VP Internal - Niagara Campus Candidates
Brock Browett
BIO
Hello C25! The journey so far has been incredible, and it has been a privilege to get to know some of you. Sadly, the class is so large it is hard to know everyone. I am coming to McMaster with an eclectic and exciting background. I have been a paramedic since 2009, and an advanced care paramedic since 2011. In my career I have worked on multiple specialty teams such as addictions, competition teams, and acting supervisor. I have worked for Niagara, Hamilton, and BC EMS. Outside of my work as a paramedic I have also been a clinical educator and active real estate investor. I have also been the chair of Selkirk College’s student union since 2020, as well volunteered doing outreach for the homeless community. While my primary passion is medicine, I also love everything outdoors. I am especially passionate about hunting, fishing, and backcountry adventures. PLATFORM I have worked in both rural and urban environments as a paramedic. I have seen what happens when the “majority” voice predominates decisions. For example, when working for BC ambulance, equipment and policies were derived that served the metro-Vancouver area but were not useful for rural settings. Yet, the “minority” rural areas were forced to adopt these policies and equipment. A specific example would be the training for hospital bypass protocols. While Vancouver has multiple hospitals each with different specialties, rural centers are lucky to have one. Thus, the training was not applicable. I see parallels to the McMaster system whereby most students are in Hamilton, and a minority in the regional campuses. My goal is to be an outspoken advocate for Niagara’s regional campus and ensure our needs and voice are heard so that decisions made are not just good for Hamilton, but also the Niagara students as well. Spencer Fansolato
BIO
I hope all is well! My name is Spencer Fansolato and I use he/him pronouns. I attend the Niagara Regional Campus, which is a perfect fit for me because I have been living in the Niagara region almost my whole life. My adjustment to medical school has had its challenges so far, but I am so overcome with joy to be doing what I love and I hope to work through any struggles with all the amazing people I have met. My passion for student government and servant leadership comes from my experience as a founding member and vice president operations at the Queen’s University Health Sciences Society. I really found my role in student government to be engaging the students I represented with the seemingly boring constitutions and assemblies so that everyone could feel involved and as though they had a platform to make changes from the inside. PLATFORM My platform aims to ensure students at the NRC have equivalent and unique opportunities relative to other campuses. I would never want to see a student frustrated with committee forms that are full of tasks and tight deadlines, and have this limit their opportunities to explore their passions. A specific solution would be hosting activities such as town hall events with NRC students, where I can leverage my unique past experiences as a student advocate. Here, I can make sure everyone is on the same page with the lengthy and unengaging procedures so we then have the foundation to talk about challenges relevant to being an NRC student. My ultimate role would be to use these sessions to develop the calls to action I bring to administration, and allow me to act as both an informed and representative liaison for the NRC to give you the opportunities we deserve. |
Isabelle Lei
BIO
Hello everyone! My name is Isabelle, and I’m hoping to be your VP Internal (Niagara campus)! I’m originally from White Rock, BC, but have called Hamilton home for the past several years as I did my undergrad at Mac. Some fun facts about me: I am a lover of hiking, camping, and swimming, but generally love all things outdoors-ey. It doesn’t take much to convince me to try new things, or explore new places. I have a cat named Hedwig who’s love language is play, and who occasionally projectile vomits fur balls on my bed. We love her though. I also captained the McMaster varsity swim team for two years during my undergrad, acting as a liaison between coaching staff and swimmers, organizing events, and advocating for the team’s concerns. I hope to apply this experience to the role of VP internal! PLATFORM As VP internal, I would like to 1) Prioritize accessibility of educational resources and extracurricular opportunities to everyone, so that we can all feel equally welcome and taken care of! 2) Improve the way diversity is included into our curriculum. I would like to start by providing feedback about current approaches, and work with staff and students to make sure that our education not only includes EDI objectives, but integrates it in a way that is realistic and truly representative. 3) Continue to advocate for student interests by hearing suggestions and feedback from the student body! I am always open to hearing suggestions, and receiving feedback (even if it is harsh). |
Sophia Pei
BIO
Hi! I'm Sophia. I was born in Vancouver but grew up in the small beachside town of Santa Monica, California. This is my first time living in Ontario, so I hope to create a sense of community here. A bit about my educational background, I studied Quantitative Biology (a fancy way of saying computer science and biology) at the University of Southern California. One of my favorite parts of my college experience was being able to teach science to elementary school kids of the local community and tutor my peers in biology and physics! A slightly horrifying fact about me: I now watch all videos at 1.5x speed, including shows I watch for leisure on Netflix. That said, I also enjoy spending my time reading, baking, and cuddling with cats (: PLATFORM I would love to serve as an advocate for the Niagara regional campus. Our cohort of 28 is already starting to feel like family and I want to do all that I can to facilitate further bonding and act as a resource for my peers. It would be an honor to be a part of the social committee and plan more events to bring people together. After all, the most productive learning comes from groups where people respect, care for, and are excited to collaborate with their peers. Furthermore, I want to ensure that my campus has all the same (if not more) opportunities that are available to our peers on the other two campuses. I hope to be proactive in seeking feedback and gathering information so I know how to best meet the diverse needs of our group. |
VP Internal - Waterloo Campus Candidates
Victoria Shi
BIO
Hi everyone! :) I’m Victoria and I’m looking forward to hopefully being able to bring my experience in student government and advocacy to our class. I grew up in Toronto and spent my undergrad in Waterloo, where I studied interdisciplinary studies and fine arts, which led me to the Waterloo campus today. My background in the humanities left me with a strong appreciation for collaboration and individual perspectives. In terms of hobbies, I love spending my free time volunteering at the Toronto Cat Rescue Waterloo satellite location, painting, and making pottery. I am also passionate about Four All ice cream in uptown Waterloo, so you can probably catch me there 5 nights out of 7 a week. If anyone needs an ice cream date, send me a message!! PLATFORM As VP Internal, one of my central responsibilities would be to liaise with the other campuses and advocate for WRC students. Because I served as President of my faculty during my undergrad years, I am familiar with student governance, its importance, and I am confident in my ability to represent the interests of our student community. Also, SOCIAL EVENTS! Planning regular social activities for a smaller campus is so incredibly important to make everyone feel at home and valued. Having lived in the KW area for 5 years, there are tons of fun places I would love to show everyone. Smaller/in-house events are also key to keep morale high at busy times of the academic year. Additionally, I would like to make communication between governing bodies, staff, and WRC students transparent and easily accessible. In summary, let’s have a good time :) :) :) |
Scott Mason
BIO
I was born in 1992 and attended Queen's for political studies prior to starting a business called CleanSlate UV. I ran CSUV for eight years. My favourite book is a comic called Watchmen and I distrust anyone who says "they like IPA's" or uses a selfie stick. I got my first grey hair at 12, I did a school exchange to China in 2014 and I once played Ping Pong with the bishop of Shanghai (he won). My wife and I are expecting our first child in December, which is probably a good reason not to vote for me as I will be pretty sleep deprived January haha. I’m a WRC student and I’ve been trying my best to travel to Hamilton to participate in every event. Meeting new people is one of my favourite things and I look forward to getting to know each one of you. PLATFORM • Gather input and implement proposed Student Mistreatment Policy. • Continue student advocacy during accreditation process. Based on my prior experience in student government, I've come to the conclusion that substantive policy changes are challenging to implement in a single year term. As opposed to promising you the moon and then not accomplishing anything, I feel the most honest answer is that I won't make changes beyond the two above which I believe I can complete by the end of the term. Rather, I commit myself to being an advocate for our class to the administration and a friend and ally to everyone in the program. I think the job of class President is to work for you: so my phone number is 416 371 3027. Call or text me anytime, for any reason, and I promise I will support you and we'll figure out whatever is troubling you together. |
Brett Walsh
BIO
Hi there, I’m Bret! I just finished up my medical sciences degree at Western and have been loving it here at McMaster so far! I’ve had the immense privilege to have been engaged in a variety of rewarding leadership and advocacy positions before coming to Mac Med. Among other roles, I’ve served as Student Council President of my high school and as a board member at the Salvation Army Centre for Hope as part of the Canada Life Young Leaders Program. Joining MMSC will be an opportunity to use what I’ve learned from these experiences to help make Mac Med as awesome as we all know it can be! In my spare time, you’ll often find me glued to as many sports as I have screens available, usually while being wildly overdressed. Please feel free to come and chat if you see me around or reach out and say hi! PLATFORM Throughout the first weeks of medical school, I have been fortunate to meet and become friends with many amazing people here at the Waterloo Regional Campus. Through in-depth discussions, I’ve gained an appreciation for both their excitement and apprehension about the regional campus atmosphere and culture. As a candidate for VPI Waterloo, my platform is centered around advocacy for WRC students and using their feedback to improve both our campus and all of Mac Med. By working together with upper year students and administration, I aim to empower my peers to speak on issues they feel passionately about, communicate their concerns in a timely manner, and help them enact the change they deserve. Additionally, I will organize a committee selection process that is equitable and that ensures that all the students here in Waterloo have an opportunity to have their brilliant policy and social event ideas heard and executed properly. |
VP Internal - Hamilton Campus Candidates
Sophia Zhang
BIO
Hi everyone, my name is Sophia (she/her) and I am so excited to be running for MMSC and to represent the class of 2025! I’m originally from Cambridge, Ontario and I completed my undergrad at McMaster in Biomedical Discovery and Commercialization. Throughout my time in undergrad, I’ve been passionate about student government and leadership. From my time elected as a residence chair on MSU First Year Council to the many Welcome Weeks I’ve played a part in planning and facilitating, I come with a host of experiences that I’m excited to utilize on the council. Outside of med school, I love to cook, bake, and eat and I’m always down for a coffee. Currently, I’m a Fortinos cheese bagel addict (iykyk). I also do my own nails so hit me up for a sick gel manicure! PLATFORM My overall aim as VP Internal is to build on the work of previous councils and continue to improve on existing goals. Feedback is a huge part of med school and extracurricular events are no exception. Hearing feedback from not only c2025, but previous cohorts about what changes they envision is crucial to improve for this year. I would also plan to organize regular events in collaboration with VP Student Affairs. Beyond iMed, social events should continue to be a part of med school and with my experience in event planning, I would love the opportunity to bring your event ideas to life. Finally, as the contact point for all interest groups, I plan to ensure I can support their needs and help them implement their goals. I will help organize promotion and communication between c2025 and IGs, promoting event engagement and student satisfaction. |
Rabia Tahir
BIO
My name is Rabia and I am a first year medical student at the Michael DeGroote School of Medicine. I have been at McMaster for my entire University experience, so it really has become my home away from home. I love doing group study sessions in the reading room at the Health Sciences Library, drinking coffee at William’s Café, and taking photos by the Arch. In my spare time, I like to read, sing, and play guitar. I have always been passionate about advocacy – I was part of several initiatives at McMaster during my undergrad – and I want to be able to continue that through medical school. Hopefully, as an MMSC representative, I will be able to explore those avenues, and create opportunities for others to get involved as well. PLATFORM I love that McMaster Medicine has Interest Groups, because I think they are an amazing way for individuals to foster their curiosity on specific subjects. If I am elected as VP Internal (Hamilton Campus), I will have the opportunity to work with these groups on an individual basis, and advocate for them to the MMSC and faculty. One thing I am interested in is connecting the IGs with a network of mentors to monitor the groups and coordinate with the chairs. These mentors would be established in their respective fields, and would be able to provide guidance to students interested in pursuing similar specialities. I think having a dual perspective (students [chairs] and established professionals) would be invaluable for students. Dana Taghaddos
BIO Hi everyone! My name is Dana, and I graduated from Western University in 2022 majoring in Kinesiology. While I’m originally Iranian, I was born in France, grew up in a small city in England (hence the odd english accent), and spent the last few years in Richmond Hill. One of my main passions is exercise and movement, which developed from being a competitive springboard diver growing up. Studying kinesiology and later becoming a personal trainer myself allowed me to really explore this passion and use it to better myself. Aside from this, I love painting, spending time with family/friends, and discovering new coffee shops! I really look forward to continuing to get to know everyone throughout our three years together! PLATFORM As VP Internal, my goal is to ensure your voices feel heard at the Hamilton campus, and act as a support to help connect you to opportunities to have the best med school experience possible! In this position, I plan to … - Collaborate with MMSC, interest groups, committees, and local partners to organize monthly experiences for networking with the community and with healthcare professionals in different specialties to explore your interests. - Organize class-wide events (like a Mac Med Olympics) at the end of each MF to help destress, have fun with classmates, and promote some friendly competition! - Create a streamlined weekly anonymous feedback system to identify your concerns and complaints and bring them forward to the appropriate committees. |
Deyang Li
BIO
Hey everyone! My name is Deyang, and in my previous life I went to Queen’s for my BSc and MSc. While school was important to me, like many of you, I tried to maintain a work life balance by playing sports and getting involved in the extracurricular scene. In my spare time, I loved intramurals and playing badminton, and I was really into running as well. A major focus of my extracurricular involvement was event planning and finances. Some of my highlights were coordinating the logistics of an in-person national healthcare conference with 300+ delegates, running events, creating budgets, and raising thousands of dollars for student-run clubs, and reaching out to my local community by serving on various committees. I hope to use the insights that I have gained through these experiences to enrich your time here at McMaster. Working together, we can make the next 3 years unforgettable. PLATFORM As VP Internal for Hamilton, I will focus on assisting with interest group events, fostering a great social scene, improving our relationship with the community, and creating an unforgettable orientation for the c2026. Beyond helping interest groups to get their budgets and paperwork in order, I will work with event leads to facilitate interactive and in-person events alongside virtual lectures. To foster a social scene, I will work with other MMSC members and the class to create intramural sport teams and organize get-togethers. In addition, I will create a central social calendar to ensure everyone is informed of what is happening. To improve our relationship with the community, I will work with you all to pick a class charity that we can support through fundraising and raising awareness. Last, but not least, I will help pay forward our orientation to next year’s class to create another unforgettable experience. |
