Mental Health Public Health Connections (MHPHC) .
Mental Health Public Health Connection
Student Organization
Contact Us
mhphc@bu.edu
Our Mission:
The mission of Mental Health Public Health Connections is three-fold:
- To increase awareness of the burden of disease caused by mental illness and substance use
- To promote wellness among BUSPH students
- To provide a network of students, alumni, and faculty for professional development
Become a Member
Check out our Monthly Newsletters here
Meet our Team
Dylan Gould, President
Dylan, President
Dylan is a second-year MPH candidate with certificates in Community Assessment, Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation (CAPDIE) and Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU). He also works as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Boston University Translational Research Program, where he researches the intersections between mental and public health. Additionally, Dylan volunteers at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Emergency Department, where he transports patients and attends to their basic needs. Dylan is incredibly passionate about mental health, public health, barriers to care, and healthcare inequalities. Outside of academia, he loves soccer, LEGO, Star Wars, and exploring Boston.
Email: dagould@bu.edu
Devanshi Choksi, Vice President
Devanshi, Vice President
Devanshi is a second-year MPH student currently pursuing certificates in epidemiology/biostatistics and mental health and substance use. She served as a physician in India prior to joining BUSPH. Her goal is to reduce stigma around mental health and promote more conversations about mental well-being. Outside of academia, she enjoys reading books, trying out new dessert spots in Boston, and listening to her same old playlist from 2015.
Email: dchoksi@bu.edu
Ajuni Kaur, Director of Communications and Engagement
Ajuni, Director of Communications and Engagementt
Ajuni (she/her/hers) is a First-year MPH student pursuing certificates in Biostatics and Epidemiology and Environmental Health. She is passionate about addressing stigma around mental health and providing resources that alleviate stress/provide comfort. Ajuni is also part of the Food in Medicine Collective (FIMC) at BUSPH. Outside of school, she enjoys dancing, cooking, and watching standup comedy. Feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn.
Email: ajukaur@bu.edu
Jacob Miner, Director of Finance
Jacob, Director of Finance
Jacob Miner (he/him/his) is MHPHC’s Director of Finances. He is a graduate of Boston University College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College and is currently pursuing his Master of Public Health in Healthcare Management and Mental Health and Substance Use from BUSPH. With an interest in increasing access to sustainable, attainable, and personable mental health care, he hopes to continue his work with inpatient psychiatry administration. Originally from Vermont, he enjoys baking, skiing, and hiking with his dogs.
Email: jaminer@bu.edu
Henry Lee, Director of Membership & Co-Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Henry, Director of Membership & Co-Director of Advocacy and Outreach
First year MPH student in healthcare management and mental health and substance use. I enjoy baking and cooking in my spare time. I am also a big fan of true crime novels and documentaries. Henry’s preferred pronouns are he/him/his.
Email: howyu@bu.edu
Sonya Nguyen, Co-Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Sonya, Co-Director of Advocacy and Outreach
Sonya Nguyen (she/her/hers) is a 1st year MPH student in the CAPDIE certificate program. She graduated from University of Colorado Boulder with a B.A in biochemistry and sociology. Prior to BUSPH, she worked in the COVID-19 response at her local public health agency in Colorado focusing primarily on promoting COVID-19 vaccines and increasing accessibility to underserved populations. She is interested in addressing equitable care, raising awareness of public health, and prevention program development.Outside of MPH, she enjoys boba, eating, and exploring Boston!
Email: Song7543@bu.edu
Alexis Pinchuk, Co-Editor of the Newsletter
Alexis, Co-Editor of the Newsletter
Alexis Pinchuk (she/her/hers) is a second year Master of Public Health student at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH). She is studying Health Communication and Promotion and Mental Health and Substance Use. Pinchuk has over a decade of experience in journalism and creative writing and is passionate about the fusion of communication, public health, and medicine. This fall, in addition to being the Co-Editor of the MHPHC newsletter, Pinchuk is a Peer Coach for BUSPH’s core courses, a Teaching Assistant (TA) for SB733: Mass Communication and Public Health, and Social Media Coordinator for Maternal & Child Health in Action. In her personal life, Pinchuk is an avid “Grey’s Anatomy” fan, enjoys listening to music, practices Taekwondo as a second-degree black belt, is constantly seeking out opportunities to travel and have new experiences, and has been published dozens of times for her journalism and creative writing.
Email: apinchuk@bu.edu
Alejandra Rivera, Co-Editor of the Newsletter
Alejandra, Co-Editor of the Newsletter
Position on MHPHC: Co-editor of the Newsletter
Certificates: Health Policy and Law, Mental Health and Substance Use
Fun fact: Was on a competitive hip hop dance team in college
Ali Rivera is a proud Latina and a strong advocate for equitable access to quality mental health support for all individuals. For over five years, she has worked with local and national nonprofits to build and facilitate programs serving underrepresented populations. Most recently, she supported grantmaking and partnerships at the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health as a program associate. Since 2018, her interests have evolved within public health communications and project management, through her work with both the American Public Health Association’s Mental Health Section and Latinx Voces, LLC. Prior to BUSPH, Ali earned a B.S. in public health science from Santa Clara University. For fun, Ali enjoys all things outdoors, watching dramatic movies, and exploring coffee shops for the best almond croissant. She is always seeking recommendations, so feel free to reach out to her!
Email: a2rivera@bu.edu
Grace Fairchild Saidi, Co-Director of Wellness
Grace, Co-Director of Wellness
I’m Grace, a second year MPH candidate at BUSPH. Achieving health equity and improving overall health outcomes through policy and interventions is my passion, especially when it involves mental health and substance use. I have worked in public health roles for nearly a decade and look forward to continuing that journey. Also, I love adventure and traveling to new places, especially with my dog and husband.
Email: gracefs@bu.edu
Kiera Kaluhiokalani, Co-Director of Wellness
Kiera, Co-Director of Wellness
KC Kaluhiokalani graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration in 2014 from West Virginia University. After graduating, she opened a women’s clothing boutique in the suburbs of Pittsburgh with a mission to empower women and support them on their journey of self-love. She partnered with local businesses to organize events centered around meditation, mindset, self-love, and more.
After closing her business and working within the mental health space, she decided to broaden her education and pursue her MPH. KC is currently a second-year MPH student with concentrations in Healthcare Management and Mental Health and Substance Use. Her key interests include mental health, healthcare access, and digital health.
KC works part-time for Teladoc Health as a U.S. Group Health B2B Marketing Intern. She assists her team with marketing strategy, sourcing and analyzing clients’ outcome data, and developing case studies. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, and trying new restaurants. Breakfast is one of her favorite meals, so brunching is a must. KC is also passionate about travel, so if you have any great travel destinations or tips, let her know!
Email: kckalani@bu.edu
