about us

 

What is it really like to be a young person in America?

 

Policymakers, school boards, community leaders, and the media talk a lot about young people and make laws on behalf of young people, without ever asking what youth really think. MyVoice was created to give young people an effective way to share their real-time thoughts and opinions on the issues that matter most in their lives.

Many young people feel like their voices aren’t heard by the people shaping their schools, communities, and country.  With MyVoice, young people across the United States can sound off on issues that matter today, in our weekly, text message-based polls. We chose text messaging as the way to hear from young people because this fits so easily with their day-to-day lives. Do you know anyone that doesn’t text? Responses are quickly analyzed so they can be shared with the policy makers, public agencies, and community groups that are making decisions that impact young people’s lives.

The goal of MyVoice is to lift up the voices and experiences of today’s youth in ways that help local and national leaders create more youth-friendly policies and programs!

Our Team

Tammy Chang - MyVoice Director

Tammy Chang - MyVoice Director

Tammy Chang is a family doctor and researcher with a passion for helping young people stay healthy. Her research uses text messaging and social media to understand what young people think is important. Her favorite food is ice cream and she loves to dance!

Marika Waselewski - MyVoice Project Manager

Marika Waselewski - MyVoice Project Manager

Marika Waselewski is a research program manager with a background in Biomedical Engineering and Public Health. Her research interests are in use of technology to improve public health outcomes and quality of care. In her free time Marika enjoys cheering on Michigan sports, laughing non-stop with her friends, and being active!

Xochitl Amaro

Xochitl Amaro

Xochitl Amaro is a graduate of the University of Michigan and is interested in Public Health. She joined the MyVoice team in 2019, and hopes to pursue a career in the medical field working with youth. In her spare time, Xochitl enjoys playing with her dog Kane, watching movies, and baking.

Claire Chang

Claire Chang

Claire Chang is a medical student at the University of Michigan Medical School. She is interested in primary care and chronic disease management and prevention. She loves ice cream, dogs, and spending time outside.

Sam Chusiano, MPH, CLC

Sam Chusiano, MPH, CLC

Sam Chuisano (she/her) is a Research Specialist in the Department of Family Medicine. After completing her masters degree in public health nutrition,  Sam focused on increasing access to high-quality lactation support and reproductive care. More recently, Sam has worked as the program manager for MYHealth, a research training program  for high school students that aims to increase representation of historically excluded groups in research. In her free time, Sam loves to spend time outside or snuggling with her dog, Lily.

Melissa DeJonckheere

Melissa DeJonckheere

Melissa DeJonckheere is a researcher in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on adolescent health and chronic conditions, like diabetes. She also is Director of MYHealth, a research training program for high school students in Southeast Michigan.

Abby Frank

Abby Frank

Abby Frank is a student at Community High School in Ann Arbor. She has been interested in medicine for years and hopes to become an OB/GYN. In her free time she loves to cook, paint, help others, and spend as much time outdoors as possible.

Ruben Furst

Ruben Furst

Ruben Furst is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan majoring in Data Science. He plans to pursue a career at the intersection of data science and health. In his free time, Ruben enjoys weightlifting, playing intramural sports with his friends, and hiking.

Tim Guetterman

Tim Guetterman

Tim Guetterman is a researcher in the Department of Family Medicine at University of Michigan who specializes in mixed methods research which is a combination of quantitative (numbers) and qualitative (based on words) research. He is so well known in this area that he teaches a class on it to junior researchers.

Victoria Guzman

Victoria Guzman

Victoria Villanueva Guzman is a student at the University of Michigan majoring in International Studies on the pre-medical track. She plans to go to medical school. In her free time Victoria enjoys spending time with friends and family, watching movies and playing soccer.

N’dea Moore-Petinak

N’dea Moore-Petinak

N’dea Moore-Petinak is a doctoral student in the Department of Health Management & Policy at the University of Michigan. She is interested in the impact of federalism on health disparities, as well as political involvement in health. Outside of work, she is on a mission to visit 30 countries before she turns 30.

Jack Nawrocki

Jack Nawrocki

Jack Nawrocki is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan majoring in Biology, Health, and Society. He plans to go onto dental school and one day become an Orthodontist. In his free time, Jack enjoys weightlifting, playing sports, and spending time with friends and family.

Elena Padley

Elena Padley

Elena Padley is a high school student in Ohio. Her favorite classes are calculus and chemistry, and she hopes to continue to study them in college. Elena loves running and playing strategy games with her family!
Kendrin Sonneville

Kendrin Sonneville

Kendrin Sonneville is a Registered Dietitian and researcher at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Her research focuses on adolescent nutrition, and preventing eating disorders. She has experience working with large adolescent cohort studies.

Park Szachta

Park Szachta

Park Szachta is an undergraduate student at the University of Michigan who plans to major in Computer Science and double minor in Math and Philosophy. He is a member of Michigan Research and Discovery Scholars (MRADS) and Michigan Hackers, and he wants to use technology for social good! His favorite sweet foods are cinnamon rolls, iced coffee, and donuts.

Megha Uberoi

Megha Uberoi

Megha Uberoi is an MPH candidate in the Department of Health Behavior & Health Education at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She is interested in applying health policy and researching questions in bioethics. In her free time she likes to read and travel!

VG Vinod Vydiswaran

VG Vinod Vydiswaran

VG Vinod Vydiswaran is a computer scientist in the Department of Learning Health Sciences at University of Michigan. He has expertise analyzing health related data posted on social media. He is also one of a few national experts in natural language processing of online health data, or the automated analysis of online information.

Alumni

ChiChi Amanze
Caleb Arthur, MD
Mikayla Barry
Caroline Bartholomew
Kiren Chaudhry
Matt Dunn
Matt Davis
Nathan Elder
Jayde Frederick
Alice Guo
Vinaya Gogineni
Stephen Gorga, MD
Nicole Hadler

Aspen Hanson
Kelsey Herbert
Caroline Hogan, MD
Omar Ilyas
Sarosh Irani
Noa Kim
Karissa Koomen
Laura Kruger, MD
Sunghee Lee
Kerrie Leonard
Anish Mandala
Michelle Moniz
Lauren Nichols

Cathy Park
Missy Plegue
Keagan Pratt
Maggie Riley
Kelsey Rose
Jane Schmid
Alison Schulte
Rick Schulte
Arianna Strome
Alex Waselewski, MD
Sam Schuiteman
Kate Siroky
Tamara Terraza
Christopher Whitlock
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