2026
Peer Mentors

Carmyn Brown

Carmyn, a Charlotte-based professional from Virginia, graduated as Valedictorian of Bennett College’s Class of 2022 with a degree in Political Science and Mathematics. She works as a Certified Nursing Assistant while pursuing a Public Health graduate degree at UC Berkeley. Her goal is to become a medical provider and advocate for women’s health.

Verdant R. Julius, MPH

Verdant has experience across healthcare, academia, government, and nonprofit sectors, with expertise in mixed-methods research, policy analysis, and program evaluation. Currently a Ph.D. student in Epidemiology at The UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, his work centers on social determinants of health and advancing equity in perinatal and child health outcomes.

Naoko Little-Jackson

Naoko is Ph.D. candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Howard University College of Medicine, with a B.S. in Biology from Johnson C. Smith University. Her academic journey sparked a passion for bioinformatics and programming, leading to hands-on research and leadership in computational science. Naoko's current dissertation focuses on colorectal cancer, where she uses genomic data and advanced algorithms to develop risk prediction tools aimed at addressing disparities in African American health outcomes.

Regine Smith

Regine is a graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She received her bachelor’s degree in Neuroscience with a minor in African American Studies from UCLA. She is a candidate for a Master of Public Health with a concentration in health policy, as well as a Master of Health Informatics & Analytics. Regine works as a research assistant in the Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, the Urban Institute, and the School of Nursing.