About Us
Mission
MCHSA connects multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate students with interests in the maternal and child health (MCH)-related careers and topics, which include the health and well-being of mothers, infants, children, and adolescents. MCHSA offers a platform for students to meet and discuss MCH-related practice, research, careers, and current events.
MCHSA holds monthly general meetings as well as additional events including seminars, career development opportunities, and networking opportunities with students at USC and other universities.
Click here to view a brief Powerpoint on MCHSA and what we do!
Executive Board
Marion Granger
President
Marion is currently a 3rd year PhD candidate in Epidemiology and specializes in maternal, fetal, and infant disease and health outcomes. Marion’s family has been impacted by high risk pregnancies which has driven her passion for becoming a researcher in this area. In her free time Marion likes to go on outdoor adventures, read, and pet her cats.
Paddington Mundagowa
President-Elect
Paddington is in his 3rd year at USC in the Ph.D in Epidemiology program and the post Graduate Maternal and Child Health Certificate. He has six years of clinical working experience as an RN and six years in the public health arena. Paddington is passionate about improving maternal and child health in underserved communities using implementation science approaches. He am very excited about the prospects of working with all MCHSA faculty and student members to help improve the daily lives of mothers, newborns, and children in South Carolina and beyond.
Lathika Chaluvadi
Secretary
Lathika Chaluvadi is a sophomore Public Health B.S. major with a minor in Business Administration on the pre-med track. Her interest in maternal and child health has stemmed from her public health classes and experience shadowing OB/GYN physicians, which has made her aware of the disparities in healthcare. In the future, she hopes to get her MD/MPH and become a patient-centered physician focused on addressing healthcare inequalities in the system. Lathika is super excited for this opportunity and can’t wait to see what we accomplish together this year!
Megan Austin
Treasurer
Megan Austin is a South Carolina native who received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health and a Master of Public Health in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior (HPEB) at the University of South Carolina. She is now a third-year PhD candidate in HPEB who is passionate about improving maternal and child and sexual and reproductive health disparities in the American South. Megan works as the Qualitative Study Coordinator for a nationwide study in the Department of Epidemiology and her dissertation is focused on sex education and the influence on sexual behaviors in South Carolina. In her free time, she enjoys reading, watching rom-coms, and spending time outdoors hiking or laying by the lake.
Anajae’ Curry
Director of Communications
Anajae’ Curry is a Public Health major with a focus in research, nutrition, and Pre-PA. She is from Aiken, SC a small city right next to the border of Georgia. Her interest to be a part of the Maternal and Child Health field stems from her own mother’s experience as a first-time mom to premature twins! Anajae’ hopes that as a healthcare professional, she can influence those in medicine to focus on prevention strategies rather than temporary treatment ideas that potentially hurt clients to improve their overall health.
Utba Rashid
Director of Graduate Student Outreach
Utba is currently pursuing his PhD in Epidemiology, with a specific focus on maternal and child health, particularly perinatal epidemiology and maternal health disparities. In his leisure time, Utba enjoys discovering new music, watching movies, and traveling.
Ebony Christie
Director of Undergraduate Student Outreach
Ebony Christie is a junior Public Health major on the pre-med track from Columbia, South Carolina, with aspirations of becoming an OB/GYN and maternal and child health advocate. Her journey towards this goal was ignited during a health promotion course where she and her partner, Syndey Barber, focused their semester project on the Black maternal mortality rate in South Carolina. This experience propelled her to seek opportunities to deepen her understanding of maternal and child health, leading her to join the Maternal and Child Health Student Association. Ebony’s passion also influenced City of Columbia, Councilman Dr. Aditi Bussell’s efforts to establish the first inaugural Black Maternal Health Week in Columbia where she was recognized on April 5th at City Hall for her contribution. She eagerly anticipates her new role and the opportunity to provide guidance and support to undergraduate students interested in maternal and child health.
Avery Williams
Website Administrator & Coordinator
Avery Williams is a junior public health major who will graduate in May 2025! She is from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Avery enjoys musical theatre, watching all kinds of entertainment or content, and modeling!
2023-2024 Executive Board
President: Eric Mishio Bawa (Fall 2023) & Marion Granger (Spring 2024)
President-Elect: Marion Granger (Fall 2023)
Secretary: Jaiden Branch
Treasurer: Kaaliyah Harris
Director of Communications: Peyton Moore
Director of Graduate Student Outreach: Hannah Parker
Director of Undergraduate Student Outreach: Sharraf Samin
Website Administrator & Coordinator: Olivia Johnson
2021-2022 Executive Board
President: Xuanxuan (Julia) Zhu
President-Elect: Tiffany Byrd
Secretary: Carly Moser
Treasurer: Amanda Elmore
Director of Communications: Ellie Cooper
Director of Graduate Student Outreach: Agnes Bucko
Director of Undergraduate Student Outreach: Kaji Keya-Korotki
Website Administrator & Coordinator: Alexandra Kauffman
2020-2021 Executive Board
President: Sabrina Karim
President-Elect: Xuanxuan (Julia) Zhu
Secretary: Rajat Das Gupta
Treasurer: Amanda Elmore
Director of Communications: Mohiuddin Ah Chowdhury
Director of Graduate Student Outreach: Agnes Bucko
Director of Undergraduate Student Outreach: Ellie Cooper
Website Administrator & Coordinator: Alexander Kauffman