Student Research Assistants

Natalie Chong is a doctoral student at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management where she studies health policy and health services research. Her research interests include access to and quality of end-of-life care, as well as aging and health policy issues that impact older adults. She is also an analyst in RTI International’s Quality Measurement and Health Policy Program, where she works to develop performance measures for federal quality reporting programs in post-acute care settings.

Jimin Geum is an undergraduate student at Brandeis University studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and Economics. Prior to Brandeis, she worked closely with women from underserved communities in Mongolia on menstrual-equity initiatives and education advocacy, focusing on improving access to health information. Her experiences working within underserved communities shaped her commitment to equity, public service, and policy-driven change.

At Brandeis, she serves as Director of DEI in the Student Union and works as a Legal Assistant at TRII (The Right to Immigration Institute). In her role as a Student Communications Assistant at the Lurie Institute, she is interested in advancing accessible communication of research and community-centered storytelling, with a focus on engaging digital platforms to highlight the Institute’s work and impact.

Sarah J. Jerome is a doctoral student in the Children, Youth, and Families concentration at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. A public-health researcher and training and technical assistance specialist at Education Development Center, Sarah is dedicated to eliminating health disparities and promoting health equity for disenfranchised, marginalized, and underserved communities through education, capacity building, and advocacy. She is a member of the steering committee for the Arc of Massachusetts and a member of the board of directors of the Haitian Health Institute. Her research interests include exploring intersections of race, disabilities, and systems-navigation and their impact on individual wellness. She aims to apply this knowledge to inform advocacy efforts and relevant policy and practice. Sarah holds a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from Boston University, a certificate in Disability and Health Policy from Suffolk University, and a bachelor's (BS) degree in biology from Oglethorpe University. In 2019, she completed the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship program.

Christina Melendez-Waring (she/her) is a graduate student in the Masters of Public Policy Program at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She has experience working on plain language briefs, disability-centered blogs, and qualitative research projects. This has given her the chance to intern with organizations such as The Arc of Massachusetts, The Autistic Self Advocacy Network, and, most recently, The Coelho Law Center. Christina always aims to blend lessons from these prior roles with her communication skills and lived experience as a disabled woman of color. Her experiences have made her especially passionate about the rights of disabled parents and carceral justice through a disability lens. Christina is excited to strengthen her knowledge on these topics, make research more accessible, and broaden her community.

Nicholas Mirin (MPH, MA) is a doctoral student in the Health Policy concentration at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Before joining the doctoral program Nick worked in clinical research environments for several years, both at McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA, and the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. He received his Master of Public Health degree from the NYU School of Global Public Health in 2021 and a Master of Arts in Social Policy from Brandeis University in 2025. As a social and behavioral scientist with public health training, his research interests center around older adults, long-term care, family caregivers, and the impacts of dementia as a population health issue.