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Student Government

The School of Public Health Student Government (BPHSG) serves as a bridge connecting students with the administration and faculty, facilitating communication and keeping students informed about School affairs. Outside of this BPHSG plays a role in enhancing the BPH community by organizing events centered around professional growth, community bonding, networking, and various other activities.

Get Involved

  • We’re always interested in connecting with people who would like to plan events for the BPH community—contact us if you have ideas!
  • Have feedback, comments, or concerns that you’d like to share with us? Send us your thoughts with this anonymous BPH Student Government Listening Box.
  • If you are interested in becoming involved with Student Government events and activities, fill out this interest form.
  • If you are interested in any of the committees run by the School, let us know and you can attend with a BPHSG representative.
  • For specific information about committees, see Part VI of the Faculty By­laws Document

2024–2025 Student Government Representatives

Student Government Co-Leads

Sydney Dougan

MPH, Public Health Nutrition

Sydney (she/her) is a second-year Public Health Nutrition student. She is originally from North Carolina and relocated to the Bay Area in 2023. She is currently researching safety net programs and longitudinal fitness trends among youth. In her free time, she loves baking, exploring the Bay, and reading.

Arleth Escoto

MPH, Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology

Arleth Escoto (she/her) is a second-year MPH candidate in the Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology concentration program. Originally from Calexico, CA, she graduated with a BS in General Biology and Global Health from UC San Diego spring of 2023. Before joining the program, she spent the last few years researching how to effectively implement strategies that will minimize the health inequities faced by underserved populations when accessing COVID-19 testing resources. She is currently doing research on understanding the household transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Nicaraguan households. In her free time, she enjoys reading, live music, and baking.

Communications

Izzy Henley

MPH, Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology

Izzy (she/her) is a 2nd year MPH student in the Infectious Disease and Vaccinology program. She is originally from the East Bay Area and graduated with a BS in Microbiology and Ecology & Evolution from UC Santa Barbara in 2023. She has worked on several health communication projects involving vaccine hesitancy and queer inclusive sex education, and conducted research on therapies for Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV). She is currently doing research at UCSF to optimize a gonorrhea vaccine antigen. In addition to bacteria, Izzy loves surfing, backpacking, and her cats, Norman and Chicken.

Events

Jocelyn Castillo

MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Jocelyn Castillo (she/her) is a 2nd-year graduate student in the Epidemiology & Biostatistics program at UC Berkeley. She graduated from Dominican University of California in 2022 with a BS in Molecular Cell Biology. Jocelyn has worked as a Community Health Worker with Sonoma County’s Department of Health Services, where she focused on bridging healthcare gaps and providing essential support to underserved populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her passion for public health is driven by a deep commitment to addressing health disparities faced by marginalized communities, particularly in relation to chronic diseases. In her free time, Jocelyn enjoys photography, hiking and reading.

Keira Beltran-Murillo

MPH, Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health

Keira (she/her) is a first-year MPH candidate in the Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health
program. Originally from Southern California, she graduated from the University of California,
San Diego in 2024 with a degree in public health. She has a background in engaging with diverse
communities in the San Diego area, with a focus on maternal and perinatal health research. In her
free time, she enjoys going to concerts and exploring local restaurants and coffee shops.

Education Policy and Curriculum Committee (EPCC)

Anya Fang

MPH, Health Policy and Management

Anya Fang (she/her) is a first-year MPH candidate in the health policy and management program. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in public health in 2020 and has stayed in the Bay Area ever since. She has a background in supporting educational equity, healthcare workforce development, and conducting quality improvement work within community mental health settings. She hopes to continue collaborating with UCBPH students to design initiatives for supporting the next generation of leaders for advancing health equity. You can usually find her in a coffee shop or eating hot pot!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Natalia Msami

MPH, Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology

Natalia Msami (she/her) is a first-year MPH candidate in the Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology concentration. She completed her undergraduate studies in Biology/Chemistry at the San Francisco State University. As a first-generation Tanzanian immigrant, her research aspirations swirl around the containment and control of disease outbreaks and viral evolution within urban and rural communities. She hopes to eventually extend her research and coursework experience to the East African community. In her spare time, she enjoys long walks/hikes, reading, baking, and spending time with her friends and family.

Steering Chair

Olivia West

MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Olivia (she/her) is a MPH candidate in the Epidemiology and Biostatistics concentration. She graduated from UC Davis with a BS in Genetics and Genomics in 2020. Prior to joining the program, she worked in healthcare. In her free time, Olivia enjoys hiking, baking, and spending time with her dogs.

Undergraduate Representatives

Daniela Arreola

Undergraduate

Daniela Arreola (she/her/ella) is a junior studying Public Health and Sociology. As a Peruvian-Mexican-American, she is passionate about working with vulnerable and Latinx communities; she also has an interest in learning more about how social and environmental inequalities impact health. She is from Southern California and in her free time loves salsa dancing and exploring the outdoors. Post undergrad, Daniela intends to continue doing community service, traveling, and plans to pursue her Master’s in Public Health.

Catherine Flowers

Undergraduate

Catherine Flowers (she/her/hers) is a third-year undergraduate studying Public Health and Sociology. She is passionate about improving equality and accessibility to healthcare, focusing on social determinants of health. She is especially focused on community-level health and direct patient care to elevate the voices of all. Catherine grew up in El Cerrito within the Bay Area, and in her free time loves traveling, spending time outdoors, and doing contemporary dance.

Sameera Menon

Undergraduate

Sameera Menon (she/her) is a third-year undergraduate studying Public Health on the premedical track. Hailing from Orange County, California but having spent formative years living in India, she has witnessed healthcare disparity that spans ethnicity, income, and location, and is passionate about closing these gaps and furthering healthcare access. She is particularly interested in health policy and working at both a federal and grassroots level to shape the future of healthcare. In her free time, she loves trying new recipes, thrifting room decor, and spending time with her friends. Post-graduation, Sameera plans to pursue a Master’s in Public Health in addition to medical school.

Andrew Perera

Undergraduate

Andrew Perera is a fourth year undergraduate studying Public Health and Molecular & Cell Biology. As a son of immigrants from Sri Lanka, Andrew is passionate about global health, community health, and advocating for equitable treatment of minorities in today’s healthcare system. He is also interested in addressing unmet healthcare needs in the community such as medicine noncompliance. His current interests include epidemiology, physiology, infectious disease, genetics, and psychology. Outside of academics, Andrew loves trying new foods, visiting new coffee shops, and going on runs.

Charlotte Zhang

Undergraduate

Charlotte is a junior from Los Angeles studying Public Health & Economics, interested in the healthcare business space. She plans on pursuing healthcare consulting and hopes to enter the healthcare management field. Charlotte is a huge foodie and loves thrifting in her free time!

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