Meet The Health Hub Team!
We are a team of dedicated alumni from the University of Toronto Temerty Faculty of Medicine's Summer Mentorship Program and University of Toronto staff, committed to providing information, inspiration and insight to the next generation of health care professionals. This is an active initiative of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Dream Tuitt-Barnes
Dream Tuitt-Barnes is a second-year medical student (MD) at Queens University student who is interested in pursuing plastic surgery. Prior to starting medical school, she completed two years of the Queen's Health Sciences program with the QuARMs (Queens University Accelerated Route to Medicine) Program. She is passionate about advancing health equity, mentorship, and representation in medicine. Dream has led national and international research projects on various topics including: barriers to pediatric cancer care in Uganda, plastic surgery, EDIA, reproductive health, and artificial intelligence. She served as Coordinator of the Summer Mentorship Program in the Summer of 2025, and is a founding member of the BIPOC Health Hub. Dream strives to create inclusive spaces and empower the next generation of diverse health professionals.
Mesai James
Mesai James is from Toronto, ON and is a student at the University of Toronto studying Life Sciences, specifically double majoring in Neuroscience and Immunology. The research he has done on the career exploration aspect of this project made him passionate about learning about various fields, especially since there is not one sole way to get into the medical field, such as respiratory therapist and genetic counseling. Thus, it was a good way to branch out and learn new modes of employment, while also making the numerous pathways to reach Temerty Faculty of Medicine or other post-baccalaureate programs. Mesai hopes that this resource would be used by more students in highschool and university as it has numerous nuggets of information, such as scholarships and infographics pertaining to BIPOC individuals.
Soliana Lijiam
Soliana Lijiam (She/Her) is a first-year medical student at the University of Toronto. She has served as a founding member of the BIPOC Health Hub since 2022, and has since worked alongside various organizations including Our Kids’ Health and the Canadian Medical Association’s Healthcare for Real initiative to design digital resources and coordinate community events to improve health literacy among underserved populations. Soliana is also engaged in youth-led and health equity research, serving as a co-principal investigator for a SickKids-based project examining the impacts of early screen use on adolescent health, and formerly a research assistant at Trillium Health Partners investigating barriers to cancer screening among Black and immigrant populations in Peel.
Zahra van Gaalen
Zahra van Gaalen is currently based in Ottawa and is a fourth-year Health Sciences student at Carleton University. Zahra is passionate about health equity, policy research and women's health. As an SMP alumnus, Zahra hopes that this e-module project provides other Black and Indigenous students with different perspectives on health and offers them a space to reclaim cultural and traditional knowledge.
Nicholas Bindoo
Nicholas Bindoo is a second-year Health Sciences student at Queen’s University. He is very passionate about education and mentorship, making a conscious effort to give back to his community whenever possible by acting as a role model and guiding younger students along their pathways. As a member of the BIPOC Health Hub team, Nicholas hopes to share resources that have helped him along his journey and help create engaging MedLinx events, where high school students can learn new skills.
Muhammed Ahmed
Muhammad Ahmed is a second-year student in McMaster University’s Health Sciences program, passionate about mental health and BIPOC advocacy. Outside of school, he enjoys painting, biking, and trying new foods.
Ayo Badejo
Ayo Badejo is a second-year Health Sciences student at the University of Waterloo, committed to advancing culturally competent healthcare. Passionate about supporting the BIPOC community, she works at the BIPOC Health Hub, where she helps create opportunities for marginalized youth to enter healthcare. Through her work, Ayo aims to better understand healthcare disparities and contribute to developing future healthcare professionals who can deliver inclusive, high-quality care.
Arianne Valenzuela
Arianne Valenzuela is an incoming nursing student dedicated to bridging gaps for BIPOC individuals and newly arrived immigrants who often face barriers in pursuing careers in medicine. She is deeply committed to making the process of navigating immigration and professional pathways more accessible and less overwhelming, especially for those new to the healthcare landscape. Through her work with the BIPOC Health Hub, Arianne actively contributes to building a space where community knowledge, shared experiences, and accessible tools can lead to lasting change. Her vision is rooted in increasing BIPOC representation in healthcare and providing the support needed for others to thrive and succeed.
Boateng Anokye
Boateng Anokye is an incoming second-year student at University of Toronto studying Life Sciences. He is a focused, passionate and energetic individual who aims to become a clinical scientist in the future. He is also very passionate about improving his community by providing useful information to BIPOC individuals looking to go into the health sciences and life sciences. His role as an outreach assistant and module developer for BIPOC Health Hub and Medlinx has allowed him to engage with aspiring high school students and motivated advocates, who have strengthened his passion for helping the BIPOC community.
Blue Alfonso
Blue Alfonso is a Grade 12 student committed to improving healthcare for women and BIPOC communities. Through her involvement in programs such as MedLinx and STEAM-Design, she gained clinical experience while actively exploring how science, technology, and design can work together to bridge the gaps in healthcare. Blue aims to continue building innovative and inclusive solutions in medicine, with a long-term goal of pursuing a career in medical radiation science.
Etienne Luviano
Etienne Luviano is a Two-Spirit trans Woman. Her background is Métis from the Georgian Bay Métis Community and Mexican. She has been a part of the Toronto Indigenous Youth Council for the last 2 years and has worked on community building events that hosted Elders and guest speakers to come talk to Indigenous students. She is a student who enjoys the sciences, especially chemistry and psychology. She is an artist who plays music frequently and is in a jazz big band.
Jaeda Gordon
Jaeda Gordon is a Grade 12 student passionate about healthcare and creating supportive, inspiring spaces for youth. Programs like the Summer Mentorship Program and MedLinx have shaped her desire to uplift others and help them see their potential. She plans to carry these experiences into her future in healthcare, staying committed to addressing disparities and empowering the next generation, including herself, to challenge them.
Amran Tadele
Amran Feleke Tadele is a Grade 12 student who cares deeply about youth mental health and the well-being of BIPOC communities. She is passionate about creating spaces where young people feel valued and able to express themselves honestly. Her involvement in MedLinx and the Summer Mentorship Program strengthened her connection to healthcare and showed her how important representation is for Black and newcomer youth. Amran loves music, writing, and using her voice to uplift others. She hopes to build a future in healthcare where compassion and belonging are at the center of every interaction.
Adam Ali
Adam Ali is a Grade 12 student with a strong interest in health sciences. He is passionate about education and youth empowerment, making a conscious effort to give back to his community through mentorship and support at WEEServeYouth, a community organization that has shown him the importance of accessible guidance for young people exploring their futures. As a member of the BIPOC Health Hub team, Adam hopes to share the resources that have supported his own journey and contribute to meaningful initiatives that encourage high school students to explore opportunities in health and medicine.
Kai Wiggs-Boswell
Kai Wiigs Boswell is a Grade 12 student who is passionate about educating and changing the lives of youth in BIPOC communities, and hopes to contribute to making the world a better place. Through his involvement in the Summer Mentorship Program, SEE U OF T, Dalla Lana Pathways to Public Health, and from being on the Black Student Engagement team, he has learned a lot about post-secondary, BIPOC education, and healthcare. He enjoys biking, music, and learning new things. Being new on this team, he is ready to use his past experiences and unique perspective to bring a fresh viewpoint.
Ike Okafor
Ike Okafor is the Senior Officer for Service Learning and Diversity Outreach at the University of Toronto’s (UofT) Faculty of Medicine. As a first-year student in 1999, Ike Okafor founded the University of Toronto Black Students' Association, and he is a past president of the group. Eleven years later, the association is one of U of T's most active organizations, with programming that engages students, faculty, staff, alumni and the local community.
Dionne Banton
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