Student Government Association
Meet Your SGA Officers
It is our pleasure to serve as your representatives both here at Touro and nationally at the Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents. Don't ever hesitate to reach out to us - help will always be given at Touro to those who ask for it.
Shreya Patel
PRESIDENT
spatel71@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
Presides over Executive Committees Meetings
Represents the College at Community Events, Fundraisers and Social Functions
Attends Conferences:
Council of Osteopathic Student Governments (COSGP) - Council Member and School Representative
New York State Osteopathic Medical Society (NYSOMS) - Representative to the Board of Director
Who am I?
Hometown: Voorhees, New Jersey
About me:
In 2018, I received a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Aside from completing this degree, I also met my goal of learning different dance styles. I choreographed for and competed on a collegiate level dance team throughout my undergraduate years. That same year, I completed a post-baccalaureate program in Biological Sciences at Temple University. Before beginning the MS program at Touro COM, I took advantage of numerous opportunities to broaden my knowledge and experience in the medical field. I worked as a scribe in the emergency department of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, as a clinical assistant at Princeton Brain and Spine Center, and as a medical assistant at Virtua Hospital's internal medicine clinic. I firmly believe medicine is partly art and partly science. My clinical experiences and school solidify my scientific knowledge, while dance complements the art of practicing it. Dance has been a big part of my identity as it has taught me to be compassionate, innovative, and resilient. These qualities are now my greatest strengths, and I will carry them with me in my endeavors in medical school and beyond to provide tailored care for my patients.
Fun Fact:
I had fainted on stage during one of the dance competitions. Because the scene required me to play dead, the timing was in my favor, and the audience perceived it as part of the act. I regained consciousness just in time for the next segment, and I danced until the end because "the show must go on."
Goals in SGA Position:
Growing up in India, adequate medical care was not easily accessible in my village, so we relied on annual medical camps hosted by city doctors. But convincing the villagers to trust the assistance offered and addressing their concerns was only half the battle. At a young age, I seized this opportunity to assist doctors in convincing my community to get vaccinated, as well as to voice their concerns and assist them in obtaining resources from the doctors. I learned that in order to see a change, you must be willing to work for it. Our Touro COM students have innovative ideas to improve the healthcare experience on campus and in the community, and I want to be a part of it. As SGA President, my goal is to provide resources and a platform for my peers to have their ideas heard and to offer assistance in putting them into action. Furthermore, I want to collaborate closely with the faculty and administration to understand their efforts and investment in us as they guide us to become resilient and compassionate physicians. At the very least, I want to be everyone's friend so they can trust me to represent their wants and needs.
Aliyah Stephens
VICE PRESIDENT
astephen6@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
Oversee Student Clubs
Communication with Administration, Staff, Faculty and Security
Attends Conferences:
Council of Osteopathic Student Governments (COSGP) - Council Member and School Representative
New York State Osteopathic Medical Society (NYSOMS) - Representative to the Board of Directors
Who am I?
Hometown: Williamstown, NJ
About Me:⠀
I was born in Michigan but raised in South jersey. I attended Ursinus College and received an Honors Biology degree in 2021. While there, I was very involved in my community. I was a student-athlete, head resident assistant, research assistant and a Bonner community service Leader. After my time at Ursinus I was awarded the Laughlin Award for most contributions to the college.
Before coming to Touro I worked at Drexel school of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems in a tissue engineering lab as a research assistant. I also volunteered at a free clinic and worked as an ophthalmic technician in PA. I then went on to earn my Masters of Science degree from Touro COM in 2022 and now I am super excited to be apart of the class of 2026!
Fun Fact:
I played basketball for 12 years and scored 1,000 points twice, both in high school and in college.
Goals in SGA Position:
My goal is to provide the students of TouroCOM a supportive outlet to mitigate the stressors of academic rigor and extracurriculars. I want to enhance student experience and be a voice to express the best interests of the student body.
James Zhu
TREASURER
jzhu8@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
SGA Budget
Manages Bank Account
Logs all Receipts, Spending and Reimbursements
Who am I?
Hometown: Scottsdale, Arizona⠀
About Me:
I enjoy trying different food places as much as possible.
Fun Fact:
I love horror movies and shows.
Goals in SGA Position:
To make sure every club and events get the funding they need to be successful.
Roshana Brown
PARLIMENTARIAN
rbrown34@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
SGA Elections & Class Rep.
Constitution Compliance
TA Scheduling & Logistics
Student D.O. of the Year Committee
TOUCH Committee
Who am I?
Hometown: Mount Vernon, NY and Ocho Rios, Jamaica⠀
About Me:
I was born and raised for part of my life on the island of Jamaica. I emigrated from Jamaica to New York to begin high school in 2010. I knew very early on that I wanted to be a doctor, which was one of the reasons my mom and I immigrated to the United States, to expand my opportunities to pursue my dreams.
I graduated from New York University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Global Public Health and a minor in Chemistry. Majoring in public health helped me to find my purpose in medicine, which is to use my training to enter underserved communities and create solutions to reduce the barriers to healthcare and for students, the barriers to pursuing medicine. This is largely the reason why I am a mentor and am currently working on a website directed toward mentoring this population. Before starting OMS-l, I was a clinical research associate at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where I managed CAR-T immunotherapy clinical trials in various stages of development. I also completed the master's program here at Touro, which allowed me to matriculate into medical school.
In my free time, I like to do brain games and puzzles, practice new languages, and dabble in a bit of photography.
Fun Fact:
I was a Parliamentarian in my high school student government as well.
Goals in SGA position:
My goal as a Parliamentarian is to continue to facilitate and coordinate opportunities for students to remain engaged in our community inside and outside of Touro. I want students to feel proud that they are a student at Touro and inspired to engage with the Middletown community.
Alexis Joseph
SECRETARY
ajoseph23@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
Emails with Administration and Students
Committees
Book Rooms
Student Calendar
Who am I?
Hometown: Long Island, NY ⠀
About Me:
I am from Long Island, NY. I graduated from Farmingdale State College with my B.S. degree. While there I had to pleasure of being the Vice President of the Pre-Health Professions club where we got to design events from fundraisers, to learning how to suture on oranges and chicken skins, to Narcan and CPR training classes. I was also an RA and was able to organize social events for the students on my floor; my favorite being the Disney Channel Music Throwback Night. During my gap years, I worked as a scribe at the Island OB/GYN office in East Islip and as a Home Health Aide working with patients with disabilities. Right before attending TouroCOM, I was privileged to gain experience as an Operation Room secretary, later transitioning into a technician position where I helped with setting up instrumentation for various surgeries like orthopedics, plastics and podiatry. In 2021, I moved over to Middletown, NY where I obtained my Master's degree. I am now honored to be a first year medical student at Touro University!
Fun Fact:
I've used my passport more times than my age!
Goals in SGA Position:
My goal as SGA secretary is to bring about further collaboration between all of the committees and bring awareness to the student body about what's happening on campus and how they can best get involved.
Haridja Kabuyi Ilunga
PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR
hkabuyi@student.touro.eduPrimary Responsibilities
Distribution of School Apparel
Organizing Student of the Month
SGA Website Editing
Runs the School Store
Who am I?
Hometown: Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo⠀
About me:
I am a Congolese born in Belgium and raised in DR Congo. Early on in life, I have been exposed to the harsh realities of my country's health care system. Many people have no access to adequate medical care, many die of preventable diseases and a lot of the facilities are understaffed and under-resourced. Witnessing these ignited in me a passion for medicine, a passion to serve the less fortunate. After graduating from my high school, my parents gave me the opportunity to come to the United States for a better education to realize my dream of becoming a physician and one day be able to help my people.
In the United States, I first landed in Arlington, Texas where I graduated from UT Arlington with a science degree in Microbiology with a minor in chemistry. During my undergraduate studies, I worked as an undergraduate researcher in Genetics, a microbiology TA and an admission assistant. After my bachelor, I worked as a medical scribe in surgical oncology at Baylor hospital. For the second part of my education, I landed in New York where I graduated from Touro COM with my Master in Science in 2022.
During my free time, I served as a kid ministry leader at my local church in Texas. I love cooking, reading, watching different tv shows and going to movie theaters. A couple of years ago, I started a new journey that consists of doing one activity a year that is out of my comfort zone. So far, it has been going great.
Fun Fact:
English is actually my 3rd language. My first languages are French and Lingala. The craziest activity that I have done so far in my new journey is skydiving which was fun.
Goals in SGA Position:
My goal as a public relations director is to continue the amazing work of my predecessors in showcasing the various opportunities and communities present at Touro and in Middletown, as well as creating a safe and enjoyable environment for prospective and current students. I want everyone to feel seen and represented. In addition, I want Touro to be a safe place where students have the opportunity to share and learn from each other.