Catherine Choi

Northwestern Program Director

Catherine is a sophomore studying Neuroscience, Global Health, and Business Institutions, and is the Program Director of the Northwestern Chapter of USVH. As a sister, daughter, and granddaughter of veterans, Catherine deeply resonates with the vision to bring awareness to healthcare access issues experienced by veterans, and is dedicated to serving those who have once served to protect a noble cause. Through USVH, she hopes to inspire other undergraduate students at Northwestern to engage in community service and support veteran communities. Outside of USVH, Catherine conducts pancreatic cancer resistance research at Feinberg Medical School, assists in neurodegenerative research on campus with the Allada Lab, volunteers at the Symphony Evanston nursing home, and is a member of the Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity. In her free time, Catherine enjoys weightlifting, playing Sudoku, and trying new restaurants!

Nathan Leong

Treasurer

Nathan is a first-year student at Northwestern University studying Biology and minoring in Chinese. He is also involved in other volunteering activities and cultural events on campus. Nathan looks forward to getting experience with clinical volunteering and spending time in the VA hospital.

Yaraslau Varabyeu

Director of Membership

Yaraslau is a sophomore studying Chemistry and Neuroscience, and he is one of the founding members of the USVH Chapter at Northwestern. One of Yaraslau’s favorite parts of USVH has been sharing his passion for helping and spreading more awareness for Veterans’ Health whether that is in the form of recruiting new members or connecting with veterans on a deeper level. Outside of USVH, Yaraslau is a research assistant for Northwestern's Simpson Querrey Institute of Bionanotechnology, EMT-B, executive board member of the Northwestern Aviation Club, and a dedicated volunteer at local hospitals and community groups. Yaraslau enjoys weightlifting, skiing, and biking and is enthusiastic about striking up a conversation about planes, cars, and stocks at any time.

Julianna Tia

Director of Membership

Julianna Tia is a second-year pre-med student at Northwestern majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Psychology. As the Director of Special Events, she is enthusiastic about organizing activities that allow students to develop meaningful relationships with veterans. She became interested in assisting veterans after learning about her mother’s experiences of working with them in a rehabilitation facility. Along with a passion to personally engage with veterans, Julianna hopes to spread awareness for veterans’ health to her school community. Aside from her studies and USVH, she enjoys going on walks and exploring the city.

Rachel Epstein

Director of Special Events

Rachel Epstein is a third year pre-med student majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology at Northwestern University. She enjoys interacting with individuals from various walks of life, especially those who served our country that can share meaningful, impactful and memorable lessons. Outside of classes and volunteering with USVH, she works in a developmental psychology lab at Northwestern. Rachel is originally from Tampa, Florida, and loves to travel, learn new languages and read novels in her free time.