Current Students

Katherine Eckert is a clinical research coordinator with the Cancer Clinical Trials Office at Cedars-Sinai, currently working with the GI oncology group. She has over six years of clinical research experience, previously working with lymphoma patients at Washington University and hematology CAR-T patients at the University of Chicago. Katherine received her BS in biology at the University of Evansville in 2016.

Brianna graduated from UC Santa Cruz in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science degree in molecular biology. After graduation, she worked as an HIV counselor at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Los Angeles. In 2022, she joined Cedars-Sinai as a research associate, where she has spent the last two years collaborating with colleagues to address complex questions in transplant immunology. As a student in the MSHS program, she aims to develop innovative solutions that address healthcare disparities. She believes that this program will offer valuable exposure to the innerworkings of our healthcare system and solidify her commitment to improving it.

Thomas (Tom) Hoffmann is an MN Clinical Program Manager of LA PULM, overseeing the medical network’s American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) fully accredited sleep facility.  He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Ohio Northern University in 2000 and began his career in sleep medicine immediately following graduation.  Thomas has extensive experience in the study, diagnosis, and treatment of sleep disorders, earning two Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) certifications.  He received his Registered Polysomnographic Technologist (RPSGT) certification in 2003, and his Certification in Clinical Sleep Health (CCSH) in 2021.

LeeAnn Jackson is a Clinical Nurse III Registered Nurse working in Cedars-Sinai's Emergency Department at Beverly Hills since 2021. She obtained her bachelor’s in science in Nursing at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and obtained her CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) certificate in 2023. Since the beginning of her nursing career, she has specialized in Level One Trauma Emergency Medicine. LeeAnn completed IRB approved research during her baccalaureate studies. She plans to utilize her previous research experience and knowledge learned from the MSHS program to further the advancement of emergency medicine day-to-day operations. Her hope is to practically apply capabilities of AI and advancements in medical/healthcare technology to deliver the highest quality of care available to patients.   

Rongsen dropped out of school at age 15 and thought he would never have to attend school. In his early 20s, Rongsen came to the United States without lawful permanent status and essential language skills. He worked as a dishwasher, busboy, delivery guy, and waiter to make a living. Several years later, he finally received his green card and went to East Los Angeles College to take ESL classes. Meanwhile, Rongsen worked as a long-haul truck driver, coach bus driver, limo driver, and tour guide. He saved every penny he could because he wanted to attend a 4-year university after community college. In 2019, Rongsen was naturalized to be a U.S. citizen, worked as a research intern at NASA’s JPL for six months, and received admission offers from UC Berkeley and UCLA. In 2022, Rongsen graduated from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in data science and decided to get into medical research. He is deeply enthusiastic about the integrated biomedical curriculums the MSHS program provides, equipping him with advanced technical skills, a profound understanding of healthcare contexts, and the ability to lead innovative projects.

Oscar Munos is a dedicated healthcare professional with a robust background in communication, patient care, and leadership. He has successfully led projects that enhanced operational efficiency and improved patient outcomes, demonstrating his commitment to excellence in healthcare delivery. Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Health Systems, Oscar aims to leverage his skills and knowledge to become an Operations Manager, driving transformative changes in the healthcare sector.

Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2000. Upon graduation she completed Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) coursework and spent considerable hours volunteering her time and furthering medical expertise. After undergrad, Michelle moved to New York and attended Bronx-Lebanon Physician Assistant (PA) Program from 2000-2002. After PA school she did a 1-year Orthopedic PA Fellowship specializing in Trauma at Lincoln Medical Center (a Level 1 Trauma Center) in the Bronx, NY. After her fellowship, Michelle worked at Lincoln Medical Center, North General Hospital and Nassau County Medical Center (a Level 1 Trauma Center) specializing in Joint Replacements, Plastic Surgery and Spine during the day, and Trauma at night.

In 2006, Michelle directed her focus exclusively on Hip and Knee Replacement surgeries. She relocated to Southern California and teamed with renowned physician Dr. Brad Penenberg. Michelle’s educational background and breadth of experience have contributed significantly in making her a highly effective PA.

Over the years Michelle has performed research studies that have been recognized by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meetings. In 2011, Michelle was selected to a podium presentation in Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Arthroplasties at the annual Orthopedic Surgeons meeting and continues to participate in Joint Reconstruction research.

Michelle’s interests outside of Orthopedics include playing competitive softball, watching professional sports and spending time with her son.

After earning a bachelor's degree in business administration with a minor in business law from CSUN, I began my career organizing international forums in the oil and gas industry. This role provided me with valuable global experience in business operations and management.

Upon returning to the US, I transitioned to healthcare, earning a degree as a vascular diagnostic sonographer. Since 2021, I have been working at Cedars-Sinai.

With a strong foundation in both business and healthcare, I am now eager to pursue a master's degree with a focus on data analysis and management in the healthcare industry. This program offers the perfect opportunity to leverage my diverse background and skills.

Alexa received her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the Universidad Adventista de las Antillas in Puerto Rico. With almost a decade working in healthcare, Alexa joined the Cedars-Sinai family as a Registered Nurse in the Step-Down Care Unit in 2022. Her diverse upbringing, unique perspective, and knack for technology have allowed her to bridge the gap between generations navigating the digital world. Alexa is passionate about how technology has and continues to improve healthcare systems. Driven to advance her knowledge in the biomedical space, she is pursuing this master's degree to become a leader in healthcare innovation and to improve patient care. She speaks Spanish and German and in her free time, she enjoys salsa dancing, scuba diving, and biking to the beach.

Julio Silvestre, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai. Originally from La Paz, Bolivia, he completed his residency program in Internal Medicine and fellowships in Geriatrics, Palliative Care and Oncologic Emergency Medicine. Currently, he works as the staff Supportive Care Medicine physician at the Angeles Clinic and Research Institute. His areas of expertise include complex symptom management in cancer, sickle cell disease and brain metastases.

In addition to his clinical and educational leadership, Dr. Silvestre has made important contributions to medical research, authoring numerous peer-reviewed articles on opioid management and interdisciplinary care quality.

Through the MSHS graduate program, Dr. Silvestre is eager to learn leadership skills and health system innovations that best serve patients. He also hopes to use quality improvement and implementation science approaches to establish best clinical practices for patient-centered care.

Cleve Wong is an executive health coach and product manager with over a decade of experience in health care organizations and Fortune 5 technology companies. 

He led digital engagement strategy at UCLA Health, where he spearheaded a viral public health campaign that leveraged AR  technology to promote preventive behaviors such as masking and vaccination, garnering support from influencers and winning the Shorty Award for Social Impact. 

Cleve co-developed the first science-based mindfulness mobile app in the U.S that gave doctors and frontline health care workers stress management tool at their fingertips, earning recognition from the New York Times and Mashable. Cleve helped scale a precision medicine program, telemedicine services, and an AI-chatbot during COVID, which improved access to care for patients around the world. He led content strategy for a novel patient engagement solution, which won the e-Healthcare Leadership Award and a partnership deal with Youtube. 

Cleve was recruited to Google as Associate Director of Strategy to lead product marketing for cloud and AI solutions, supporting IT decision-makers in front-line organizations on their journey toward digital transformation. Cleve is the founding CMO of AnonNet, an AI-powered digital health platform that uses differential privacy to enable secure biomedical data exchange and accelerate disease prediction. He is an advisor to the Aspen Institute’s Tech Accountability Council, working with industry leaders to shape the future of responsible AI. 

One morning, Cleve woke up in an ER with his face paralyzed. He was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder triggered by acute stress and burnout. This wake up call led him to let go of the corporate ladder, and follow a new path of recovery, reflection and self discovery. He volunteered with nonprofits in Norway and went on retreats in Bali. He completed post-graduate training at UCLA Neuroscience and UC Irvine Health — certifying as a health and wellness coach and mindfulness facilitator. 

Since then, Cleve has a newfound purpose in fostering healing for others, especially for creatives and high-performers who are prone to suffering silently from burnout. Cleve is dedicated to designing preventive medicine solutions that drive impact in hospitals and beyond. Cleve is a board member of the UCLA Alumni Association and is dedicated to serving marginalized parts of society, including people of color, LGBTQ, and immigrant communities. 

Outside of work, Cleve loves to travel to explore different cultures through their food and traditions. You can find him recharging by practicing yoga, frolicking in nature, or watching a good animation or sci-fi movie with his two kitties and family.

Bobby is the core integration services manager at Torrance Memorial Health, a Cedars-Sinai affiliate, managing the EMR and PACS teams while guiding diverse initiatives that place patients first. He began his healthcare IT career in 2004 as a systems analyst with a software vendor, working on domestic and overseas consulting projects where he saw how solutions must adapt to local needs. Joining Torrance Memorial Health in 2006, his early work included building a modern EMR, integrating biomedical devices and developing custom business intelligence such as Code Blue. He later oversaw EMR upgrades to meet regulatory compliance and has since shifted to human-centric leadership, managing talent and guiding diverse teams from implementation to operational support.

Rose has held administrative roles across various domains of healthcare and research, including basic research, service on a medical Institutional Review Board (IRB) at UCLA, and oncology clinical research at both UCLA and Cedars-Sinai. Her interest in healthcare systems began during her time as a hospice volunteer with AIDS Project Los Angeles. The fear and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS at the time revealed how bias and misinformation created barriers to treatment.

Since then, she has actively pursued opportunities to understand how healthcare delivery systems operate—whether through discussions on workflow optimization, logistics or financial analysis. Outside of her professional pursuits, she volunteers as a community representative on the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health IRB. In her personal time, she enjoys swimming and is currently teaching herself to play the piano.

With over 13 years of experience in healthcare and an academic background in engineering from Iran, I am now ready to advance my career through the Master of Science in Health Systems Program at Cedars-Sinai. The program's curriculum, especially its focus on AI, data analysis, mobile health and digital health, perfectly aligns with my passion for merging technology and healthcare delivery.

Renee is a lead physician assistant for the Cedars-Sinai Orthopedic Trauma Service. She built and leads a team of advanced practice providers dedicated to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care across complex inpatient and outpatient settings.

Grisha is an administrative assistant at the Cedars-Sinai Capacity Command Center, where he supports patient flow operations by coordinating workflows, tracking key capacity metrics and facilitating collaboration across departments. One of his favorite projects involved designing interactive card decks for Progression of Care Rounds (POCR) to help interdisciplinary teams navigate the flow of care discussions, and promote a more structured and consistent rounding experience. He is especially drawn to process improvement, human-centered design and creative asset development, and looks forward to exploring these areas further throughout the MSHS Program.

Grisha is also the founder of Lunch Club, a community initiative at Cedars-Sinai that brings employees together through monthly outdoor events to foster connection and collaboration across roles.

His background includes a degree in applied information management systems from Loyola Marymount University, hands-on work with digital health startups at the Cedars- Sinai Accelerator, and active involvement in the 2025 Trendsetters cohort. These experiences have shaped his ongoing curiosity about how people engage with complex systems, a mindset he brings to both his work and studies.

I graduated from West Los Angeles College as a registered dental hygienist and have spent several years dedicated to providing direct patient care and advocating for overall oral and systemic health. Through my clinical experience, I’ve witnessed the critical role that administrative leadership and systems innovation play in enhancing the patient experience and improving care outcomes. 

My parents are from Honduras and I am one of four sisters. In my spare time, I enjoy spending it with my loved ones: my daughter, husband, dog and family. Traveling and giving back brings immense joy to me.

Shira Okhovat is a clinical research coordinator at the California Heart Center, focusing on the execution of clinical trials for heart transplantation and cardiac amyloidosis. While studying at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Shira was a clinical research intern at the Pancreatic Cancer Center of Los Angeles, studying low-dose, continuous infusion, and metronomic dosing of chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer patients. After graduating university, Shira continued her career in oncology at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, investigating the link between pancreatic cancer and pancreatitis in addition to identifying novel biomarkers for earlier detection.

Eric Pierce brings a unique perspective to healthcare systems transformation as both a patient advocate and member of the gender-diverse community. They are pursuing the MSHS Program to develop healthcare leadership expertise after receiving their BS in biology from UCLA. Currently working in quality assurance for clinical oncology trials at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, an affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Cancer, they are passionate about improving representation in clinical trials and addressing barriers to equitable treatment access. 

Their healthcare journey began early, advocating for their mother's psychiatric care while navigating their father's pancreatic cancer diagnosis. These experiences revealed critical care gaps and sparked their commitment to systemic healthcare reform. Through community and organizational advocacy, they have developed a passion for health equity and population health, particularly challenges facing the queer community. They are passionate about integrating AI into healthcare systems to improve cancer detection and treatment for underrepresented populations, while ensuring diverse perspectives guide these transformative technologies.

Oscar currently works as a patient service representative in Internal Medicine at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Network. He earned his bachelor of science in microbiology from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in 2016. His interest in healthcare began during college while pursuing a premed track and volunteering at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. That early experience sparked a strong interest in patient care and the impact of healthcare delivery. 

After graduating, Oscar worked at a private practice focused on treating patients with mold-related health conditions. This role gave him valuable insight into the patient journey and the barriers many face when trying to access quality care. He later transitioned into a management position, where he helped expand clinic operations and improve care coordination. He also gained experience in a clinical laboratory, working on experiments focused on environmental and food allergens, which deepened his understanding of how science supports clinical decision-making. 

In 2023, Oscar joined Cedars-Sinai, starting as a front desk PSR before moving into an administrative support role. He now assists with internal operations, pilots internal projects, monitors key service metrics, and supports the onboarding process for new providers across internal medicine and urgent care. 

One of the most meaningful projects Oscar has contributed to has been the Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) initiative. This pilot program reimagined care delivery by strengthening team-based collaboration, expanding access and seamlessly integrating on-demand virtual care into internal medicine. Through this initiative, measurable improvements in access, communication and provider efficiency have occurred, along with enhanced patient experience and increased support of staff wellbeing. Being a part of EPC has shown Oscar what's possible when thoughtful systems design and compassionate care come together.

Moizza Shabbir, MD, is currently completing a research fellowship within the Department of Emergency Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She completed her undergraduate studies in molecular cell biology at the University of California, Berkeley (Cal). She then attended medical school at the Keck School of Medicine of USC followed by a residency in emergency medicine from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vineet Kumar Sharma, MD, MS, is a board-certified emergency medicine physician who currently practices at Whittier Hospital Medical Center and Monterey Park Hospital, both part of the AHMC Healthcare System. Sharma is committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered emergency care with an emphasis on quality improvement, operational excellence and healthcare innovation. 

He completed his emergency medicine residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital–Columbia/Cornell, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, where he also served as chair of the Residency Recruitment Committee. Sharma earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine and holds a master of science in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Riverside (UCR). 

Recognized for his leadership and service, Sharma was named to the EDPMA EMerging Leaders Academy in 2023 and received the Kaiser Permanente Oliver Goldsmith Scholarship for his work with underserved communities. His scholarly contributions include numerous peer-reviewed publications and presentations focused on ED operations, telemedicine, emergency department boarding and healthcare disparities. Sharma has played a key role in emergency medicine education through EMRA and ACEP, co-authoring a chapter in the ACEP/EMRA Practice Essentials of Emergency Medicine and developing educational content for residents and medical students. He has held faculty roles at Weill Cornell Medicine and currently at California University of Science and Medicine.