Hands On Advocacy
Meet Our Team
Project Leads:
Tracy Marko
Tracy is an MS4 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in mechanical engineering, MS in biomedical engineering, and PhD in cancer biology. She enjoys community and legislative healthcare advocacy and is excited to focus on the opioid crisis with other medical students. In her spare time she enjoys training for triathlons, hiking, and playing tennis.
Tom Schmidt
Tom is an MS2 at the U of MN, Twin Cities. Following his undergraduate degree in Biology, he conducted 4 years of HIV research at the U of MN and 1 year of tuberculosis and malaria research at the FDA. Tom also has a masters in Microbiology and Immunology from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. In his free time, Tom spends his time with his family (wife, one year old son, and dog), enjoys running outside, and watching birds.
Direct Advocacy Committee:
Minna Ding (Chair)
Minna is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities from Las Vegas, NV. She graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2016 with a degree in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and a minor in Biomedical Research. Minna is very excited to be serving as the co-chair of the Direct Advocacy committee and plans to do her best in advocating for people struggling with chronic pain and/or addiction through the state’s legislative process. In her spare time, you’ll find Minna curled up with a good romance novel, baking with store-bought cake mixes (she’s a baking novice), or frantically knitting in preparation for her first true winter in Minnesota.
Jennifer Dens Higano
Jennifer is a first-year medical student at Mayo Clinic School of Medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree in architecture at the University of Minnesota before working in design and planning for several years, where she became interested in the impacts of the built environment on health. She also completed a master’s degree in public policy with focus on health policy. Jennifer is passionate about working for positive change for health and wellness at all scales – from the individual to societal. Aside from studying medicine, Jennifer enjoys bicycling, cooking, camping, skiing, knitting, design, and photography.
James Flanary (Chair)
Jim Flanary is a third year medical student at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and a chair for the direct advocacy committee. While working in the ER prior to medical school, he saw many patients struggle with opioid addiction and providers struggle with managing their care. He studied psychology and biology at Luther College and is drawn to the project because of the intersection between policy and addiction treatment.
Fathima Mohamed
Fathima is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She graduated from Hamline University in 2017 with a BS in Biology and a BA in English with minors in Chemistry and French and Francophone Studies. She is excited to work with both the community and the legislature to address the current opioid epidemic in the United States. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading books, and baking.
Carlos Perez Kerkvliet
​Carlos Perez Kerkvliet was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He got my bachelor in general biology at the University of Puerto Rico Cayey. Then, he decided to continue his medical studies at the University of Minnesota as part of the M.D./Ph.D. program. He is currently in the 4th year of the program. His long-term career goals are to perform scientific research and maintain an active clinical practice as a surgeon-scientist. He intends to specialize in surgical oncology and breast cancer cellular biology as a surgeon and translational science researcher, respectively. He is interested in the opioid epidemics and advocacy because he believes physicians and clinician-scientists have a fundamental role in the processes related to policy and law creation. More specifically, his interest in surgery inspired him to better understand how opioids are prescribed after surgery and what can we do better as future-physicians and members of society to decrease opioid addiction in patients.
Grassroots Advocacy Committee:
Maggie Strampe (Chair)
Maggie is an MS3 at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a co-chair of the Grassroots Advocacy Committee. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2012 with a degree in French. She is passionate about providing medical care to underserved populations and believes everyone should have equal opportunity to be healthy. She is looking forward to partnering with community organizations to combat the opioid crisis.
Nicole Westphal
Nicole is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. After studying biomedical engineering at Michigan Technological University, she spent 2 years teaching 5th grade math and science in Chicago, IL. She is an ensign in the US Navy. She is passionate about bringing attention to factors affecting health that have historically been ignored, such as addiction, mental health, sexual violence, and socioeconomic status. In her spare time she enjoys running, weight lifting, being outdoors, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family.
Roberto Lopez Cervera
Roberto is a first year MD/PhD student interested in pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. His passion for mental health and mindfulness led him to seek ways to raise awareness and help fight the opioid epidemic through Hands on Advocacy. Roberto graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in 2014.
Michelle Patregnani
Michelle is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus. After graduating from the University of North Dakota in 2015, she worked as a medical scribe in the Emergency Department. Seeing the use and misuse of opioids in the ED is what piqued her interest in opioid advocacy. She is passionate about helping to change the current state of the opioid epidemic in this country. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and hanging out at coffee shops.
Jeff Theismann
Jeff is a 4th year Medical Student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Twin Cities Campus. After studying biochemistry and molecular biology at Macalester College, he decided on a career in medicine over teaching and coaching. Jeff is passionate about installing best practice into medical care being provided throughout health systems. In his free time he can be found playing any team sport, learning to cook, or reading Star Wars books, Tom Clancy books, or books about health policy and how it affects healthcare delivery.
Health Equity Committee:
Aubrey Thyen (Chair)
Aubrey is a fourth-year medical student at the University of Minnesota. She majored in biology at the University of Minnesota-Morris. Aubrey is particularly interested in pediatric and adolescent medicine and is currently applying to pediatric residency. Her hobbies include baking, organizing, and planning her wedding!
Andrea Tinsay (Chair)
Andrea Tinsay is an MS2 at the U of M, Twin Cities. She graduated from Hamline University in 2015 with a degree in Biochemistry. Her passion for this project stems from her desire to advocate for the health of the individual, and the entire community. In her spare time she loves reading, playing piano, and writing.
Messaging Committee:
Gina Schlueter (Chair)
Gina is a third-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She majored in Chemistry at Concordia College where she also played soccer and ran track. She worked as a CNA during her undergraduate education and as an EMT during her gap year and the first part of medical school. Gina is passionate about public health, particularly in her home state of Minnesota, and hopes to pursue a career in Emergency Medicine upon graduation.
Megan Crowe
​Megan is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.S. in neurobiology, a B.S. in International Studies, and a Masters of Public Health. In the Hands on Advocacy Program, Megan will utilize her unique skills in neuroscience and public health to help people who have suffered because of the opioid epidemic. In her free time, you’ll find Megan on her triathlon bike or hiking in the woods with her husband and two dogs.
Leah Williams
Leah is an MS1 at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She graduated from Luther College in 2017 with a BA in Biology, where she also enjoyed studying music and singing in choir all four years. She has worked as a nursing assistant in memory care for three summers and will not be surprised if her love for the elderly will lead her to apply to geriatrics residencies. When she makes time for herself (because who actually has any free time by default anymore?) she enjoys road trips, singing show tunes at the piano, drawing, painting, throwing pottery, and spending quality time with family and friends.
Brandi Bollig (Chair)
Brandi is a first-year medical student at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth. She majored in biology at the College of Saint Benedict and spent a gap year teaching English and science in Bangkok, Thailand. She is passionate about rural health and preventative care. Her hobbies include traveling, reading, and hiking.
Elaina Hintsala
Elaina is a MS3 who completed her first two years of medical school at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth, and is now participating in the Rural Physician Associate Program in Elk River/Princeton, MN. She majored in Mathematics and Biology, Society & the Environment at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. While studying abroad in India, she became more passionate about ensuring that quality health care is available to all people. She intends to practice as a family medicine physician in rural Minnesota, where the opioid crisis is a factor in the health disparities of many communities. In her free time, she loves exploring MN, traveling, relaxing with her husband and cat, and "enjoys" training for the Fargo marathon.
Additional Team Members: Sam Stokes Cerkvenik, Alexis Philaya, Whitney Savage, Hilary Bauer, Spencer Goble, & Matthew Wheelwright
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