Current AIMS Leadership
Kate Nemec
Co-director: Kate is a sophomore on the Field Hockey team and is intending on majoring in Biology: Computational and Systems Biology. She is from Darien, Connecticut and is interested in Pathology and Dermatology! Fun Fact: She is left handed, but field hockey is only a right handed sport, so she had to learn to play with her non-dominant hand!
Samantha Tadder
Co-director: Sam Tadder is a senior on the Women’s Swim team from Virginia Beach, Virginia majoring in human biology! She is interested in working in Emergency Medicine/Trauma. She is so excited to be a part of AIMS leadership and get to know some really cool people with similar aspirations and dreams!
Samantha Pearson
Communications Coordinator: Samantha is a senior on the Women’s Swim team from Irvine, California majoring in Human Biology. She is interested in working in OB/GYN! She is very excited to continue to meet more athletes interested in medicine through her role on AIMS Leadership. Fun Fact: She can name any Taylor Swift song in the first 5 seconds! Wow!!
Mark Berlaga
Community Coordinator: Mark is a senior on the Men’s Gymnastics team from Palo Alto, California, majoring in Biology on the Microbial Science Track. He is interested in potentially working in Emergency Medicine. This year, he is excited to meet new people and help foster community through social events like mentor-mentee lunches, fun banquets, or sporting events. Fun Fact: He loves country music!!
Ellie Harned
Resources Coordinator: Ellie is a junior on the Stanford Sailing team from Nashotah, WI, majoring in Human Biology! She is excited about giving back to the AIMS community and getting other student-athletes into medicine! She wants to potentially go into pediatrics!
Sophie Duncan
Financial Officer: Sophie is a junior on the women’s swim team from Bethesda, Maryland majoring in Bioengineering! She is excited to work together to support the goals of student-athletes. Sophie is aiming to provide a space to share resources and advice while fostering a helpful and encouraging community. Her medical interest is in biomedical devices.
Fun facts: In her free time, she loves doing yoga, watching horror movies, and going to concerts!
Hayden Zheng
Community Coordinator: Hayden is a senior on the Men’s Swim Team and is from St. Louis Park, Minnesota. He is majoring in Human Biology and is interested in Orthopedics! Hayden is excited to continue to foster the growth of the AIMS community and help with AIMS events throughout the year!
Kieran Wallace
Alumni Director: Kieran is from Pleasanton, CA, and is now a masters student in Biology and graduated in Bioengineering in 2024. She was a member of the women’s rowing team! She is interested in Pediatrics and is leaning towards Neonatology! She is excited on helping mentor the new AIMS leaders as well as helping to foster a lot of growth in the AIMS community this year! Fun Fact: She scrubbed into the OR this past summer and it was the coolest experience she has had within medicine so far!
AIMS Founding Team
Kat Anderson
Co-Founder: Kat is a 2020 graduate of the Stanford Beach Volleyball program and a first year medical student at Stanford. Kat is excited for the resources and support AIMS will provide to help us all achieve our common goal of serving patients and advancing medicine.
Jacie Lemos
Co-Founder, C0-Director on Founding Team 2020-2022: Jacie was a member of the Stanford Lacrosse team and pursued a Masters in Community Health and Prevention Research. Jacie is currently a first year medical student at the University of Michigan. Jacie loves all the powerful connections being created through AIMS.
Sammy Pickell
Alumni Director (C0-Director on Founding Team 2020-2022): Sammy graduated in 2022 with her BS in Human Biology while competing on the Sailing team. She worked as a Human Biology Core Course Assistant (CA) from 2022-2023 and is medical school this upcoming cycle. After receiving so much support herself, Sammy is excited to continue to foster strong relationships with both the undergraduate and alumni communities that AIMS has created.
Previous AIMS Leadership
Henry Stewart
Co-director 2021-2023: Henry, Class of 2023, was a member of the Stanford Men’s Rowing team and he majored in Bioengineering.
Emily Schultz
Communications Coordinator 2020-2023: Emily, Class of 2023, was a member of the Softball team and majored in Human Biology. She is currently working as clinical research coordinator in orthopedics and as a scribe during her gap year as she prepares to apply to medical school.
AIMS Advisors
Dr. Michael Sgroi
Assistant Professor of Vascular Surgery, Associate Program Director of Vascular Surgery Residency and Fellowship, and Stanford Football Alumni.
Kristen Azevedo
Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Development at Stanford.
Celeste Brown
Student-Athlete Development Coordinator at Stanford.