MHSA 2027 Bio Book

CLASS OF 2027 MHSA STUDENT BIOGRAPHY BOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

MHSA Class of 2027 Lyndal Anthony, Jr. ...................................................................................................................... 3 Amina Baimakhan ........................................................................................................................ 4 Aissata Dia...................................................................................................................................... 6 Jocelin Diaz .................................................................................................................................... 7 Abum Ezeonwu ............................................................................................................................. 8 Katie Kalhorn ................................................................................................................................. 9 Asha Patel ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Tara Reddy ................................................................................................................................... 13 Ahad Sami .................................................................................................................................... 14

Updated as of July 2025

2

MHSA Class of 2027

Lyndal Anthony, Jr. Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, and raised in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Lyndal completed an Associate’s degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management at Johnson & Wales University in North Miami.

Currently serving in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital Corpsman, Lyndal has experience working in clinics, emergency rooms, family practice, and administrative roles.

Lyndal chose Georgetown for its flexible hybrid program, which allows for academic growth while continuing to serve in the military. Pursuing a graduate degree in Health Systems Administration supports Lyndal’s goal of commissioning as a naval officer and advancing in the healthcare field.

Lyndal enjoys exploring new places and cultures through travel. One of the most memorable destinations visited so far is the Maldives.

Updated as of July 2025

3

MHSA Class of 2027

Amina Baimakhan Amina Baimakhan is 22, and she was born and raised in Kazakhstan before coming to the United States to study psychology at Roosevelt University in Chicago for her undergraduate degree. Throughout her academic career, Amina became very interested in the relationship between ethics, mental health, and intercultural understanding. Her most recent studies contrast students' levels of stress, anxiety, and social isolation to examine the psychological effects of online versus in-person learning. Speaking three languages fluently (Kazakh, Russian, and English), Amina approaches her academic and professional endeavors with a strong global perspective.

She obtained educational experience by working on projects that improved access to highquality education in the area through the Sapar Foundation, a creative learning organization based in Kazakhstan.

Through Casa Azzurra, a design and education firm that is a member of the UN Global Compact, Amina has also actively contributed to the advancement of sustainability initiatives. She assisted in bringing the company's strategies into line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as part of the SDG Ambition Accelerator program, specifically those about gender equality and high-quality education.

Amina is pursuing a graduate degree in health systems administration to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance the ethics, equity, and efficiency of healthcare delivery. She is drawn to Georgetown University because of its mission-driven approach and emphasis on leadership and policy. She believes that the program is the best place for her to pursue her interests in quality improvement, operations, and making ethical choices in healthcare systems. With a background in international sustainability work and psychology. Although she has not yet decided whether she wants to pursue a career in health equity, hospital operations, or policy, she sees this program as the important next step in determining her long-term path.

Outside of Amina's academic and professional life, she has an intense affection for animals and a curious mind that is constantly looking for opportunities to learn. She is fascinated by weather patterns, particularly storms and unusual climate phenomena, but most people are unaware of this. Her hobby is tracking weather systems and learning about how they form. Along with trying out new foods, she also enjoys creating inventive, different meals and experimenting with health-conscious routines. Reading Updated as of July 2025

4

MHSA Class of 2027 about ethics and psychology, watching international dramas, and supporting the growth of different creative education businesses are some of her interests. Living in an international environment and combining Amina's Central Asian ancestry with her present surroundings has influenced her values and heightened her enthusiasm for intercultural understanding and equity.

Updated as of July 2025

5

MHSA Class of 2027

Aissata Dia Aissata grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where she pursued her Bachelor's degree in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with a French minor at The Ohio State University.

During her time at Ohio State, she was actively involved in the African American Heritage Festival, the Morrill Scholars Program, and the Young Scholars Program. She also volunteered at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Brookdale Senior Living, and with Direct Aid. Aissata participated in a four-week study abroad experience in France and Morocco.

She has experience working in various healthcare settings, including roles as an optometric technician at Grace Vision and as a Patient Access Representative at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Aissata is currently working at Columbus Public Health as a Care Coordinator for the My Baby and Me Program.

Aissata is pursuing a graduate degree in health systems administration to strengthen her ability to lead meaningful change in healthcare delivery, particularly in underserved communities. Aissata’s passion is driven by improving access, equity and quality within the healthcare system. Aissata chose Georgetown because Georgetown’s mission to advance health system performance while promoting social justice aligns deeply with her personal and professional goals. Post graduation, Aissata plans to gain experience in health systems administrations through a fellowship.

Aissata is a Senegalese-American who fluently speaks Fulani. She is married and enjoys spending her free time with her family and friends. Aissata enjoys hosting and planning small gatherings. She is an avid reader, enjoys travelling and listening to music.

Her all-time favorite books are the Hunger Games series. Her favorite music genres are R&B and Afropop. She has traveled to Senegal, France and Morocco and in the future wants to travel to Japan and South Korea.

Updated as of July 2025

6

MHSA Class of 2027

Jocelin Diaz

Jocelin Diaz is from Winchester, VA, a small town in the Shenandoah Valley. She earned a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a minor in Public Health from George Mason University. At Mason, she worked as a Nutritional Education Research Assistant for the Connect Project, where she developed lesson plans for children ages 6 to 12 that encouraged them to try new foods, especially fruits and vegetables, and feel more comfortable with healthy eating. Jocelin has also worked as a Call Center Representative at Pediatric Specialists of Virginia and as a Catering Manager at Castiglia’s Pizza Amore. She currently serves as Lead Medical Assistant at Sinclair Health Clinic, a primary care clinic for uninsured and underinsured patients in Virginia.

Jocelin chose Georgetown for its commitment to cura personalis, which aligns with her passion for serving underserved populations. As a Lead Medical Assistant, she educates patients on healthy practices and creates accessible health resources.

Georgetown’s MHSA program will deepen her understanding of the healthcare system and prepare her to develop strategies that reduce barriers to care. Her long-term goal is to become a hospital administrator who improves patient outcomes and addresses systemic health disparities. By combining her clinical experience with the leadership and policy skills gained through the MHSA program, Jocelin aims to advance patient-centered care through strategic planning and policy development.

Outside of work, Jocelin enjoys creative hobbies like painting with watercolor, film photography, making greeting cards, and solving 1,000+ piece puzzles. Her ideal day includes a good cup of coffee, cooking challenging new recipes, and exploring new foods and ingredients. She’s currently planning a family trip to Ireland, inspired by the success of their last adventure in Costa Rica.

Updated as of July 2025

7

MHSA Class of 2027

Abum Ezeonwu Abum was born and raised in Seattle, Washington, and earned his Bachelor of Science in Physiology from the University of Washington. He began his career as a health coach at an internal medicine clinic, where he performed medical assistant duties and eventually transitioned into a clinic management role in March 2020. In October 2022, seeking to move into the health-tech space, Abum joined Waymark Care, a healthcare startup where he currently manages a team of care coordinators serving patients across Washington State.

Abum is pursuing a degree in Health Systems Administration to help fix the parts of healthcare that prevent quality care from reaching underserved patients. In various roles across the healthcare field, he has seen how difficult it can be for patients to navigate the system, and how quickly it can burn out even the most dedicated professionals. He’s especially interested in operations, patient experience, and improving organizational culture. Abum hopes to learn how to design systems that support both patients and care teams, using data-driven approaches to make meaningful change. After earning his degree, he sees himself continuing in the healthcare startup space or working as a consultant focused on building more human-centered healthcare systems.

Abum enjoys following his interests. When he’s not working, he usually keeps a lengthy fiction book within reach to stay entertained. It rains often in Seattle, but on sunny days you can find him outside on a tennis court channeling his inner Roger Federer or Daniil Medvedev. Or you might find him in a record store always on the hunt to add more Highlife records to his growing collection. A fan of live entertainment, Abum loves going to concerts and cheering on his local sport teams (Go Seahawks, Storm and Mariners!). On the quieter days, you may see him exploring a new restaurant in the city, experimenting with baking, or teaming up with friends for trivia at a neighborhood bar.

A few favorites… Favorite Movie: The Count of Monte Cristo; Favorite TV Show: Elementary; Favorite City: Barcelona; Favorite Cuisine: Thai; and Favorite Book: The Odyssey.

Updated as of July 2025

8

MHSA Class of 2027

Katie Kalhorn Katie was born in Houston, Texas, and lived there for about nine months while her dad was finishing his residency.

She moved to Maryland shortly before turning one, and has lived there ever since. She completed her undergraduate degree at Georgetown University, with a double major in Government and Psychology and a minor in French. Katie also worked for the Students of Georgetown, Incorporated (The "Corp") on campus, as their Philanthropy Chair and Board Member at Large. The Corp runs all of the coffee shops and convenience services on campus, and is the largest student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit worldwide!

After graduating, Katie was thinking about going to law school, so she worked as a paralegal for about a year. She realized during that time that she wanted to more deeply pursue her passion for healthcare, and shadowed a Patient Advocate at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital (MGUH), which opened her eyes to the administrative side of healthcare. She worked in the department of Patient Advocacy and Experience at (MGUH) for a little over a year after that shadowing experience, which was absolutely incredible. Just two weeks ago, she started her new role as the Executive Assistant to the Chief Nursing Officer and Assistant Vice President of Nursing at MGUH!.

Katie has always felt moved to return to Georgetown for her continued education after completing undergraduate studies there. It was truly the most formative four years of her life, and there is such a wonderful community, which is part of the reason she chose to pursue her career at MGUH as well. The hospital promotes the same cura personalis value as the university, which has taken on new meaning from a patient care perspective.

She was drawn to the smaller program size, which allows students to collaborate closely with each other and faculty members, and is particularly interested in the managerial courses, including the Managerial Ethics and Law course (since she majored in Government in undergrad). After graduating, she’d like to continue her career at MGUH, but perhaps in a more operational or project management-oriented role.

Outside of work, Katie really enjoys artistic hobbies. Her mom taught her to crochet when she was little, and she loves making sweaters, bags, blankets, etc. She also loves to bake, and her department at work used to host monthly bakeoffs. She really enjoys graphic design, painting, drawing, scrapbooking, and basically any crafty pursuit!

Updated as of July 2025

9

MHSA Class of 2027 She loves to read as well (mostly fiction), and just finished reading Demon Copperhead

by Barbara Kingsolver, which quickly became her new favorite. She has the world's cutest chocolate lab, Maisy, who loves to eat anything in sight. Her favorite place in the world is Sanibel Island, where her family has gone every year since she was a kid.

Updated as of July 2025

10

MHSA Class of 2027

Asha Patel Asha Patel was born and raised in northern New Jersey. She attended the University of Connecticut for her undergraduate degree and recently graduated in May of 2025. Asha attained a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration and Insurance Studies. Throughout her years at college, Asha obtained work experience through internships and work study programs. Her first summer internship was with Evernorth Health Services where she was part of the products analytics team. This internship was focused on social determinants of health and she was able to assist her data analyst colleagues by reviewing client data and helping them prepare for meetings.

Asha’s next work experience was something she did throughout her senior year of college. She was an intern for the Ledge Light Health Department in New London, CT. This work study program encouraged Asha to learn about the inner workings of local public health departments, especially those in underprivileged areas. Through this internship, Asha was able to engage in primary prevention strategies to help with the district’s opioid crisis by raising awareness about prescription drug misuse and the risk of overprescribing opioids to the public. Both of these work experiences had a heavy impact on Asha’s career goals and ultimately encouraged her interest in wanting to pursue a master’s degree at Georgetown.

Asha’s interest in health administration comes from the real-world impact of healthcare delivery, specifically for underserved populations. During her experience working at the public health department, Asha witnessed how administrative decisions directly affect the community. She realized how crucial effective health leadership and administration are in making sure that even the most vulnerable populations get equitable care. This experience compelled Asha not only to work in healthcare, but to be in a position where she can help design and lead systems that are more inclusive and sustainable. The exposure to real-world challenges and the drive to contribute more meaningfully to healthcare systems inspired Asha to want to join a graduate program where she can develop the skills needed to lead with both strategy and compassion.

As a recent college graduate and very adventurous person, Asha has spent most of her summer traveling and spending quality time with her family and friends. She recently went on a trip to Madrid, Croatia, and London that allowed her to see how people in Updated as of July 2025

11

MHSA Class of 2027 other parts of the world live. Asha believes that exercise is a very important part of her daily life. She enjoys running, going to the gym, rock climbing, and hiking! Asha also has a strong interest in art. She is always drawing, painting, or even playing the viola. Asha wishes to always find joy in these activities and to continue checking off places on her travel bucket list!

Updated as of July 2025

12

MHSA Class of 2027

Tara Reddy Tara Reddy graduated from Villanova University, just outside Philadelphia, with her bachelor’s in nursing. While in school, she worked as a patient care tech at Bryn Mawr Hospital during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, an experience that made her even more passionate about helping people. Originally from New Jersey, Tara always knew she wanted to work in healthcare.

After gaining her bachelor's degree in nursing in 2021, Tara started her career in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Working at one of D.C.’s busiest hospitals gave her the chance to care for patients from all walks of life and really strengthen her clinical skills. Looking to make an impact beyond the bedside, she moved into clinical research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Now based at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland, she works as a Senior Research Nurse, helping bring the hospital and pharmaceutical partners together to find and enroll participants who want to help shape the future of medicine.

As a nurse, Tara sees first-hand the barriers healthcare patients face and wants to reduce those disparities and improve access to quality care for all. She decided to join Georgetown’s Health System’s Administration program due to its diverse curriculum where she can learn about all aspects of health systems. Tara hopes that Georgetown will help her understand ways to achieve her career and personal aspirations and deepen her expertise in the dynamic healthcare environment.

Outside of work, Tara is a social butterfly. She especially enjoys trying new restaurants and meeting new people. When she’s not out and about, she loves reading books for her book club and watching reality TV.

Updated as of July 2025

13

MHSA Class of 2027

Ahad Sami

Ahad was born and raised in Chicago, IL and went to Loyola University Chicago for his undergraduate education.

He holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance and a minor in Political Science from there. Upon graduating from Loyola, he started working at NORC at the University of Chicago as a Financial Analyst. During that role, he was awarded the AP-NORC Project Team of the Year award for his contributions to that project which surveyed voters during the 2020 elections. After working there for a few years, he moved to Washington D.C with his wife as she pursued her Masters in Journalism from Georgetown. In a new city, looking for new opportunities, he stumbled upon the Capital Finance Operation Specialist position in the procurement department at Georgetown. He currently serves in this position where he manages the procurement lifecycle of 100+ construction (capital) projects at Georgetown. His projects have included the new McCourt School of Public Policy, the redevelopment of the Henle Village dorms, and the expansion of the Capitol Campus.

After working at Georgetown for the last few years and attaining his Bachelor’s from Loyola University Chicago, Ahad found tremendous value in being part of a Jesuit educational system. The Jesuit values that drive his interactions and collaborations at work, along with the many experiences he had at a Jesuit institution during undergrad, pushed him to seek graduate studies that frame their curriculum around Jesuit principles.

He chose a graduate degree in health systems administration because of his strong ties to healthcare. Through his own experiences as a patient and stories of his late father, who was a Physician, he found himself constantly thinking of how he can contribute to making our healthcare system a better experience across the board. Some areas of interest of his are patient safety and quality, finance and budgeting, and policy and regulation.

Ahad has been living in the DMV area for almost four years now with his wife and two cats - Kona and Mumu. He is a Chicago native which, sadly, makes him a Bears fan.

He loves playing basketball, pickleball, and watching sports - most recently he’s gotten into Formula 1. He loves traveling and some of his favorite places he’s visited are Singapore, New Zealand, Pakistan, Italy, & Saudi Arabia. He is also a foodie - he enjoys finding new places to eat and he has a major sweet tooth. His three most favorite spots in the DMV area are Gogi Yogi, DCG, and Carmen’s Italian Ice. Updated as of July 2025

14