The Founder

Nirosh Mataraarachchi

4th year medical student - UCSF SOM

Nirosh is a 4th year medical student at UCSF. He has an extensive background in both teaching and education as well as a deep-rooted desire to serve at-risk populations. During his first year of medical school, he was motivated by the UCSF curriculum on addressing racial injustice and health disparities within underserved and marginalized communities. His simultaneous passion for teaching and building health literacy then kickstarted the vision to create a health education program that would benefit younger generations that arise from communities that are particularly at risk, to address those specific health disparities.

  • Given his interest in Cardiology and how Cardiovascular Disease remains the #1 cause of death in the world, it felt only fitting to create an early pipeline program like Cardiac Camp.

    Coming from an immigrant household with no formal education and little English comprehension, Nirosh recognized the privileges that both he and others from similar backgrounds did not have. As a result, Cardiac Camp was created to always be both accessible and equitable. One of the core tenants of Cardiac Camp that Nirosh implemented is that Cardiac Camp will not only be free to apply and attend but accepted students will also be provided a stipend to attend, further offsetting any financial barriers that high school students from target populations may face (such as having to work during the summer). Furthermore, the cohort of accepted high school students will arise from communities that are disproportionately affected by Cardiovascular Disease. Thus, Black and Latino students will make up the majority of every cohort.

    Through his leadership, he recruited several peer medical students to establish the foundations of Cardiac Camp such as admissions, outreach, and mentorship, while simultaneously leading the curriculum development for the first Camp. Nirosh further obtained all the funding for the inaugural Camp so that every student was provided a stipend, stethoscope, notebooks, pens, and a t-shirt. He remains as a Board Advisor for each new Board of Directors to provide guidance and insight, while allowing new medical student leaders to expand and strengthen the impact of Cardiac Camp.

2024 Board of Directors

Pearl Omo-Sowho
Co-Lead Director

Stephanie Hu
Co-Lead Director

Isabelle Vu
Admissions & Outreach
Co-Director

Neal Mukherjee
Curriculum Development Co-Director

Daniel Zhang
Admissions & Outreach
Co-Director

Nwamaka Ijeh
Curriculum Development Co-Director

Guistinna Tun
Mentorship Co-Director

Chitoh Yung
Media Director

Amartya Dave
Admissions & Outreach
Co-Director

Rachel Huynh
Curriculum Development Co-Director

Kennedy Baskin
Admissions & Outreach
Co-Director

Mahika Nayak
Mentorship Co-Director

Past Team Members

2023 Board of Directors

Jessica Ainooson
Co-Lead Director

Elizabeth Raby
Co-Lead Director

Lejla Pepic - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Denalene (Maria) Tiu - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Ethan Tanchoco - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Dafna Erana - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Leslie Schneider - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Emily Taketa - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Ahllain Santos - Media Director

Jessica Ainooson - Mentorship Co-Director

Samra Agezew - Mentorship Co-Director

2022 Board of Directors

Nirosh Mataraarachchi
Founding Director + Curriculum Development Co-Director

Brandon Chu - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Mohamed Hisham Sideek - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Sara Varadharajulu - Curriculum Development Co-Director

Brandon Alford - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Rafael Lopez - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Jess Shodipo - Admissions & Outreach Co-Director

Jessica Ainooson - Mentorship Co-Director

Samra Agezew - Mentorship Co-Director