LEAP Peer Ambassadors are senior undergraduate public health students in our Advanced LEAP Scholar cohort. LEAP Peer Ambassadors connect with students who are interested in MCAH, share experiences about student life and community environment, and provide mentoring with academic planning and creating a balanced workload.
Click here for LEAP advising Info and calendar
LEAP Peer Ambassadors 2025-26
Aryana (Ary) Valle Portela
I am a first-generation, fourth-year student majoring in Public Health on a pre-med track. I grew up in Salinas, CA, a predominantly Latinx agricultural community, where I witnessed and experienced firsthand the health inequities that shaped my passion for public health. I am deeply committed to community engagement and enjoy giving back through volunteering, resource distribution, and mentorship. My interests include maternal and child health, chronic diseases, reproductive justice, and advancing health equity.
On campus, I am involved with several organizations, including the Health Service Internship (HSI), KDSAP, and USMO, and I also conduct research at UCSF. After graduation, I plan on applying for my Master's in Public Health, and taking a gap year before applying for medical school.
Feel free to connect with me for questions related to public health, navigating undergrad as a pre-med student, or any other ways I can support your journey.
Kimberly Pham
My name is Kimberly Pham and I am a fourth year studying Public Health and Integrative Biology. I am passionate about integrating preventive and clinical care through addressing social disparities in health and understanding the impact on patient outcomes. Through MCAH, I focus on improving maternal and child health outcomes by addressing inequities in care delivery and promoting culturally informed approaches to treatment.
I hope to approach medicine with a public health perspective, having conducted research in gene therapy, metabolic diseases, and maternal health outcomes. My experience as a Certified Medical Assistant and Data Analyst Fellow with the UCSF Preterm Birth Initiative solidified my commitment to equitable, community-centered healthcare. Feel free to sign up for office hours; I would love to support your journey here at Berkeley and beyond!