Erin is the MRS Director and the liaison for anesthesiology.

Email: elagrone@uab.edu

Charlotte is a fourth-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in May 2026. She currently serves as the MRS Seminar Chair and as a liaison for dermatology. Charlotte completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide), majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in French and Social Innovation. Her research experiences include non-melanoma skin cancer, autoimmune dermatology, disparities in underserved populations, and glioblastomas. In addition, she is currently pursuing a Master's in Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Biostatistics and will be using her year to perform research related to cardiometabolic disease and hidradenitis suppurativa, AI in dermatology, social determinants of health in dermatology, and the role of art in medicine. Outside of the hospital, Charlotte loves to paint with watercolors, go on long walks with an audiobook, cycle with her med school homies, and keep her home of plants thriving.

Charlotte is the MRS Seminar Chair and a liaison for dermatology.

Email: crmcrae1@uab.edu

Rachael is a third-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in May 2026. She serves as the MRS Faculty Interview Chair and liaison for dermatology. She went to the University of Alabama for undergraduate studies and majored in Biology. Rachael’s research experiences include factors that contribute to disparities in melanoma stage at presentation, autoimmune dermatology, and symptom clusters following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. In her free time, Rachael loves to bake (she owned a bakery business in undergrad), crochet, and hang out with her loved ones and sweet kitty cat.

Rachael is the MRS Faculty Interview Chair and a liaison for dermatology.

Email: rcowan3@uab.edu

Venu is a MD candidate at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in May 2026. He is from Lanett, Alabama and graduated from Tulane University with degrees in Cell and Molecular Biology and History and minors in English and Religious Studies. He hopes to connect medical students to research opportunities available to them. Outside of medicine, he enjoys playing tennis, bowling, and calligraphy.

Venu is the MRS Office Hours Chair and a liaison for nephrology and radiation oncology.

Email: vreddy23@uab.edu

Riley Duke is a fourth-year MD candidate at UAB Heersink School of Medicine expected to graduate in May of 2025 and is the MRS Social Media Chair and liaison for ophthalmology. He is a first-generation college and medical student from Oak Grove, AL. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Alabama and a master’s degree in biomedical and health sciences from UAB. His research and activities have focused on improving patients’ experience and education on web-based platforms and surgical outcomes in vitreoretinal surgery. Riley is passionate about mentorship, patient education, and quality-of-life preservation through all stages of life. Outside of Volker’s walls, you can find Riley going on hot girl kitty walks (HGKWs) with his wife and playing with his dog and two cats. In February 2025, Riley matched into ophthalmology at Emory Eye Center.

Riley is the MRS Social Media Chair and the liaison for ophthalmology.

Email: rcduke95@uab.edu

Jordan Beam is a 3rd year medical student at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine, and an MRS dermatology representative for the 2024-2025 year. Jordan attended Auburn University, majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a minor in Spanish. In summer 2023, Jordan conducted research at Oxford University in Oxford, United Kingdom, investigating the prostate cancer tumor microenvironment in efforts to better understand bone metastasis. In addition to continued involvement in the Oxford lab, Beam is currently exploring the research fields of inflammatory and autoimmune skin conditions, skin cancer, and utilizing motivational interviewing’s use in chronic disease. In the future, she is also interested in investigating the benefits of music therapy on patients' mental and physical health and addressing language and comprehension barriers in healthcare. Outside of school, Jordan has worked as an entertainer for 10 years, singing and playing guitar at various restaurants across Birmingham. Additionally, she loves making jewelry, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.

Jordan is a MRS liaison for dermatology.

Email: jsb0086@uab.edu

Leanne is a second-year medical student in the MD/MPH program at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in 2027. She is from Dothan, AL, and completed her undergraduate studies at Emory University double majoring in Neuroscience and Music. Her research experience includes studying the effects of adapted tango lessons in Alzheimer’s Disease, discriminatory care in psychiatric history, robotic surgery curriculums, social determinants of health in surgery, and outcomes in reconstructive procedures. Outside of school, Leanne enjoys playing the piano, baking, oil painting, and hanging out with her cat, Miso.

Leanne is the MRS liaison for general surgery.

Email: leannej@uab.edu

Ashley White is a fourth-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine expected to graduate in May 2025. She currently serves as the MRS liaison for neurology. A first-generation medical student from Rehobeth, AL, she received her bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama, majoring in Biology and minoring in Neuroscience. Her research focuses on cost analysis and patient outcomes in neurosurgical interventions for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor, as well as treatment patterns, effectiveness, and safety in medical therapies for Huntington's disease. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, running, hiking, and amateur nature photography. Ashley is applying to neurology residency programs this year.

Ashley is the MRS liaison for neurology.

Email: abwhite2@uab.edu

Matthew Jarrell is a third-year medical student who is the MRS liaison for Neurosurgery. He was born and raised in Madison Alabama and completed his undergraduate education at UAB with a major in neuroscience and minor in chemistry. He also completed an accelerated masters in multidisciplinary biomedical sciences with a concentration in neuroscience at UAB. Matthew has a history of research of reductive stress effects on neurodegenerative disorders and is currently working on research in various areas of neurosurgery including Chiari 1 malformations. Outside of medical school, Matthew enjoys playing chess, guitar, working out, and Formula 1.

Matthew is a MRS liaison for neurosurgery.

Email: mattjarr@uab.edu

Garrett Thrash is an MS2 at UAB Heersink School of Medicine from Fyffe, AL and is expected to graduate in 2027. He is the MRS co-liaison for neurosurgery. He received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Birmingham Southern College in 2023. He is a health equity scholar, and his research and volunteer activities are focused on patient outcomes and health equity issues in rural populations. Garrett is currently undecided about what specialty he wants to pursue.

Garrett is a MRS liaison for neurosurgery.

Email: gthrash@uab.edu

Yifei is a second-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and serves as a MRS liaison for Neurosurgery. From Los Angeles, CA, he completed his degree in Chemistry and Psychology at the University of Alabama. His research interests include the domains of tumor, spine, vascular, and functional neurosurgery. His passions include using big data to identify, predict, and address socioeconomic risk factors for adverse neurosurgical outcomes. He is also the UAB Heersink AΩA Carolyn Kuckein Research Fellow for 2024-2025 and is grateful to have had the opportunity to work with Dr. Markert in his NIH funded clinical trials involving oncolytic viruses for treating glioblastoma. Outside of school, you can find him at the gym or playing guitar as a part of wedding and party bands throughout the southeastern United States.

Yifei is a MRS liaison for neurosurgery. 

Email: ysun3@uab.edu

McKenzie is a fourth-year medical student applying into OB/GYN and is currently the MRS liaison for the specialty. She grew up in Birmingham and graduated from UAB with a degree in Molecular Biology in 2019. McKenzie spent two years after undergrad as a Clinical Research Assistant in Gynecologic Oncology at UAB assisting with translational research, clinical trial development, and patient recruitment for clinical trials. Her research interests include molecular profiling and targeted therapies in gynecologic cancers, health disparities, clinical trial development. Outside of school McKenzie enjoys baking, attending concerts, and hanging out with her cat.

McKenzie is the MRS liaison for Ob/Gyn.

Email: mef0040@uab.edu

Alyssa is a second-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine. She is a second year in the UAB Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) planning to obtain a combined MD/PhD and is expected to graduate in 2031. She currently serves as a liaison for pediatrics and oncology. Alyssa completed her undergraduate studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, majoring in Health & Disease and minoring in Spanish and Chemistry. Her research experience includes performing genome-wide association studies for Myasthenia Gravis and utilizing molecular/cell biology and bioinformatics to study Neurofibromatosis Type 1 and 2. She plans to pursue a PhD in Cancer Biology, trying to find new therapeutic targets for pediatric tumors. Outside of the hospital, Alyssa loves to workout at F45, play outside with her dog, Benni, and binge watch cheesy reality TV shows on Netflix.

Alyssa is the MRS liaison for oncology and pediatrics.

Email: acflint@uab.edu

Ann Carol (AC) is a fourth-year medical student who is the MRS liaison for plastic surgery. She was born and raised in Alabama and completed her undergraduate education at UAB where she majored in neuroscience and worked in an eating behaviors lab. AC discovered her love for plastic surgery and complex reconstruction during her second year of medical school and is currently completing research in the areas of craniofacial surgery, breast reconstruction, and hand. Outside of medical school AC enjoys working out at CrossFit Laminin, traveling, and watching stand-up comedy with her husband and two cats.

AC is the MRS liaison for plastic surgery.

Email: acb98@uab.edu

Jonah Barrett is a second-year medical student at UAB Heersink School of Medicine and is expected to graduate in May 2027. He currently serves as the MRS liaison for radiology. Jonah earned highest honors in Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University, majoring in Neuroscience and Psychology. His research experiences have included neurophysiological studies of sensory differences in ASD, pial arteriovenous fistula outcomes research, and the role of AI in radiology, including interpretive and non-interpretive applications. In his free time, Jonah enjoys listening to and collecting vinyl, repairing old stereo equipment, and playing basketball with his friends.

Jonah is the MRS liaison for radiology.

Email: djbarr55@uab.edu