The MSGH Student Leadership Council - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Mission Statement

The Northwestern University MSGH Student Leadership Council (SLC) is dedicated to supporting and connecting with prospective students, current students, and alumni in the Master of Science in Global Health program. The SLC aims to inspire and support the next generation of global health leaders by promoting knowledge and raising awareness of both the global health field and the MSGH graduate program at Northwestern University.

Vision Statement

Students and alumni of Northwestern’s MSGH Student Leadership Council will feel a sense of comradery with their colleagues and gain a deeper understanding of the global health field in practice.

Core Values

• Community and Leadership: We believe in fostering a sense of community and leadership within the MSGH program. By providing opportunities for students to collaborate and support one another, we can enhance the overall educational experience and develop the next generation of global health leaders.

• Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our community and field. We believe that embracing diversity in all its forms is essential to creating a dynamic and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

• Collaboration and Partnerships: We recognize that the challenges facing global health require collaboration and partnerships between stakeholders. We aim to facilitate these partnerships by providing opportunities for students to engage with alumni and distinguished professionals in the field.

• Global Mindset: We believe that a global mindset is essential to understanding and addressing the complex issues facing global health. We encourage students to think critically and engage in dialogue with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to broaden their understanding of the field.

Connect with us

Stay in touch with the Student Leadership Council! Please join our LinkedIn group and Facebook group to learn about upcoming events and opportunities.

2022–2023 MSGH Student Leadership Council Members

PRESIDENT

Ellie Tjelmeland

Ellie Tjelmeland, MSGH alumni, possesses a deep-seated passion for promoting health equity and narrowing healthcare disparities. She is actively engaged in improving accessibility to healthcare and services for patients with disabilities, with a specific focus on those who are deaf and/or have hearing loss. Ellie's aspirations include advancing her education and pursuing a career in clinical research. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds joy in mentoring college students, volunteering in communities that are underserved, and staying active as a former collegiate cross country and track and field athlete. Ellie is driven by a strong sense of commitment towards improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities through both her professional pursuits and volunteer endeavors.

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS

Mallory Siddiqui

Mallory is a MSGH candidate, and spent her formative years developing a passion for healthcare and service. Her passions include supporting the well-being of children in healthcare, education, and policy development and education-based program development and implementation in high-needs communities globally. Mallory is currently working as a science teacher in an urban high school where she regularly interacts and councils adolescents and their families, develops, trains, and leads program implementation for special student populations, and advocates for student and family needs to administration and district leadership. Mallory enjoys traveling, spending time outside playing with her dog, reading, and going to Disneyland with friends.

SOCIAL MEDIA & MARKETING COORDINATOR

Giselle Striedinger

Giselle Striedinger is an MSGH candidate who currently resides in Chicago, IL. Growing up in a Hispanic household, Giselle has always had a passion for giving back to this community. This inspired her main global health interest, educating adolescents in the Hispanic populations on their health. Giselle is also passionate about pediatric and child health, as well as healthcare equity in developing regions. She looks forward to working with this community and getting hands-on experience during her practicum experience in La Paz, Bolivia. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, exercising, hanging out with friends and family, and finding new restaurants around Chicago. Once graduating from the MSGH program, Giselle also plans on attending medical school.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION (DE&I) COORDINATOR

Daniella Royster

Daniella is a recent MSGH graduate and honored to be a member of the inaugural MSGH SLC team. She holds certifications in Health Education (CHES) and Health Data Analysis (CHDA). She plans to pursue a PhD in medical Sociology, focusing on the sociology of health, biomedicine, and health systems. Her areas of interests include health equity, population health, public health training/development, health system strengthening, and policy advocacy. Currently, she works as a public health research/project associate and is a CDC fellowship candidate. Through her work and policy advocacy efforts, Daniella strives to raise awareness and facilitate change and progress for health equity. She believes diversity, equity, and inclusion should be at the core of global/public health activities and is essential to achieve a more sustainable and just world.

EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIP LIAISON

Daniel Solchanyk

Daniel is an MSGH candidate, medic and Fellow of the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. He is currently a graduate research assistant at the Center for Global Health Education at the Havey Institute for Global Health and his research interests include global health education and care delivery in conflict and post-conflict settings. He has extensive clinical and operational experience as a medic and program/research manager in conflict, disaster and low-resource settings with NGOs such as Global Response Management, Médecines Sans Frontières, Team Rubicon and numerous other grass roots aid organizations. In his free time he enjoys volunteering for local street medicine programs providing healthcare to the houseless and planning his next climbing trip with friends.

EVENTS COORDINATOR

Adrianna Pacheco

Adrianna Pacheco is currently working as an Associate Scientist for a niche company that assists expert physicians prepare and organize reports for toxic tort and medical malpractice cases. She also has experience working in healthcare as an EMT and Emergency Department Tech in Washington, D.C. She has always had a strong desire to work in the global healthcare space and, after traveling abroad to a few countries, became even more intrigued by the field. Her main global health interest is rooted in equitable access to healthcare, but would love to work with emergency medical services in low- and lower-middle income countries. She currently resides in Chicago, IL and enjoys traveling, reading, and making spontaneous plans.

COUNCIL CHAIR

Sarah Zechariah

Sarah Zechariah is an MSGH candidate based out of Chicago, IL. Her passion towards global health took root through her experiences in the rural mountainsides of Cuilco, Guatemala, where she spent time distributing epilepsy medications and setting up mobile medical services for the underserved. Her time working in the BiLDL lab in college established a niche skill set within the world of statistics, developmental health, and coding. Her interests lie in maternal and neonatal health, as well as healthcare equity in urban and developing regions. In her free time, Sarah enjoys taste testing around the city of Chicago, traveling to new countries, and watching movies.

PROSPECTIVE, CURRENT-STUDENT, AND ALUMNI LIAISON

Tanya Schenk

Tanya Schenk was born and raised in Santa Monica, CA but has been living throughout the Middle East and Europe since 2005. A commercial pilot with advanced degrees in Political Science and Middle East Studies, Tanya graduated from the MSGH program in the Fall 2021 term. Her key interests lie in refugee health and global health security. She is currently developing an app to help refugees with PTSD while applying for PhD programs. In her spare time, Tanya is dedicated to martial arts, road cycling, and spending time with her family.

Contact the MSGH Student Leadership Council

We love hearing from you! Do you have questions or feedback for us? Please feel free to contact us via the form below. A member of the council will respond to your inquiry shortly.