Sofia Aguilar

Sofia Aguilar, a native of Los Angeles, California, graduated from the University of California, Merced in 2024 with a bachelor's degree in Public Health. She was a Student Researcher at Dr. Yen’s Housing, Opportunity and Place (HOPe) Lab in the Department of Public Health. In this role, Sofia assisted with research on education and state policy. The position involved analyzing and screening state-level school discipline policies, followed by coding the policies. Sofia’s academic endeavor consists of pursuing a PhD after her bachelor's degree. Passionate about public health promotion and one day serving underserved communities at a local and global level, Sofia Aguilar’s goal is to one day work for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rebecca Martinez

Rebecca Martinez was a Staff Researcher at UC Merced's HOPe Lab. She earned her BA in Public Health from UC Merced in 2021 and her MPH in Health Policy and Services from the University of Southern California in 2024. Born and raised in California's Central Valley, Rebecca has a strong passion for serving her community.

Rebecca has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, advocating for healthcare access for undocumented and underserved communities. Her background includes advocacy, organizing, community engagement, program planning, and implementation. As part of Power California, she participated in the inaugural Power Advocate cohort, contributing to the 2024 policy agenda that addresses critical housing barriers for young Californians.

Rebecca interned at the Iris Cantor Women's Health Education and Research Center, where she trained and worked alongside promotoras to highlight the environmental effects on women's reproductive health. Her experience and upbringing fuel her passion for working toward a California where everyone is housed, healthy, and thriving.

Kimberly Montanez

Kimberly Montanez graduated from UC Merced in May 2024 with a bachelor's degree in public health. She was a Student Researcher at Dr. Yen’s Housing, Opportunity and Place (HOPe) Lab in the Department of Public Health. She is now participating in a year-long internship with the National Health Corps as an outreach and enrollment coordinator with Livingston Community Health. Kimberly is a Central Valley local and hopes to continue helping her local community. Her interest in public health and her desire to help the community stay safe grew during the pandemic. She hopes to further her education after her internship to be able to work for the California Department of Public Health.