BIOGRAPHY BOOK
Biography forthcoming.
Kristopher Durham
Daniel Edmunds
Daniel grew up in Houston, Texas, and pursued his undergraduate degree in Political Science and History at the University of Houston with the intention of working in the foreign service. Instead, he went to work at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where he worked for over 20 years in various capacities in IT systems administration and data analysis. He decided to return to school and earned an MBA from Texas Woman’s University to have a greater impact in healthcare. While pursuing this degree, he decided to continue his studies by pursuing a PhD in Public Health at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. During his PhD studies, he decided to increase his healthcare experience and worked for a health insurance company as a data analyst. About a year after that, he decided to move to Colorado and work outside of healthcare to increase his data analytics experience. During this time, COVID happened, and he was able to work remotely. He and his wife went to Kazakhstan to see her parents and learned that her mother was diagnosed with cancer. Since he was working remotely at the time, he decided to move to Kazakhstan to support his mother-in-law’s medical care, and he lived there for approximately 4 years. In dealing with his mother-in-law’s medical issues, he was able to see first-hand how the Kazakh medical system works. While in Kazakhstan, he completed his PhD in 2022 and returned to Colorado in 2024
Daniel’s passion to make a positive difference in healthcare has never wavered. His decision to pursue a degree in health systems administration was twofold. First, he wants to pursue research interests in healthcare delivery and management that can influence policy. Secondly, he desires to return to healthcare in a management role where he can utilize his education and analytics skills to directly improve patient care by enhancing quality, expanding access to care, and reducing costs and inefficiencies. Post-graduation, he sees himself in an academic role as a professor educating future leaders, as well as in a healthcare leadership role that directly improves patient care delivery.
Daniel traveled to many places around the world, including Europe, Taiwan, Japan, and, of course, Kazakhstan. He studied Buddhism for many years, taking the lay bodhisattva precepts at a monastery in Taiwan with the intention of becoming a monk before becoming a devout Christian. Daniel has been married for the past 12 years, and he has a variety of interests, including antiques and saving cats. He is a passionate collector and restorer of antique Victrola phonographs. His passion for saving cats started in
Kazakhstan, where he witnessed their horrific treatment. He and his wife saved 12 cats in Kazakhstan and brought them to Colorado. While in Kazakhstan, they also found homes for many others. He recently created a 501(c) (3) non-profit cat sanctuary that currently cares for 18 cats.
Zion Francis
Zion is from West Columbia, South Carolina, where she spent her childhood before moving to Maryland, before high school. She is a recent graduate of Howard University, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Health Science. Throughout her undergraduate studies, Zion worked as a Patient Care Representative at an urgent care clinic, and during her final semester, she accepted a Patient Care Coordinator position at an HIV specialty clinic, where she coordinates patient care and supports people with complex healthcare needs. With a long-term goal of building a career in clinical research, Zion was selected as a Clinical Data Analyst Intern with Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group in 2025. This opportunity allowed her to thrive in an environment she has always wanted to be in and contribute to the field. Zion is certified in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) through the Society of Behavioral Medicine and holds certifications in Basic Life Support (BLS) and First Aid/CPR through the American Heart Association. As a former Spanish major, she can communicate with Spanish-speaking patients and help bridge language barriers in healthcare settings. She is also very passionate about improving patient care through research and collaboration.
Having already attended school in Washington, D.C., Zion was familiar with the area, and Georgetown's program stood out because it offered the perfect combination of flexibility, academics, and experiences that could be applied in real-world situations. The 70% online format allows her to continue working while advancing her education, making it the best fit for her professional goals. Her undergraduate coursework in health policy, health management, and the allied health professions encouraged her interest in healthcare leadership. While her long-term goal is to build a career in clinical research, she believes a strong foundation in health systems administration will allow her to lead research operations and improve healthcare delivery. Although she initially questioned whether graduate school was the right path, she realized her passion for learning did not have to end with earning a bachelor's degree.
Zion has always been creative and enjoys expressing herself through a variety of artistic outlets. Before college, she danced competitively on her school's dance team and later joined a dance team during her junior year at Howard University. Outside of school and
work, Zion enjoys baking, fashion, sewing, listening to music, reading, attending concerts, and exploring D.C. with her friends. Some of her favorite memories come from experiencing Howard University's Homecoming and Springfest festivities each year. She also loves discovering cozy cafés where she can study or unwind, because changing environments helps her stay focused and inspired. Zion has recently made it a goal to travel more and is always excited to experience new places, meet new people, and embrace different opportunities.
Aisha Pounders
Aisha grew up in Baltimore, MD. Influenced by her time in an environmental science program in middle school and interested in physiology and anatomy, she went on to earn a Bachelor's in Biology at Towson University. After a shadow day with a Medical Technologist sparked an interest and passion for the lab, Aisha pursued an Associate of Science in Medical Laboratory Technology, earning from The Community College of Baltimore County. With nearly a decade of experience as a Medical Laboratory Scientist, following early roles as a volunteer and certified nursing assistant, Aisha’s evolving view of the healthcare system has been uniquely shaped by every step of her professional journey.
After discovering the program in a work flyer for continuing education, Aisha was happy to finally find a program that aligns with her personal values and interest in a way that will fold in her varying life experiences inside and outside of the healthcare system. Aisha is pursuing her degree in health systems administration to broaden her systemic healthcare knowledge and prepare for future leadership roles. Currently, Aisha is drawn to the intersection of healthcare policy and clinical practice. While still refining her specific specialization, she is eager to explore community health, as well as operations and management. Post-graduation, Aisha aims to leave a lasting impact on the field through strategic healthcare leadership, equitable policy development, and community-driven operational improvements while remaining very open to discovering new professional opportunities.
Outside of her professional life, Aisha finds balance through community, exploration, and music. She is deeply committed to service, volunteering with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) and the YMCA Fresh Mart pantry. A live music enthusiast, she loves attending concerts, checking off adventures from her "new things to do" list, and discovering local culinary gems. At home, Aisha is a proud pet parent to her orange cat, Hunny, and loves spending quality time with her niece and nephew. Her favorite travel memories so far include exploring several southern Caribbean islands and kayaking off the coast of Hawaii.
Margaret Russo
Margaret grew up with military parents, so she was born in Germany and moved around growing up. She graduated high school in Falls Church, VA, and then completed her undergraduate degree at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. There she obtained a B.A. in Communication and 2 minors, Health Wellness & Medical Studies and Criminology. One of her favorite memories for undergrad was studying abroad in Norway and Sweden where she took a comparative justice course that focused on incarceration and policing in Nordic countries. While also in undergrad, she had a 2-year internship in the Office of Career Planning. After graduating, Margaret worked as a sales rep for CVENT in Tysons, VA. She now works as an Educational Coordinator in Georgetown's School of Medicine and has been at the university for a little over a year.
Georgetown is a school with an exceptional reputation and with its close proximity to a variety of government entities and its partnership with MedStar, it provides great opportunity for those interested in healthcare. This and her being an employee of the school, were 2 large factors in Margaret choosing Georgetown for her graduate degree. Regarding why she chose the program, she's always had an interest in healthcare though she's not sure about the exact path. She especially looks forward to learning more about policy and ethics in regards to this program. She also thinks her interest in healthcare stems from being around healthcare workers her whole life; her mother worked in hospital administration for 20+ years in the U.S. miliary, her father was a Pararescue & Paramedic in the U.S. military, and her grandmother was a nurse. She's unsure about post-graduation, but looks forward to what's to come!
Margaret loves to travel; this past summer, she went to the Bahamas, Oregon, North Carolina and Italy. One of her favorite places is Ireland as she loves the cooler weather and mountains. Due to her military childhood, Margaret had the privilege to travel all over Europe and loves to go back whenever she can. She always looks forward to her annual family trip as well since her family is scattered around the country. Some of her other interests and hobbies include: swimming, yoga, hiking, scrapbooking, and planning trips with her close friends. Post undergrad, she's tried a few new things such as competing in a Sprint Triathlon, running 10Ks and enjoying pop up events around Northern VA such as going to the Word's Largest Bouncy House. She also enjoys trying
new restaurants around the local area and going out towards Leesburg to hop around the breweries and wineries.
Maimuna Sisawo
Maimuna is originally from Seattle, Washington, and her family is from The Gambia. She recently graduated from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Health Management. Her time at Howard strengthened her interest in healthcare leadership while allowing her to develop both personally and professionally. As an undergraduate, she completed internships with the D.C. Department of Health and The Health Management Academy. These experiences provided insight into different areas of healthcare administration and reinforced her interest in improving the way healthcare organizations operate. Outside of the classroom, Maimuna was actively involved in campus organizations and held several leadership positions, where she developed skills in collaboration, organization, and communication. She was also honored to be selected as a Howard University Capstone Scholar, an experience that challenged her to think critically and prepared her for graduate study. Looking back, her undergraduate experience was defined not only by academic growth but also by the relationships she built and the opportunities that confirmed her desire to pursue a career in healthcare administration.
Maimuna chose Georgetown because of its reputation for preparing future healthcare leaders through a rigorous curriculum and meaningful opportunities to learn from professionals in the field. She is pursuing a master's degree in Health Systems Administration because she wants to better understand how strong leadership and effective operations can improve patient care and organizational performance. While particularly interested in healthcare operations and strategy, she hopes to use this program to explore other areas of healthcare administration as well. After graduation, she aspires to work in hospital administration and continue developing into a leader who can help healthcare organizations deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.
Outside of academics, Maimuna values spending time with family and friends, traveling, and discovering new restaurants and coffee shops. She also enjoys planning events and bringing people together, whether for celebrations or community gatherings. She recently got married, and is excited to begin this next chapter of life while starting graduate school. She values building genuine relationships and learning from people with different backgrounds and experiences. As she begins the MHSA program, she looks forward to
contributing to the Georgetown community, learning from classmates, and creating connections that extend beyond the classroom.
Kennedy Sarpong
Kennedy Sarpong grew up in Washington, D.C. She graduated Cum Laude from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, achieving a 3.47 GPA. She is currently pursuing her MHSA at Georgetown University. Kennedy brings a diverse background in service, instruction, and healthcare support. Her professional experience includes serving as a tutor for Kitchen Table Tutoring, a Lead Camp Counselor for the Boys & Girls Club, and a current employee at For Love of Children. Her academic excellence and dedication to healthcare and community engagement are reflected in her honors graduate standing and consistent service record.
Kennedy chose Georgetown University to pursue a Master of Science in Health Systems Administration to address systemic inequities in healthcare delivery and improve patient outcomes. Driven by a passion for community health and operational excellence, she aims to bridge the gap between clinical quality and efficient healthcare management. The flexibility of Georgetown’s hybrid program, combined with its location in the nation’s capital, offers an ideal environment to balance coursework with real world application at the intersection of policy and practice. Kennedy is particularly interested in operations management and community-based health strategies, focusing on optimizing health systems to better serve diverse populations. Post graduation, she sees herself running a major hospital department, driving operational initiatives that enhance patient safety, streamline care delivery, and expand access for underserved communities.
Outside of her academic pursuits, Kennedy is a passionate home cook which is a skill she developed during undergrad when local food spots closed early, sparking a love for creating her own meals. She also stays active with a weekly workout routine. Kennedy is an avid traveler who loves exploring new destinations whenever possible, with Jamaica being one of her absolute favorite places to visit. She also holds a special place in her heart for her beloved Yorkie, Juicy, who passed away. Whether she is trying a new recipe in the kitchen, working out, or planning her next trip, Kennedy brings creativity, passion, and balance to everything she does.