“Listen to the mustn’ts, child. Listen to the don’ts. Listen to the shouldn’ts, the impossibles, the won’ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me… Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.”

— Shel Silverstein, author of The Giving Tree

For Shriya, leadership, and more importantly servant leadership, has always been about making space for others to feel seen, heard, and capable of more than they imagined. Whether it’s cheering on a first-time competitor, sitting with a member after a long day, or staying up late to help solve a chapter issue, Shriya believes leadership begins with the small acts of compassion that makes someone’s burden just a little lighter. HOSA gave her the space to grow into that kind of leader—one grounded in community, empathy, and quiet persistence.

Shriya joined HOSA as a freshman in high school, unsure of her voice and uncertain if she had a place in the organization. Meeting her chapter members and witnessing the way they lifted each other up, Shriya knew this was something different. She began her journey as a chapter historian, later became vice president of competition, and eventually served over 19,000 members as Georgia HOSA’s Vice President of Officer Relations. Now, she’s beyond excited to continue that journey as HOSA’s International Eastern Region Vice President.

Currently a first-year student at Yale University, Shriya is double majoring in Neuroscience and Developmental Biology on the pre-med track. She is especially interested in the field of neurorehabilitation medicine—working towards a career where she can continue to untangle the mystery of the nervous system’s recovery and help patients recover not just physically, but emotionally and mentally.  Beyond her academic pursuits, Shriya is a longtime Carnatic music vocalist and teacher, having trained for over eight years and taught for three. Outside of HOSA, you might find Shriya lost her newest podcast or book, getting involved in her community, or simply spending time with her friends and family!

Inspired by this year’s theme, Champions of Change, Shriya hopes to change the narrative and work towards a culture in HOSA that celebrates progress over perfection.  To Shriya, HOSA has always been more than an organization. It’s the place she found her voice, her people, and her home—and now, she’s committed to helping every member do the same.