Our chapters work hard to make sure education is not only nationwide and international, but also tailored to each state/chapter area, keeping you and your loved ones informed about the policies that matter most in your community. Explore the New Jersey chapter’s policy guides here!

Chapter Lead: Kana Watanabe

Kana is a current junior in the Academy for Business and Finance at Bergen County Academies in New Jersey. Her interest in healthcare and specifically healthcare equity began after witnessing challenges in her volunteering work through working at clinics and global healthcare organizations. Kana hopes to continue creating further impact by supporting initiatives that promote equity and accessibility in healthcare.

Lydia Chung

Lydia is a junior at Leonia High School in New Jersey. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her cat. Her passion for healthcare was sparked by firsthand experiences at various clinics and hospitals. She aspires to make a meaningful impact on the healthcare system by fostering a more inclusive and equitable environment. In her free time, she likes to listen to music and play with her cat.

Anisa Parvez

Anisa is a sophomore at Northern Highlands Regional High School in New Jersey. She is passionate about learning how healthcare connects with education and community, and she’s excited to support Project CURA’s mission of accessibility and service. At school, Anisa is part of the EMS Club, where she explores the basics of medical care and emergency response. She also is in HOSA—Future Health Professionals to further explore her interest in the medical field. In her free time, she enjoys playing instruments and listening to music.

Emma Maltsen

Emma is a sophomore at Northern Highlands Regional High School in New Jersey. In school, she recently joined HOSA to explore her growing interest in healthcare and connect with peers who share similar goals. Emma is especially drawn to the way medicine combines science, empathy, and problem-solving. She’s passionate about learning, collaboration, and building a deeper understanding of healthcare access and equity. In her free time, Emma enjoys playing piano, watching horror movies, and spending time with friends and family.

Alex Li

Alex is a junior at Bergen county academies, where he is studying engineering. He believes that medical care is a basic right that all people deserve access to, and that it is the responsibility of the more fortunate to help those in need. He enjoys listening to clairo, drinking matcha, and reading literature.

Emily Tong

Emily is a junior at the Bergen County Academies in New Jersey, where she studies in the Academy for Business and Finance. Her passion for healthcare equity grew from recognizing the barriers communities face in accessing care and the role of communication in addressing them. She hopes to use her background in writing and leadership to amplify diverse voices and ensure CURA’s mission reaches a wide audience. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry, exploring graphic design, and supporting youth-led nonprofits.

Rahul Kumar

Rahul is a senior in the Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Administration at Bergen County Academies. He aspires to open multiple restaurants around the world, combining his passion for Culinary Arts with Business and Marketing. Outside of school, Rahul enjoys cooking, writing music, and working out, which help him stay creative, focused, and inspired beyond the classroom.

Pragnya Raj

Pragnya is a dedicated sophomore at Northern Highlands Regional High School with a strong aspiration to pursue a career in healthcare. Her passion for helping and caring for others was sparked during an experience distributing goodies to emergency room staff, where she also engaged in meaningful conversations with physicians about the true impact of healthcare. This moment deepened her commitment to the field and inspired her future ambitions. Pragnya  is an active member of HOSA–Future Health Professionals, a club that provides hands-on learning experiences in the medical field. Beyond her academic interests, she enjoys playing field hockey and cherishes spending time with her family and friends.

Reece Sit

Reece is in the Academy for Medical Science and Technology at Bergen County Academies in New Jersey. As an EMT, he has seen up close how inequalities affect patients in emergency care, which has fueled his dedication to tackling systemic barriers in medicine. He is driven by a commitment to community-focused outreach that works toward a fairer, more inclusive healthcare system. In his spare time, he enjoys working on his car and playing the piano!

Aakrithi Ram

Aakrithi is a junior in the Academy for the Advancement of Science and Technology at Bergen County Academies. She first became interested in healthcare equity after attending a healthcare conference for high schoolers, where she learned about the disparities in healthcare quality & access across the globe. She hopes to bring attention to this issue and make a difference in healthcare equity. In her free time, Aakrithi enjoys running, swimming, cooking, and listening to music.

Ava Blades

Ava is a senior in the Academy of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Administration at Bergen County Academies. In the future, she hopes to have a career in a field that allows her to offer memorable services and experiences to customers, as she is passionate about Hospitality and Business principles. In her free time, Ava likes to listen to music and add to her Pinterest boards as a way to keep herself engaged in her personal interests outside of academics.

Isabella Gonzalez

Isabella is a senior who attends Bergen County Academies in the Academy for Engineering and Design Technology. In her free time she spends time with her friends and family, listens to different types of music, and babysits. She loves to help others through multiple school clubs, her babysitting service, and giving back to her community as a cheerleading coach for middle schoolers. She firmly supports the mission of having accessible healthcare for all and is excited to work with this organization!

Lucy Wang

Lucy Wang is a senior in the Academy for Medical Science Technology at the Bergen County Academies in New Jersey. Through her work as an EMT, she has gained firsthand insight into the disparities that impact patients in the emergency care setting and has become deeply committed to addressing systemic inequality in medicine. She is passionate about community-centered outreach to promote a more equitable and inclusive healthcare system for all. She loves to run in her free time!

Sophia Rodriguez

Sophia is a senior at Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, New Jersey, studying in the Academy of Engineering Design and Technology. Her passion for helping others and the community has influenced her to join this initiative and advocate for a change in healthcare. She enjoys reading, running, and walking her dog in her free time.