Physiology Club Officers for 2023-2024
President: Gia Balsamo
Hello Physiology Club! My name is Gia Balsamo, and I am very excited to serve as your President for the 2023-2024 academic year! I am a junior in the W.A. Franke Honors College majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Spanish and Biochemistry. I am an Emergency Department Research Associate at Banner University Medical Center, screening patients for clinical studies in the ER. I volunteer as an Athletic Training Technician at the Lowell Stevens Football Facility for our NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision! I am the Treasurer and a student advisor for The Physiology Honors Academy. Additionally, I am a Nationally Certified Phlebotomist and spend time shadowing and taking vitals for a Pulmonologist Critical Care Specialist. I have been working as a Research Assistant alongside Dr. Youngstedt and Dr. Patel in the Jet Lag Study at The Center for Sleep and Circadian Rhythms since the end of my freshman year. This year I am looking forward to preceptoring Introduction to Biology Honors and Organic Chemistry Honors. Additionally I enjoy volunteering at The Campus Pantry. My future career goal is to attend medical school and become an M.D.
The Physiology Club is a great way to get involved on campus, make connections with physicians and professors, and gain life-long friends. I am looking forward to an amazing year ahead for all of our new and existing club members! Feel free to contact me with any questions whether it is about the club, academic or career advice, or anything about PSIO! -Ask me about all of the great study spots on campus! My email is giabalsamo@arizona.edu
Hey everyone! I’m Behina Abbasi, your Vice President for the 2023-2024 academic year. I’m a senior majoring in Physiology and minoring in Chemistry. Since my freshman year, I’ve been involved in the PSIO club, which has allowed me to connect with amazing people and become more engaged on campus. Currently, I work at campus health and as a scribe at the Banner outpatient clinics. My favorite specialty to scribe for is Allergy/Immunology. After completing undergraduate, I plan to attend Pharmacy School and pursue a career as a pharmacist. During my free time, I enjoy working out, hanging out with friends, trying new restaurants, and going to coffee shops. I’m excited to meet everyone this year! Feel free to email me anytime at babbasi@arizona.edu
Vice President: Behina Abbasi
Hi my name is Joseph Simmons III. I'm a junior at the University of Arizona, and I'm going to be your treasurer for the 2023-2024 school year. I'm from Las Vegas, Nevada. I am majoring in biology with minors in Physiology and Spanish. I plan to be a Sports Orthopedic Surgeon in the future. I am hoping to go to med school either at the University of Arizona or back home in Las Vegas. Some of my interests include playing sports such as football, basketball and golf. I like reading, hanging out with my friends and listening to music. I look forward to working with the Physiology club and all of its members and having a great year with you guys!
Treasurer: Joseph Simmons III
Hello Physio Club!! My name is Jenny Partin and I will be your Secretary for the 2023-2024 academic year! I am so happy that you are here and I highly encourage you to reach out to me or any of the other board members! As a current Sophomore, I am majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Spanish. Outside of the best club on campus, I work at the SALT center as a Peer tutor, volunteer at Zmansion, preceptor for CHEM 162, and am involved in Dr.Riegels addiction and neurology lab. In my free time, I am an avid hiker and love to do anything outdoors. I love having the opportunity to explore Tucson and all that it has to offer, including its coffee shops:). I am looking forward to applying to medical school in the near future, in hopes to explore areas of Pediatrics or Emergency Medicine. I would love to get to know you, so please reach out at jpartin11@arizona.edu.
Secretary: Jenny Partin
Hello everyone! My name is Lizetta Zozobrado but you can call me Liz. I couldn’t be happier to be your academic chair for the next year! I grew up in Chandler, Arizona, and always knew I wanted to attend the University of Arizona. I am currently majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Biochemistry. I am involved with the Physiology Mentor program, and the Banek nephrology lab, and I will be a preceptor for Jon’s Organic Chemistry lecture in the fall of 2023. In my free time, I love just hanging out and relaxing by watching a good movie. Another one of my favorite things is traveling and exploring new places. In the future, I would love to go to medical school and become a cardiothoracic surgeon. I can’t wait to meet you guys and feel free to reach out to me for anything :) My email is lizettazozobrado@arizona.edu.
Academic Chair- Liz Zozobrado
Career and Development Chair- Macie Goodmanson
Hey everyone! My name is Macie Goodmanson and I am so excited to be your Career and Development chair this year. I am a junior Physiology major (graduating December 2024) and I’m originally from a small town near Wichita, Kansas. After graduation, I’ll be taking a gap year back in Kansas while I get more clinical experience and apply to medical school. I’m leaning towards OB/GYN, but shadowing a lot of specialties has definitely kept my mind open. Besides Physiology Club, my other involvements include being a volunteer in the Postpartum unit at Banner and the VP of a club on campus that runs music workshops for kids in foster care. I also joined the Langlais Lab during my first semester and since then have been investigating the intracellular protein signaling pathways of glucose uptake as it relates to Type 2 Diabetes. When I do get some free time, I like to binge a show on Netflix, cook, go out with friends (I love comedy shows), and play piano. If you see me at meetings or out and about, don’t hesitate to say hi - I am excited to get to know you all! My favorite parts of Physiology Club are the connections I have made and advice I have received, so I hope I can return the favor. Always feel free to contact me or come chat at meetings and events! mjgoodmanson@arizona.edu
Hello everyone!! My name is Bella Badar, and I am the Current Topics Chair for PSIO club this year! I am very excited to be on the board to grow and develop our club!! I am a sophomore majoring in Physiology with a minor in Future Earth Resilience. Being from a small town, Hinton, in Iowa, Tucson was a big change for me last year, however I have fallen in love with it and the state of Arizona! When I’m not studying or at PSIO club, I am either teaching swim lessons, volunteering at Z mansion, or, what I spend most of my time doing, running! My goal is to graduate with my Physiology degree here at the U of A and then go on to med school somewhere to become a Pediatrician! I’m excited to continue getting to know everyone in the club this year! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns isabellabadar@arizona.edu
Current Topic Chair- Bella Badar
Hi everyone! My name is Amanda Babcock, and I am so excited to be your Public Relations Officer this year! I am a sophomore majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences with a minor in Biochemistry. I joined Physiology Club last year and have loved getting involved with all the events and meeting new people! I am originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but Tucson has become a home away from home. At home, I am a CNA at Aurora Medical Center, a Sunday School teacher, and a waitress at a country club. However, in Tucson, I’ve been looking into various research opportunities. In my free time, I love being outside, listening to music, thrifting, getting coffee with friends, and of course, watching the iconic Arizona sunsets. I am on the Pre-Med track but am also planning to apply to the Nursing School in the Spring. I plan to get all my pre-med prerequisites done so I am ready to apply to Medical School, as I have always dreamed of being a pediatrician. I am looking forward to getting to know you all better this year; please reach out if you have any questions! I don’t have all the answers, but hopefully, I can point you in the right direction. Feel free to email me at any time at ababcock@arizona.edu.
Public Relations- Amanda Babcock
Hey everyone! My name is Ryan Kim and I am excited to be your Clinical Chair this year. I am from Colorado and I am currently a Sophomore majoring in Physiology. Even though I have only been in the club for one year, I have already made countless memories, great friendships, and engaged in amazing opportunities that I can’t wait to share with all of you. Outside of PSIO Club, I work as an EMT with UAEMS, give tours of the W.A. Franke Honors College through Honors Ambassadors, and volunteer at Z Mansion. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, hiking, listening to music, and recently started playing pickleball (Some may say it's an addiction).
I cannot wait to meet everyone this year and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out. I am always free to answer any questions or give advice on career decisions, academics, or even personal/social topics. Can’t wait for a great year! My email is ryanjkim24@arizona.edu
Clinical Chair-Ryan Kim
Hey Physiology Club! My name is Joey Herrick. I am Tucson born and raised, and I will be your Physiology Chair for the 23-24 school year. I am a Sophomore majoring in Physiology and Medical Sciences and minoring in Spanish. The Physiology Club has been one of my favorite campus involvements since coming to UA, and has connected me to many individuals who are also pursuing similar goals in mind. Post-grad I hope to attend PA school, with many of my involvements being geared towards that goal. You will mostly see me doing volunteer work at Harmony Hospice, Shadowing fellow PAs and other medical professionals, and working within the EMT field. Hobbies of mine include cooking/baking, hanging out with friends, and swimming. I really want to help reignite or enhance everyone's passion for the healthcare field and I encourage you all to reach out if you need help with opportunities and guidance, or anything at all. My email is josephherrick@arizona.edu.
Physiology Chair- Joey Herrick
Hi Everyone! My name is Colin Hanley, and I'll be your new Philanthropy Chair this year! I am originally from Long Island, NY, and I'm a Junior at the W.A. Franke Honors College majoring in Care, Health, and Society with a minor in Psychology. I have been a member of the PSIO Club since freshman year, and it has been a great way to be involved on campus while having so much fun. After my time here, I plan on attending podiatry school to (you guessed it) become a Podiatrist! Outside the club, I love to stay active by playing golf, attending concerts, and hanging out with my friends. I can't wait to meet everyone, and get involved with the Tucson Community! If you have any questions or want to chat, my email is chanley247@arizona.edu
Philanthropy Chair- Colin Hanley
My name is Brenden Fjelsted, and I am a senior studying Physiology and Medical sciences with minors in Religion, Psychology, and Biochemistry. I plan to take a gap year after college before heading out for med school in who knows where. I have spent my undergraduate education focusing my studies on total body health, ranging from physical to mental to spiritual health. In my free time, I love extracurricular activities in the outdoors or random adventures with friends. I love sports, especially intramural flag football, indoor soccer, and basketball. I enjoy music, and I play the guitar and saxophone. My last three summers have been spent working at Bible Camps across the US, where I have been able to build up the future leaders of the world and encourage peers around me to become better versions of themselves. I am involved on campus in the Navigators, PSIO Peer Mentorship Program, Campus Recreation Fitness & Wellness, and MexZona. You most likely are to see me on campus at the Campus Recreation exercising or working as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. If you’re a rise and shiner, let’s go workout together! I’m always looking to chat with people, get to know you and your story, and spur you on in your endeavors. Email me at bfjelsted@arizona.edu