Each year, the University of Washington recognizes 100 students from across its three campuses who are making the most of their time at the UW. The one thing they share is that they actively connect what happens inside and outside of the classroom and apply what they learn to make a difference.
Please join us in celebrating our 2025 UW SPH Husky 100 honorees!
Priyanka Shrestha
- Dharan (Sunsari, Nepal)
- PhD Global Health Metrics & Implementation Science (Track: Implementation Science)
I am a dedicated global health scholar from Nepal, committed to advancing health equity, women’s empowerment and public health innovation. My academic and professional contributions, within and beyond the UW, stand as a testament to my leadership potential, enthusiasm for learning from a vibrant global health community and persistence in fostering meaningful collaborations. I am a proud Husky 100 because I share a commitment to championing health equity by bridging the gap between research and the lived realities of underserved communities.
Vincent Da
- Tacoma, WA
- UW Tacoma: B.A. Healthcare Leadership | UW Seattle: Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Business Administration
I am a purpose-driven health care leader and first-generation graduate student, passionate about advancing equity and advocating for underserved communities. Throughout my time at both UW Tacoma and UW Seattle, I have led efforts to elevate student voices and drive meaningful change, including serving as student body president at UW Tacoma and as president of the MHA Program Student Association. As a health care professional having worked at MultiCare, Providence and UW Medicine, I have worked to improve access, quality and equity in care for diverse
Vanessa Garnica
- Culiacan, Sinaloa
- B.S. Public Health: Global Health; B.S. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
As a Mexican-American and first-generation student, I am determined to take everything I’ve learned within the UW and beyond to become a physician and health policy advocate; every step of my journey, from my mother’s preventable stroke to my work in health care and outreach, has shaped this vision. My mother’s experience reminds me why this work is so important. Women like her deserve better. They deserve a system that listens, cares and acts. As I move forward, I carry her strength and resilience with me, committed to building a future where we women of color have access to the quality care we need and deserve.
Morgan Aurelio
- Seattle, WA
- Master of Public Health, Global Health
As a public health professional and Nurse Practitioner Midwife, I have worked to advance health equity through clinical care, leadership, research, and global maternal and child health (MCH) programs. My public health work spans vaccine feasibility, newborn hearing screening, and obstetric emergency training. Given my passion for MCH, I am working alongside a global health NGO to develop sustainable health solutions worldwide.
Kristin Koznarsky
- Tacoma, WA
- B.S. Public Health - Global Health
My four years of growth at the UW have taught me resilience in the face of hardship, empathy in collaboration and confidence while stepping into the unknown. Through my hospital volunteer work, studying abroad in Nepal and participation in community health programs, I recognize quality life outcomes rely on more than just metrics. They depend on one’s investment in their health, comfort in seeking care and having the means available to take charge of their well-being. I am committed to allocating resources and energy to rural communities most vulnerable to experiencing health disparities, harboring distrust and lacking quality access to care.
Janice North
- Oak Lawn, IL
- M.S. Epidemiology
My education at the University of Washington has helped me connect the dots between supporting community-based organizations and national foundations, conducting scientific research in social epidemiology, and driving initiatives that uplift the next generation of public health leaders. My goals are clear: bridge the gap between academia and practice to build workforce capacity and restore trust in public health sciences; champion equitable, robust health care systems that serve everyone; and lead a dedicated team to carry out services and initiatives that benefit the health of our communities now and into the future. I believe public health is for and about everyone, and I am excited to be part of it!
Ashley Mazzotta
- Issaquah, WA
- B.S. Public Health-Global Health
The lessons from my family history and my lived experiences have shaped my view of public health as a matter of opportunity and have driven my involvement in community-centered research, advocacy for the rights of vulnerable populations and volunteer service in health care settings. With the knowledge, experiences and values I have gained as a student at the UW, I am dedicated to dismantling systems of oppression to ensure that access to opportunity is not determined by luck, privilege or circumstance but is a freedom available to everyone. As I step into the next chapter of my life, I aspire to become a physician who advocates for individual patients while addressing the broader societal issues that determine health care accessibility and outcomes.
Shawn Panh
- Renton, WA
- B.S. Neuroscience; B.A. Biochemistry
- Philosophy, Bioethics
From listening to the stories of those struggling with addiction in the clinic and local community to researching its neuronal mechanisms in the lab, the UW has laid the foundation for me to learn, explore and contribute to the realm of addiction neuroscience. These diverse experiences have allowed me to view addiction through both a medical and scientific lens, offering a unique perspective that fuels my passion and reinforces the type of impact I wish to have on the field. Upon graduating, I hope to pursue an M.D./Ph.D. where I can combine the skills of a researcher with the empathy and clinical insights of a physician, because I firmly believe that the most meaningful progress in addressing substance use disorders lies at the intersection of rigorous research and compassionate care.
Fabian Garcia
- Sunnyside, WA
- B.S. Public Health-Global Health
As a proud Latine and first-generation student at the UW, I have learned that the experiences of us as individuals are key to understanding the complexities of our own identities and the challenges we face. My journey here has been shaped by the reflections of my own community, where narratives of resilience, struggle and triumph have motivated my passion for creating spaces that promote self-acceptance and collective healing. These experiences have taught me the importance of using my position of privilege to advocate for inclusivity and address the root causes of social disparities, particularly those in health care. As I approach the end of my undergrad, I am driven to continue this work by channeling the perspectives of my community into action — dismantling systemic barriers and advocating for equity in health care.