2008 Exploring Health Care Staff Biographies

Abby McDaniel: Exploring Health Care Program Director

Hi Everyone! My name is Abby McDaniel and I'm excited to be directing the EHC program again this year. I'm looking forward to an enriching two weeks of learning from each other and having a great time. Last year was a truly extraodinary experience, in large part because of the energy and dedication of the Stanford Hosts, UCSF Coordinators, and, of course, the Japanese students.

To give you a little background about my experiences, I recently graduated from Stanford University, where I majored in Human Biology with a concentration in Bioethics. Following graduation I spent a year in rural China teaching English and doing community service work through VIA and the C.J. Huang Teaching Fellowship. During that year I became particularly interested in International Health and hope to pursue a degree in International Public Health. In my spare time I love to travel, listen to live music, eat good food, and enjoy the outdoors.

I really look forward to meeting all of you soon!

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Kazutoh Ishida: Senior Stanford Programs Director

Hello everyone! Thank you for your interest in our Exploring Health Care (EHC) Program. I ran the program in 2006 and I will be supporting Abby in running the 2007 program. I really hope that the EHC program will give you an opportunity to deepen your understanding about the various health care issues in the US and also to develop life-long lasting friendship with the Stanford Hosts and the UCSF Coordinator.

Outside of work, I am currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Hawaii majoring in Japanese language teaching. In my spare time I like to listen to music, watch movies and travel. We are planning an exciting program for you and we are looking forward to seeing you in the spring in California!

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James Chu : Stanford Host

Greetings! My name is James, and I'm currently a sophomore (without a major!) here at Stanford. I've always loved subjects related to human beings, including anthropology, biology, sociology, ethics, languages, policy, psychology... After spending thirteen years in Taiwan, my heart is attached to Asia as a home. You might catch me around campus taking photographs, volunteering at the emergency room, singing in a cappella groups, tutoring, or working out a new piece on my classical guitar. Otherwise, I love napping, sports, and long conversations over coffee. I hope to pursue a degree in public health one day. In the meantime, feel free to email me at jchu1225@stanford.edu about anything at all!

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Kathleen Jia : Stanford Host

Hi, my name is Kathleen, and I am currently a sophomore at Stanford. I have a wide range of interests, ranging from biology to anthropology to philosophy. In my free time, I like to listen to music, surf the web, and learn new (random) things. I am especially interested alternative medicine and the cultural aspect of medicine and health.
I am excited to be a host this year and am looking forward to meeting and learning from all of you!

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Adriana Miu : Stanford Host

HELLO! I'm Adriana. I'm a pre-med sophomore at Stanford, majoring in psychology and possibly economics. I was born in Hong Kong, but now I live in San Francisco and  Stanford. I'm really excited to be learning more about your culture and the medical system in Japan. In fact, I'm going to Tokyo this December! When I'm free, I love to play ping pong, basketball, and piano.

After being a VIA host for the Asia-US Service-Learning Program, I've become deeply interested in the healthcare system in Japan. Compared to the health insurance situation in the US, Japan is so much better.  Besides the insurance system in Japan, I'd also like to learn more about stigma of illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and mental illnesses. Can't wait to get to know you all! :)

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Chandler Robinson : Stanford Host

My name is Chandler Robinson and I am a first year medical student at Stanford. I studied math and chemistry as an undergraduate and then went to London, England for a year to obtain a masters degree in international health economics and health policy. During that year I also worked at an investment bank. My career interests include health system structuring, policy, and finance. I am very much looking forward to sharing and learning with you about these topics during the program. As for background on myself, I am originally from Columbus, Ohio and in my spare time enjoy weight lifting, listening to music, and playing tennis. If you are interested in any of the above mentioned areas, definitely feel free to approach me on any of them. I look forward to meeting all of you in a few months!

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Phuong Tran : Stanford Host, VIA Health Intern

I was born in Saigon, Vietnam and grew up in San Diego, California. I'm currently a senior undergraduate student majoring in Anthropological Sciences with an emphasis on infectious disease epidemiology and international health policy. I'm excited be a part of the Exploring Health Care and AUSL programs as a VIA intern. I'm also involved with Pacific Free Clinic, molecular biology research, and Emergency Medical Technician training. Through my experiences studying abroad and volunteering at free clinics inside and outside the US, I have become very interested in cross-cultural issues in healthcare, especially those which affect both Asia and the Americas. In my free time, I enjoy studying languages, watching films, cooking, and searching for scrumptious food in the Bay Area.

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Iris Ahronowitz : UCSF Coordinator

Hello! My name is Iris (pronounced "Ear-iss") Ahronowitz and I'm a first year medical student at UCSF. I was born in Israel, grew up in Los Angeles, California, recently spent six years in Boston, Massachusetts, and am now getting acclimated to my new home, San Francisco. Before coming to medical school I studied social and political theory and environmental politics, and did research on the social impacts of urban agriculture. Some of my in-school activities include volunteering at the UCSF Students' Homeless Clinic and advising an elective course called The Healer's Art, in which we explore the non-scientific, interpersonal and emotional aspects of medicine. When I'm not in school, you'll find me hiking, running, exploring San Francisco, cooking, and watching movies. I'm excited to meet all of you soon!

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Patrick Tokuyama : UCSF Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Patrick Tokuyama and I am a 2nd-year Pharmacy student at UCSF.  I grew up in Newport Beach, California and I graduated in June 2006 from UCSD with a B.S. in Biology.  Regarding my pharmacy career, I am interested in oncology pharmacy, managed care, and teaching.  I plan to do an elective rotation in Japan near Tokyo next summer.    Also, I have studied Japanese since I was 7 when my parents enrolled me in Saturday school.  I continued my studies through high school, college, and studied abroad during the summer of 2004 at Waseda University.  This experience led me to help teach English to exchange students at UCSD Extension for two years where I worked as a conversation leader.  In my free time, I enjoy surfing, hiking, reading, cooking, and music.  I look forward to having an excellent time with you! 

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