OFFICERS 2019-2020
Adrian Vallejo c/o 2020, President
Hello, my name is Adrian Vallejo and I am the President of GMT at UCI for the 2019-2020 academic year. I was born in San Diego, CA and raised in Redlands, CA. I have been a student at UCI since 2016 and am currently a Biological Sciences major. I joined GMT as a freshman and have been involved since. I joined GMT to find a resourceful organization that supports aspiring premedical and pre-health students during their journeys. GMT offers insightful weekly workshops about various topics, community volunteering, advocacy opportunities for local social disparities, medical missions abroad, and fun socials. However, GMT is much more that. GMT is also a social support system, a family. I have been involved in GMT for almost four years, which is longer than my involvement in any other pre-health club. I believe this implies a lot about GMT.
Ashley Lara c/o 2020, Vice President
Hey guys! My name is Ashley Lara and I am the Vice President for the 2019-2020 academic year! I am a 5th year Psychology major (3 classes to go!) here at UCI and I’ve been in GMT since fall quarter of my freshman year. In addition to Vice President, last year I was on board as a Workshop Coordinator. When I found out I was going to have to stay I decided I wanted to take a bigger role in this amazing club. I joined GMT because of my RA, who was on board, had told me about GMT and it sounded really interesting and something that I wanted to find out more about. I went to the first meeting where we watched a tripper video of a group going to Nicaragua and I was instantly hooked. The video literally brought me to tears seeing how much of a difference this organization made. I’ve known since elementary school that I wanted to go into the medical field, but I had no idea that I could get so involved in the field at this level in college. I started college as a Biological Sciences major because that’s what I thought I needed to do to go to med school. As I continued to take classes, I figured out that I could study whatever I wanted, then I found my real interest in Psychology. Even though most of our members are Biology majors we have members from all kinds of majors. Anyone who has an interest in helping others, more often than not, finds a home with us. The people in this club are some of the best that you’ll ever meet. Now that my time is almost up, I know I’ll be leaving with great friends for years to come.
Delayne Darroux c/o 2021, Advocacy Coordinator
Hi everyone! My name is Delayne Darroux and I am your Advocacy Coordinator for this upcoming 2019 - 2020 academic year! As Advocacy Coordinator, I’ll be reaching out to on-campus organizations and the UCI community to advocate and spread awareness about the homelessness crisis in Orange County. By collaborating with Neda and Therese, we are able to gain insight about situations that occur amongst the homeless population and share this knowledge with others to inspire students to become more passionate on this issue. I am currently a 3rd year Biological Sciences major and I’m originally from a Caribbean island known as Dominica. However, I moved to the states at a young age and lived a majority of my life in Tracy, CA! I remember being overwhelmed my freshmen year because of all the clubs present at the involvement fair but thankfully I stumbled upon GMT’s booth at the end. I came out to their first meeting and was immediately attracted by the club’s welcoming atmosphere and unique support system that they provided for me. I’ve made long lasting relationships with a family who has filled my college career with so many wonderful memories and I can’t imagine how I would’ve gotten here without them. I’m looking forward to not only forming tighter bonds with the rest of the GMT family, but also continuing to help serve communities in need both locally and abroad! I hope you can all find your place in our GMT family and meet people who will support you unconditionally every step of the way!
Neda Izadyar c/o 2021, Advocacy Coordinator
Hey guys! My name is Neda Izadyar and I am going to be your Advocacy Coordinator for the 2019 - 2020 academic school year! As your Advocacy Coordinator, I’ll be working closely with Therese and Delayne (the two other Projects/Advocacy Coordinators) in organizing Santa Ana outreach events to assist the homeless population. I was originally born in The Netherlands (but a true Persian by blood), moved to Irvine in 2007 and have lived here ever since. I am currently a third year Human Biology major at UCI (If you have any questions about what that’s like just let me know :)). I accidentally stumbled across GMT during Anteater Involvement Fair my Freshman year and I’m going to say that was probably by far the best decision I’ve made during my college experience so far. Not only are the people so inviting and inclusive, but they truly care about your ability to succeed throughout your time here at UCI. This is a great opportunity to make friends, network, figure out what you want to do post-grad, and to just have a good time! Some opportunities to take advantage of includes Project RAMP (in which we mentor kids in Santa Ana and practice their math and reading skills) and Food Pantry (where we provide healthy food options to vulnerable communities). My favorite by far would have to be the GMT trips to underserved Latin American communities. I have gone on two trips already, one to the Dominican Republic (Summer 2018) and the most recent one to Peru (Summer 2019). Both trips were equally eye-opening and rewarding in the most indescribable way. I look forward to meeting you and I hope you’ll come to fall in love with GMT the same way I do!
Therese Cristal c/o 2021, Projects Coordinator
Hello there! My name is Therese Cristal and I am the Projects Coordinator for the upcoming 2019 - 2020 school year. As Project Coordinator I oversee Project RAMP (Reading Awareness and Mentorship Program) and our UCI Mobile Food Pantries. Project RAMP occurs once a month at the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana, where GMT volunteers pair up with kids that are within the age range of 4-15, to complete reading, writing, and math worksheets that are based off of the month’s theme. Some of the themes we’ve had in the past were chemistry, marine biology, outer space, and physiology to name a few. Food Pantry on the other hand occurs twice a month, one in Santa Ana and one in Anaheim.I love this position because it provides students the opportunity to give back to the community and provide their help to those that are in need. A little about me is that I was born in the Philippines, but moved to San Diego, California when I was two and have lived there ever since. I am currently a third year Human Biology Major, however, I found GMT through the Anteater Involvement Fair during my freshman year. Back then I was just “window shopping” for pre-health/pre-med clubs to join, but little did I know that when I attended my first meeting that I had found my family at UCI. I have made some of my best friends in college through this club and I hope for you all to find the same as well!
Clare Chen c/o 2021, Workshop Coordinator
Hello, my name is Clare Chen and I’m one of the Workshop Coordinators of GMT. (and yes, Michelle is my co-chair). I was born in Taipei, Taiwan; if you don’t know where it is, it is the origin of boba. I moved to Irvine 7 years ago and joined marching band through all 4 years of high school. This year will be my third year at UCI,studying biological science. I joined GMT the winter quarter of my freshman year. I was one of those that typed in “pre-med clubs uci” in google search. Though I went to my first GMT meeting the middle of the quarter, I was not left out in their family. The smile and laugh in the room, the eye-opening hands-on workshop were the reasons I got stuck to GMT, even until now. One thing I love about GMT is how we are able to reach our hands not only to people in Latin American countries, but the locals. In UCI Food pantries, we’re able to distribute produce to low-income families in Santa Ana, and through Project RAMP we are able to tutor underserved kids in Santa Ana to make sure they are on track with school and stimulate their learning experience. Now serving as a workshop coordinator, I hope to bring not only educational but fun healthcare related workshops that even non- premed and non- bio students can have fun within. GMT is a great place to meet others, and I truly believe that GMT will enrich our college experience!
Michelle Lee c/o 2020, Workshop Coordinator
Hiya, my name is Michelle Lee and I am one of the Workshop Coordinators of GMT at UCI. I was born in Garden Grove, CA and grew up in Fountain Valley so I am very local. I am a fourth year Bio major and I joined GMT during my second year. GMT stood out to me among all the other pre-med/pre-health organizations because of its diversity. There are students from different majors and different backgrounds who come together to help the local community. I especially like one of our projects called RAMP where we volunteer at a Boys and Girls club in Santa Ana to help young kids with reading and math. What I love the most is the family vibes that the club cultivates. Each day with GMT leaves me happy and incredibly thankful. What I do as workshop coordinator is research various pre-health related topics to discuss in our weekly meetings with hopes that members learn something new. This is a great organization to be apart of and I hope to meet you in person!
Brandon Trang c/o 2020, Financial Director
What’s up everyone, my name is Brandon Trang and I am a fourth year studying Biological Sciences. I will be one of the Financial Directors for the next academic year! My upbringing has been entirely in the 626 area, Temple City, CA specifically. If you don’t know where that is, it’s about an hour from Irvine and home to the best boba shops in Cali. Aside from craving boba on the daily, I enjoy spending time with friends, going to the gym, playing basketball and questioning why golf is such a difficult sport. I stumbled across GMT during my second year as a pre-health student, still unsure where in healthcare I belong. Initially, I joined GMT only wanting to attend a medical mission trip, but after becoming more involved with the community service events, weekly workshops, and social events, I found that GMT consists of individuals who treat all members like family. GMT is much more than just a club that goes on medical mission trips abroad, it is a support system with people who know how to have fun, but also help each other in times of need. If you are interested in making lifelong friends and making lifelong memories, this club might be right for you.
Justin Luu c/o 2021, Financial Director
Ayeeee, hi there! My name is Justin Luu and I am the Financial Director starting this 2019-2020 academic year. I was born and raised in San Francisco, California and now am a 3rd year Biological sciences major at UCI. During my first year, I was actually a Physics major and had no intent on joining any medical clubs like GMT. I always enjoyed helping others and putting a smile on their faces, making their day just that much better… however much it counted for. So during my second year I decided to become pre-med, where I eventually found GMT. Originally, I was unsure whether or not this was the club for me, but as time continued I made/have friends that I can count on when I’m in need and I they know I would do the same for them. And although friends was part of the reason I stayed in GMT, it was also due to the resourcefulness of the organization, offering fun and educating workshops, fulfilling community outreach, and providing for a better community throughout Orange County. So, I hope you come and join our club sometime or you can just pass by and say hi to that random dude you read the bio of… on the GMT site:) Who knows, maybe you’ll just make a new family.
Sarah Abao c/o 2021, Social Coordinator
Hi! Im Sarah Abao, I am the Social Coordinator for this year’s 2019-2020 board. I’m currently a third year Public Health Sciences major from East Bay Area! Being your Social Chair, it’s my priority to make each member feel welcome and at home for each event. Mainly, I hope everyone here feels comfortable and are enlightened with joy in finding great friendships towards our growing GMT fam. I love meeting new people and bonding through adventures or socials I plan upon. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, feel free to ask me what y’all want to do! I’m always here if you need anyone to talk to and hope to put a smile on everyone’s faces.I joined GMT because my friend wanted to check it out. I was a bit hesitant but I said to myself, “Why not? Lets gooo!” I never heard of it until my first quarter of the second year. So, I went to my first GMT meeting and I felt a good connection between everyone whom I can trust and feel comfortable being myself. Plus, it’s a great pre-med organization where you can discover new information about pathways to a medical career. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming on my first day and decided to stay longer. Now, I have long lasting friendships with my family here. I hope everyone has the same special experiences and memories I have here. On my free time, I love singing and revived an acappella group on campus called Clair De Lune. If you ever want to jam or hit me up for some karaoke sessions, let me know! I hope to meet you soon and lets hang if you want to!
Vivian Wang c/o 2021, External Publicity Coordinator
Hello GMT fam! My name is Vivian Wang and I’m the External Publicity Coordinator of GMT 2019-20! I’m responsible for tasks such as advertising the club, sending weekly newsletter emails, and making club apparels. I’m a 3rd year Biological Sciences major. I was born in Taiwan and moved to the Walnut, CA around 9 years ago. I have known about GMT since the beginning of freshman year through Anteater Involvement Fair, and went to a few of their meetings. However, I did not fully involved with the club until spring quarter of my freshman year. I was initially interested in GMT due to their community services and weekly workshops. Then I stayed because of the close-knit community of like-minded people who are passionate about contributing to the communities through various ways, especially healthcare. My trip to Panama with GMT during spring break of 2019 opened my eyes to different variety of cultures and their perspectives of healthcare, and gave me valuable experiences regarding patient care that I would not be able to get from anywhere else. Joining GMT helped me navigate my decision regarding my future career, and becoming a part of the support system in which many of us are striving for similar goal of involving in healthcare in some way. I’m also interested in art (designing T-shirts is one of the reasons I applied for publicity board) and dabbled in music occasionally. I believe that GMT is a great place for gaining valuable support and experiences for people who are interested in healthcare aspects of community services, and I hope that your time in GMT can be as worthwhile as it can be.
Kody Le c/o 2021, Internal Publicity Coordinator
Hey everyone! My name is Kody and I’ll be your Internal Publicity Coordinator for the 2019-2020 academic school year! I was born in San Jose, CA, but I’ve lived practically my entire life in Sacramento, CA. I absolutely LOVE sports, exploring, and doing adventurous things like kayaking, rock climbing, and more!I am currently a 3rd year Biological Sciences Major and I joined GMT back in my very first quarter here at UCI as a freshman! Like some of you may have, I didn’t get the chance to run across GMT’s booth at the Anteater Involvement Fair, but I learned about it through social media and through one of my Bio Sci 2A TAs, Maria, who was a board member! She described the amazing opportunities that GMT offered not only locally in helping impoverished communities and children in the cities of Santa Ana and Anaheim, but she also told me all about the trips GMT members had taken which instantly hooked me in! As I was on the pre-med route in my first quarter at UCI, I was largely lost and didn’t really have a family or group of people I could look to for advice and support. I was welcomed with open arms right away despite not knowing a single person in the organization! GMT was my first family at UCI and joining has been one of the best decisions of my life. My favorite memory so far has been the recent Peru 2019 trip which I took with 23 other GMT members and was my first trip! As your Internal Publicity Coordinator, I am charged with taking pictures and videos at all of our events including general meetings, socials, fundraising, and more! My major projects are usually trip videos and the end of the year video. So you’ll see plenty of my posts on Facebook, Instagram, and also on our website! If you see me with my camera equipment at our events, you’ll probably see me running around everywhere trying to get the shots I need so I apologize ahead of time if I’m all over the place! I hope you experience the same feelings I had and currently still experience now with GMT! If you have any questions, I’m always happy to answer them!