HC Professional Development Council

Payal Chowbey is a senior in the School of Arts and Sciences, majoring in Political Science and Economics. In addition to her role as a Changemaking Mentor for First-Year students, Payal is a board member on the Honors College Alumni Society (Class of 2022) and serves as advisory past president for the Professional Development Council. Outside of the Honors College, Payal is a political coordinator for Mother’s Touch, a maternal health app, and a member of the Road to Wall Street Program. In her free time, Payal enjoys listening to podcasts, traveling, and playing tennis.

Jasmin Hedvat is a senior majoring in marketing and minoring in economics and comparative literature. She is also a Leadership Scholar as part of the Institute for Women's Leadership certificate program. Aside from her involvement with the Professional Development Council, she volunteers as co-lead of the empower committee with the Youth Empowerment Club and follows her passion for videography with the HC Media Team. You will find her drafting rap lyrics in her notes app, going for scenic walks with friends, or rewatching New Girl in her free time. Jasmin hopes to increase accessibility to professional development and help create opportunities for her peers by cultivating community within the HC.

Archita Padmanabhan is a senior majoring in Cell Biology and Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology, intending to become a physician and pursue clinical research. She is an Honors College ambassador, is an undergraduate research assistant for the Driscoll Lab in the Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, and is the current Vice President of Programming for Phi Delta Epsilon, the professional medical fraternity at Rutgers. In her free time, Archita loves to sing R&B music, lift weights, travel, and spend time with friends and family.

Leah Cherukara is a senior majoring in Cell Biology and Neuroscience with minors in Public Health and Religion. You may find her volunteering with the Rutgers Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program or studying auditory learning in the zebra finches flying around her research lab. She aspires to be a compassionate physician and a lifelong learner. In her free time, Leah loves to play volleyball, read, and spend time with her dog.

Fiona Doyle is a junior majoring in Cognitive Science and Political Science and minoring in Business Administration and Philosophy. She currently works for U.S. Senator Chris Coons, and hopes to attend law school after graduation. Along with being a member of the PDC, she is a contributing writer for The Daily Targum, the Co-Director of Mentorship for Rutgers Women in Business, an research intern for Eagleton, and is an Aresty Research Assistant. In her free time, she loves hitting the gym, reading murder mysteries, and going to the beach.

Brittany Phan is a pharmacy major in the 6-year pharmacy program and is currently in her third professional year (P3). She works at Virtua Hospital as a per diem pharmacy technician and has also worked at CVS Pharmacy and Arcadia Park Compounding Pharmacy. Brittany is a part of the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy Honors Research Program and works with Dr. Marc Sturgill to determine the motivating factors that influence students to pursue pharmacy as a career. She is involved in several pharmacy organizations such as NJSHP, Phi Delta Chi, Pharmacy Governing Council, and IPhO. In her free time, Brittany enjoys going to zumba, playing volleyball, and reading.

Vaishnavi Vura is a sophomore majoring in Computer Science and is currently planning to minor in Biology. She is an active member of the Honors College participating in the Douglass Honors College Learning Community as a sophomore representative. Vaishnavi is a part of the four year IDEA program and works with various companies and alumni to plan and execute ideas for start up companies. In the future she hopes to invest in/own businesses and start a non profit dedicated to funding hospitals in underdeveloped areas. In her free time Vaishnavi enjoys painting, playing tennis, and watching Netflix.

David Rubin is a sophomore majoring in Cell Biology and Neuroscience with aspirations of becoming a doctor in the future. Aside from being a member of the PDC, David serves as the Programming Chair of the Rutgers Bioethics Society and is an assistant at the Pang Lab at the Child Health Institute of New Jersey. Outside of academics and extracurriculars, David enjoys weightlifting and hanging out with his friends.