Juanita Preciado: An Èxito! Grad With a Passion to End Latino Health Disparities



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Juanita Preciado Ponoma, Calif. Influenced by her hard-working immigrant family and a teacher who taught her to set high self-expectations, it’s not a shock that first-generation college graduate Juanita Preciado has set a very high career expectation: "Do research that will shift cultural beliefs." Juanita is interested in changing perceptions of how parents view mental health and fatalistic views of cancer. Juanita received her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of California, Riverside and is currently pursuing her master's in public health from Claremont Graduate University "The [Éxito!] program enabled me to consider PhD ...

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Eva Rodriguez: An Èxito! Grad With a Passion for Latino Health



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Eva Rodriguez New York City, New York Like her lovely Mexican guanengo blouse, Eva isn’t afraid to “display” her cultural ties and her desire to help people wherever she goes. That already includes a school health program and family planning program in New York, which built up her a desire to study reproductive health, reduce stigma, and start an open dialog in the Latino community. We believe Eva has the capability of tackling Latino cancer health disparities and helping them with social services, youth development, and more. "[Éxito!] made the idea of a DrPH more plausible," said ...

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Patricia Medina-Ramirez: An Èxito! Grad With a Passion for Cancer Research



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Patricia Medina-Ramirez Tampa, Florida Just as her Guida instrument represents her roots in the Dominican Republic, Patricia Medina-Ramirez is dedicated to learning about the culture and the community she works in. Cultural competency is key for her as she begins to focus on Latino health issues, such as her work exploring the experience of Latino cancer survivors. Despite moving from the Dominican Republic at age 15, Patricia was the first member in her family to pursue a graduate education, and potentially a doctoral degree. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Biomedical Sciences, with a minor in Public Health, from the University of ...

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Rose A. Treviño-Whitaker: An Èxito! Grad With a Passion for Cancer Research and Health Promotion



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Rose A. Treviño-Whitaker Houston, Texas Unpaved roads. Lack of proper sewage. Inadequate water. Rose A. Treviño-Whitaker grew up among these third-world conditions that plague some colonias—mostly Latino unincorporated settlements in South Texas. That’s why she dedicated her career to preventing disease and promoting public health as a researcher at the Institute for Health Promotion Research (IHPR) at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. Born in the Valley of South Texas Rose is a high achiever and already up to her eyeballs in cancer research and health promotion. Rose has also helped create culturally relevant educational ...

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Natalicio Serrano: An Èxito! Grad With A Passion to Tackle Health Issues



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Natalicio Serrano San Diego, Calif. Drawing inspiration from famous distance runner Steve Prefontaine, Natalicio decided to give his all in his education and his efforts to tackle the health issues he saw while growing up in a low-income food desert in San Diego. Now he works diligently to promote physical activity, travel behaviors, and obesity prevention in that same city. Natalicio obtained a Bachelors  in Health Science (Public Health)  and is working on his Masters Public Health with a concentration in Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences from San Diego State University. "This [Éxito!] program gave me tremendous insight into ...

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Jazmin Martinez: An Èxito! Grad With a Passion to End Latino Health Disparities



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Jazmin Martinez Anaheim, Calif. The strong mentorship and support of a faculty member at her university gave Jazmin Martinez the motivation to continue preparing for a career in Latino health disparities.  Jazmin's ultimate goal is to obtain a doctorate in public health and focus on health disparities. Jazmin fundamentally believes that we need more ethnic minority professors in this country.  Jasmin obtained her bachelors at California State University, double-majoring in Chicano and Latino Studies and Political Science.  She is currently working on her Masters in Public Health at CSULB.  After completing her masters, Jazmin plans to ...

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Monica Montaño: An Èxito! Grad Who Has A Passion for Teaching and Helping Others



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Monica Montaño Downey, Calif. With a Panamanian hat-wearing grandfather who pushed his children to go to college and a mom who took her to microbiology classes as a child, it’s no surprise that education is Monica's main tool to promote health among Latinos. She has a true passion for teaching and not only wants to expose her students to health disparities, but also wants to conduct research and deliver education on cancer and disease prevention across the nation and beyond.  Monica Montaño received her Bachelor of Science degrees in Community Health Education and School Health Education (2000),  from California State University ...

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Andrew Jimenez: An Èxito! Grad Who Is Committed to Helping Latinos Live Healthier Lives



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Andrew Jimenez Ontario, Calif. Encouraged by his great-grandfather’s spurs and his father’s ever-present support, Andrew Jimenez is driven to make a difference in helping Latinos live healthier lives. He is his family’s first college and grad school student, and he works as a research assistant while he studies health promotion. He’s open to new topics and challenges because he believes in the mantra, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Andrew obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from Whittier College and is currently attending Claremont Graduate University to obtain his masters in Public Health with a ...

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Andrea Fernandez: An Èxito! Grad Who Believes in the Value of Perseverance



Editor’s Note: This is the story of a graduate of the 2015 Èxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program. Apply now for 2016. Andrea Fernandez San Antonio, Texas It’s not always easy to stay calm, cool and collected under stress or facing adversity. However, Andrea is ready for anything that comes her way thanks to her mother, who stayed positive and encouraged her to continue her education despite battling cancer.  As the first person in her immediate and extended family to attend a university, Andrea has  the desire to evolve and excel. Andrea completed her bachelors in Psychology at UT Pan American and her masters in Public Health from the UT Health Science Center Houston-School of Public Health. Andrea thought that she might be past the stage where she ...

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