LEAP Scholars
2024-2025 LEAP Cohort
Helen Vallejos Castro (she/her)
Helen Vallejos Castro is a second-year undergraduate student studying Public Health and minoring in Public Policy and Health Equity from Northern Virginia. Helen is passionate about maternal mental health and reproductive health for Latina youth. She is interested in learning more about postpartum depression and post-natal care. In the future, Helen plans to attend graduate school to obtain her MPH, specifically maternal health or health policy.
Thanh Tran (she/her)
Thanh Tran is currently pursuing Neuroscience and Health Equity on a pre-med track. In her free time, she enjoys drawing, painting, and journaling. She is passionate about promoting equitable healthcare in underserved communities, and is planning on focusing on this to pursue during her gap years after undergrad before entering medical school. Specifically, she plans to work in low- income areas and bridge the barriers women face in accessing quality healthcare. Aspiring to become an obstetrician-gynecologist, she is committed to advancing reproductive health and improving outcomes for women.
Holly Akati (she/her)
Holly Akati is a sophomore from Bethesda, Maryland, studying Health Data Science on the pre-med track. She is hoping to go into medicine and bioinformatics research. She is originally from Benin and has always been interested in child and maternal health in Africa, specifically with malnutrition and how it can be improved. She is hoping to find new ways and opportunities to do so through the LEAP into MCH program.
Maja Hawthorne (she/her)
Maja Hawthorne is a second-year undergraduate student from Greenville, South Carolina. She is currently pursuing a double major in Public Health and Interaction Design. She is also passionate about addressing disparities in maternal and child health and raising awareness about nutritional health in underserved communities. Maja plans to utilize the intersectionality of public health and interaction design by developing innovative products and implementing campaigns to comprehensively address health challenges and establish initiatives that resonate with people. Looking ahead, Maja envisions attending graduate school to obtain her MPH to further contribute to the field.