Peer Health Advocates (PHAs) are committed to supporting their fellow students and empowering them to make healthy choices while thinking critically about the Facets of Wellbeing. They do this by connecting their peers to campus resources, creating a safe space for open dialogue, and offering peer education on a variety of important health and wellbeing topics.
2023-2024 Peer Health Advocates
Rayna Acha
Peer Health Advocate
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Fourth Year in the College studying Anthropology and Gender & Sexuality Studies
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Areas of interest: Sexual health that is inclusive, reproductive justice, healthy relationships
Why I chose to be a PHA: I have been a peer sex educator since I was 16, sex education is one of my biggest passions. I was the coordinator for the InTouch PHA program last year and have enjoyed being a peer educator through Intouch and want to continue my work.
How I practice self-care: I've been learning to throw clay! So ceramics has been incredibly therapeutic.
Andrea Flores
Peer Health Advocate
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Second-year MAPH TLO graduate student. My studies are in Spanish, gender studies, and food studies (but I have recently taken up German as well)!
Hometown: Chapin, SC — but I have lived in PA and CT prior to moving to Chicago!
Areas of interest: Mental and emotional well-being, stress relief, physical and sexual health, and financial education.
Why I chose to be a PHA: As a former teacher, and current graduate student, I am passionate about peer education. I had a difficult transition back to graduate school and wish I had known what resources were available to me before I needed them. I want to be an advocate for graduate students so they feel empowered to seek help, know what resources UChicago offers, and are well-equipped for any situation.
How I practice self-care: This really depends on the day and the mood! Overall, I love just about everything food-related. Cooking, baking, going out to eat — food is my passion! Making a nice meal while listening to music is always something I enjoy if I can carve out the time. Otherwise, I enjoy spending time with my friends, going for walks, working out, reading for fun, and playing games.
Alli Marney-Bell
Peer Health Advocate
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Fourth year in the College, studying Public Policy and Business Economics
Hometown: Silver Spring, Maryland
Areas of interest: I am most passionate about mental and emotional well-being, nutritional education, promoting a healthy body image, helping people with eating concerns, and dismantling our pernicious diet culture.
Why I chose to be a PHA: I chose to be a PHA because I have experienced and witnessed the harmful effects of diet culture, especially on this campus, and I want to educate others about the necessity of nutritional adequacy while promoting acceptance of all bodies. I also firmly believe that you cannot be successful in your life without prioritizing your mental health and investing in your emotional intelligence. In my role as a PHA, then, I hope to spread awareness of mental health resources, normalize therapy, and be a supportive force in the lives of my friends, family, and peers.
How I practice self-care: When I am feeling overwhelmed, I love to go on walks while listening to music. I find that focusing on and admiring the surrounding architecture is especially helpful for calming an anxious mind.
Jason Rosenburgh
Peer Health Advocate
Major: Fourth year in the College, studying Psychology and Neuroscience
Hometown: Rye, New York
Areas of interest: My areas of interest include promoting an active and open relationship with healthcare providers, educating about medical resources for UChicago students, and normalizing open discussions about mental health and other often-stigmatized areas of health and healthcare.
Why I chose to be a PHA: I wanted to help other students become more aware of the healthcare resources they have here at Student Wellness, and create events that other students really want to see and participate in!
How I practice self-care: I really like to play videogames and work out to relax or blow off some steam!
Natalia Serrano-Chavez
Peer Health Advocate
Pronouns: she/her/ella
Major: Third Year in the College, Psychology & Creative Writing
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Areas of interest: mental health advocacy, de-stigmatization of mental health, bilingual health care access, healing through writing, and pro-bono therapy advocacy.
Why I chose to be a PHA: Seeing the effect of mental health illness in my marginalized community inspired me to break generational cycles of trauma and advocate for equitable access to mental health facilities. Being a PHA allows me to broaden my understanding of holistic health care and be able to educate/ provide those resources to my peers and UChicago community. Given that UChicago is my current community, I want to be a resource for students who are not familiar with the plethora of behavioral and physical health services offered on campus.
How I practice self-care: Creative writing, walking around Nichol’s Park, sitting on the Quad, analyzing lyrics, eating a Pret pesto sandwich, and hanging out with my cool cat friends.
Selene Singh
Peer Health Advocate
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Major: Second Year at the Crown Family School of Social Work Policy & Practice, Clinical Concentration (Trauma-Responsive Program of Study)
Hometown: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Areas of interest: I am most passionate about mental health and wellness, but I am also interested in sexual wellness, body positivity, preventing burnout and promoting overall wellness by attuning to the interconnected needs of our bodies and systems within our environments.
Why I chose to be a PHA: I have learned first-hand the extent to which graduate students can feel "siloed" or on the margins of the greater of campus culture and community. I wanted to become a PHA to help bridge this gap and empower students to access knowledge and resources to help meet their unique needs while building supportive communities and enhancing students' wellbeing in at least one facet of their lives.
How I practice self-care: I really enjoy being in nature whether it's hiking among trees or walking around Lake Michigan. I love music, baking, and exploring the city.
The application period for the 2024-2025 acacemic year is currently closed. Please contact Brailyn Davis (brailyn@uchicago.edu) if you have any questions.
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