GHOPE People

Dr. Fan grew up in both Hong Kong and Upstate New York. Her interest in global health first stemmed from her background having lived in multiple cities and experienced different healthcare systems. She attended Cornell University and majored in Human Biology, Health, and Society, and minored in Human Development. At Cornell, she worked as a research assistant in Malawi, and participated in malaria prevention, community advocacy, and HIV research. She then received her medical degree from the Emory University School of Medicine. While in medical school, She completed a pediatric rotation on the Navajo Reservation at Shiprock, NM, where she worked with local physicians in both the outpatient and inpatient settings. In both experiences, she learned about health disparities in the context of environmental injustice, structural racism, and the lack of equitable access to education, healthcare, and nutrition. She wants to serve in racially diverse neighborhoods in the future and invest in global health research alongside her husband who is a psychiatrist with an interest in global mental health.

Dr. Kapeller-Libermann was born in Boston, MA, her family immigrated to the US from Brazil and Germany. She became interested in global health after traveling to different countries and seeing the healthcare disparities. At New York University during her undergrad, she was involved with Global Public Health Brigades and traveled to Honduras working alongside community members in public health projects. She was also involved in her global health program in medical school at University of Buffalo, where they worked with a clinic in Sierra Leone to identify supplies and medications that were needed in the area. She is excited to be a part of the Global health track and hopes address deficits in child neurology care globally. 

Dr. Floyd is a native of Columbia, SC, and completed medical school at the University of South Carolina - Columbia. His current career interests include pediatric hospital medicine, critical care, and gastroenterology. Chase’s research interests primarily span nutrition (particularly in critically ill patients) and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). As a participant in the global health track, he is eager to develop as a skilled clinician through diverse training experiences and to gain a deeper understanding of the global health landscape.

Dr. Videlefsky was born in Atlanta Georgia, shortly after her family immigrated from South Africa. She attended Tulane for her undergraduate degree in Sociology, and for medical school. During medical school, she was part of a cultural immersion service-learning rotation in Nome, Alaska in partnership with the Indian Health Service. She was trained by local tribal leaders and gained deep insights into native Alaskan history and culture. She collaborated with village-based providers in a community aid health program created to address geographic and cultural barriers to care. In the Global Health Track she is excited to develop bidirectional partnerships and be part of a team dedicated to improving access to high quality patient-centered care globally. 

Dr. Wetterhall was born and raised in Atlanta, GA, and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology while minoring in German Studies at Elon University in North Carolina. Following her undergraduate studies, she moved to Wuerzburg, Germany, as a Fulbright scholar, where she taught English and Physics to local students. While abroad, she gained first-hand experience in a different healthcare system, which opened her eyes to and sparked her passion for access to care issues faced back home.

When she returned to the states, she began working as a 911 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) in DeKalb County and was later deployed with FEMA to support New York City during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She then attended medical school at Medical College of Georgia in Athens, GA, where she continued pursing interests in issues of social justice and access to care through her volunteer work with Athens Free Mobile Clinic, a local addiction-recovery center, and an Atlanta-based homeless shelter. She is eager to learn more about global health through the Global Health Track and looks forward to learning how to incorporate those lessons into her further career goals pursuing interests in pediatric emergency medicine or critical care.

Dr. Taryn Kerley-Stewart was born and raised in Glasgow, Kentucky. She attended the University of Louisville for her undergraduate studies, where she was first exposed to the extent of global healthcare disparities through a Global Public Health course. She continued to earn a minor in Global Public Health. During medical school, she was a member of the Global and Public Health Distinction Track. This opportunity included various journal-based discussions, skills workshops, and collaborative experiences. It was during this time that she connected with research in Mwanza, Tanzania, exploring the impact of diagnostic technology on pediatric CNS tumors. A few years later, she visited the Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza to learn about its medical infrastructure, the barriers families and patients face, the accessibility of care, and the community they have established. During her medical school years, she also worked to improve access to care for local patients and families with sickle cell disease and developed a curriculum guide for a wastewater elective in Malawi. Her current interests lie at the intersection of global health and pediatric palliative care. Through the Global Health Track, she is eager to continue learning how to provide compassionate care to all families, explore bidirectional partnerships, and expand her knowledge within the realm of global health.

Dr. Idowu Olugbade was born in Nigeria and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She attended Lehigh University, where she majored in Behavioral Neuroscience and developed a strong interest in global health and health equity. During her time at Lehigh, she served for 2 years as a United Nations Youth Representative for a Nigeria-based NGO focused on improving access to health care and education in rural communities. She earned her medical degree from the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where she volunteered as a scribe in the Human Rights Asylum Clinic and participated in outreach programs supporting immigrant and refugee populations. Dr. Olugbade enjoys working with immigrant and refugee communities and is passionate about promoting equitable, community-centered approaches to care. Her other interests in global health include advancing equity and decolonization in international partnerships, strengthening health systems in resource-limited settings, and addressing the impacts of climate change on child health. She is eager to continue her commitment to global health through the Global Health Track, where she aims to develop sustainable collaborations, learn from mentors, and contribute to efforts that improve the well-being of children and families worldwide. In her free time, she enjoys playing soccer, photography, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.