“Be the reason why someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people.” – Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

HOSA has completely altered Megan’s outlook on life and her interests in healthcare. First joining the organization in middle school, HOSA became her family and community, uplifting and encouraging her to reach the fullest of her potential. It was that very same love that empowered her to give back, through her roots in California, her newfound family in New Jersey, and heritage back in the Philippines. At the heart of her leadership philosophy lies a very simple yet profound phrase: never forget where you come from一fueling her desire to give back to the very community that became her source of comfort and home.

Megan is now a sophomore in the Joint Bachelor’s/MD Program at Seton Hall University (SHU). As she continues building service projects with Go36 through the Tanzania Project and restarting HOSA at SHU, Megan could not be more thankful to have such hardworking teammates to truly make an impact on the world. Alongside New Jersey, Megan works tirelessly alongside a group of HOSA alumni to bring the organization to the Philippines. She is eternally grateful for all the support and is beyond excited to serve at the international level as the Postsecondary/Collegiate Vice President.

Outside of HOSA, Megan majors in Biology and Diplomacy/International Relations with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to advocate for health equity on the global scale, advocating for peace through her work with the Unitive Cluster at the United Nations and through independent research on the connection between peace processes and healthcare accessibility. If not in the diplomacy room, Megan is either tending towards her lab mice at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, writing songs with her piano or guitar, or even making new matcha recipes in her kitchen-turned-cafe.

As a champion of change, Megan hopes to champion a sense of unity in all facets of her life, not through words but through actions rooted in empathy and understanding. Grounded in her roots and empowered by her love for people, she hopes to uplift communities and changemakers all around the world, one meaningful connection at a time.