Where Are They Now?
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Gavin Stephens
Gavin was a member of Lafayette High School HOSA ,and was the State HOSA President in 2016-2017.
He attended University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he entered the nursing program. Gavin just recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from ULL and will begin working at Ochsner Lafayette in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit!
Ambeka Rajvanshi
Ambeka Rajvanshi was a member of Lafayette High School HOSA and served as the State Co-President during 2015-2016. She attended and graduated college from Texas A & M, and is now in her hird year of Medical School at Texas A & M College of Medicine.
Ambeka said that being in HOSA played a "huge role in her pre-med journey."
Amore Prince
Amore was a student at Lafayette High School and the Louisiana HOSA Co-President during the 2015-2016 year. After high school, Amore studied at Crossroads Leadership College.
Amore now attends UL Lafayette and is currently in her senior year.
"My major is Child and Family Studies and my minor is psychology. I will be graduating in December with a bachelor’s in Child & family studies. I plan on getting my master's in counseling and opening my own firm. I would like to be a marriage and family counselor."
Dr. Ashanti Jones, DPT,
Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy
Director of Clinical Education
It has been many years since Dr. Ashanti Jones was a HOSA member in high school, but she has enjoyed talking to current HOSA students and sharing how she found her career because of HOSA.
Ashanti Jones received a Bachelor of Science degree from Dillard University, a Master of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch, and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of the Incarnate Word.
Dr. Jones practiced PT for more than 15 years. She is an Assistant professor of Physical Therapy and Director of Clinical Education in the Department of Allied Health at the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Dr. Diana Nguyen, DDS
Diana was a member of the Lafayette High School HOSA chapter. She served as the Louisiana HOSA 2011 - 2012 State Secretary. Diana graduated from LSU, and then graduated from LSU School of Dentistry.
Diana now works as a Dentist in Baton Rouge.
Dr. Mariana Dupont
Mariana was a member and state officer from Church Point High School HOSA. Following high school, she attended and graduated from Dillard University with a bachelor's degree in Biology.
Mariana works in the Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. "I use the eye as a window - it’s a better understanding of systemic diseases using vasculature changes. I work with NASA and use one of their programs known as VESGEN which allows segmentation of the retinal vessels."
Dr, Dakarai Moton
Dakarai was one of the founding members of East St. John High School HOSA. After high school, he graduated from Dillard University where he studied biology and pre-med. Following Dillard Graduation, Dakarai did a one-year research fellowship at the University of Texas Medical Branch.
Although accepted into Medical School, Dakarai deferred his admission into medical school to obtain his Master's in Biomedical Sciences.
Having completed that goal, and graduating from NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine at Arkansas State University, he is now a resident and hopes to specialize in family medicine.
Rebbecca Stanley, RN, ADN
Rebbecca (Stanley) was one of the founding members of the Hicks High School HOSA Chapter. Rebbecca served as the Louisiana HOSA 2011 - 2012 State President. After high school, Rebbecca first went to UL Lafayette, and then finished her ADN at Tidewater Community College in Norfolk, Virginia.
Rebbecca is now a registered nurse in Nevada.
Natasha Barnhill
Natasha was a member of the Lafayette High School HOSA chapter. She served as the Louisiana HOSA 2010 – 2011 State Vice President. Natasha graduated from UL Lafayette with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry.
She previously worked in Portland, Oregon at Oregon Health Sciences University in the stroke unit, as part of their research team studying new meds and surgical tools to treat stroke victims. "It’s always fast-paced, and I am constantly learning something new.”
Currently, Natasha is in Ohio working at a clinic doing research in Nuclear Medicine and Interventional Radiology.
Dr. Nikka Khorsandi
Hi, my name is Nikka Khorsandi. I graduated from Lafayette HS in 2013 and had the pleasure of participating in HOSA for three years. I served as both the chapter President and State Vice-President for one year each. I am also the founder of the Louisiana HOSA Cup for which you compete in LA HOSA!
Since graduating, I have received my Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences from LSU and my Medical Degree and Master's in Public Health from LSU Health Sciences Center-New Orleans. I am currently completing my residency training program in anatomic and clinical pathology at the University of California-San Francisco.
HOSA was a phenomenal launchpad into my future career as a physician because it not only opened my eyes to the diverse number of career opportunities within healthcare, but also began introducing me to the foundational scientific and medical principles that I will continue to build upon for the rest of my career.
Shelby Leveron
Shelby was a member of the St. Amant High School HOSA chapter. She served as the Louisiana HOSA 2014 – 2015 State Secretary. Shelby graduated from EMT School and LSU Fire & Emergency Training Institute. Shelby is now an EMT for Acadian Ambulance.
"I love my job. I have an opportunity every day to make a difference in somebody's life, and I never leave work without learning something new."
Most recently, Shelby is a 911 dispatcher.
Victoria Nguyen
Victoria: I grew up in Lafayette, LA, but both of my parents are from Vietnam. I graduated from Lafayette High School. I am bilingual and was a first generation college student at LSU. I am attending medical school and also wish to pursue a Masters of Science in Bioethics.
As a child, the brain always intimidated me with its fragility and complexity. Neuroscience seemed like an untouchable topic, but that didn’t stop me from wanting to major in the field. Unfortunately, my plan to study neuroscience at LSU was foiled when I discovered there was no such major. I settled on majoring in biochemistry but actively looked for opportunities to study in the field.
By chance, I found my way into a lab and the once untouchable subject became researchable. What I loved most about working in a neuroscience lab wa explaining my research to my peers, friends and family! I also love applying the many science courses I’ve taken to further understand and progress in my project.
Victoria now attends LSU Medical School-New Orleans.
Victor Meaux
Victor was a member of the Rayne High School HOSA chapter. He served as the 2012 - 2013 Louisiana HOSA State President. Victor graduated from UL Lafayette with a Bachelor's in Biology. After pursuing a few different healthcare pathways, he is completing his masters degree in medical sciences from Ponce Health Sciences University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Victor is currently applying to Osteopathic Medicine schools during this gap year.
Victoria Burris
Victoria was a member of the Lafayette High School HOSA Chapter. While attending Lafayette, she served as a State HOSA Officer. After graduating from Lafayette, she attended LSU in Baton Rouge and then moved to North Carolina where she attended Congdon School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant Program at Highpoint University.
Victoria has recently completed her schooling at Highpoint and is now working as a Physicians Assistant (PA).
Taseen Karim
Taseen: "I was born in Bangladesh & moved to Louisiana at age 13. I was part of Lafayette High HOSA for my 11th & 12th years of school and I served as the HOSA State Secretary from 2013-2014. I hold HOSA very close to my heart and owe much of my success so far to the people in it and the organization itself.
After high school, I attended Emory University where I majored in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology. After leaving Emory, I received a master's degree in Epidemiology and now work for Public Health in New Jersey.
Brittney Bradford
Brittney became involved in HOSA during her second year at Comeaux High School; the next year she was a state officer. She found her path into healthcare after obtaining her bachelors degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She worked all through college planning and helping with LA HOSA conferences and many other aspects of LA HOSA. She moved on to become an EMT, followed by becoming a paramedic with Acadian Ambulance.
Whitney Veron, RN
Whitney was a member of Assumption High School HOSA in Napoleonville. She served as the 2013-2014 Louisiana HOSA State Vice President. Whitney has been working as a Nurse Tech at Women's Hospital in Baton Rouge while attending Nursing School at Nicholls State University. Whitney graduated in December of 2018 with a BSN in nursing.
Whitney is currently working as a Travel Nurse after having worked in the NICU at Women's Hospital in Baton Rouge