Past Board 2020-2021
President: Ren Qi Chong
Fourth Year Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior Major I believe that everyone deserves access to healthcare regardless of their background. Cleft lip and palate repair is a simple and potentially life-saving procedure that deserves more attention and I’m grateful to be able to help one smile at a time. Operation smile not only gave me the opportunity to give back to the community but also to the members who want to create a welcoming and encouraging environment to strive for greatness together. I am excited to go on this journey with you and bring this club to new heights! My goal is to one day become a Surgical PA or to pursue interests in the medical field. In my downtime, I love watching Netflix, hanging out with friends and video editing. |
Vice-President:Tammy Truong
Fourth Year Cognitive Science with an emphasis in Neuroscience Major I joined Operation Smile because I wanted to be more involved within the Davis community through volunteer work as well as learn more about the various pre-health tracks! Operation Smile gave me the opportunity to build my leadership skills, create long lasting friendships as well as inspire me to continue my path towards the healthcare field! Currently, I am aspiring to be a Physician Assistant specializing in pediatrics and during my gap years, I hope to travel and volunteer abroad in underprivileged countries. I love being in the outdoors such a hiking and going to the beach, creating Spotify playlists and binging on shows (Outlander, Community, OTH and so much more)!! See you at the weekly meetings! |
Treasurer: Yesenia Alvarez
Fourth Year Biological Sciences Major My dream of one day becoming a dentist started at 5 years old. I always admired the idea of making people smile. I grew up with insecurities about my teeth due to them being crooked and I didn’t want anyone else to feel the same way. When I heard of Operation Smile at UC Davis it made me excited to actually get involved in helping young kids who cannot afford to fix their cleft lips/palates. This birth defect is not just a superficial matter, but it affects speaking and eating. Young kids who have this will not be able to eat or speak normally unless it is surgically fixed. However, surgery is expensive especially for kids in underserved populations. So being able to be a part of a student club that helps raise money for those kids in need, excited me the most. |
Secretary:
Alex Michael Oronia Third Year Psychology with emphasis in Biology Major Exercise Biology Minor Operation Smile gave me an opportunity to have my voice heard and be a part of something bigger than myself, which is the fight against cleft palate. I am grateful to be a part of the board and hopefully we can execute the exciting plans that we have in store this year. I want to give back to the community and provide dental care services to underprivileged populations in hopes of inspiring children and young adults to pursue their goals and become the best they can be. I'm going to become a Dentist and specialize hopefully in Orthodontics or another field. I like to travel, watch movies, and Dodgers all day everyday! |
Volunteer Coordinator: Amanda Aquilio
Third Year Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior Major I joined Operation Smile because I wanted to find a way to give back to the community and work with people that had the same goal. I’ve not only made life long friends, but have been able to experience what it really means to help others. I also wanted to gain experience involving dentistry and help those who were curious about this profession. Since my first year of high school, I knew I wanted to become a dentist, specifically a pediatric dentist. I’ve worked with children for years and continue to babysit to this day. I also interned at a dental office that volunteered to serve underprivileged children, and saw that Operation Smile helped children with similar needs. Most importantly, Operation Smile has helped me become prepared to achieve my dream career, and in the best way possible— giving back to others.My goal is to become a Pediatric Dentist so I can help children that don’t have access to healthcare! I love binge watching Netflix (Ozark, Grey’s Anatomy, Dexter, and many more) gardening, and working with children. |
Public Relations/Social Chair: Tiffany Yuen
Fourth Year Microbiology Major Operation Smile helps me advocate for a rare but serious oral condition to overall support my goals of making sure everyone has fair access and treatment to a better smile. Also, being in the club brings both new social connections, as well as a comforting environment that includes meeting such welcoming and amazing individuals all the time. My personal goals are to continue research and go into dental school after my undergraduate years and from then on, I hope to specialize in Cosmetic Dentistry or Endodontics. When I'm not studying for a midterm, I love reading novels, spending time with my friends and being in lab looking at Hydra. See me at your local Davis Frozen Yogurt shop or listening to instrumentals at the library. |
Project Manager:
Samantha Diaz Fourth Year Biological Sciences Major Operation Smile allows me to work alongside passionate and like-minded people to come together and strive to help underprivileged children with cleft lips/palates get the treatment they need. Growing up, I have been dedicated to serving the community, especially those in underserved populations who struggle to obtain proper health care and resources. My dream is to become a dentist and help people feel more confident with a happier and healthier smile. In my free time I like to run because I’m training for the day I spot Harry Styles in real life. |
Fundraising Chair:
Mildred Calopez Fourth Year Biological Science Major As a kid, I have always pictured the dentist as a grumpy old guy but when I worked at a dental office - it changed. The staff are a family and they treat patients as a family too. I think it's really important that healthcare workers value patients' emotions and empathize with them. Touching people's hearts with what you do is an aspiration of mine. When I transferred to UC Davis, I was looking forward to being a part of a community and Operation Smile is one of them. It provided a platform for students to build a long-lasting relationship while reaching out to others. I like watching movies and I'm a catless cat-person. |