Student Research Assistants & Volunteers
Jesus T. (JT) Zarate
JT is a second-year student from Fairfax, Virginia. He joined CBHT this Fall and is excited to gain a wide range of valuable research and professional skills. He intends to enter a health-related field. Currently, he is actively involved in the UVA Eventing and Dressage Team and making and selling grilled cheese sandwiches for the Feel Good charity. In his free time, he enjoys horseback riding, watching new and old movies, listening to music and spending time in nature.
Keith Butler
Keith Butler is a fourth-year computer science student from Yorktown, Virginia. He joined CBHT this fall and is excited to pursue web development within the context of healthcare. Before joining CBHT, Keith interned as a software engineer at Leidos, the Army, and NASA. In his free time, Keith enjoys reading, running, playing basketball, and spending time with his dogs.
Jasmine Kauffeld, Graduate Student
I am a first year MPH candidate here at the University of Virginia. I attended James Madison University for my undergrad, studying Health Sciences and Statistics. Over the summer, I worked at Inova Schar Cancer Research Institute, where I was a research intern on two urinogenital carcinoma clinical trials, and after meeting Dr. Chow and hearing about this cancer study, I am incredibly grateful and excited to continue my research experience on this team. A fun fact about me is that I grew up almost entirely overseas as the child of a career state department officer in 10 different countries and have visited nearly 50!
Jane Riley, Graduate Student
Jane is a first-year master’s student at the University of Virginia School of Medicine from Stafford, VA. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology, where she participated in undergraduate research regarding the use of AI in agriculture and education for East African farmers. She joined CBHT this fall working in the BUCS trial and is eager to utilize and apply the skills she gains in the Public Health program. Her research interests include understanding efficient ways AI and technology can be exploited in medicine and discovering manners in which quality healthcare can be provided to underrepresented communities to improve their quality of life. Jane’s professional goal is to become a physician focusing on women’s health and the health of underrepresented communities within that demographic. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to the gym, listening to music/podcasts, and spending time with friends and family.
Lauren Eggleton, Graduate Student
Nicki Abianeh, Graduate Student
Nicki is an MPH candidate from Gaithersburg, MD. She also attended the University of Virginia for her bachelors where she majored in biology and minored in middle eastern studies. In undergrad, she worked as a researcher at the UVA Hospital Radiation Oncology Lab, was a Peer Health Educator, and president of Persian Cultural Society. She is very excited to continue her work in research at CBHT and apply what she has been learning as a master’s student. Some of Nicki’s interests are lifting, musical theater, Taylor Swift, and fostering cats!