Leslie Avilez joined the Center for Vulnerable Populations in 2022 as a Research Analyst. Leslie attended the University of California Los Angeles, where she majored in Biology. She will be assisting the Sarkar Lab in various research projects that aim to increase successful patient care outcomes at UCSF. Leslie strives to help move forward healthcare, reducing disparities in high risk populations through enhancing efforts for effective interventions in preventative medicine.
Faviola Garcia, BA
Data Analysis Supervisor
Faviola Garcia is a Data Analysis Supervisor at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital working with Dr. Urmimala Sarkar to support her work utilizing digital technology to address chronic illnesses for underserved populations. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor’s degree in Social Welfare.
Christian Gutierrez, BA
Research Data Analyst
Christian Gutierrez (he/him) is a Research Data Analyst for the IgNITE Lab within the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine. Christian has a background in Public Health and Data Science with a focus in design thinking and health tech innovation.
Through his education at UC Berkeley, he was involved in public health work to improve vulnerable populations’ accessibility to healthcare and social health programs through user research and tech development. Christian hopes to continue on the path of equity work, research on social determinants, and technological interventions in healthcare.
Sara Guzman-Estrada, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Sara Guzman-Estrada is a clinical research coordinator at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital where she supports research investigating the intersection between health and technology for vulnerable populations under Dr. Urmimala Sarkar. Sara received her BS in Clinical Psychology from Saint Mary’s College of California.
Vlad Honcharov, MPH
Research Data Analyst
Vlad Honcharov joined the IgNITE Lab in 2021 as a Research Analyst. Vlad supports Dr. Urmimala Sarkar’s research on digital health, cancer survivorship, social media, and patient safety by assisting with mixed methods research, qualitative research, and implementation science. Vlad received his MPH degree in Epidemiology from UC San Diego in 2021 and his BA degree in Sociology with a minor in Applied Psychology from UC Santa Barbara in 2017. As a graduate student, Vlad volunteered at a non-profit organization seeking to lower recidivism rates among at-risk youth, conducted research on the association between obesity and depression, and contributed to an examination of the association between Vitamin D and acute viral respiratory illnesses.
Cindy Kim, MPH
Research Data Analyst
Cindy Kim is a Research Data Analyst joining the IgNITE Lab working on efforts around digital health and health literacy. She has been with UCSF for about 5 years working as a CRC, first with the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education, then with the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies. Cindy hopes to become more involved in efforts that leverage technology to empower patients in managing their own health, as well as evaluating usability of products and services in healthcare. She has an MPH in Behavioral Science and Health Education from Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
Jorge Larreynaga, MSN
Clinical Research Coordinator
Jorge Larreynaga is a Clinical Research Coordinator that works for UCSF DGIM at Pride Hall on the Zuckerberg San Francisco General campus. Some of Jorge’s most passionate healthcare topics include the promotion of health equity and tackling health disparities. Working as a part of the igNITE lab, Jorge will draw from his background in Public Health and Nursing to help the research team as well as helping patients. Outside of work, Jorge’s interests include watching sports, photography, and watching television series/movies/documentaries.
Eric Li, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Eric Li is a clinical research coordinator at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital within the UCSF Division of General Medicine. Eric received his BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Santa Cruz, and previously worked as a lab technician at Stanford. He has volunteered for the past three years at Stanford Hospital in the radiology department. Eric is excited to join Dr. Elaine Khoong’s team using digital health tools to reduce chronic disease disparities in historically excluded populations. Outside of work, Eric enjoys cooking, trying new food spots in the city, and playing sports.
Isabel Luna, BA
Research Data Analyst
Isabel Luna (she/her) is a research data analyst at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital within the UCSF Division of General Medicine. Isabel received her BA in Public Health, and Molecular and Cell Biology with an emphasis in Genetics from UC Berkeley and previously worked as a medical assistant. Isabel is excited to learn more about the intersection between public health research and medicine. Isabel has volunteered as a Health Advocate at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and connected patients to social and legal resources. Isabel is passionate about addressing the social determinants of and is excited to join UCSF’s mission to address health inequity. Isabel is eager to learn how to use technology to improve the quality of health care. Outside of work, Isabel enjoys biking, hiking, going to arcades, and watching sports.
Adriana Mejia Lopez, BS
Clinical Research Coordinator
Adriana is a clinical research coordinator for the IgNITE lab at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital within the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine. Adriana received her BS in Biology with a concentration in Physiology and a minor in Chemistry from San Francisco State University. Previously, Adriana worked as a researcher at SF State in the Health and Equity Research lab conducting community-based transdisciplinary research focused on addressing resiliency levels in Latina Breast Cancer Survivors. Adriana also worked at UCSF for the California Preterm Birth Initiative in the Healthy Outcomes of Pregnancy Study contributing to patient recruitment strategies and English-Spanish translation of clinical study materials. She is committed to leveraging her strengths to improve chronic disease management for vulnerable populations and is dedicated to health equity. She is passionate about contributing to the research team’s goals of advancing digital health systems that support equitable improvement of health outcomes for communities.
Monica Naranjo, BA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Monica Naranjo (she/her) is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Sarkar Lab within the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine. Monica is a graduate with a passion for public health research. She earned a Bachelor’s in Public Health and Policy from UC Berkeley and is excited to bring her skills and enthusiasm to UCSF as she begins her career in public health research. Monica is excited about the opportunity to contribute to UCSF’s mission to improve public health outcomes. She is passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals and communities and looks forward to leveraging her skills and education to support vulnerable groups in healthcare systems.
Kristan Olazo, MPH
Project Master and Conversation Architect
Kristan Olazo joined the Center for Vulnerable Populations in August 2019 as a Research Analyst. Kristan received her MPH in Community Health Education from San Francisco State University and her BS in Physiology with a minor in Asian American Studies also from SF State. As a graduate student, Kristan conducted research on the spectrum of living conditions and housing vulnerability, the role of political participation on Asian American health, and decolonizing approaches to addressing Filipino American mental health.
Maria Plascencia-Mooradian, BA
Clinical Research Coordinator
Maria Plascencia-Mooradian is a Clinical Research Coordinator at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital within the UCSF Division of General Medicine. Maria received her BA in Psychology and Education, Society and Human Development from UC Riverside. Maria is passionate about designing, assessing, and implementing clinical interventions aimed at ameliorating health disparities among vulnerable communities. Outside of work, Maria enjoys going on long walks, weightlifting, and cooking.
Nilpa Shah, MPH
Program Manager
Nilpa Shah joined the IgNITE Lab in 2023 as a Program Manager for the Digital Health Equity Program. She provides strategic, programmatic, and operational support and fosters cross-functional synergy across teams that focus on digital health innovation, implementation, and dissemination to improve patient safety and quality of care. Nilpa has experience managing health services projects to improve health outcomes, healthcare delivery, and health disparities in community and healthcare settings. Her previous work centered on chronic disease management, family caregiving, violence prevention, telehealth, and maternal and child health. Nilpa has her M.P.H. from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and B.S. in Cell Biology and B.A. in Psychology from UC Davis. She aims to address sociocultural and biobehavioral determinants of health to achieve health equity in underserved and marginalized populations.
Socorro Trujillo, MPH
Clinical Research Coordinator
Socorro Trujillo, MPH is a Clinical Research Coordinator at the IgNite Lab. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, and raised in Bakersfield, California, Socorro moved to San Diego to earn a bachelor's degree in Global Health before returning to complete a master's in public health with a concentration in Health Behavior. She recently relocated to San Francisco to further her career in public health.
Throughout her career, Socorro has focused on disease prevention, research, community health, and health equity. As a bilingual and bicultural professional, she excels at working with diverse communities, enhancing communication, and improving access to critical health resources. Her background in public health strategy and research equips her to contribute meaningfully to advancing health equity.
Jeanette Wong, BS
Research Analyst
Jeanette Wong joined the IgNITE Lab in 2022 as a Research Analyst. Jeanette received her BS in Neuroscience & Behavioral Biology and Psychology from Emory University. Jeanette supports Dr. Urmimala Sarkar’s research and implementation efforts to improve health communication and reduce barriers to care among historically marginalized populations. Jeanette is excited to work in the safety-net care setting to help advance health equity.
Andersen Yang, MPH
Research Data Analyst
Andersen Yang joined the IgNITE Lab in 2023 as a Research Data Analyst. Andersen works under Dr. Elaine Khoong and with her team in improving digital health access and achieving health equity for all. Previously, he spent the past 5 years working with the Tobacco Control Evaluation Center, where he supported local tobacco control programs, community-based grantees, and statewide partners in the design and implementation of their evaluation plans. He also brings on a year of research experience, conducting a qualitative study to identify strategies to engage the UC Davis international student community with the smoke and tobacco free policy. He graduated with a B.S. in Statistics and earned a Master’s in Public Health, both from UC Davis.
