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, MS2

Christine Louis, MS2

Christine Louis, MS2

Team KiPOW! OC 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

Team KiPOW! OC 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 :)

Dana Le, MS3

Christine Louis, MS2

Christine Louis, MS2

Team KiPOW! OC Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Dana, and I am currently a third year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Orange County and also completed my undergrad at UCI. KiPOW has been one of my favorite involvements--I love working with the students and bouncing off their energy and eagerness to participate and learn! I am also intere

Team KiPOW! OC Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Dana, and I am currently a third year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Orange County and also completed my undergrad at UCI. KiPOW has been one of my favorite involvements--I love working with the students and bouncing off their energy and eagerness to participate and learn! I am also interested in culinary medicine, so teaching them about nutrition and healthy lifestyles has been super rewarding. ln my free time, I enjoy attempting new baking recipes, yoga, and exploring new restaurants and hikes/scenic spots in the area.

Angelina Lo, MS3

Christine Louis, MS2

Angelina Lo, MS3

Team KiPOW! OC Co-Chair

Hi! I am currently a third year medical student at UC Irvine, after studying biology and sociology at Stanford University. I’m so happy to be on the Team KiPOW! board because I love spending time with kids, both playing and teaching them about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Having grown up in SoCal, it’s also rea

Team KiPOW! OC Co-Chair

Hi! I am currently a third year medical student at UC Irvine, after studying biology and sociology at Stanford University. I’m so happy to be on the Team KiPOW! board because I love spending time with kids, both playing and teaching them about nutrition and healthy lifestyles. Having grown up in SoCal, it’s also really rewarding getting to connect with and give back to this community. Outside of school, I love hiking, exploring new restaurants, and hanging with family and friends.

Mehr Bawa

Melanie Santamaria

Emily Bernal

School Liaison

Hey! I'm Mehr Bawa, and I’m a third year undergraduate at UCI working toward my B.S. When I'm not at school, you can find me walking my dog, eating by the beach, and reading at coffee shops. Having grown up in Orange County, I love having the opportunity to give back to our community. It's been incredibly rewarding working w

School Liaison

Hey! I'm Mehr Bawa, and I’m a third year undergraduate at UCI working toward my B.S. When I'm not at school, you can find me walking my dog, eating by the beach, and reading at coffee shops. Having grown up in Orange County, I love having the opportunity to give back to our community. It's been incredibly rewarding working with Team KiPow and seeing the 5th graders incorporate what they're learning into their daily habits. I'm looking forward to another great year!

Emily Bernal

Melanie Santamaria

Emily Bernal

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Emily Bernal. I’m a third year undergraduate at UC Irvine studying Biological Sciences.

My dream is to become a doctor because I aspire to teach others about how nutrition plays a role in disease prevention! I love using this passion to teach Kipow’s fifth graders about fun, easy ways to incorporate

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Emily Bernal. I’m a third year undergraduate at UC Irvine studying Biological Sciences.

My dream is to become a doctor because I aspire to teach others about how nutrition plays a role in disease prevention! I love using this passion to teach Kipow’s fifth graders about fun, easy ways to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into their days!

During my free time, I enjoy cooking healthy meals, doing yoga, and spending quality time with my friends, family, and my dog Sofie.

Melanie Santamaria

Melanie Santamaria

Melanie Santamaria

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Melanie and I just graduated from UCI with a degree in Human Biology. I am a first-generation Latina and the first to graduate from college in my family. My dream is to go to medical school and give back to the Latino community. I absolutely love being a part of Team KiPOW, because it gives me the opportuni

School Liaison

Hello! My name is Melanie and I just graduated from UCI with a degree in Human Biology. I am a first-generation Latina and the first to graduate from college in my family. My dream is to go to medical school and give back to the Latino community. I absolutely love being a part of Team KiPOW, because it gives me the opportunity to teach and mentor students. I enjoy traveling, because I get to learn about different culture and try new foods. I have been to Italy, France, Spain, England, Guatemala, and El Salvador. I hope to even more during my gap year!

Amanda One

Amanda One

Melanie Santamaria

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Amanda, I graduated from UC Irvine and majored in Biological Sciences. I am from Orange County, and love working with kids in this community! After having a great experience volunteering at a summer day camp, I knew Team KiPOW would be a great fit. I grew up being physically active with swimming and diving, so

School Liaison

Hi! My name is Amanda, I graduated from UC Irvine and majored in Biological Sciences. I am from Orange County, and love working with kids in this community! After having a great experience volunteering at a summer day camp, I knew Team KiPOW would be a great fit. I grew up being physically active with swimming and diving, so helping kids be more informed about how to make good fitness and nutrition choices is important to me. In my free time, I love to travel and play with my dogs.

Audrey Le

Amanda One

Audrey Le

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!

Amy Yoon

Amanda One

Audrey Le

Volunteer Coordinator

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 t

Volunteer Coordinator

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.

Maddie McLellan, MS3

Maddie McLellan, MS3

Maddie McLellan, MS3

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Maddie and I am a third year medical student at UCI. I graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 2018 and am very excited to attend med school in California. I am originally from the Bay Area, and being a college athlete, am very passionate about fitness and health. Outside of school, I love to ru

Volunteer Coordinator

Hi! My name is Maddie and I am a third year medical student at UCI. I graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont in 2018 and am very excited to attend med school in California. I am originally from the Bay Area, and being a college athlete, am very passionate about fitness and health. Outside of school, I love to run, play soccer, cook and explore new beaches in OC. I am excited to be a member of KiPow and hope to make a positive impact on the kids I work with in a meaningful way.

Serinee Tran, MS1

Maddie McLellan, MS3

Maddie McLellan, MS3

Volunteer Coordinator

Hello! My name is Serinee, and I am a first-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I graduated from UC Irvine in 2020 with a degree in Biological Sciences. Growing up in Orange County, I have always been passionate about serving the communities around me. Since joining Team KiPOW in 201

Volunteer Coordinator

Hello! My name is Serinee, and I am a first-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I graduated from UC Irvine in 2020 with a degree in Biological Sciences. Growing up in Orange County, 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, being active outdoors, and spending quality time with my family and friends!

William Wang, MS3

Maddie McLellan, MS3

William Wang, MS3

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 t

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.

Hassan Shaikh

Hassan Shaikh

William Wang, MS3

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 Zarah

Hassan Shaikh

Safa Zarah

Volunteer Coordinator

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 ma

Volunteer Coordinator

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!

Eden Amanios

Devan Peterson, MS3

Saloni Shah, MS1

Public Relations/Outreach Co-Chair

Hello! My name is Eden and I recently graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. I first joined Team KiPOW in 2021, and although we were online due to the pandemic, I grew to love this organization and teaching children about nutrition and mainting a healthy lifestyle! It has been a ve

Public Relations/Outreach Co-Chair

Hello! My name is Eden and I recently graduated from UC Irvine with a degree in Biological Sciences. I first joined Team KiPOW in 2021, and although we were online due to the pandemic, I grew to love this organization and teaching children about nutrition and mainting a healthy lifestyle! It has been a very rewarding experience giving back to our community and being a role-model to the youth. I am excited to take on the role of PR chair to find new ways to spread the word about Team KiPOW’s mission. On my free time, I enjoy going to the beach, reading, baking, and spending time with my friends and family.

Saloni Shah, MS1

Devan Peterson, MS3

Saloni Shah, MS1

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!

Devan Peterson, MS3

Devan Peterson, MS3

Devan Peterson, MS3

Research Co-Chair

Hi there! My name is Devan, and I am a third-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 believe in the impact of lifestyle in determining health and wellness, and I love working with T

Research Co-Chair

Hi there! My name is Devan, and I am a third-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 believe in the impact of lifestyle in determining health and wellness, and I love working with Team KiPOW! because it provides the opportunity to pass that appreciation on to the next generation and to share in the joy of elementary schoolers!

Jennifer Roux, MS2

Elisabeth McCallum, MS2

Devan Peterson, MS3

Research Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I am a second 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 second 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, MS2

Elisabeth McCallum, MS2

Elisabeth McCallum, MS2

Research Chair

Hi, my name is Elisabeth, and I am a second 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 second 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.

Celine Payne, MS1

Elisabeth McCallum, MS2

Elisabeth McCallum, MS2

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Celine and I am a first-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 t

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair

Hi! My name is Celine and I am a first-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. KiPOW continues to be the highlight of my week!

Cindy Vu, MS1

Cindy Vu, MS1

Cindy Vu, MS1

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Cindy and I am currently a first-year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Orange County and graduated from UC Irvine in 2021 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. I am passionate about fitness, living a healthy lifestyle, and teaching. I love being a part of Team KiPOW and seeing the energy

Team KiPOW+ Co-Chair

Hi everyone! My name is Cindy and I am currently a first-year medical student at UC Irvine. I grew up in Orange County and graduated from UC Irvine in 2021 with a B.S. in Biological Sciences. I am passionate about fitness, living a healthy lifestyle, and teaching. I love being a part of Team KiPOW and seeing the energy our students bring to the class. They are so enthusiastic to learn about nutrition and participate in our fun activities! It's a rewarding experience giving back to the community I grew up in and promoting healthy lifestyles. In my free time, I enjoy going to the gym, going to concerts, and doing pilates with my friends.