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Meet the 2025/26 Executive Team
Year 4
Role:
The presidents run the show! Sarah ensures smooth operations of the entire UPSA, overseeing all events, fundraising, sales, and seminars and is the liaison between students and the Department.
Favourite Subject
Exercise & Cardiovascular Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, she volunteered in a nutrition lab that specializes in body composition, travelled with friends on the weekends, and did lots of gymnastics coaching!
Hobbies
Sarah volunteers in the nutrition lab, enjoys going to the gym, coaching/doing gymnastics, or wandering around her favourite bird sanctuary.
Sarah Paterson
Co-President
Year 4
Role:
The VP Academics plan and host academic events such as Research Seminars, Lab Tours, and Your Future in PHYSL!
Favourite Subject
Cardiovascular Physiology
Past Summer Activities
This summer Paige got to work in a cardiovascular research lab in Leeds, UK that specializes in mitigating loss of metabolic flexibility in diabetic patients. While there, she got to travel all around Europe with friends!
Hobbies
Paige loves hiking, camping, and sailing; basically anything that gets her outdoors! She also coaches basketball or often goes on a ski holiday in the winter!
Paige Macpherson
Co VP Academic
Year 3
Role:
The VP Internal is in charge of all things merchandise! She contributes to designs and identifies which items to sell. Keisha connects with merchandise companies to ensure a smooth delivery.
Favourite Subject
Sensory Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Keisha got to travel outside the country for the first time! She visited the Philippines, and went to Mexico with her best friends!
Hobbies
She's a big movie fan, loves to bake, and doing anything creative like painting or crocheting! This year, Keishas been into pilates, hiking, and snowboarding!
Keisha Allones
VP Internal
Year 3
Role:
The VP Communications manages all of the social media accounts, the Discord, and the website. She also creates the monthly newsletters, and designs graphics for the UPSA events.
Favourite Subject
Cardiovascular Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Ivanna was busy this summer working in a research lab, investigating the mechanism TLR2 in diabetic cardiomyopathy, and doing lots of studying. In her free time, she attended some Ukrainian folk festivals!
Hobbies
Ivanna does Ukrainian folk dance, and in the summer enjoys gardening and dirt biking.
Ivanna Sumka
VP Communications
Year 4
Role:
The presidents run the show! Linden ensures smooth operations of the entire UPSA, overseeing all events, fundraising, sales, and seminars and is the liaison between students and the Department.
Favourite Subject
Reproductive Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Linden completed a research project in a lab focusing on the impacts of cell death that occurs in the placenta!
Hobbies
Linden loves reading, and spends lots of time studying at cafes. And when not in Edmonton, Linden will be on her family farm with her pet cows or making memories with her friends.
Linden Stuart
Co-President
Year 4
Co VP Academic
Role:
The VP Academics plan and host academic events such as Research Seminars, Lab Tours, and Your Future in PHYSL!
Favourite Subject
Cell Physiology and Immunology
Past Summer Activities
Unjal did a research studentship and completed BIOL 499 with the Dacks Lab, where she cultured the social amoeba Dictyostellium discoideum, and used bioinformatics to search for clathrin coat protein homologs in ~35 Amoebozoan species, essential for endocytosis and membrane trafficking processes.
Hobbies
Unjal enjoys going to the gym, hiking, rock climbing, cooking and doing crafty things.
Unjal Pradhan
Year 3
Role:
The VP External handles recruiting. She is in charge of presenting to schools and high school, for outreach. Priscilla is also responsible for planning and organizing graduation.
Favourite Subject
Reproductive and Cell Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Spent most of the summer at home with her family and friends. She also volunteered at a summer camp!
Hobbies
Priscilla likes reading books, listening to music, and watching movies.
Priscilla Oladele
VP External
Year 3
Role:
The VP Social organizes and hosts social events such as the Meet and Greet BBQ, Holiday Mixer, and Alumni Mixer.
Favourite Subject
Reproductive Physiology
Past Summer Activities
This summer, Riekyn worked at a daycare with kids aged 18 months to 3 years old! She had lots of fun playing and teaching the kids. During her time off, she went camping with her family!
Hobbies
Riekyn is a big reader! She loves spending time with her family, whether it's baking for them or camping.
Riekyn Van Iderstine
VP Social
Year 4
Role:
The VP Fundraising organizes and hosts a variety of events aimed at generating revenue for our club while fostering a strong sense of community among students and faculty members!
Favourite Subject
Respiratory Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Arshjot was working in a lab studying the neuromodulation of breathing. Aside from that, she spent a lot of time with family and friends and tried to get outside as much as possible!
Hobbies
Arshjot enjoys baking, reading, and watching movies wrapped up in a blanket with lots of snacks. She also loves biking and going on walks, especially in the summer!
Arshjot Benipal
VP Fundraising
Year 1
Role:
The 1st year representative connects with first year students and offers support by answering any questions. She works alongside the VP external, by organizing outreach events, as well the VP fundraising by creating event posters.
Favourite Subject
Neurophysiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Tia hung out at her cabin, went on a few trips with her friends, and the biggest highlight was travelling around the Philippines!
Hobbies
Tia loves to spend her free time either hanging out at her cabin, painting, or travelling! She enjoys spending some quality time with her friends, pets, and family.
Tia San Agustin
1st Year Rep
Year 4.5
Role:
The VP Finance is responsible for maintaining our budget and securing grants which allow us to keep hosting really fun events and other opportunities
Favourite Subject
Cardiovascular Physiology
Past Summer Activities
This summer, Nadeen spent time with family and friends, and stayed active! She was also occupied writing her MCAT.
Hobbies
Nadeen loves to play basketball, pickleball, and she has recently dabbled in tennis! She's from Vancouver and still haven't adjusted to the cold Edmonton winters. She enjoys travelling; the coolest place she's ever been is Turks and Caicos!
Nadeen Wu
VP Finance
Year 2
Role:
The second year representative works to connect second year physiology students with the UPSA executives. She assists the VP Communications, and the VP social, to execute and advertise UPSA events.
Favourite Subject
Reproductive and Neuro Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Faith worked at an optometry clinic, did lots of camping, and spent time with her family and dog.
Hobbies
Faith enjoys spending time outdoors, either hiking or camping, playing recreational sports like soccer and slow-pitch. She also explores new cafes to find study spots.
Faith DiNicola
2nd Year Rep
Year 3
Role:
The third year representative is a liasion between 3rd year physiology students, the UPSA and the department. She helps our VP Academics in running academic events.
Favourite Subject
Cardiovascular Physiology
Past Summer Activities
Over the summer, Joy worked in a biochemistry lab on a project focused on genetically engineering probiotics for antimicrobial purposes. She also had the chance to go to a concert!
Hobbies
Joy enjoys travelling and spending time with friends. She's interested in exploring new matcha cafés and restaurants.
Joy Cao
3rd Year Rep
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