Trainees

Oluwabusolami Ale, M.D.

Volunteer

Busola Ale holds a degree in Medicine and Surgery from Nigeria, where she also practiced for three years before deciding to pursue an MSPH in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Management degree at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. She is a dedicated public health researcher and educator with a strong clinical background and a deep commitment to advancing global health equity.

Ale is passionate about translating evidence-based research into actionable, sustainable solutions. Her current research interests revolve around the intersections of health policy, economic factors, and healthcare accessibility, with a focus on strengthening health systems in resource-limited settings.

Vineeta Pasala, B.S.

Student Intern

Vineeta Pasala (she/her) is a student intern for the Co-LEARN Project in the UNC Center for Health Equity Research. She is a second-year undergraduate student at UNC Chapel Hill, pursuing a Neuroscience major with a minor in Chemistry on the pre-med track.

Her research interests in the public health field revolve around alleviating health disparities faced by high-risk minority populations through educational outreach and community-driven research methods.

Jonathan Smith, B.S.

MPH Practicum Student

Jonathan Smith (he/him/his) is an MPH practicum student working with the CRx-CKD Team in the UNC Center for Health Equity Research. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2018. He completed one year of coursework at UNC Greensboro as he prepared to attend medical school, and he is now working toward his M.D. at UNC Chapel Hill. Smith decided to pursue the M.D./MPH dual degree and is currently a Gillings student in the Population Health for Clinicians Concentration preparing to graduate from the program in May.

Smith has conducted research related to vascular disease and gender disparities with the UNC Department of Vascular Surgery. He also has interest in mentoring and supporting students, and this academic school year, he was motivated to work in the UNC Learning Center to improve outcomes through academic coaching. Smith is passionate about reducing barriers and helping others overcome obstacles to living successful lives, and this has compelled him to learn more about health equity and combating structural racism. He plans to use knowledge acquired from the MPH curriculum and his experience at CHER to provide more holistic care to patients living with vascular and chronic diseases when he becomes a physician.

Aditi Yerra

Research Assistant

Aditi Yerra is a Research Assistant in the Center for Health Equity Research, supporting the Co-LEARN project. She is currently working toward her Bachelor in Public Health through the Gillings School of Global Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy & Management.

Outside of CHER, Yerra is the Co-Director of Student Wellness & Safety in the Undergraduate Student Government’s Executive Branch, advocating for mental health and safety to become more accessible to students across campus. She also serves as the Outreach Director for She’s Not Here, an all-female ride-share service in and around Chapel Hill.

Yerra is passionate about advancing health equity through community-based participatory research and the reduction of systemic barriers facing minority populations to increase healthcare access.