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. These are students from all areas of study whose dedication, leadership and enthusiasm inspires others to shape their own meaningful Husky experience.
This year, nine students who are pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in the School of Public Health were selected to the 2026 Husky 100. Since its inception, nearly 100 UW SPH students have been recognized through the Husky 100 program.
Congratulations to our 2026 UW SPH Husky 100 honorees!
Miguel Paredes
- Pembroke Pines, Florida
- Ph.D. Epidemiology; M.D. Medicine
My time at the UW has taught me that research and clinical care should be both community-informed and community-centered. Throughout my Ph.D., I helped uncover how viruses such as mpox and SARS-CoV-2 spread within marginalized communities by exploiting social inequities, both locally and globally. As an aspiring physician-scientist, I hope to continue developing innovative solutions for infectious diseases while providing care that tackles both the biological and social barriers to equitable health.
Allysa Valdez Rodriguez
- Warden, WA
- B.S. Public Health - Global Health
Growing up as a first-generation student in Warden, Washington, my sense of what was possible felt limited by the absence of representation in higher education and medicine. At the University of Washington, I have worked to bridge lived experience and systemic change by engaging in community-based research, leading registered student organizations and mentoring migrant high school students through UW Dare to Dream. I hope to stand as proof that little girls from small towns can dream boldly, even when no one around them has shown them how.
Cordy Plymale
- Brush Prairie, WA
- B.A. Public Health-Global Health (Departmental Honors)
- Data Science
I am passionate about addressing the health impacts of climate-related hazards by using evidence-based data to create more equitable and resilient health systems. At the UW, I have worked to tackle climate and health challenges with the Center for Health and the Global Environment (CHanGE), contributing to the development of a heat-health risk mapping tool and overseeing the Center’s blog. I am committed to leading with compassion and a data-driven lens — as reflected in my service on the School of Public Health Dean’s Advisory Council for Students and my experiences improving health systems abroad — and I look forward to continuing my journey with the UW next year as an MPH student in epidemiology.
Mohammad Gazi
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Doctor of Global Health (DrGH)
My time at the UW has empowered me to embody Husky values by translating complex research into global health solutions. I research collaborative surveillance systems for vaccine safety and diseases with pandemic potential alongside incredible UW mentors. Leveraging my doctoral training, I aim to lead governance policies that foster transparent, cross-sector information sharing to protect vulnerable populations from infectious disease globally.
Marin Strong
- Keene, New Hampshire
- Ph.D. in Nursing Science; MPH in Epidemiology; Graduate Certificate in Global Health Nursing
My Husky experience has centered on learning to connect classroom theory and methodology with community realities and using research as a tool for equity and advocacy. Whether meeting with policymakers in Olympia, engaging with the United Nations, interviewing programs delivering medication for opioid use disorder in King County, or supporting my research team in Kisumu, Kenya, in helping pregnant women prevent HIV and STI infections, I have been privileged to work alongside and learn from the communities I hope to continue serving as a nurse scientist.
Michelle Echeverria Aguilar
- Vancouver, Wa
- B.S. Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology; B.S. Public Health-Global Health
Medicine is often described as the most humanistic of the sciences, an idea that I have learned along my journey at the UW. As a first-generation Salvadoran American, my commitment to health equity is rooted in the sacrifices my parents made so that I can pursue a higher education. At the UW, I have deepened this passion through research, leadership, public health work and community-based service learning, where I continue to advocate for the underrepresented voices in medicine. As I enter the next chapter of my career, I carry forward the lessons from mentors, peers and communities at UW, striving to build a more compassionate, equitable and patient-centered health care system.
Silas Healy
- Seattle, WA
- B.S. Public Health-Global Health (Departmental Honors)
- Bioethics
As a caregiver, naloxone trainer, substance use researcher and day shelter volunteer, I work to improve health outcomes and prevent injustices against underserved and historically marginalized communities. The School of Public Health and Department of Bioethics & Humanities have equipped me with a greater understanding of health inequities and their possible solutions, and motivated by a belief in real justice, I aspire to be a physician who implements these solutions. I am grateful for my professors, mentors and fellow students whose genuine, unwavering support has made my Husky Experience impactful and transformative.
Angelina Durbin
- Sammamish, Washington
- B.S. Environmental Public Health
- Nutrition
My educational background in environmental public health and nutrition has made me passionate about advancing campus food security and sustainable agriculture education. As the Food Recovery Coordinator at the UW Food Pantry, founder of the UW FreeFoodAlert chapter and co-president of Project Indoor Farm, I work to reduce food waste, expand student access to prepared meals and engage students in growing their own food. Through collaborative leadership, I strive to bring students together to build more equitable, sustainable and resilient food systems.
Ella Marie Manongdo Renon
- Bremerton, Washington
- B.S. Public Health-Global Health
- Public Policy
History is something that affects many aspects of our lives; it helps us understand who we are and how systems and institutions may have helped and harmed people, so learning about my history and looking into myself was a key part of my Husky Experience. This reflection strengthened my determination to honor my family’s story by serving my community and gaining an education centered around helping others through my involvement in my education and community spaces at the UW. I learned the importance of listening and learning about others’ stories, to build trust and to make meaningful change in systems inside and outside of public health, so I hope to carry the values and lessons I’ve learned to serve communities with intention and care.