The James Van Rhee Student Society

Tyler Burris
Secretary

Burris was born and raised in Cambridge, Ohio, and now calls Chicago, Illinois home. In 2016, Burris moved to Columbus, OH to attend The Ohio State University. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and another one in French in 2020. During school, he worked as a patient care technician at Riverside Hospital before moving during the pandemic to Chicago to help in the emergency room at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.

Burris plans to bring affirming care to queer communities in Chicago and in his free time enjoys writing, reading, volleyball, and video games.

Cristina Pozadas
AAPA Student Academy Representative

Pozadas was raised in Cochabamba, Bolivia, where she lived her formative years until she moved to the U.S. to pursue higher education. She holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from the University of Central Oklahoma – Edmond, where she currently resides. Pozadas has been a long-standing community servant leader in Oklahoma City. She has served as a volunteer in free clinics and children’s community centers, providing Spanish-to-English translation, triage, tutoring, and mentorship to high school youth and college students. She is currently serving as an advocate for foster children as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Oklahoma County. Pozadas was recognized for her service through CASA and was awarded the Harry Pizer Investigative Award in 2020. 

Pozadas is interested in women’s reproductive health, sexual and psychosocial medicine, behavioral medicine, emergency medicine, cardiology, critical care, and advocacy. 

When she is not hitting the books, Pozadas enjoys spending time with her partner and two dogs, playing the guitar or piano, practicing yoga, and listening to Astor Piazzolla.

Storrs Lamb
AAPA Student Academy Representative – Alternate

Lamb graduated from the University of Virginia (UVA) with a bachelor of science in nursing. Prior to PA school, she worked for several years in UVA’s surgical trauma ICU, as well as in a cardiac catheterization lab. Although passionate about critical care, she also developed an interest in primary care while volunteering a couple days a week at her local free clinic. 

Outside of school, Lamb is a vinyasa yogi and an outdoor-lover. She likes to ski, hike, camp, and sail with her boyfriend and family. She also plays piano and bakes in her spare time.

Lamb has strong interests in surgery, critical care, cardiology, and orthopedics. She hopes to incorporate her passion for yoga into her future practice as well, by obtaining an integrative medicine certification.

Jasprina Ming
Diversity Representative

Ming was born, raised, and still resides in Portsmouth, Virginia, with her husband and four children.  She holds an associate of applied science in non-invasive peripheral vascular technology from Sentara College of Health Sciences (SCOHS) and a bachelor of science in chemistry from Old Dominion University.  She has been an adjunct professor at her alma mater SCOHS for two years and is a passionate registered vascular technologist. 

Ming enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and being active in her children’s extracurricular activities.  When she is not a professional chauffeur, she enjoys trying new cuisine, hosting gatherings for close friends, finding scenic locations to relax, and completing projects around her home.

Aiman Waris
Treasurer

Waris was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida before moving to Alpharetta, Georgia.  Waris graduated from Georgia Tech with a bachelor of science in biology. During this time, she conducted research in a psychology lab studying memory in older adults. She also volunteered at a free clinic, which sparked her interest in community health and diverse populations.

Prior to PA school, Waris worked as a medical assistant in an urgent care and geriatric primary care setting. Waris also worked with children with autism as a behavior health technician.

Waris currently lives in San Jose, California with her husband. In her free time, she enjoys exploring hiking trails and coffee shops in California, experimenting with new recipes for her family, and mentoring young women who are interested in STEM. She hopes to work as a primary care provider in her local community and spread awareness about the PA profession.

Ariella Mamman
Outreach Chair

Mamann was born and raised in Boca Raton, Florida, and moved to New York City at the start of the program. She spent the last four years living in Orlando while pursuing a bachelor of science in health sciences at the University of Central Florida (UCF). While studying at UCF, Mamann worked as a medical assistant at an internal medicine office. Additionally, she was a teacher’s assistant where she found a passion for leadership in aiding in the enhancement of students’ knowledge. Due to this, one day Mamann hopes to expand her career into academia in addition to her clinical work.

Prior to attending UCF, Mamann spent a gap year in Israel where she worked as a volunteer EMT for Magen David Adom, Israel’s national ambulance service. This experience ultimately became the foundation of her passion for the medical field. It provided her with the unique opportunity to perform lifesaving treatments in mass casualty events and learn about different cultures and faiths. The ability to serve and see the impact her work has had for the community has been an honor and she cannot wait to continue this as a PA. Mamann is interested in working in trauma or emergency medicine and promoting patient advocacy and cultural humility while providing quality care to a variety of patients. In her free time, Mamann enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and exploring the busy streets of New York.

Alieja Chen
CT State Representative

Chen was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. She earned her bachelor of arts in psychology and speech, language, and hearing sciences from the University of Connecticut. Prior to PA school, Chen served as a research assistant for a child development study. She then worked as a life skill instructor, where she provided residential support to adults with special needs. That experience helped her realize her passion for medicine and led her to become an EMT. She later worked as an emergency department technician. Chen is very interested in working in primary care or internal medicine in underserved areas and participating in advocacy efforts within the profession. In her free time, she can be found spending quality time with her family, traveling to beach destinations, gaming, or attempting new creative endeavors.