Integrative Approach to Skin Cancer and Sun Protection

Adrianne Pan is a third year medical student at California Northstate University. She graduated from UC Davis in 2018 with a degree in Cell Biology. Adrianne has a strong interest in integrative dermatology and is always looking for new approaches to improve skin health.

Samantha is a 3rd year medical student at Western Michigan University Homer Stryker MD School of Medicine. Prior to medical school, she worked as a medical scribe and a pharmacy technician. Samantha has a strong interest in dermatology and believes that healthy skin is a reflection of our inner health. Samantha’s goal as a future physician is to provide quality care for her patients and equip them with the knowledge so that they can be proactive about their health.

Alexa Herzig, MHS, PA-C was born and raised in Southern California. She received her Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience at The University of California, Santa Cruz. After graduation, she worked as a Clinical Medical Assistant in a busy dermatology office, where she found her love and passion for dermatology. After 2000+ hours working in dermatology, she got accepted into the Physician Assistant program at The University of California, Davis.

Throughout her rigorous PA training, Alexa also interned with LearnSkin to learn more about dermatology. This opportunity provided her with further insight on various dermatological conditions, traditional and non-traditional treatment options, as well as physiological and environmental factors that can impact the skin that she applies to her everyday practice.

After graduating from PA school, Alexa joined a busy dermatology practice in Calabasas, CA. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants and has an active Physician Assistant license in the state of California.

She believes that by empowering her patients to be proactive participants in their care and make healthy choices in their everyday lives, they can achieve overall wellness and healthy skin.

Sonali Nanda is a fourth-year medical student at The University of Virginia, expected to graduate medical school in May 2020. She is applying for a residency position in dermatology this fall. Sonali graduated from The University of Virginia undergraduate program with honors and with research distinction in Neuroscience. Prior to attending medical school, she completed a Masters of Science in Narrative Medicine at Columbia University. Sonali then worked in clinical and basic science research at The Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery in Miami, Florida and explored her interests of hair, pediatrics, medical dermatology, and nutrition in dermatology. She is interested in creating content that will educate physicians and the public on current topics in dermatology.

Tess is a second-year medical student at CNUCOM. Tess’ interest in dermatology began with her own struggles with acne, where she learned how afflictions of the skin can affect you physically, psychologically, and emotionally. She is also passionate about Integrative Medicine, mind-body wellness, and patient advocacy. After graduating from UC Berkeley, Tess worked in health insurance and as an EMT.

Jordan Parker is a 1st year medical student at the University of California, Riverside. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2018 with a degree in biology. Jordan’s clinical interests include pediatric dermatology, specifically autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. He believes that caring for skin conditions is of paramount importance as it is the first part of ourselves that we share with the external environment. He is also a firm advocate for living life with healthy skin, as he sees it as a vital marker of our overall health & well-being. Jordan is committed to helping those of all ages live a healthier and more confident lifestyle.

I was born in Abbotsford, British Columbia and moved to Fremont, California, a diverse city near Silicon Valley, for the remainder of my childhood. I completed my undergraduate career at the University of California, San Diego. Following this, I worked as a remote scribe at Augmedix, Inc. utilizing Google Glass technology to document encounters for physicians in real time. I was then accepted to Chicago Medical School at Rosalind Franklin University where I am currently an M3 student. As a future physician, through dermatology, I wish to empower patients through skin education so they can feel in control of their health and specifically the prevention and treatment of their diseases. I also wish to add to the growing field of dermatology through research. In my free time, I enjoy playing basketball, both recreationally and in competitive adult leagues. I also have an interest in board games such as Settlers of Catan and Codenames, and in cooking fusion foods such as pizza burgers and Korean bulgogi burritos.

LaToya is a passionate advocate for access to affordable, non-invasive healthcare. She is a third-year naturopathic medical student at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. LaToya brings over a decade of business experience to her naturopathic journey. Her background is in strategic leadership, software and infrastructure deployment, and project and portfolio management.

LaToya’s medical interests include integrative dermatology, oncology and chronic disease. Her goal is to decrease the disparities in life expectancy that exists among varied socio-economic levels by influencing systematic change that can positively impact social determinants of health. In her free time, you can find LaToya serving her community alongside her sorority sisters of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, where she implements initiatives that focus on cultivating academic achievement towards post-secondary education, building economic literacy and empowering others to improve their health and wellness.

LaToya also strives to build community and support naturopathic medical students in her role as Vice President of Membership for the Naturopathic Medical Student Association. Skin Philosophy: Once we learn to speak the same language as our bodies, we can promote lasting healing that emanates on our skin and throughout our bodies.

Maria is a naturopathic doctor who attended the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine. She has a strong interest in integrative dermatology, mental health, environmental medicine, and epigenetics. Maria’s passion is to help make integrative medicine more accessible, especially in the state of Florida where naturopathic medicine is currently not regulated. She is an active member of the FNPA and has participated in naturopathic advocacy and lobbying events such as the DCFLI. In the future, she aims to help others reach their own health goals by providing individualized treatment plans that address the multiple root causes of illness. She also loves animals and would like to help make integrative veterinary care more accessible as well.

Samantha Magana is currently a first-year physician assistant (PA) student at the University of California, Davis; Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. She completed her undergraduate education at UC Davis, with her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences and a minor in Psychology. Before starting the PA program, she worked as a medical assistant for North Pacific Dermatology in rural Humboldt County, CA. Upon successful completion of the PA program, she intends to enter dermatology and continue to help those who are underserved and undertreated.

Lily Guo is a Long Island native and grew up on the north shore with her four siblings. She attended University of Rochester where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience. She graduated from Chicago Medical School in 2024, and is completing her Transitional Year internship at Ascension St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL before starting dermatology residency at Brown in Providence, RI. She is passionate about integrative dermatology, and hopes to broaden her knowledge base and toolbox to help her patients live their healthiest and happiest lives.

Nicole Natarelli is a first-year medical student at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. Prior to matriculation, she graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Biology and a minor in Health and Wellbeing. Throughout her undergraduate career, Nicole worked as an orthopedic clinical research assistant, dermatology scribe, and Fairfax Collegiate summer course instructor, where she taught 7-9 medical science and 9-12 chemistry. Her experiences fostered her interest in academic research and medical dermatology, and her mission is to empower patients to make healthcare decisions with evidence-based perspectives on current topics in dermatology.

Marjon Samimi is a current first-year PA-C student at UC Davis. She has a keen interest in dermatology and plans to specialize when she graduates. She plans to graduate and make Dermatology more accessible to those with Medicaid. She also plans to promote diversity in skin conditions, specifically in darker skin tones. In her free time, she enjoys going hiking, baking, and keeping up with the current skincare trends.