Project Staff & Volunteers

Volunteers & Operations Manager, Urban Health Initiative

Taqiyya Alford serves as the Compliance Associate and volunteers as Volunteers and Operations Manager. She has a diverse background in Rehabilitation, Clinical Research, and Pharmaceutical with hands on experience and knowledge combined. Taqiyya has worked at a Clinical Research Site for Mental Disorders (ADHD, ADD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Alzheimer’s, Depression, etc.) as well as a Global Pharmaceutical Organization (CRO).Taqiyya completed her Associate Degree in Medical Assisting, a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, and an MPH from Rollins in March 2020. 

Operations Onboarding Specialist

Born and raised in Albany, Georgia, Brandon has long been driven by a passion for community involvement and selfless service. Since graduating from Morehouse College in 2021, he has served as Operations Onboarding Specialist at UHI since 2020. He is now pursuing his interest in medicine as a Research Coordinator at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, with plans to attend graduate school soon.

Walk with a Doc Coordinator and Walk Leader

Macey Balk is a medical student at Emory. She is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and graduated from UNC Chapel Hill in 2024 with a B.S. in biology. She is currently serving as a Walk with a Doc coordinator and walk leader. She is passionate about patient education and addressing health literacy gaps, and she enjoys spending time outdoors and being active. 

Walk with a Doc Coordinator and Walk Leader

Clara Deley is a medical student at Emory and joined Walk with a Doc during her first year of medical school in 2025. She is passionate about connecting with the Atlanta community and promoting sustainable, healthy habits. Clara grew up in California and studied nutrition at Cornell University. After graduating, she worked as a registered dietitian for three years and now brings this experience to her work with Walk with a Doc, where she shares practical, healthy eating skills with the community. She currently serves as a Walk with a Doc coordinator and walk leader. Outside of school, Clara enjoys spending time with friends and playing soccer.

Walk with a Doc Co-President, Coordinator, and Walk Leader

Anna Miele is a fourth-year medical student at Emory University School of Medicine and serves as Co-President, Coordinator, and Walk Leader for Emory’s Walk with a Doc program. Since joining WWAD as an M1 in 2023, she has led weekly community health walks and developed more than 20 interactive, evidence-based health education lessons designed to make medical information accessible and actionable. She is passionate about health education, community engagement, and improving cardiovascular health in underserved communities. Originally from Atlanta, Anna is excited to be back home after spending five years away at Dartmouth College and during a gap year in Boston. Outside of medicine, Anna enjoys hiking, watercolor painting, New York Times crosswords, and exploring Atlanta.

Rohan Rajpurohit is a student at Emory University studying Biology. He has supported community-based health promotion through Emory School of Medicine’s Urban Health Initiative, assisting with outreach, coordination, and weekly Walk with a Doc programming. Through this work, he has enjoyed helping create welcoming opportunities for community members to engage in conversations about health and prevention. Rohan has also been involved in immunology research at Emory and is interested in medicine, community health, and health education.

Vivek Rao is a senior at Emory University pursuing a major in Biology and a minor in Predictive Health. Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, he plans to attend medical school after graduation. At Emory, Vivek has worked with the tobacco cessation team, where he focuses on implementing and evaluating the ASHES curriculum and developing AI-based learning tools to support tobacco prevention and cessation education for middle and high school students.

Walk with a Doc Coordinator and Walk Leader

Jessi Schlewitt is a medical student at the Emory University School of Medicine. She is originally from Westfield, NJ and graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Human Biology, Health, & Society. She is passionate about incorporating health education into care and encouraging patients to be curious and inquisitive about their health. She also loves being outdoors, and discovered Walk with a Doc (WWAD) while searching for a way to combine physical activity with community engagement and teaching. She now serves as a WWAD Coordinator and Walk Leader and loves spending time with community members on the Lionel Hampton Trail.

Walk with a Doc Co-President, Coordinator, and Walk Leader

Sriya Sharma is a fourth-year medical student at Emory University School of Medicine, where she serves as Co-President, Coordinator, and Walk Leader for Emory’s Walk with a Doc Program. Since joining Walk with a Doc in 2025, she has loved getting to know Atlanta community members on each walk, sharing her love of the outdoors and movement. Sriya hopes to train in internal medicine and pediatrics, with a particular passion for advocacy and working with underserved communities. Originally from Colorado, Sriya moved to Atlanta for medical school and has since fallen in love with exploring the unique neighborhoods, food scene, and nearby outdoor spaces. In her free time, Sriya enjoys hiking, discovering a new TV show, and spending time with friends!

Kalp is a senior at Emory University majoring in Chemistry on the pre-med track. He is involved with the tobacco cessation program, where he helps promote health literacy among K–12 students and patients. Additionally, he is evaluating the ASHES curriculum and exploring the use of technology and AI to assess its effectiveness in equipping individuals with the knowledge, tools, and resources to prevent smoking.

Tobacco Cessation Leader

Aravind is a senior at Emory studying Biology on the pre-med track. He is involved with the tobacco cessation class and helps facilitate sessions as well as conduct quality improvement projects to improve participant experience and retention.