Get to know more about our current cohort of Well-being and Health Outreach Ambassadors (WHOAs). This group of undergraduate students is dedicated to spreading awareness of important college health topics among the student community through outreach events and special projects, including tabling at the USC Farmer’s Market.
Read through the bios below to learn more about each ambassador, listed alphabetically.
Kyra Aligaen (she/her) is a senior and first year entry level doctorate student studying occupational therapy with a minor in international health, development, and social justice. Her academic pursuits and decision to be a WHOA ambassador are influenced by her passion for advocating for all individuals’ holistic needs and their right to comprehensive and equitable healthcare. She loves helping USC students familiarize themselves with the resources they need to live healthily and well. At USC, Kyra is involved with the Helenes, the oldest spirit and service-based organization at the university, and serves as an “Official Host of USC.” Kyra is also involved with Troy Philippines, a Filipino cultural organization where she can celebrate her heritage. As a future occupational therapist, she hopes to help underrepresented and marginalized populations live more fulfilling lives.
Dylan Crowley-Loo (he/him) is a second-year health promotion and disease prevention student at the Keck School of Medicine. He has worked at various levels of public health, including Herpes Cure Advocacy, a non-profit advocating for advancement in the treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, and the USC Klausner Research Lab. Dylan is deeply interested in the research of prevention and surveillance of disease, and has a goal of helping people stay healthy and out of the hospital in the first place. Dylan is excited to help students on campus explore their health resources and learn more about how they can remain in great shape for living their best lives.
Sophia Dettweiler (she/her) is a pre-med student studying health promotion and disease prevention who is passionate about promoting holistic well-being and mental health among students. Outside of her work with USC Student Health, Sophia is involved in USC’s chapter of Blueprints for Pangaea, a non-profit organization that reallocates medical supplies to communities in need to improve health access disparities. She also works as an EMT, math tutor, and CHLA research assistant, with an end goal of promoting well-being among adolescents as a pediatrician.
Jinny Kim (she/her) is a senior studying journalism with a minor in public health. As social media lead of the WHOA cohort, she is interested in promoting accessible health education and communication through digital platforms. On campus, Jinny is an “Official Host of USC” as a member of Helenes, the Director of Public Relations for Descent Magazine — USC’s APISA literary and arts collective — and a staff writer for the Daily Trojan’s opinion section. She is currently a publicity intern at FOX Entertainment and has previously interned for NBCUniversal and the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. In her free time, Jinny enjoys trying new restaurants in L.A. and crocheting clothes.
Aaryan Midha (he/him) is an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California pursuing a B.S. in health promotion and disease prevention and a minor in addiction science. At USC, Aaryan co-founded SeeCing a Path Forward for Diabetes, an organization that teaches how to intervene during hypoglycemic attacks, raise awareness of diabetes, and prevent the onset of diabetes in Los Angeles communities. Aaryan is also Co-President for USC Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, a non-profit dedicated to fighting kidney diseases by raising public awareness and promoting the early detection of chronic kidney disease. He is also involved with Blueprints for Pangaea, a nonprofit with the mission of addressing health disparities through the distribution of healthcare resources on a local and global level. In the future, Aaryan hopes to obtain a progressive master’s degree in global medicine. In his free time, Aaryan volunteers at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and enjoys playing tennis, swimming, editing for the Daily Trojan, and spending time with his friends and family.
Chia Okwaraibekwe (she/her) is a third-year global health major at the Keck School of Medicine. She is deeply passionate about health care, health promotion, and health policy. She has volunteered and worked with physicians at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, conducting research on community health and organizing presentations and events that provided free health resources to families in the community. Beyond her involvement in USC Student Health, Chia has also served as a project director and consultant for the Southern California Healthcare Consulting Group, collaborating with the California Black Women’s Health Project. Additionally, she is the director of membership for the Pan African Student Association on campus, where she plays a key role in sharing culture and bringing people together. Chia is committed to making a positive impact on the world around her as she pursues her academic and professional goals in the healthcare field.
Ekene Okolo [bio coming soon!]
See our previous WHOA Cohort: Fall 2022 – Spring 2024
Public Engagement Team Leader
Gray Mandabach is a second-year master of public administration student
in the Sol Price School of Public Policy. He received his undergraduate degree
from Auburn University in Auburn, AL where he majored in political science and
minored in public relations. During his four years at Auburn, he held
numerous leadership roles in student organizations and cultivated strong
relationships with his graduate assistants. These previous experiences
influenced his desire to become a GA during his time in graduate school and
to work with the WHOAs when he arrived to USC in the Fall of 2023.
Other than his work with the WHOAs, Gray is also on the Executive Boards of
Mentorship for an Accessible Price, Graduate Policy and Administration
Committee, and is a USC Price Student Ambassador. Through these roles, he
assists the Price School in establishing a community that is healthy and
inclusive for current USC Price students, alumni, and prospective students.
In the professional sphere, Gray is also working as a public relations
consultant with the Lee Andrews Group in Downtown Los Angeles. There his
clients come from all three sectors — private, non-profit, and public sector.
He works with them to manage their social media, write thought leadership
pieces, provide outreach to relevant stakeholders, provide photo & video
production, and event planning on behalf of his clients.
Through his role as public engagement team leader this year, he assists the
WHOA’s in their mission to create awareness for USC Student Health’s
services and to serve the USC community as a resource for students on
campus.
2023 Spotlight Project:
The USC Student Cookbook, a first at USC, is a collaborative effort spearheaded by the WHOA team, and is created by USC students for USC students. Many reflect the “taste of home” of our diverse study body, and are intended to be budget-friendly for college students. All recipes have been reviewed by USC registered dieticians.
