2026 Patient Summit

Anjay Rastogi, MD PhD

Akash Anand, MS, CGC

Board Certified Genetic Counselor

Akash Anand is a board-certified genetic counselor at Natera and an alumnus of UCLA's M.S. in Genetic Counseling program. In his current role, he supports patients and healthcare providers in navigating renal genetics, interpreting kidney gene panel results, and understanding how genetic insights may guide kidney care. He also contributes to research and is dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals living with kidney disease through increased access to genetic testing and counseling.

James Cunningham, LMFT, PsyD

Psychotherapist
Ambassador | Circle of CORE

Dr. James Cunningham plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between clinical nephrology and holistic wellness. His practice is dedicated to providing specialized mental health support for patients navigating the complexities of kidney disease, ensuring that their emotional well-being is prioritized alongside their physical health. By emphasizing CORE Kidney’s signature collaborative and multidisciplinary approach, James works to empower patients, helping them build resilience and maintain a high quality of life through integrated, compassionate care.

Lara Al-Dandachi, MPH, RDN, BC-ADM, CDCES, CSOWM

Senior Dietitian | Gonda Diabetes Center, DGSOM.
Nutrition Director | PRO (Program for Reducing Obesity). 
Program Coordinator | DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program). 

Lara Al-Dandachi is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and triple board-certified specialist in diabetes and obesity care at UCLA Health’s Gonda Diabetes Center. She serves as Nutrition Director of UCLA’s Program for Reducing Obesity. Lara has over 20 years of experience in nutrition, diabetes prevention, and obesity care and was instrumental in coordinating UCLA’s Gonda Diabetes Prevention Program, which received full CDC recognition. A graduate of the American University of Beirut and Loma Linda University, Lara is fluent in Arabic and French.

Mahtab Mashayekhi, MD

Postdoctoral Resarch Fellow | Loma Linda University Health

Dr. Mahtab Mashayekhi earned her Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree in Iran before pursuing a career in clinical research in the United States. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Division of Nephrology at Loma Linda University Health, where her work focuses on chronic kidney disease, cardio-kidney-metabolic disorders, glomerular diseases, and patient-centered outcomes research. She has contributed to multiple clinical studies, and systematic reviews, with a particular interest in improving kidney disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment through evidence-based research.

May Nour, MD, PhD, MBA, FSVIN

Associate Professor of Neurology and Radiology | UCLA Health
Founder and Medical Director | UCLA Arline and Henry Gluck Mobile Stroke Rescue Program 

Dr. May Nour earned her PhD in neurosciences at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, where her research focused on gene therapy for inherited retinal degeneration. She received her MD from the University of Arizona and completed her neurology residency and fellowships in vascular neurology and interventional neuroradiology at UCLA. She also holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She was a co-author of the landmark BEST-MSU trial and serves as site principal investigator on multiple clinical trials, including FASTEST, Ceribell  point-of-care EEG and the EMVision portable brain scanner study. Dr. Nour is dedicated to transforming emergency stroke care so that mobile stroke units become a standard of care. She serves as Secretary of the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology (SVIN) and on the board of directors of the Prehospital Stroke Treatment Organization (PRESTO).

Michelle Hwang, MD

HS Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Medicine | UCLA Health
Associate Director | CORE Kidney Program

Dr. Michelle Hwang is a nephrologist who practices in Torrance. She enjoys practicing all aspects of general nephrology, with special interest in hypertension, chronic kidney disease, kidney transplant and preventive nephrology. In addition to her outpatient activity, she also sees patients at Torrance Memorial Medical Center, Little Company of Mary in Torrance and Little Company of Mary in San Pedro. She is fluent in Korean and Japanese. 

Dr. Hwang received her medical degree from Chicago Medical School. She completed her internal medicine residency at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, and then completed her nephrology fellowship at UCLA, where she served as a Chief Fellow. She also serves as the Associate Director of CORE Kidney.

Patricia Weng, MD

Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics Nephrology | UCLA Health
Medical Director | Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program

Dr. Patricia Weng received her medical degree at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. She completed her pediatric residency at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital in Connecticut and her fellowship training in Nephrology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she studied the genetics of vesicoureteral reflux and renal dysplasia. Prior to joining UCLA, Dr Weng was an assistant professor of pediatric nephrology at the New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. Dr. Weng is interested in research involving the genetics of pediatric kidney disease and transplant outcomes. She is also the program director for the fellowship training program and is the Interim Medical Director for Pediatric Kidney Transplantation.

Ramya Malchira, MD

HS Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Nephrology | UCLA Health
Medical Director | DaVita Valencia Dialysis
Curator for Proceedings of UCLA DOM on Cureus & Associate Editor of DOM Clinical Insights

Dr. Ramya Malchira is a dual board-certified Nephrologist and Internal Medicine physician practicing in Santa Clarita. She serves as the Clinical Lead for UCLA Santa Clarita, Medical Director at DaVita Valencia Dialysis, and provides inpatient care at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital. Academically, she is a curator for the Proceedings of UCLA DOM on Cureus and associate editor of DOM Clinical Insights. Her clinical interests include chronic kidney disease management,  glomerulonephritis, home dialysis and kidney disease education and awareness.

Rana Al Rasheed, BDS

Clinical Assistant Professor, Group Practice Director | Department of Interdisciplinary Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry

Sayna Norouzi, MD FASN

Associate Professor of Medicine | Loma Linda University Medical Center
Director | Glomerular Disease Clinic, GlomCon Fellowship Program, Polycystic Kidney Disease Clinic 
Founder and Director | Chinese American Rare Kidney Disease Clinic

Dr. Sayna Norouzi is an associate professor of Medicine and clinical nephrologist at Loma Linda University Medical Center and completed her fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. She is the founder and director of the glomerular diseases clinics at Loma Linda and serves as the director of the online GlomCon Glomerular Diseases fellowship program. She is also the founder and director of Polycystic Kidney Disease clinic. She has been recognized as the educator of the year for two consecutive years, and is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. Dr. Norouzi focuses on glomerular diseases and polycystic kidney disease, actively participating in various research projects and clinical trials.

Sean Lei, MD

HS Clinical Instructor, Department of Medicine | UCLA Health
Assistant Director | CORE Kidney Program

Dr. Sean Lei is a board-certified nephrologist practicing in Burbank. He cares for patients with a wide range of kidney conditions, including hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and transplant-related care. His practice includes both outpatient clinic visits and dialysis care. Dr. Lei is committed to delivering high-quality, individualized, and compassionate care to every patient.

Dr. Lei completed medical school at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, followed by internal medicine residency training at the University of California - Irvine, then nephrology fellowship training at UCLA. Before joining UCLA, Dr. Lei had experience in teaching and mentoring and participated in research and academic activities within the field of nephrology. He also serves as the Assistant Director of CORE Kidney.

Yasir Qazi, MD

Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine | USC Keck School of Medicine

Dr. Yasir Qazi completed his internal medicine residency and a nephrology fellowship at the SUNY School of Medicine at Buffalo, NY. He followed this with a transplant fellowship at SUNY Downstate School of Medicine in Brooklyn, New York, and pancreas transplant fellowship at St. Barnabas in Livingston, New Jersey. He helped establish the first pancreas transplant program at Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo, New York as well as Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California. He also established the first transplant nephrology fellowship at Keck Medical Center at USC. Dr. Qazi is extensively involved in clinical research and has been the lead and principal investigator for several clinical trials

Christina Lopez, B.Acc. MBA

Manager | CORE Kidney Program

Simran Ovalekar

Simran Ovalekar graduated at UCLA with a degree in Psychobiology and now works as an associate for CORE Kidney. She was a member of the Bruin Bean Health Club during her time at UCLA and served as the club's president for the '25/'26 academic year. Simran is passionate about kidney health education, leading outreach events, seminars, and advocacy efforts. With experience in nephrology research and community service, Simran aims to raise awareness and promote wellness across campus. She plans to pursue a career as a physician.

Jennifer Nottoli

Prior to working with CORE Kidney, Jennifer worked in advertising and marketing for over 35 years. A strong client, and creative advocate, with outstanding communication skills, Jennifer developed strategies, advertising, and creative content for some of the world’s most iconic brands. Jennifer is a hard worker, who is hands-on and always works to build strong team dynamics. By the time she left Chiat/Day, Jennifer was a Global Managing Director and a member of Chiat/Day’s Global Marketing Team. After leaving Chiat/Day during the pandemic, Jennifer helped establish Grace Creative, an advertising agency focused on advertising to Women 50+. Her path to CORE Kidney comes from her strong belief and commitment to helping others. She brings her extensive marketing experience to CORE Kidney and is excited to be working with the CORE Kidney team to help patients improve their well-being.

Elida Martinez

Admin Assistant | CORE Kidney Program

Elida Martinez provides essential operational and administrative support. Known for her organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex scheduling, she ensures smooth day-to-day functioning. She coordinates operations that bridge clinical care, research, and community engagement. 

With a commitment to professionalism and collaboration, Elida improves healthcare delivery by implementing CORE values within UCLA Health’s vision to heal humankind, one patient at a time!

Alisha Chowdhary

Co-President | Neuroscience Major and Disability Studies Minor | UCLA Class of 2027

Alisha Chowdhary leads initiatives, such as her reels project, to improve patient outreach through social media and inclusive health education. She’s passionate about addressing healthcare inequities for underserved communities. Alisha hopes to be a pediatric nephrologist.

Ariv Tandon

Co-President | Psychobiology | UCLA Class of 2027

Ariv oversees research projects (SRP), clinical case studies, abstract and poster creations, manuscript writing, and other research-related initiatives. He plans to pursue a career in medicine as a physician.

Ashley Kuo

Special Projects Director | Psychobiology Major | UCLA Class of 2027

Ashley Kuo is advocating for kidney health awareness through informational social media content, educational shorts, and event promotion. She uses digital platforms to keep individuals engaged in their healthcare journeys, and is interested in exploring a career in primary care, neurology, or surgery.

Anaya Sayal

Digital Director | Public Health | UCLA Class of 2028

Anaya Sayal works on patient outreach and spreading health awareness through digital media to foster a community that bridges the gap between patients and providers through empathy and proactive engagement. She plans on becoming a pediatric gastroenterologist.

Sofia Krivitsky

Research Director | Human Biology and Society Major | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | Class of 2028

Sofia Krivitsky is currently involved in taking patient calls and connecting patients with appropriate resources to navigate their kidney journeys. She is also heavily involved in the donor project, working to support outreach initiatives and coordinate donation efforts. Sofia is interested in pursuing surgery. In her free time, Sofia enjoys going on walks and playing tennis with her friends.

Julianna Cummings

Finance Director | Bioengineering Major | Edmond, OK | Class of 2029

Julianna Cummings leads financial initiatives, grant writing, and fundraising for the Bruin Beans. In particular, she works to secure funding for point-of-care testing and outreach events. Julianna is interested in pursuing a career in Anesthesiology or Orthopedic Surgery. In her free time, she enjoys trying food from local businesses and playing the violin.

Evan Schneider

Outreach Director | Biology Major and History Minor | Glendale, CA | Class of 2027

Evan Schneider is interested in strengthening the holistic nature of health care by placing an increased focus on mental health and nutrition, and leads the nutrition and patient journeys projects to serve this purpose. He is also a lead on patient calls and experience-based projects, working to connect patients with supportive community resources. Evan aspires to become a physician, and loves to cook and make music in his free time.

Saket Rao

Patient Experiences Director | Physiological Science Major | Westford, MA | Class of 2028

Saket Rao works to empower patients to become their own best advocates through his work on clinical projects and raising kidney health awareness through patient-facing projects and digital initiatives. While continuing to bridge the gap between advocacy and education, Saket is looking to pursue a career in cardiology or orthopedic surgery. In his free time, Saket also enjoys playing soccer. 

Dylan Oest

Psychobiology Major | San Marcos, CA | Class of 2027

Dylan Oest is heavily involved in the mobile clinic initiative, expanding access to point-of-care kidney screening in underserved communities. He works to implement tools such as portable urinalysis analyzers to enable early detection and bridge healthcare gaps. Dylan is passionate about pursuing a career in primary care in rural, high-need communities. Dylan enjoys hiking through national parks and spending time in nature. 

Surabhi Chinta

Human Biology and Society Major | Novato, CA | Class of 2027

Surabhi Chinta's interests lie in healthcare policy, transition healthcare resource development, and projects to improve the donor search process. She is interested in pursuing pediatric to adult transition as a pediatric physician and health services researcher. Surabhi enjoys watching the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL and is an avid fantasy footballer.

Nayeli Rodriguez

Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology Major | Reedley, CA | Class of 2028

Nayeli Rodriguez is interested in making kidney health resources accessible for all, and does so by working on the legal project to address patient advocacy and caregiving. She also creates educational content through digital reels to promote health awareness. Nayeli hopes to become an oncologist, and in her free time, she enjoys going on runs and trying different noodle shops. 

Zach Sim

Biochemistry Major | UCLA Class of 2028

Zach Sim devotes his time to building and updating the CORE Kidney website, using digital outreach to promote CORE's mission and educate patients. He works to foster an online community that stays up to date and runs effectively. In the future, he hopes to pursue a career as a physician. 

Melody Cam

Biochemistry Major | Torrance, CA | Class of 2029

Melody Cam currently serves on the social media team for CORE Kidney, creating content to raise kidney health awareness. She also works to research legal resources and strategies to improve patient quality of care, and hopes to one day become a nephrologist. Melody also enjoys playing outdoor sports, such as tennis.

Sebastian Richardson

Biochemistry Major | Palos Verdes, CA | Class of 2029

Sebastian Richardson currently works on patient calls, editing CORE Kidney Wikipedia websites, and serving in outreach events, improving resource accessibility for patients. Sebastian is passionate about pursuing a career as a physician specializing in neurology. In his free time, he likes to play ping pong and run track.

Kiera Sheth

Human Biology and Society Major | Irvine, CA | Class of 2029

Kiera (Ananya) Sheth works to connect patients with kidney and healthcare education, creating digital media for the social media team. Additionally, she works on the clinical team, contributing to clinical projects and patient calls, helping connect patients to personalized healthcare. She hopes to work with children and aspires to become a pediatric nephrologist in the future. In her free time, Kiera likes to do Bollywood fusion dance.

Suvan Yerramilli

Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics Major | Aurora, CO | Class of 2029

Suvan Yerramilli works on the Kidney Health Innovation and Leadership Program to educate students on healthcare careers, working with interdisciplinary teams to bridge discovery and clinical practice while emphasizing translational care. He is interested in pursuing a medical career as an anesthesiologist or nephrologist. Suvan enjoys spending time hiking and skiing.