Brandeis Counseling Center

The SHAC ambassadors assist in all areas of the committee. The ambassadors are often the faces of the SHAC committee attending events to students about health and wellness, advocate for policies to benefit student health on campus and empower students to be agents of change within the campus community. 

Major: Biology Minor: Psychology

Greetings, everyone! My name is A.J. Martinez. I am a sophomore from Miami, FL, majoring in Biology with a minor in Psychology. In addition to my involvement in SHAC, I am also a member of the Brandeis Swim and Dive Team. I am thrilled to be part of SHAC because of its impactful message and purpose in promoting public health across campus. I strongly believe that SHAC provides an excellent platform for individuals to strive for their utmost potential.

Major: HSSP

Hi! My name is Lisa, and I am from Burlington, MA. I am currently a sophomore studying HSSP and am so excited to be apart of SHAC. I joined SHAC because I am very passionate about preventative medicine and educational awareness regarding health/wellness for students. Outside of SHAC, I am a member of Chak De Bollywood Dance Team and work as a biology lab assistant.

Major: Psychology

Hello! My name is Egan and I am from West Warwick, Rhode Island. I am passionate about creating a stress-free environment in finding the right health needs for students. As a part of this committee, I hope to bring awareness of the health resources available as well as help add resources that my peers need. In my free time, I love listening to music, cooking, and playing with my pets (I have four cats and one dog). I also like to draw and go on hikes!

Major: Biochemistry Minor: Italian Studies

Hi! My name is Jenna Wild and I am a sophomore from Evanston, Illinois. I joined SHAC to help students better understand the resources available to them regarding their mental and physical health. Outside of SHAC, I am a member of the Brandeis Swim and Dive team and am a lifeguard at Linsey pool. I am so excited to be on SHAC!

Majors: Biology and HSSP

Hi! My name is Justin Keeler. I chose to join SHAC because I am passionate about promoting public health on campus, as well as spreading awareness about the health services being offered to students. I am also a member of the baseball team!

Major: Business Administration

Hi! I’m Sophia, I joined SHAC to help students' voices be heard and to help Brandeis continue to strive to be better. In addition to SHAC I’m also a part of Student Athletes of Color, and the Hidden Opponent, a group of students advocating for mental health awareness. I’m also a part of the Swim and Dive team here at Brandeis. 

This subcommittee strives to create an inclusive space at Brandeis for students of all backgrounds areas of focus include data collection on diverse student groups (accessibility, inclusion, experiences) and developing strategies on how SHAC and Student Affairs can reduce possible inequities in healthcare.

Major: HSSP Minor: Psychology

Hey everyone! My name is Gabrielle and I'm from Conyers, Georgia. I joined SHAC to improve accessibility to medical services for students that are traditionally overlooked in the healthcare system. Outside of SHAC, I serve as a Community Advisor, am a member of the Campus Activity Board, and am on the Platinum Step Team. In my free time you'll find me drawing, crocheting, or hanging out with friends.

Majors: HSSP and Environmental Studies

Hi! I’m Leana and I'm from Long Island, New York! I joined SHAC to raise awareness about the health services we offer on campus, with emphasis on the BIPOC community here at Brandeis. Outside of SHAC, I am a member of Sigma Delta Tau, the treasurer for the Brandeis Prosthetics Club, and work as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line. In my free time, I enjoy crocheting, writing, drawing, and thrifting!

Major: Arts & Sciences

My background includes work with non-profit organizations focused on helmet safety for kids, and bioengineering research, which have enriched my perspective on healthcare and policy. I am particularly interested in understanding health leave policies, improving telehealth accessibility on campus, unifying the health departments, and supporting low-income and nontraditional students. I joined SHAC to leverage my diverse personal, academic, clinical, and research experiences to enhance student health services at Brandeis.

This subcommittee aims to improve the medical health of all students at Brandeis. Some of our key focuses include raising awareness of the health services already available on campus and introduces new programs that will benefit students’ health, improving student relationship with hc, and the overall student experience, assisting in clarifying Immunization requirements, improving understanding of voluntary and involuntary reporting, access as well as providing assistance with annual COVID-19 and Flu shot clinics across campus.

Majors: HSSP and Biology

Hi! I'm Danna, a rising senior pre-med student. I’m involved in PARC as a high peer advocate and a violence prevention educator. I’m a research assistant at the lifespan lab, a member of the chamber singers choir, and a volunteer for Companions to Elders. I joined SHAC because I experienced health issues that surfaced around my freshman year of college and believed that the relationship between the BCC and the health center with students needed to be strengthened. I hope to aid in increasing awareness of resources available to benefit students' experiences. Additionally, due to my interest in medicine I value preventative action through awareness-building events. Knowledge is truly power and student patients autonomy and care is imperative.

Major: Biology & HSSP

Hi! I’m Isabella, a pre-med junior double majoring in Biology and HSSP. As a pre-med student, I am deeply committed to ensuring that all students have access to essential support and resources. By joining SHAC, my goal is to enhance awareness, reliance, and support within the student community, both on and off campus. On campus, I am part of the Cantonese Club (C2B) and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE). Off-campus, I volunteer at several hospitals and am training to be an EMT. 

Majors: Biology and HSSP

Hello, my name is Victoria Sanchez, I am from Flushing, New York.  I  joined SHAC to serve as a bridge between students and the resources that they can use on campus to maintain and support their mental and physical wellbeing, after going through my own health struggles during my time on campus. Outside of SHAC, I serve as a Community Advisor, Media Technology Services assistant and enjoy going to climbing or cheer team practices!

The mental health sub-committee is dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness on campus. Key focus include; reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues, improving student relationship and experiences with BCC as well as increase awareness of services (i.e. groups etc).

Major: Psychology Minor: Italian Studies, Film, Television, and Interactive Media, and English

Hi everyone! I joined SHAC because I'm passionate about promoting mental health, and I want to make sure that students feel good about the mental health services offered on campus. Other than SHAC, I co-run the mental health club Active Minds, volunteer as an RA in the CARD lab, and I am a crisis counselor at Crisis Text Line. For fun, I like to play piano, hang out with friends, build houses in the Sims, and do crafts.

Major:

During her time at Brandeis, this interest led to a general one in mental health and Brandeis’ corresponding services. She joined SHAC to help make Brandeis health services more efficient and accessible to students. Outside of SHAC, she is a research assistant in the Howard Lab, TA for Biolab, Community Advisor, and works in the dining hall. In her free time she loves to do crafts, read, and play Just Dance!

Major: Sociology Minors: HSSP, French and Francophone Studies

Hi everyone! My name is Sarah Shiffman from New Jersey. I joined SHAC to help students access and learn more about the health services available to them. Outside of SHAC, I am a member of Period Activists at ‘Deis, Pottery Club, and am a co-founder of Brandeis Pole Dance and Fitness. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends, hike, and practice aerial arts.

I am very passionate about spreading awareness for mental health and I love promoting self care. I joined SHAC because I want to work in the mental health field in the future and want to spread awareness and promote positivity. In my free time I love to paint, read psychology books, do self care, and explore cities especially Boston. Besides SHAC, I am a TA at Lemberg Children's Center, I am involved in the American Cancer Society club on campus, the mental health club Active Minds, and a new member of the sorority Delta Phi Epsilon.

The Secure Patient Portal subcommittee key focus is to promote access utilizing the Portal by creating tools that help in understanding Medicat/portal systems, and limitations, development of student facing tools for accessing and uploading documents to the secure portal (i.e. how-to videos, lunch and learns) and provide education/promotion of how to interact with the portal.

Major: Biology (pre-med)

I joined SHAC hoping to improve student experience at the Health Center and with the online patient portal. I hope that the changes we make on SHAC can help students get better care on campus. I have had healthcare experience working as an EMT both on and off campus. Outside SHAC, I’m an undergraduate researcher at the lab of Dr. Bruce Goode and is TA for several Biology courses.

In my free time, I like to read, travel, and volunteer for sporting events.