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.

Christine Louis, MS4

Christine Louis, MS4

Christine Louis, MS4

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Christine and I’m a second-year medical student at UC Irvine. I’ve been volunteering with Team KiPOW ever since I was an undergrad at UCI where I majored in Neurobiology. I have absolutely loved my experience with Team KiPOW because I can continue my passion and interests in nutrition, health education and

Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Christine and I’m a second-year medical student at UC Irvine. I’ve been volunteering with Team KiPOW ever since I was an undergrad at UCI where I majored in Neurobiology. I have absolutely loved my experience with Team KiPOW because I can continue my passion and interests in nutrition, health education and mentorship. Additionally, I grew up in Orange County, so I love making a positive impact on my community’s health! I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with such great kids and truly make a difference in their lives. Outside of Team KiPOW, I love trying new foods, going on fun adventures with my friends and family, and hiking with my dog Charlie :)

Devan Peterson, MS4

Christine Louis, MS4

Christine Louis, MS4

Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Devan, and I am a fourth-year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Ventura, CA and attended college at Harvard University, where I studied Human Evolutionary Biology and played on the baseball team. I am passionate about the influence of our lifestyle and environment in determining health and wellness, and I l

Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Devan, and I am a fourth-year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Ventura, CA and attended college at Harvard University, where I studied Human Evolutionary Biology and played on the baseball team. I am passionate about the influence of our lifestyle and environment in determining health and wellness, and I love working with Team KiPOW! because it provides the opportunity to pass on an appreciation of those influences to the next generation!

Celine Payne, MS3

Christine Louis, MS4

Celine Payne, MS3

Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Celine and I am a third-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

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 prepare to apply to medical school. Volunteering with KiPOW allows me to mentor children, teaching them how to incorporate nutrition and

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 prepare to apply to medical school. Volunteering with KiPOW allows me to mentor children, teaching them how to incorporate nutrition and exercise into their lives. As a future physician, I aspire to carry these passions forward by educating patients on disease prevention, serving under-served communities, and mentoring the next generation of doctors. In my free time, I enjoy cooking healthy meals, practicing yoga, and spending time with my friends, family, and my dog, Sofie.

Katelyn Nguyen

Katelyn Nguyen

Katelyn Nguyen

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Katelyn and I'm a fourth year Biological Science major at UCI. I just started volunteering with KiPOW a little less than a year ago and it's been really fun! I love giving back to the community and I'm passionate about patient education and preventative medicine. In my free time, I'm hiking, crocheting or reading.

Audrey Le

Katelyn Nguyen

Merwa Hamid

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Audrey and I am currently a third year Human Biology major at UCI. I started volunteering with KiPOW in 2021 and I have enjoyed every part of the experience! I also work as a tutor at a middle school, so I love interacting with students and sharing my personal experiences as a mentor. I am very passionate abou

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Audrey and I am currently a third year Human Biology major at UCI. I started volunteering with KiPOW in 2021 and I have enjoyed every part of the experience! I also work as a tutor at a middle school, so I love interacting with students and sharing my personal experiences as a mentor. I am very passionate about health education and I believe that learning about nutrition and exercise early on will promote healthier habits in the future. My favorite part about KiPOW is seeing students use the ideas we learn in class during lunchtime and recess! During my free time, I enjoy hanging out with my two cats named Hoji and Cheeto!

Merwa Hamid

Jennifer Roux, MS4

Merwa Hamid

School Liaison

Daniela Antonio

Jennifer Roux, MS4

Jennifer Roux, MS4

School Liaison

Jennifer Roux, MS4

Jennifer Roux, MS4

Jennifer Roux, MS4

Research Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I am a fourth year medical student at UCI. I am originally from San Francisco, Ca, and earned my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Cal Poly SLO. I’ve been involved with various programs that promote the health and wellness of children, and am looking forward to educating and empowe

Research Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I am a fourth year medical student at UCI. I am originally from San Francisco, Ca, and earned my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at Cal Poly SLO. I’ve been involved with various programs that promote the health and wellness of children, and am looking forward to educating and empowering children in OC to make beneficial dietary and lifestyle choices through KiPOW! Outside of school and extracurriculars, I enjoy cooking and creating recipes with nutritious ingredients, exploring coffee shops, exercising, and spending time outside.

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Research Chair

Hi, my name is Elisabeth, and I am a fourth year medical student here at UC Irvine. I received my B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience at UC San Diego. I joined KiPow because I firmly believe in the role of health education in preventing disease and empowering members of the community to live their healthiest lifestyle. I lov

Research Chair

Hi, my name is Elisabeth, and I am a fourth year medical student here at UC Irvine. I received my B.S. in Physiology and Neuroscience at UC San Diego. I joined KiPow because I firmly believe in the role of health education in preventing disease and empowering members of the community to live their healthiest lifestyle. I love to be active, and am excited to cultivate a healthy and active lifestyle in the children KiPow works with. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, going to the beach, reading, running, and rock climbing.

Akhil Chandekar

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Research Chair

Hi! My name is Akhil Chandekar and I'm a fourth year Biomedical Engineering Premedical major at UCI. I'm originally from Sacramento, CA and I used to play several sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis, and I still love to stay active! I've been in Team KiPOW since my 3rd year of undergrad and loved tea

Research Chair

Hi! My name is Akhil Chandekar and I'm a fourth year Biomedical Engineering Premedical major at UCI. I'm originally from Sacramento, CA and I used to play several sports, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, and tennis, and I still love to stay active! I've been in Team KiPOW since my 3rd year of undergrad and loved teaching and playing with the kids at Scholarship Prep. Research is also important to me as I've been involved in bench and clinical research in my time at UCI. When I'm not working or studying, I'm an avid meditation practitioner and I also love to coach soccer!

Saloni Shah, MS2

Elisabeth McCallum, MS4

Saloni Shah, MS2

Public Relations/Outreach Co-Chair

Hi everyone, my name is Saloni Shah and I am currently a first year medical student at UCISOM. I have loved working and teaching kids since I was in high school, and I am so excited to continue working with them through KiPOW! Outside of school and teaching, I love to dance and have been dancing for over

Public Relations/Outreach Co-Chair

Hi everyone, my name is Saloni Shah and I am currently a first year medical student at UCISOM. I have loved working and teaching kids since I was in high school, and I am so excited to continue working with them through KiPOW! Outside of school and teaching, I love to dance and have been dancing for over 10 years. I have trained in an Indian classical dance, but love to try new dance styles!

Aarti Dachepalli

William Wang, MS4

Saloni Shah, MS2

Public Relations/Outreach Co-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 an

Public Relations/Outreach Co-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!

William Wang, MS4

William Wang, MS4

William Wang, MS4

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Will, and I'm a third-year medical student at UC Irvine. I am originally from Glendale, CA, but went to UC Davis for undergrad. After graduating, I came back down to Southern California for medical school. I love working with KiPOW because I am very passionate about physical fitness, and this w

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Will, and I'm a third-year medical student at UC Irvine. I am originally from Glendale, CA, but went to UC Davis for undergrad. After graduating, I came back down to Southern California for medical school. I love working with KiPOW because I am very passionate about physical fitness, and this was a great way to be a positive influence while having fun and working with kids. It's such a rewarding experience giving back to the community and promote lasting healthy lifestyles. In my spare time, I enjoy running, cooking, and playing rugby.

Serinee Tran, MS3

William Wang, MS4

William Wang, MS4

Volunteer Coordinator

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

Volunteer Coordinator

Hello! My name is Serinee, and I am a third-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I graduated from UCI in 2020 with a degree in Biological Sciences. Growing up in OC, I have always been passionate about serving the communities around me. Since joining Team KiPOW in 2017, it has been an invaluable experience promoting healthy lifestyles for fifth-grade students. Witnessing our students' growing enthusiasm for healthy eating and exercise, I am eager to build on my Team KiPOW experience in 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 everyone! My name is Hassan Shaikh and I a third year Biological Sciences major at UCI. I joined Team KiPOW to pursue my passion for medicine, nutrition and health education. Since becoming involved with Team KiPOW I have had the opportunity to serve as a positive role model for many kids by sharing my story and he

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi everyone! My name is Hassan Shaikh and I a third year Biological Sciences major at UCI. I joined Team KiPOW to pursue my passion for medicine, nutrition and health education. Since becoming involved with Team KiPOW I have had the opportunity to serve as a positive role model for many kids by sharing my story and helping them understand the importance of making healthy food choices. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the impact Team KiPOW is able to make on the lives of these kids. I am grateful to be a part of the team! In my free time, I like to play badminton, cook and spend valuable time with family and friends

Safa Hamid

Hassan Shaikh

Hassan Shaikh

Volunteer Chair

Hi! My name is Safa and I am a third-year Psychology major at UCI. I am originally from Afghanistan but I grew up in Orange County. Volunteering with KiPOW has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me. Witnessing the students adopt healthy habits into their daily lives and hearing about the positive impact we make has

Volunteer Chair

Hi! My name is Safa and I am a third-year Psychology major at UCI. I am originally from Afghanistan but I grew up in Orange County. Volunteering with KiPOW has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me. 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 and promoting health education. I am excited to continue empowering children in OC to make beneficial dietary choices and live their healthiest lifestyles. During my free time, I enjoy hiking, exploring new coffee shops, cooking, and spending quality time with family & friends!

Amy Yoon

Hassan Shaikh

Zaid Ahmed

Volunteer Chair

Hi! My name is Yae Eun Yoon, and I am a third-year Biological Sciences major at UCI. For many years, I have interacted with numerous students and helped them with their academics. I am excited to combine my passion for teaching with my knowledge of health and nutrition through Team KiPow! During my free time, I like to wat

Volunteer Chair

Hi! My name is Yae Eun Yoon, and I am a third-year Biological Sciences major at UCI. For many years, I have interacted with numerous students and helped them with their academics. I am excited to combine my passion for teaching with my knowledge of health and nutrition through Team KiPow! During my free time, I like to watch musical theatre performances (a huge Broadway fan), listen to music, and read books.

Zaid Ahmed

Farimah Fanaei

Zaid Ahmed

Volunteer Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Zaid Ahmed, and I’m a second-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 th

Volunteer Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Zaid Ahmed, and I’m a second-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.

Farimah Fanaei

Farimah Fanaei

Farimah Fanaei

Volunteer Chair

I moved from Iran when I was 11 years old and am currently completing my degree in Human Biology, with plans to pursue medical school. As an EMT, I’ve gained hands-on patient care experience, and I’m passionate about teaching health education to the community and children. I joined Team KiPOW to make a positive impact in t

Volunteer Chair

I moved from Iran when I was 11 years old and am currently completing my degree in Human Biology, with plans to pursue medical school. As an EMT, I’ve gained hands-on patient care experience, and I’m passionate about teaching health education to the community and children. I joined Team KiPOW to make a positive impact in these areas. In my free time, I enjoy surfing during the summer and traveling whenever I have the opportunity.

Hannah Cho

Farimah Fanaei

Farimah Fanaei

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair

Tiffany Huang

Tiffany Huang

Tiffany Huang

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair