Our Team
The HSSA Executive Team is here to represent you! Please feel free to contact any one of us at any time during the year.

President
Kylie Rivest (she/her)
4th year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Life Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What makes this program truly special is how tight-knit and connected the students, HSSA, and professors are. It creates a strong sense of family, one you can trust and lean on through both good and challenging times. I've made lifelong friends here while also receiving a top-quality education and learning valuable, real-world skills. For example, networking at the many HSSA events throughout the year has been an incredible opportunity to grow both personally and professionally.

VP Billingualism
Desiree Okpiaifo (she/her)
4th year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What I love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa is how everyone is willing to help each other succeed. You can always count on someone to send you class or study notes, help with assignments, and so on when needed. We understand that we are all going through the same thing, so we might as well go through it together!

VP Internal Affairs
Grace Skinner (she/her)
4th year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love how easy it is to meet new people and how helpful and knowledgeable our professors are.

Director of Marketing
Kayla Chung (she/her)
3rd year Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Psychology
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love the Health Sciences community at uOttawa because it is collaborative, supportive, and focused on making a real impact in health and well-being. Being surrounded by motivated peers, dedicated professors, and hands-on learning opportunities would inspire me to grow academically while feeling a strong sense of belonging.

CIO- Chief Information Officer
Sidieka Reid(she/her)
3rd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Life Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love that even though the program can be intense, people still find ways to have fun and support each other!

VP Univeristy Affairs
Issachar Wureta (he/him)
3rd Year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Life Sciences (Specialization in Integrative Biosciences)
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I deeply enjoy how supportive the Health Science community is at UOttawa. Students are surrounded with like-minded peers and expert Professors that help set us up for success! We also have a fantastic Mentoring Centre that aids in student academics, wellbeing, and much more :)

JVP Univeristy Affairs
Patricia Defo (she/her)
2nd Year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What I love most about the Health Science community at the University of Ottawa are the opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary learning. While it is mostly considered a pre-med program, there are so many opportunities to explore public health, policy and research. Students are encouraged to think beyond individual clinical care and consider the broader social, cultural, and systemic factors that shape health, which creates a community with passionate, socially aware, and motivated individuals determined to make a meaningful impact regardless of the career path they end up pursuing after graduation.

VP Communications
Andre Vezarov (he/him)
2nd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Psychology
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
We are all super kind and love food :)

JVP Communications
Alayna Mithani (she/her)
1st year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What I love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa is how welcoming and supportive it is.

VP of Social Affairs
Tamara Watkins (she/her)
3rd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences with a Minor in Psychology (French Stream)
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
Everyone is always eager to help out, whether it’s with course selection, studying, or even getting different opportunities to build your resume!

JVP of Social Affairs
Isabella De Vera (she/her)
1st year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love the amazing and kind people that are apart this community and how helpful everyone is !

VP of Philanthropy
Allie Scott (she/her)
4rd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What I love most about the uOttawa Health Sci community is how supportive and tight-knit it is. Even at a large university, our program has established a community where everyone is genuinely supportive of each other and wants others to succeed. What stands out is how passionate each student is about getting involved, whether it's in research, volunteering, or student leadership. It creates an inspiring environment, allowing you to surround yourself with people who make you a better person.

JVP of Philanthropy
Isabella Elinesky (she/her)
2nd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
What I love most about the Health Sciences community at uOttawa is how supportive and collaborative it is! Students genuinely want to help each other succeed while still staying engaged and involved both academically and within the wider community.

VP Finance
Owen Chrysler(he/him)
2nd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences (French Stream)
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
The community is built on a foundation of helping each other all succeed rather praying for each others demise.

JVP Finance
Emilia Molawka (she/her)
2nd year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love how supportive and collaborative the Health Science community is with students helping each other succeed.

JVP Equity and Activism
Aashna Janjani (she/her)
1st year Honours Bachelor of Health Sciences
What do you love most about the Health Science community at uOttawa?
I love how supportive and diverse the health science community is at uOttawa.