Get Connected!
Reach out to the GSA secretary to be added to our next meeting.
Executive Board
Jessica Cornell, President
Rutu Valapil, Vice President
Rutu Valapil is a 4th-year Ph.D. candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, where she also earned her M.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences. She holds a B.S. in Pharmacy from Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India. Her research focuses on Formulation strategies for oral delivery and biopharmaceutics of small-molecule therapeutics. In addition to her academic work, Rutu serves as Vice President of the Graduate Student Association and is deeply committed to student welfare, advocating for a balanced graduate experience that supports both academic and personal growth. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and travelling.
Contact: umb.gsa.vp@gmail.com
Ruby Obasohan, Secretary
Ruby Obasohan is a second-year Master of Social Work candidate at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, with a concentration in clinical social work. She aspires to establish her own private therapy practice, focusing on mental health and wellness. Ruby holds a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of North Texas. She currently serves as Secretary on the Graduate Student Association Executive Board. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Ruby enjoys dancing, traveling, and creating engaging content that highlights her experiences.
Contact: umb.gsa.sec@gmail.com
Brock Brethour, Treasurer
Contact: umb.gsa.treasurer@gmail.com
Aman Shrestha, Graduate Council Rep.
Aman Shrestha is a doctoral student in an intercampus program in Gerontology, focusing on epidemiology, at the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He holds two master’s degrees: a Master of Gerontological Studies with a graduate certificate in applied statistics from Miami University, Ohio and a Master's in Population Studies from the Central Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He has extensive experience working in nonprofit and clinical administration roles in Nepal and teaching and leading research projects in Nepal and the United States. His research interests include studying older adults' overall health and well-being, novel biomarkers of aging, and elder abuse issues in Nepal and South Asia. His current project at the UMB focuses on studying renal biomarkers of aging and its association with dual decline in older adults. He is a Graduate Council Representative for the UMB Graduate Student Association for 2024-25. A fun fact about Aman is that he can play several percussion instruments.
Contact: umb.gsa.gcrep@gmail.com
Elizabeth (Beth) Pattie, Public Relations Officer
Beth Pattie is a PhD Candidate in the Program for Neuroscience. After earning a BS in Biotechnology and Molecular Bioscience at Rochester Institute of Technology, they moved to Baltimore, MD to study neuropsychiatric disorders in human iPSC-derived neurons and post-mortem brain tissue as a Research Associate at the Lieber Institute for Brain Development. Her thesis research at UMB is focused on investigating the molecular and developmental etiology of genes associated with epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Outside of the lab, Beth enjoys tabletop gaming, digital art, and spending time with her two dogs.
Contact: umb.gsa.pro@gmail.com