Alumni

Angel Arizpe, PhD

Visiting Scholar

Angel is a Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. His research focuses on examining psychosocial, physiological, clinical, and environmental factors contributing to cancer health disparities, particularly among populations underrepresented in biomedical research. Angel is also a Chancellor’s Pre-Doctoral Program (CDIP). As part of this program, he is working under the mentorship of Dr. Toledo-Corral on ALLY related projects, as well as teaching HSCI 587 (Epidemiology) during the Fall 2025 semester.

Luis Arenas

B.S., Public Health

Karina is a second-year MPH student on the Applied Epidemiology track at CSUN. Her research agenda includes examining how the role of environmental exposures associates with cardiometabolic risk among ethnic minority youth with overweight and obesity. More specifically, how “invisible” toxins found in water, air, and soil get “under the skin” that may alter biological mechanisms and whether these relationships vary across sex, ethnicity, and developmental status. While there is a plethora of evidence that suggests that environmental exposures contribute to adverse health effects, less is known about how cumulative exposure to the environmental toxins during pubertal development affect predisposition to chronic diseases. By further understanding this phenomenon, Karina aims to utilize molecular and epidemiological methodologies to bridge gaps between clinical and public health research. The implications of this work from a public health perspective are to improve the quality of life for minorized groups who are disproportionately affected by environmental exposures and chronic diseases. In the near future, Karina aims to advance to a doctorate program in Environmental Health or Environmental Epidemiology and become a professor to empower the next generation of scientists.

In addition to participating in research, Karina also holds a position as an administrative assistant for the NIH funded biomedical research program, Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Promoting Opportunities in Education and Research (PODER) at CSUN. She holds a position as a student fellow for the NIH funded biomedical research program, NIH Bridges-to-the Ph.D. program at CSUN. Recently, she was awarded the CSU Sally Casanova Scholarship for the 2022-23 academic year.

Karina Barragan

Project Coordinator
MPH Applied Epidemiology

Marcus Broussard

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Marcus Broussard is a public health graduate student at California State University, Northridge.
He completed his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from California State Polytechnic University,
Pomona in 2022. His current research interests involve exploring how various forms of
discrimination contribute to stress-induced physical and mental illness.

Idania (Dani) Brown

Project Coordinator
MPH Applied Epidemiology

I am Dani Brown, a Master of Public Health student with an emphasis in Community Health Education. I am serving as President for Eta Sigma Gamma, a national public health honorary and am a member of CAMINO, a grant aimed at increasing representation of first-generation, Latino/a students in health science professions. I currently research the relationship between self-compassion, kindness turned inward and psychosocial stressors, including perceived discrimination among young adults with a predisposition to type 2 diabetes. Broadly, my research interests lie at the intersection between mental wellbeing and physical health through biological pathways. My interests lean toward stress management, coping, and mindfulness practices. I will apply to a Ph.D. program in Health Psychology to explore the connection between mental wellbeing and physical health outcomes. I will pursue a career in academia where I can continue researching wellness and teach evidence-based coping strategies like meditation to college students.

Tiffany Chapman

MPH Applied Epidemiology

I am a current graduating student in the Masters of Public Health Applied Epidemiology track in the Department of Health Sciences. Since 2018, I have been a part of RISE, an NIH funded biomedical research program under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Elena Zavala (program director) and Dr. Claudia Toledo-Corral. Currently, in the MeSA lab, I am working on a project entitled, “examining the relationship between perceived stress and body fat in young adults who have a family history of type II diabetes”. In my project, I am looking at perceived stress and academic stress through validated scales and assessing body fat measurements by using a bioelectrical impedance scale (Tanita) and the BODPOD. In addition, I am also collaborating on another project that looks at the relationship between stress and dietary intake in college students. I aspire to obtain a Ph.D. and/or become a public health researcher/epidemiologist at a government and or state institutional hospital.

Dennise Dayo

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Dennise is a graduate student in Master of Public Health, specializing in applied epidemiology. She
also works as a clinical lab scientist which exposed her to the challenges faced by individuals and
communities affected by infectious and chronic diseases. This ignited her interest in public health
and the need for effective prevention and control strategies. She has previously presented in the
Southern California Branch of the American Society for Microbiology and Cedars-Sinai Laboratory
Symposium. Her journey as a graduate student in CSUN also sparked her interest in data science
and its immense potential to inform public health strategies. One of the key areas where Dennise
aims to meaningfully contribute is the development and implementation of effective health promotion
and disease prevention programs.

Frida Endinjok

MPH Community Health Education

Frida Endinjok is a Master’s of Public Health graduate at California State University, Northridge. She has a bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics, which fuels her passion for nutritional epidemiology.

For the Metabolism and Stress Assessment Lab, she worked in the early stages of the project design. Her main interest is the relationship between cognitive eating, perceived stress and obesity outcomes. She was the lead for the BodPod body composition assessment and utilized her nutrition knowledge for diet related assessments and analyses.

She worked as a research lab project coordinator at the Marilyn Magaram Center (MMC) for Food Science, Nutrition & Dietetics. She developed the “Let’s Grow Healthy” program that delivers hands-on garden enhanced nutrition education at local schools. At CSUN, she coordinated the MMC Wellness Garden that offers gardening workshops, produce, and projects for the CSUN community.

From bringing nutrition education to children, helping feed those in need, to understanding dietary behaviors in young adults, her goal is to provide the tools, education, and motivation for a good nutrition for all.

Jessica Fay

MPH Applied Epidemiology

I am a Master of Public Health(MPH)Student in Applied Epidemiology, graduate research assistant in the Metabolism and Stress Assessment (MeSA) lab, and co-vice president of Eta Sigma Gamma (national health education honorary)at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). My life-long research agenda is to investigate behavioral, psychosocial, and physiological risk and protective factors associated with comorbid physical and mental health conditions in multi-ethnic populations. In the MeSA lab, my research questions include exploring whether there is a relationship between 1) health behaviors (e.g.,substance use, physical activity, and sleep), depression, and obesity, 2) psychosocial factors (e.g., resilience and support groups), depression, and anxiety, and 3) physiological factors (e.g., cholesterol and high blood pressure)and anxiety. My future career goals include pursuing a doctoral degree in epidemiology, becoming a researcher-based professor at a university with a diverse student body,and motivating women with diverse backgrounds to become interested in assessing, implementing,and evaluating public health programs in their community.

Josie Gomez

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Josie E. Gomez is a 1st year graduate student pursuing a Master of Public Health with a
concentration in Applied Epidemiology at California State University, Northridge. Josie is interested
in infectious disease, understand, treat, and prevent using evidence-based approaches. She holds a
Bachelor of Science in Public Health from California State University, Northridge, as of Spring 2023.
Josie hopes to gain more knowledge in research by using epidemiological methods to understand
further the many aspects of research within the public health field. Her future goals include working
in outbreak investigation as an epidemiologist and helping communities globally. After completing
her Master of Public Health, Josie intends to work in a research setting to help advocate for disease
risk from a global view for communities with little access to healthcare interventions.”

Cristina Hernandez

Project Coordinator,
B.S., Public Health

Cristina Hernandez is the project coordinator of the Metabolism and Stress Assessment Lab. She obtained her B.S. in Public Health with an emphasis on Community Health from CSU Los Angeles. Her research agenda is to explore the predictors of stress and depression among first generation U.S. born college students, immigration health inequities, and Latina health inequities. In the near future, she intends to apply to an MPH graduate program with the intent of further developing her research agenda.

Stacie Hernandez

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Stacie Hernandez is currently a graduate student in the Master of Public Health with a
concentration in Applied Epidemiology. Her research interests include social
determinants of health, health equity, and Type 2 Diabetes within minority
communities. She hopes to one day help improve health outcomes within the Oaxacan
Community.

Victory Idehen

B.S., Environmental & Occupational Health

Hello! My name is Victory Idehen and I am an Environmental and Occupational Health major and undergraduate researcher in the Metabolism and Stress Assessment lab (MeSA). Currently,I am investigating the role of various environmental factors and their effects on blood pressure.As a Build PODER researcher, I have discovered a passion in investigating the root of many preventable health issues and diseases, which is namely our environment. Topics such as burdens, injustice, atmospheric quality, and stress tend to hold my attention the most. I thoroughly enjoy my area of research and eagerly look forward to discovering more about our environment and how it affects our overall health and well-being.

Brenda Jauregui

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Brenda is a graduate student in the Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology program. Brenda was introduced to public health while in high school as a youth advocate for the prevention of childhood obesity in her community. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Brenda aims to utilize her background in biology to understand the biological and environmental factors associated with chronic disease in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. After completing her MPH, Brenda’s objective is to help influence public policy for more equitable environments, programs, and resources to help improve health disparities associated with chronic disease in socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.

Jessica Martinez

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Jessica Martinez is a 2nd year graduate student pursuing an MPH with a specialization in epidemiology. She is interested in infection control and prevention; public health investigations; and epidemiological analysis. She has a specialized interest in diabetes and adolescent mental health. She is interested in studying adolescents whose parents abuse substances and discovering correlations associated with social determinants of health. She is a proud mother to a 9-year-old daughter. In her spare time, she travels within the US to visit family in other states and she enjoys attending Dodgers games.

Melissa Martinez

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Wendy Mendoza

B.A, Sociology

Wendy is in her final year of undergraduate studies, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. After graduating from CSUN, she plans to apply to a Master of Social Work program, with the long-term goal of earning a Ph.D. in Education. Growing up in a low-income household, Wendy experienced many challenges, and the lack of available resources made those challenges even greater. She is passionate about working with underprivileged communities and one day hopes to work on research that focuses on how parental involvement in school activities differs among low-income families, particularly those in which parents must work multiple jobs, and how this impacts their children’s academic performance. As a first-time research assistant, Wendy is excited to learn all the fundamentals of working in a research lab. .

Jeremy Morales

B.S., Public Health

I am a Senior completing a Bachelor’s in Public Health with a minor in Sociology. Additionally, I am also a scholar participating in BUILD PODER (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity; Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research), which is an NIH-funded research training initiative that aims to increase the number of underserved students in the sciences. In the MeSA lab,I am able to refine my skills as a researcher and scholar so that I may attain greater success in the academic landscape. Specifically, my responsibilities in the lab include working directly with the participants to: administer various surveys to measure psychosocial stress and environmental exposures, schedulevisits, compileanthropometric measurements,collect and store biospecimens, and conduct various data management and analysis tasks.My current projects in the lab aim to investigate the relationship between stressors various stressors and environmental exposures, as well as, health behaviors including physical activity and sedentariness.My ultimate career goal is to stay in academia, where I am able to pursue my interests to conduct research and instruct students. With this goal in mind, I plan to combine my years of experience in the United States Marine Corps with the methodologies and mentorship from the lab so that I may further my education and progress towards a PhD with a focus on Social and Behavioral Science. As I gain more experience investigating the complex array of personal, behavioral, socioenvironmental and physical factors associated with this co-epidemic, I feel more driven towards my passion to pursue knowledge regarding social factors and how they contribute to health behavior and outcomes. By achieving my endeavors, I believe I will be able to inspire future generations and continue to be an active component in the growth and transfer of knowledge.

Velia Nuñez

Lead Project Coordinator
MPH Applied Epidemiology

Velia Nuñez is a graduate of the Master of Public Health in Applied Epidemiology program at

CSUN. She also holds a B.S. in Biology from California State University, Monterey Bay. Prior to

joining the MeSA lab in 2021, she worked as laboratory manager in a plant genomic lab. It was

in this position where she became interested in understanding the connection between nutrition

and chronic disease, with a special focus on primary prevention efforts among BIPOC

populations.

As an instructional student assistant for graduate level biostatistics courses at CSUN and a

statistical analyst for CSUN faculty research projects, Velia has honed her statistical analysis

skills. As part of her research in the MeSA lab, she has examined the relationship between

inflammation, blood pressure, and cholesterol on stress and cardiovascular disease. She has

also served in a leadership capacity with her position as a project coordinator.

Gladys Partida

MPH Applied Epidemiology

I am a graduate student majoring in Public Health with a concentration in Applied Epidemiology. My research interests span various areas and include Adverse Childhood Experiences, women’s health, and infectious diseases. After I receive my MPH, I intend to work towards obtaining a master’s degree in nursing. As a public health nurse, I hope to implement interventions aimed at disease prevention in local marginalized communities. Eventually, I aspire to work in the front lines of infectious disease eradication efforts at the international level. I am excited to start in the MeSA lab in the Summer of 2020.

Dharni Patel

MPH Applied Epidemiology

As a graduate student pursuing a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in
Applied Epidemiology, I am deeply interested in exploring stress and coping
mechanisms to better understand their relationship. Being a Dentist, I am particularly
intrigued by the intersection of oral health with public health. My overarching goal is to
leverage my expertise to serve communities by raising awareness and educating
individuals on preventive measures to mitigate disease risks and enhance overall health
outcomes.

Natalia Rizo

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Natalia Rizo is currently a graduate student in the Master of Public Health – Applied
Epidemiology program at CSUN. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from UC Davis.
Her future goals include attending medical school and pursuing a career in dermatology, with a
specific interest in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions in patients of color. As part of
the MeSA lab, she hopes to gain relevant knowledge on all aspects of research and hands-on
experience with epidemiological methods.

Karina Rosales

B.S., Psychology

Karina Rosales is a graduating senior at California State University, Northridge studying
psychology. Her research interests while working in Dr. Toledo’s lab include mental health
outcomes and health disparities due to living in disadvantaged populations. She hopes to be able
to study the intersections between mental health and perceived stressors and how these
individuals may be able to transition into resilience strategies. Her long-term goals include
pursuing a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and being able to provide mental health services to
marginalized communities. She wants to focus on childhood trauma in individuals coming from
minority populations and help them thrive within education and careers. Karina is also a scholar
within the NIH-funded program U-RISE at CSUN

Jessica Roso

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Jessica Roso is currently a graduate student in the Master of Public Health with a concentration in
Applied Epidemiology. She is interested in health equity, with a focus on how discrimination affects
health outcomes and access to medical on minority populations. She is currently a part of the ALLY
(Allostatic Load in Los Angeles Youth) Study. She hopes to receive relevant experience and guidance from the entire MeSA lab. She has plans to get her doctoral degree in Epidemiology, where she will then focus her research on how policy affects minority health outcomes.

Lorena Reynaga

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Lorena Reynaga is a Master of Public Health student in Applied Epidemiology at California State University Northridge (CSUN). Lorena holds a B.S. in Biology from California State University Los Angeles (Cal State LA). While at Cal State LA, she worked as a research assistant in an applied mathematics and ecology laboratory, which served as an introduction to utilizing quantitative statistical modeling to assess hypotheses. As an incoming graduate research assistant in the Metabolism and Stress Assessment (MeSA) lab and an intern on the Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES) study, Lorena hopes to develop her statistical knowledge and further her understanding of the effects stress on overall health. Lorena is broadly interested in examining how environmental stressors affect maternal and infant health conditions among BIPOC communities in the greater Los Angeles area and looks forward to developing a thesis project in this area while at CSUN.

Agatha Santos

Student Project Coordinator
MPH Applied Epidemiology

Agatha Santos is a graduate MPH student with an emphasis in Applied Epidemiology.
She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Public Health at California State University,
Northridge. After graduating, she is pursuing her PhD in Epidemiology with a goal to
specialize in cancer prevention and treatment, as well as patient advocacy, especially
within minority communities. Having witnessed and recognized the need for
innovative and quality medical care, she is driven by her passion to advocate for
cancer patients and contribute to improving the quality of cancer treatment and
increasing healthcare access. Ultimately, she plans to specialize in breast cancer
treatment and prevention within the Asian-American Pacific Islander community.

Kennedy Stewart

MPH Applied Epidemiology

Kennedy is currently a Master of Public Health student in Applied Epidemiology. As part of the MeSA lab, Kennedy is also affiliated with the MADRES Center for Environmental Health Disparities. Her interests include women’s health, reproductive health and sexual health. Kennedy aims to examine environmental, psychosocial and sociocultural stressors as predictors for health disparities among minority women. After receiving her MPH, she intends to work with organizations that push for policy change for reproductive justice and health equity while implementing intervention programs that reduce maternal mortality.

Marisa Vela

MPH Community Health Education

Graduate student currently pursuing a Master of Public Health – Community Health Education. Current agenda in the MeSA Lab is researching the relationships between air pollution and depressive symptoms among young adults in Northridge, California. Additionally, developing educational materials and assessing possible community partners for future expansion of research. Currently working for UCLA in the Department of Psychiatry. Interested in moving into a division administrative role and continue supporting the MeSA lab post-graduation.

Tejal Wagle

MPH Applied Epidemiology

I recently graduated from California State University, Northridge (Dec. 2019) with a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with an emphasis in Applied Epidemiology. I have a background in diabetes, with specialization in diabetes management and have over seven years of clinical experience working as a physician (MD) in India. In the MeSA lab, I worked on two research papers or manuscripts on risk assessment as it relates to metabolic syndrome in adolescent Latino youth. I am passionate about working in public health programs towards disease prevention or treatment, chronic or infectious disease epidemiology, in clinical research. Working as a physician in community hospitals, has fueled my passion to work on public health challenges confronting our global community today.

Alumni

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