he worked at Boston Children’s Hospital studying retinal neovascular diseases such as retinopathy of prematurity with Dr. Lois Smith. It was there that Steve realized that a career as a composer-pianist-marine biologist-physician-scientist was impractical and decided upon just the latter two.
In a rather impetuous pandemic decision, Steve moved cross-country to attend the University of Utah for his MD-PhD training. In his PhD, he studies the consequences of immune adaptations across billions of years of evolutionary change.
Steve is an ardent admirer of baroque counterpoint and French cookware. Although he is unable to continue his college sport of rowing, he has found joy in running, cross-country skiing, biking, and backpacking in the Wasatch Front.
Steve is a co-founder and president of the Utah Medical Orchestra, a community orchestra comprised of healthcare professionals in Salt Lake City. For more information about joining or upcoming concerts, please visit: https://uofuhealth.utah.edu/utah-medical-orchestra
Samuel Chidi-Phúc Ahanonu
Mentor
Hello! My name is Samuel Chidi-Phúc Ahanonu. My parents are from Nigeria and Vietnam, but I was born and raised in Utah. I attended West Jordan High School and later graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Utah. After graduation, I worked as an engineer in the medical device industry, but my time as a technician at the Utah Lions’ Eye Bank and an optician led me to pursue a career in ophthalmology. In my free time, I enjoy Latin dancing, playing sports (basketball, pickleball, skiing), jam sessions (ukulele, piano, singing), watching anime, traveling, and playing video games.
I look forward to participating in this program to pay forward the help I received on my path to medicine.
2025-26 Research & Advocacy Fellow
Silvia Soule
Senior Fellow
Silvia Soule is a third-year medical student at the University of Utah School of Medicine, committed to advancing health equity and supporting underrepresented communities. Actively engaged in her Latinx community, she co-leads the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA) Utah Chapter and co-founded the Medical Spanish Student Interest Group, enhancing mentorship and language access for her peers. As the former Student Community Outreach Director at the Rose Park Student-Led Clinic, she helped organize health fairs to provide vital resources to underserved populations while addressing community needs. Her previous leadership in the U of U LEAP Mentorship Program fostered connections between undergraduate students and medical student mentors, promoting diversity in medicine. Excited to serve as a Research and Advocacy Fellow, Silvia aims to improve the curriculum and advance research that highlights cultural competency in medical training. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, trying new restaurants with her husband, and hiking with her two pups!
May Shaaban
Senior Fellow
May Shaaban is a third-year medical student at the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, committed to advancing health equity and women’s health. She has conducted research on breast cancer treatment barriers in Mongolia and gynecological conditions such as PCOS and endometriosis. An advocate for minority populations, May works at the Rose Park Clinic, where she assists refugee communities by providing equitable care and using her Arabic language skills to enhance patient comfort. Her global health initiatives include advocating for women’s health through obstetric fistula research and supporting children’s education and vaccines. In addition to mentoring students and contributing to medical education reform, May is dedicated to addressing systemic barriers in healthcare for underrepresented communities. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring new cultures, always seeking to broaden her understanding of global health.
Aarushi Rohaj
Fellow
Aarushi Rohaj is a third-year medical student based in Salt Lake City, Utah, with a strong commitment to promoting equity in healthcare. Her interests lie in research and advocacy that address disparities in access and outcomes, with a focus on the social and structural factors driving inequality. Aarushi believes meaningful change in medicine begins with community-centered research and compassionate, inclusive care.
In addition to her academic and advocacy efforts, Aarushi is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within the medical field. She is driven by the goal of becoming a physician who not only practices evidence-based medicine but also advocates for underserved populations through policy, education, and research.
Outside of her medical pursuits, Aarushi enjoys a well-rounded life filled with creativity and connection. She loves spending time with her family and friends, paddle boarding on Utah’s scenic lakes, and hanging out with her dog. A music enthusiast at heart, she finds joy in listening to music, playing the ukulele, and singing—activities that bring her balance and peace amidst the rigors of medical school.
Bita Tristani-Firouzi
Fellow
Bita Tristani-Firouzi is a fourth-year medical student who is proud to represent heritage from both Puerto Rico and Iran. Originally from Salt Lake City, Bita obtained her bachelor's degree from Pomona College in Gender & Women's Studies in 2021. Equipped with the knowledge of disability theory and intersectional feminist thought, she entered medical school with the goal of advancing transgender healthcare access and education. She has been involved in several projects regarding increasing access to gender affirming surgeries and investigating barriers to care for transgender communities. She also has spear-headed LGBTQ efforts within the Department of Dermatology. She was a student leader in the student-lead PrEP Clinic from 2023-2024. Bita is passionate about intersectionality and believes that race, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, and socio-economic status all play a central part in shaping one's determents of health. In her free time, she loves indoor spin cycling, rock climbing, and karaoke.
Jenna Murray
Fellow
Jenna Murray (Eastern Shoshone) is a fourth-year MD/PhD student in the Medical Scientist Training Program. She is enrolled in the Tribal, Rural, and Urban underserved medicine program and is pursuing a PhD in Population Health Sciences with a focus on Health Systems Research. Her doctoral research focuses on culturally integrated substance use treatment for pregnant and postpartum Native Americans. As a fellow with OACC, Jenna has contributed to projects surrounding Tribal health and medical education through both the mentorship and research & advocacy tracks. She looks forward to continuing this work and developing new initiatives to support medical students and expand access to medical care and education in the Salt Lake community.
Karishma Shah
Fellow
Karishma Shah is an MD/PhD student who is currently a Fellow in the Research & Advocacy track. As a fellow for the past three years, she has worked on several projects to make healthcare spaces more welcoming to individuals from all backgrounds, including extensive work with community health workers, tools to promote identity reflection for medical students, and qualitative research characterizing the experiences of underrepresented medical students and patients from underserved communities. She is currently in her third year of a Neuroscience PhD, where she is studying how pain changes the brain. She is interested in pursuing a career where she gets to work with chronic pain patients, as this is a clinical space that is desperately in need of scientific advancement and humanistic medical care.
Adam Taylor
Fellow
I was born in Tennessee and moved to Utah when I was young. I pursued a degree in Genetics, Genomics, and Biotechnology at Brigham Young University. During my time at BYU, I was heavily involved in research looking at the evolutionary history of aquatic invertebrates. Following my graduation, I shifted my research interests towards medicine and quality improvement. I joined a team at Huntsman Cancer Institute, working on complex clinical trials focused on treating hematologic malignancies. I’m now a medical student at the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine and have a passion for understanding genetic contributions to disease processes as well as reducing costs and improving health outcomes related to surgical procedures. You can find me in my free time with my wife and dog exploring the wonderful state of Utah.”
Maci Winn
Fellow
Maci Winn is a final year MD-PhD candidate who is currently a fellow in the Research & Advocacy track. Her work focuses on improving care for underserved populations through research and community engagement. As a fellow, she is helping develop infrastructure for student-led research in student-run free clinics and is currently leading the creation of a longitudinal research resource and curriculum for medical students. Her PhD in Population Health Sciences centered on the intersection of metabolic health and cancer outcomes, and her research has been supported by NIH F30 and T32 grants and featured by NPR and MDedge Cardiology. She has also held leadership roles in the RUUTE program, the MSTP student government, and multiple mentorship programs. Maci is applying into Internal Medicine with interests in chronic disease prevention and academic medicine. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, traveling, and spending time with family.
Olivia Hanson
Fellow
Olivia Hanson is a second-year medical student at the University of Utah with a passion for global health, women’s health, and health equity. Her global health work has included research on HIV stigma among pregnant women in Tanzania, antibiotic stewardship in Bangladesh, cancer-related stigma in Malawi, colorectal cancer screening implementation in Ghana, and neonatal hypothermia prevention in rural Nepal. Olivia is particularly driven to understand and address stigmatizing conditions, such as substance use disorder and HIV, through qualitative research and patient-centered interventions. At home in Utah, she works closely with Salt Lake City's unhoused population through street medicine initiatives and research on substance use disorder-related stigma, including among pregnant and postpartum individuals. Across all her work, Olivia is committed to developing community-centered, sustainable interventions that strengthen care in low-resource settings. In her free time, Olivia enjoys traveling, running, camping, and swimming.
