Our Team

Our Team!

Hillary Zieve, MD

Hillary Zieve, MD

Hillary Zieve, MD

Team KiPOW KiPOW OC Co-Founder

Faculty Advisor,
Pediatrician, CHOC Medical Group

UCI/CHOC Pediatric Residency Program Associate Program Director

Dr. Zieve practices pediatrics at Clinica Para Ninos and CHOC Boys and Girls Club. Dr. Zieve received her Medical Degree from University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She completed

Team KiPOW KiPOW OC Co-Founder

Faculty Advisor,
Pediatrician, CHOC Medical Group

UCI/CHOC Pediatric Residency Program Associate Program Director

Dr. Zieve practices pediatrics at Clinica Para Ninos and CHOC Boys and Girls Club. Dr. Zieve received her Medical Degree from University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. She completed residency and served as a Chief Resident at the UC Irvine/CHOC pediatric residency program, and now is an Associate Program Director of the program. She currently sits on the board of the AAP-OC chapter as a Member At Large and Co-Chairs the Young Physician Committee. Dr. Zieve is passionate about primary care, preventative medicine, and more specifically pediatric obesity management, nutrition, and healthy weight loss. She lives in Irvine, CA with her husband, 2 children and dog.

Nisha Narayanan, MD

Hillary Zieve, MD

Hillary Zieve, MD

Team KiPOW OC Founder, Pediatric EM Fellow, NYU

Dr. Narayanan received her medical degree from the George Washington University SOM with a focus on health policy. She is currently a fellow in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NYU. Dr. Narayanan co-founded Team KiPOW! in medical school and has been thrilled to see it expand from Washington

Team KiPOW OC Founder, Pediatric EM Fellow, NYU

Dr. Narayanan received her medical degree from the George Washington University SOM with a focus on health policy. She is currently a fellow in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at NYU. Dr. Narayanan co-founded Team KiPOW! in medical school and has been thrilled to see it expand from Washington DC to Orange County thanks to its rock star team members. She is passionate about pediatric obesity, cardiometabolic health disparities, and health policy. She believes that obesity is an epidemic that must be attacked on a systems level and loves seeing Team KiPOW get kids excited about kale, their hearts beating fast, and the demise of juice. In her spare time, she enjoys running, biking, backpacking, and triathlons

Nikita Nagpal, MD

Candice Taylor, MD MPH

Candice Taylor, MD MPH

Team KiPOW OC Founder, Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU School of Medicine/ Bellevue Hospital Center

Dr. Nikita Nagpal received her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College, completed a fellowship in Primary Care Research - Academic General Pediatrics and is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatri

Team KiPOW OC Founder, Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU School of Medicine/ Bellevue Hospital Center

Dr. Nikita Nagpal received her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College, completed a fellowship in Primary Care Research - Academic General Pediatrics and is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at NYU School of Medicine/Bellevue Hospital Center.
Dr. Nagpal is interested in advocacy, research, and weight management. She enjoys participating in KiPOW because it allows her to get involved in pediatric wellness and health on a larger scale. She also enjoys sharing her love of veggies! In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, hiking, attending barre class, and spending time with friends and family.

Candice Taylor, MD MPH

Candice Taylor, MD MPH

Candice Taylor, MD MPH

Faculty Advisor

Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH is a general pediatrician and Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. She completed her undergraduate degree, and masters in public health at the University of California, Los Angeles. She then matriculated to the Keck School

Faculty Advisor

Candice Taylor Lucas, MD, MPH is a general pediatrician and Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor in the UC Irvine School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics. She completed her undergraduate degree, and masters in public health at the University of California, Los Angeles. She then matriculated to the Keck School of Medicine, at the University of Southern California and subsequently completed pediatric residency with the UCLA Tri-Campus Pediatric Residency Program, where she also served as a chief resident. She then went to New York University School of Medicine / Bellevue Hospital Center where she finished a fellowship in academic general pediatrics and primary care research prior to joining the UC Irvine Department of Pediatrics in 2013. Dr. Taylor Lucas is currently Co-Director for Leadership Education to Advance Diversity for African, Black and Caribbean communities (LEAD-ABC), Associate Program Director for the UC Irvine/CHOC Children’s Pediatric Residency Program, and faculty affiliated with the UC Irvine Pediatric Exercise and Genomics Research Center (PERC). During her tenure as faculty with the UCI School of Medicine she has been the recipient of awards such as the American Academy of Pediatrics – Orange County Chapter Young Physician of the Year, the 2019 UC Irvine School of Medicine Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award, and the 2020 UC Irvine Humanism in Medicine Faculty Award. Her advocacy and research focus on early life physical activity, early childhood obesity prevention, maternal-child health disparities, and diversity, equity and inclusion in medicine. She is a faculty advisor for Team KiPOW OC, serves on the UC Irvine School of Medicine Clinical Faculty Equity and Diversity Committee, is a Faculty Advisor for the UC Irvine Center for Medical Humanities, co-chair for the retention sub-committee of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors Underrepresented Minorities in Pediatric Graduate Medical Education learning community, and volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors for two nonprofit organizations – Shared Harvest Fund- myCovidMD, and Raising Compassionate Leaders.

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! I’m Tiffany, a 3rd year medical student at UCISOM. I’m originally from Southern California, but I ventured to Atlanta for undergrad at Emory University, where I discovered my passion for nutrition and healthy living after picking up a Nutrition Science minor just for fun! I’ve always loved working with kids, and KiPOW

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! I’m Tiffany, a 3rd year medical student at UCISOM. I’m originally from Southern California, but I ventured to Atlanta for undergrad at Emory University, where I discovered my passion for nutrition and healthy living after picking up a Nutrition Science minor just for fun! I’ve always loved working with kids, and KiPOW has been an incredible way to stay connected with my community while promoting healthy habits and preventative medicine beyond the walls of the hospital. I’m so honored to be part of KiPOW again this year and hope to make an even bigger impact! In my free time, you can find me making new pottery pieces, wandering through local farmers markets, or trying out new pilates studios!

Zaid Ahmed

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Zaid Ahmed, and I’m a third-year Biological Sciences major at UCI. I joined KiPOW because I am committed to addressing health disparities in underserved communities by educating children about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. As an Orange County native, I’m excited to give back to the community that has me

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Zaid Ahmed, and I’m a third-year Biological Sciences major at UCI. I joined KiPOW because I am committed to addressing health disparities in underserved communities by educating children about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. As an Orange County native, I’m excited to give back to the community that has meant so much to me. I’m also passionate about the role of nutrition in medicine and how it affects pediatric health. Through my involvement, I’ve enjoyed being a positive role model by sharing my own journey while promoting healthy lifestyle choices to children. In my free time, I enjoy sports, cooking, and going to all-you-can-eat buffets.

Celine Payne, MS4

Tiffany Huang, MS3

Celine Payne, MS4

Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Celine and I am a fourth-year medical student at UCI. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Molecular Environmental Biology. As someone who loves being active whether I'm biking or playing beach volleyball, I joined KiPOW because I want to impart how fun being active and eating healthy can be to the next generation.

Emily Bernal

Katelyn Nguyen

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Emily Bernal. I’ve been volunteering with Team KiPOW since my undergraduate years at UC Irvine, where I majored in Biological Sciences. Currently, I’m in my gap years as I apply to medical school. Volunteering with KiPOW allows me to mentor children, teaching them how to incorporate nutrition and exercise i

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Emily Bernal. I’ve been volunteering with Team KiPOW since my undergraduate years at UC Irvine, where I majored in Biological Sciences. Currently, I’m in my gap years as I apply to medical school. Volunteering with KiPOW allows me to mentor children, teaching them how to incorporate nutrition and exercise into their lives. I aspire to carry these passions forward by educating patients on disease prevention, serving and advocating for underserved communities, and mentoring the next generation of physicians. In my free time, I enjoy practicing yoga, running, and spending time with my friends, family, and my dog, Sofie. A fun fact about me is that I grew up as a competitive dancer!

Katelyn Nguyen

Katelyn Nguyen

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Katelyn and I graduated from UCI with a BS in Biological Sciences in June 2025. I joined KiPOW because it was a way of engaging with community health. Preventative medicine begins with kids! In my free time, I'm cafe hopping, journaling, baking and going on walks. A fun fact is that I sleepwalk and talk.

Merwa Hamid

Research Chair

Kimia Hashemi

Christopher Liu, MS2

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Kimia, and I’m from Laguna Niguel, California. I graduated from UC Irvine in June 2024 as a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major, and I'm currently applying to medical school. I joined Team KiPOW during my first year at UC Irvine because I wanted to find a meaningful way to engage with the community, and I

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Kimia, and I’m from Laguna Niguel, California. I graduated from UC Irvine in June 2024 as a Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major, and I'm currently applying to medical school. I joined Team KiPOW during my first year at UC Irvine because I wanted to find a meaningful way to engage with the community, and I knew that providing health education at local elementary schools through Team KiPOW would be both extremely exciting and rewarding. I’m thrilled to be part of the KiPOW board this year to help coordinate logistics with our elementary school site and strengthen our program’s impact. In my free time, I enjoy hiking and baking. A fun fact about me is that I started playing the piano when I was in kindergarten.

Daniela Antonio

Christopher Liu, MS2

Christopher Liu, MS2

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Daniela, and I graduated from UCI in 2025 with a degree in Biological Sciences, specializing in Human Biology. I joined Team KiPOW in my second year and have loved being part of it ever since. I joined Team KiPOW because its mission to promote children's health and wellness closely aligned with my own values.

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Daniela, and I graduated from UCI in 2025 with a degree in Biological Sciences, specializing in Human Biology. I joined Team KiPOW in my second year and have loved being part of it ever since. I joined Team KiPOW because its mission to promote children's health and wellness closely aligned with my own values. I especially enjoy engaging with students during recess through physical activities and teaching a fun, interactive health curriculum. In my free time, I love traveling, snowboarding, and exploring new food spots with friends.

Christopher Liu, MS2

Christopher Liu, MS2

Christopher Liu, MS2

Research Chair

Hi! My name is Chris and I'm a 2nd year medical student at UC Irvine. I'm from Sacramento, California, and I joined Team KiPOW last year because I love teaching and working with kids! I am a big believer in giving back and mentorship (I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for my mentors!), and I want to help promote h

Research Chair

Hi! My name is Chris and I'm a 2nd year medical student at UC Irvine. I'm from Sacramento, California, and I joined Team KiPOW last year because I love teaching and working with kids! I am a big believer in giving back and mentorship (I would not be where I am today if it wasn't for my mentors!), and I want to help promote healthier lifestyles for our next generation. Research is one of my passions and I am excited to be a part of the board and continue expanding upon KiPOW's impact. In my free time, I like to play strategy games, bike, read, watch anime, and play badminton.

Taylor Crook, MS2

Taylor Crook, MS2

Taylor Crook, MS2

Research Chair

My name is Taylor Crook, I am from El Dorado Hills California, and I'm an incoming second-year medical student at UC Irvine School of Medicine. I joined KiPOW at the beginning of my first year in medical school and have loved it ever since. I joined KiPOW because I have always loved the impact and mentorship you can have in

Research Chair

My name is Taylor Crook, I am from El Dorado Hills California, and I'm an incoming second-year medical student at UC Irvine School of Medicine. I joined KiPOW at the beginning of my first year in medical school and have loved it ever since. I joined KiPOW because I have always loved the impact and mentorship you can have in kids lives. I think the goal of KiPOW for creating healthier lives by learning nutritional lessons and promoting exercise aligns with my goal of creating a difference for kids that will leave a long-lasting impact on their lives. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my wife and recently newborn son by going on walks and going to the beach. My perfect day would be surfing, golfing, and playing volleyball with friends.

Zach Thio

Taylor Crook, MS2

Taylor Crook, MS2

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi! My name is Zach, and I’m a fourth-year Human Biology major at UC Irvine. I’m from Mission Viejo, California, and I joined Team KiPOW during my third year because I was inspired by the mission to promote healthier habits in local schools and make a meaningful impact in children's lives. I love working wit

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi! My name is Zach, and I’m a fourth-year Human Biology major at UC Irvine. I’m from Mission Viejo, California, and I joined Team KiPOW during my third year because I was inspired by the mission to promote healthier habits in local schools and make a meaningful impact in children's lives. I love working with kids, whether it’s playing basketball and fun games with them or teaching about healthy habits in the classroom! Volunteering with KiPOW has strengthened my interest in youth mentorship and health education. As a future physician, I hope to continue giving back through programs that support children’s well-being and promote healthier communities. I’m incredibly excited to be part of the KiPOW board this year and help expand our reach and impact! In my free time, I enjoy playing spikeball, going to the beach, and trying new food spots.

Saloni Shah, MS4

Taylor Crook, MS2

Saloni Shah, MS4

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi everyone, my name is Saloni Shah and I am currently a fourth year medical student at UCISOM. I will be applying into emergency medicine! I have had a love of teaching as well as working with children since my high school days, and I am super excited to continue pursuing those passions through KiPOW. Outsi

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi everyone, my name is Saloni Shah and I am currently a fourth year medical student at UCISOM. I will be applying into emergency medicine! I have had a love of teaching as well as working with children since my high school days, and I am super excited to continue pursuing those passions through KiPOW. Outside of learning and teaching, I love to dance and have been dancing for over 10 years. I am trained in an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam, but I love to try new dance styles! A fun fact about me is I have a dog named Pumba (the one pictured is his brother Simba because Pumba is camera shy haha).

Aarti Dachepalli

Serinee Tran, MS4

Saloni Shah, MS4

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi! My name is Aarti Dachepalli and I am a UC Irvine Alumni, with a B.S in Public Health Sciences and minors in Management and Health Informatics. I am originally from Sacramento, CA and am currently in my gap year before applying to PA school! I joined Team KiPOW as a volunteer before joining board and t

Public Relations/Outreach Chair

Hi! My name is Aarti Dachepalli and I am a UC Irvine Alumni, with a B.S in Public Health Sciences and minors in Management and Health Informatics. I am originally from Sacramento, CA and am currently in my gap year before applying to PA school! I joined Team KiPOW as a volunteer before joining board and truly enjoyed teaching, and playing with the students every week. Following a healthy lifestyle is important to me because it helps me stay active, both physically and mentally, pursue my goals, and enjoy life to the fullest. In my free time I love cooking, trying new cafes, and spending time with my family and friends!

Donya Mohammadi

Serinee Tran, MS4

Serinee Tran, MS4

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Donya and I just graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. I was born and raised in OC and I joined Team KiPOW to help promote healthy living among the community I grew up in. I am super inspired by Team KiPOW's mission to promote healthy lifestyles in local OC schools and am so luc

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Donya and I just graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. I was born and raised in OC and I joined Team KiPOW to help promote healthy living among the community I grew up in. I am super inspired by Team KiPOW's mission to promote healthy lifestyles in local OC schools and am so lucky to serve as a member of the board this year! As someone who hopes to go into healthcare, I believe that early education about nutrition, exercise, and wellness can have a lasting impact. I'm excited to collaborate with fellow board members and local schools to help empower kids and families to make healthy choices that will benefit them for life. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, and yoga, and a fun fact about me is I'm a huge foodie and love to try new restaurants!

Serinee Tran, MS4

Serinee Tran, MS4

Serinee Tran, MS4

Volunteer Coordinator

Hello! My name is Serinee, and I am a fourth-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I graduated from UCI in 2020 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. Growing up in OC, I have always been passionate about serving the communities around me. Since joining Team KiPOW in 2017, I have gained inv

Volunteer Coordinator

Hello! My name is Serinee, and I am a fourth-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I graduated from UCI in 2020 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. Growing up in OC, I have always been passionate about serving the communities around me. Since joining Team KiPOW in 2017, I have gained invaluable experience from promoting healthy behaviors and choices for our students. Witnessing their growing enthusiasm for healthy eating and exercise, I am eager to continue improving Team KiPOW throughout medical school and beyond! In my free time, I enjoy cooking, gardening, being active outdoors, and spending quality time with my family and friends!

Hassan Shaikh

Hassan Shaikh

Hassan Shaikh

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Hassan, and I’m a recent graduate from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. I’ve been part of Team KiPOW for over three years, and I’m excited to serve as this year’s Volunteer Chair. I joined KiPOW because I’m passionate about nutrition education and mentorship, and I love being part of a team that inspires healthier habits in local schools.

Safa Hamid

Hassan Shaikh

Hassan Shaikh

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Safa and I've been volunteering with KiPOW since 2022! I graduated from UC Irvine in 2024 with a degree in Psychology! Volunteering with KiPOW has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Serving on board has allowed me to contribute to KiPOW’s leadership and long-term impact, which has been truly enric

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Safa and I've been volunteering with KiPOW since 2022! I graduated from UC Irvine in 2024 with a degree in Psychology! Volunteering with KiPOW has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Serving on board has allowed me to contribute to KiPOW’s leadership and long-term impact, which has been truly enriching. Witnessing the students adopt healthy habits into their daily lives and hearing about the positive impact we make has only strengthened my passion for teaching, promoting health education, and addressing health disparities in underserved communities. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, reading, and spending quality time with family!

Christine Lee

Hassan Shaikh

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi!! I'm Christine, a 2nd-year medical student at UC Irvine. My past experiences working with kids and seeing them grow throughout the school year were something I really enjoyed and looked forward to continuing in medical school-- which is how I began volunteering with Team Kipow in 2024. I was drawn to their missio

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi!! I'm Christine, a 2nd-year medical student at UC Irvine. My past experiences working with kids and seeing them grow throughout the school year were something I really enjoyed and looked forward to continuing in medical school-- which is how I began volunteering with Team Kipow in 2024. I was drawn to their mission to help kids discover the importance of good nutrition and exercise in leading healthy lives early on! Elementary school is a formative chapter in many children's lives, and I hope our team can make a meaningful impact on these 5th graders’ outlooks on food and healthy habits through our time with them. Very excited to see what 2025-2026 brings!! In my free time, I like to bake and play music. Most recently, I've been learning guitar :)

Hannah Cho

KiPOW+ Chair

Farimah Fanaei

Farimah Fanaei

Research Chair