Below are the candidates for Elected Positions in the MBPGSA. Feel free to review the Council Positions and information about the Elections.
Downtown President
Lucas Penny
Hi, I’m Lucas and I'm excited to be running for Downtown President for the MBPGSA! As the co-first-year representative this past year, I organized events to help new students connect and feel integrated within MBP. I’ve been involved throughout the year running or attending events, staying well-informed about ongoing initiatives, and I want to continue contributing to this awesome community. Now in my second year, I’m committed to ensuring that every student has access to a variety of opportunities and experiences throughout their grad school journey. If elected, I’ll advocate for resources that support your growth and make our graduate experience as enriching and enjoyable as possible. I look forward to working with all of you to make our community the best it can be!!
Downtown Vice-President
Catherine (Youchen) Song
Hi everyone! I'm Catherine, and I'm running for the downtown VP position this year. As the current communications representative for MBPGSA, I've distributed weekly newsletters and managed our social media accounts, ensuring our community stays informed and engaged. I'm running for the position of downtown VP to take on more responsibilities and further contribute to MBPGSA. As VP, I will work to represent the interests of our students and to promote communication between the students and the department. My experience in communications, combine with my passion for fostering a supportive environment makes me a great candidate for downtown VP.
Christy Wong
I'm running for Downtown Vice President to continue serving the MBP students and ensure every voice is heard. As the first-year rep the past year, I was inspired by the sense of community in the program and would love to contribute to GSA even more. In this role, I will oversee the standing committees alongside the president, and act as an advocate for all members during UTGSU meetings. My goal is to ensure efficiency and fair decision-making, particularly in ensuring all of our diverse disciplines are represented and receive adequate attention and resources—medical physics, biology, computational biology. I am attentive, open-minded, organized, and I promise to be a strong voice and always accessible. Together, let's make the upcoming year even better.
Uptown President
Elvira Catalina Vazquez Avila
Hi! I’m Elvira, and I’m excited to announce my candidacy for Uptown President!
Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of serving as Vice-President of MBPGSA, where I gained valuable insight into how our student association operates. During this time, I helped organize uptown social events, co-captained our intramural volleyball team, and pushed for better email practices to cut down on the daily flood of our committees emails.
If elected as Uptown President, I will work to streamline MBPGSA’s organization, making it easier for you to access our resources. I’m also committed to increasing participation in intramural sports to help create a more balanced and fulfilling academic life.
I’m eager to continue advocating for our students’ needs and to enhance our academic community. And by the way, I’m currently in charge of organizing merch—so feel free to share any ideas you have!
Uptown Vice-President
Vacant
Downtown Treasurer
Vacant
Communications Representative
Tasnim Rahman
As the communications representative, my previous experience in similar roles makes me well-equipped to fulfill the responsibilities of this position. I served as the secretary in my undergraduate university (University of Manitoba) in “MED-LIFE,” where we had weekly meetings and I kept track of the minutes and sent weekly emails on updates about the club. Additionally, I have served in executive positions in many other organizations including the physics undergraduate society (Director of Academic Affairs), student services representative in the Science Student Association (SSA), and vice president of the University of Manitoba chess club. I will ensure to continue upholding the duties of the communications representative as the previous years including regular communications of MBP events through emails, ensuring accurate MBPGSA notes, and other executive roles, including listening to students in the program and conveying their messages and concerns to the relevant councils and faculty.
Downtown Social Representatives
Aakshi Puri
Hi everyone! My name is Aakshi and I am running to be your Downtown Social Representative again this year! Having joined the downtown social committee two years ago and being a co-chair last year, I enjoyed organizing a range of fun monthly events! I believe I have the skillset to efficiently continue to do so to ultimately foster a greater sense of community within MBP. As your social rep, I would also love to hear from you about events you would like to see implemented as I don’t shy away from organizing new events! In addition to the many events that we have previously organized, I look forward to organizing arcade nights, move nights, as well as picnics during the summertime! Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to getting to know you all!
Vivian Chu
Hi everyone! My name is Vivian and I’d love to be your Downtown Social Representative for 2024/25! I’ve been a member of the Downtown Social Committee since 2022, and I’m excited to continue organizing events with my peers for the MBP community. I’ve had the pleasure of leading as the Co-Chair of the Career Development Association (CDA) this past year, from organizing networking nights to seminars and workshops to bring together students, alumni and industry experts. Now, I’m ready to channel that same passion and creativity into making our MBP community even more vibrant and connected. Imagine this: fun mixers that break the ice across all our labs or social events that get both uptown and downtown students mingling, hot cocoa after a cold skate session, or a surprise treetop trekking adventure! My goal is to create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels a sense of belonging and connection. Thank you for your consideration!
Uptown Social Representative
Emma Pineau
Hi MBP! My name is Emma Pineau, I am (soon to be!) a third year student at Sunnybrook and I am seeking re-election as your Uptown Social Representative! Before starting in MBP I had collected many experiences in event organization, from galas/dances to fundraisers to retreats, and it has been so rewarding to be able to share my passion for creating student communities with our department. A highlight of my role in the past year was definitely collaborating with other graduate departments to host a trivia night. If I am re-elected this is something to expect more of - definitely another trivia night and we’re also looking into doing an Olympics-style sports day! Of course, we would still have our classic uptown events that you love: puzzle/board game nights, the BBQ and - a new favourite this year - the painting and sushi night! Looking forward to another great year!
International Student Representative
Fatemeh (Shadi) Pouryahya
As an international student from Iran, I have firsthand experience navigating the challenges of studying abroad. After completing my bachelor’s at the University of Tehran and my master’s at the University of Ottawa, I began a PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Toronto. However, as my perspective and research interests evolved, I transitioned to Medical Biophysics, where I am inspired by the interdisciplinary community and exciting research projects. My academic journey across disciplines has fueled my curiosity and broadened my research interests while deepening my understanding of the challenges faced by international students. As a dedicated teaching assistant, I’ve supported students across multiple fields. I am passionate about creating a supportive environment for international students, ensuring their voices are heard, and helping them thrive. As your International Student Representative, I will advocate for the resources and support systems that empower international students to succeed academically and personally.