Meet the Team
Saron Tefera
Hi! My name is Saron and I love helping people. That is probably something you have heard a lot but I am being for real.
I grew up in Ethiopia and moved to the United States in 2010 and learning english was definitely a struggle. But with the help of my teachers and peers I was eventually able to learn and become fluent in english. If it wasn’t for the help of the people around me I definitely would not be where I am today. That is why helping other people is so important to me. I know what it feels like to be hopeless and if I can help just one person I know it would make a difference.
When it comes to mental health I think it is extremely important to educate everyone while giving resources and outlets for people that are struggling. Especially with COVID a lot of us have had to deal with isolation on some spectrum. Saying that the past 15 months have been hard is an understatement. Education and outreach are extremely important in destigmatizing mental health and that is exactly what we are doing here at HealthKit.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me on Insta @s.tefera
Have a wonderful day and please know that we are here for you :)
Kennedi Smith
Hello! My name is Kennedi Smith. I am an Oklahoma City native with a passion for education, medicine, and helping others. As a Torch & Laurel scholar, Congress of Future Medical Leaders alumni, and a member of the National Honors Society. I am dedicated and focused on making the world a better place. I suffer from mental disorders and other chronic health conditions that have kept me in the hospital and physicians’ offices for 90 percent of my life, thus the reason why I’m exceptionally focused on helping people with mental health. My mental disorders are a direct result of health care mismanagement, and COVID has exacerbated it. I am not only advocating for better mental health care through early identification, at-risk intervention, and awareness but by promoting mental health as an important part of overall wellness. It is my goal to remove the stigma, Prejudice, and discrimination surrounding mental health illness and make mental health care easily accessible.
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Layla Hussein
Layla is a 16-year-old rising junior attending Fordham High School for the Arts in the Bronx, New York. Having gone through mental health issues, along with having her mom as a healthcare worker, Layla has been able to understand the healthcare disparities amplified by the pandemic and find methods for action. She was a panelist at a Bronx National Minority Health Panel to speak upon environmental justice in her community and advise Bronx Executive Superintendent Dr. Erika Thobia on ways to promote nutritional eating across Bronx schools.
In her free time, Layla enjoys dancing and listening to music as method to de-stress.
Layla hopes to continue her work surrounding healthcare equity with the aim of getting involved in local organizing.
Christian Matthew Tambunting
Mabuhay! I am Christian Matthew Tambunting, but you can call me CM! I was born in San Jose, California but I live in Paranaque, Philippines. PAREF Southridge School is my second home, wherein I am an incoming Grade 11 (Junior) student in the STEM Strand. As the Current Secretary for our School’s Student Council, my responsibilities go beyond the stereotypical “note-keeper”. I brand myself as the outgoing leader, lending a hand to my fellow schoolmates when necessary and helping strengthen the spirit of our school in every home during these trying times. Though the fluctuation of mental health caused by the pandemic has been a taboo topic where I am from, the first step to change is awareness!
Outside of this, I keep myself busy by playing basketball, wherein I am big Lakers fan, and an even bigger fan of the late Kobe Bryant; golf, wherein I am a big fan of the controversial Bryson DeChambeau; and the guitar, wherein I idolize Ed Sheeran and Eric Clapton!
I hope the website we created excites you for change, as much as we are pushing for it. With that being said, it’s time for you to explore. Paalam!
