Diversity, Equity, Inclusion

Natalia Suarez, MA, Assistant Director, Career Pathways

Natalia Suarez serves as the Assistant Director of Career Pathways at the UI Health Office of Diversity & Community Health Equity, which includes UI Health CHAMPIONS.

Since 2017, alongside a dedicated team of pre-health and health professional students, Natalia has continued to design and implement health career exposure and health advocacy programs for high school youth across the University of Illinois Chicago, Rockford, and Urbana-Champaign campuses, with a collective mindset to prepare youth to become future health professionals and motivate them to serve as community health advocates. 

Natalia earned her MA in Anthropology from the University of Kansas, and her undergraduate degree in International Relations from the Universidad de las Américas-Puebla, Mexico. In Fall 2021, Natalia completed the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Health Disparities Research Certificate program.

Jennifer Plascencia, MPH, Program Coordinator

Jennifer Plascencia serves as the Program Coordinator for UI Health CHAMPIONS. Jennifer has worked across numerous UIC & UI Health programs since 2019. She currently facilitates curriculum development, program implementation, and evaluation for UI Health CHAMPIONS.

Jennifer earned her Master of Public Health from the UIC School of Public Health and her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience from the University of Michigan.

Daniel Carrion, M.Ed, Program Assistant

Daniel first started as a CHAMPIONS high school program participant in the fall of 2017 and became one of the first program high school coordinators in the summer of 2018. Daniel was a UIC Urban Health Program Undergraduate Student Worker and served as an Urban Health Club and CHAMPIONS Undergraduate Program Coordinator. In May 2023, Daniel graduated with a BS in Biochemistry and a minor in Sociology from UIC. Daniel is continuing his education at UIC in the MEd in Science Education program, working on the endorsement area of chemistry, intending to graduate in May 2024. He now serves as a CHAMPIONS Graduate Program Coordinator.

Nasyaarabella Danso, BS, CHAMPIONS Program Aide

Nasyaarabella Danso serves as a CHAMPIONS Program Aide. She recently graduated in May 2024 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Her passion for healthcare and helping others has been evident throughout her academic and professional journey. Nasyaarabella aims to pursue a Master's in Nursing to become a Labor and Delivery Nurse. She began with CHAMPIONS in the Summer of 2023 and has since supported implementing the CHAMPIONS program.

Megan Bi, BS, CHAMPIONS Program Aide

Megan serves as a UI Health CHAMPIONS Program Aide. She first started as an undergraduate program coordinator with the UIC Urban Health Club in the Fall of 2019. Megan currently attends the University of Illinois College of Medicine - Chicago and earned her BS in Biology and BA in Economics from UIC.

Sharo Dominguez, CHAMPIONS Program Aide

Sharo serves as a CHAMPIONS Program Aide for the UI Health CHAMPIONS program. She is a rising Junior at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is majoring in Community Health with a concentration in Health Planning and Administration, while on a Pre-PA track. Sharo is a first-generation, Mexican-American college student and has great interest in working with the community and educating them on opportunities to succeed.

Tyler Hyunh, CHAMPIONS Program Aide

Tyler serves as a CHAMPIONS Program Aide for the UI Health CHAMPIONS program. Before becoming a program aide, Tyler was a CHAMPIONS high school participant in 2018. Since his enrollment at UIC as an undergraduate student, he has since supported the implementation of the CHAMPIONS program.

Tyler is a rising undergraduate junior majoring in psychology major on a pre-medicine track.