16th Annual New York Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Gala

5:30 PM – Student Scholars Mentoring with Healthcare Professionals

6:30 PM – Registration and Reception

7:30 PM – Dinner and Awards Ceremony

9:30 PM – Dance

The National Hispanic Foundation (NHHF), the philanthropic arm of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), invites you to our Sixteenth Annual New York Hispanic Health Professional Student Scholarship Gala. During our Gala, we are proud to announce the scholarship recipients from the Eastern United States, as well as the Hispanic Health Leadership Awardees who inspire us with their leadership for change in healthcare for our community.

Hispanics are the largest ethnic group in the United States, yet, there is a dearth of Hispanic health professionals with cultural and linguistic skills to deliver quality care for this growing population. In addition, Federal, State, local government and private sector healthcare agencies have minimal Hispanic representation in top leadership positions who can develop policies and programs targeted to the Hispanic community. NHHF is responding to these challenges by developing this unique national scholarship program to reward students in health professional schools for exceptional academic performance, leadership, and commitment to serving the Hispanic community. We believe they are the future Hispanic leaders of our nation.

Hispanic Health Leadership Honorees

Irene Blanco, MD
Associate Dean for Office of Diversity Enhancement
Associate Professor, Department of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Jack and Pearl Resnick Campus

Rafael A. Lantigua, MD
Associate Division Chief of the Division of General Medicine
Medical Director of the Associates in Internal Medicine
College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University Medical Center

Aida Luz Maisonet Giachello, PhD
Research Professor
Department of Preventive Medicine
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University

Ana Núñez, MD
Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Professor of Medicine
College of Medicine
Drexel University

José Pagán, PhD
Chair and Professor
Department of Public Health Policy and Management
NYU College of Global Public Health

Scholarship Recipients

Nicole Claros-Lujan – Florida International University, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Physician Assistant Program
Marleni Estrella – Rutgers University School of Nursing
Luis Gutierrez – University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
Gilberto Ochoa – New York University, College of Public Health
Lisandra Ochoa– Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University
Alexander Pinto – New York University College of Dentistry
Julian Ponce – Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health
Veronica Ramirez – University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
Karina Ruiz-Esteves – Weill Cornell Medicine
Ruben Vega Perez – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai