Meet the Leadership: GSA Executive Board

Officers, 2024-2025

Katie Chang, Chair (She/her)

Katie is a fourth-year PhD student and physics theorist studying quantum computing, specifically quantum error correction. She grew up in Virginia and did her B.S. in physics at the University of Virginia. She’s been in the GSA since her first year and is very excited to work with a wonderful and capable officer team. She’s excited to work on the GSA priorities, including subsidized student access to CT transport, systematic solutions for food insecurity in the graduate student population, expanding mental health and professional development programs for graduate students, and incorporating student voices into faculty hiring and grievance processes within the school. She loves her tabby Alfred, video games, and coffee shops.

Jamil Rahman, Vice Chair

Jamil is a fourth-year PhD student studying Financial Economics. He received a B.A. in Economics from Cornell University, then spent two years as a predoctoral researcher at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington DC. In his research, Jamil uses machine learning and econometric methods to understand why stock prices move. This is Jamil’s second year as a member of the GSA, and he served on both Steering Committee and the Presidential Search Advisory Committee during the 2023-2024 year. Jamil is excited to serve as Vice Chair for the 2024-25 year and is looking for ways increase communication between the university’s new administration and students.

Hannah Schiller, Secretary

Hannah Schiller is a doctoral candidate in Music History. Originally from Chicago, she completed her undergraduate studies in Music Theory and Psychology at Northwestern University and earned an MSt in Musicology from Oxford University. In her doctoral research, Hannah theorizes gendered temporalities in Anglo-American pop music industries with a particular focus on women pop stars. This is Hannah’s third year on the GSA, and she served on the Steering Committee in 2023-24. Hannah is excited to serve as GSA Secretary for the 2024-25 academic year, a role through which she hopes to help encourage wide representative involvement and increase the effectiveness of communication between the GSA and the broader Yale community.
 

Charles Lomba, Treasurer

   
 
 

Jake Fontaine, Parliamentarian

Jake is a third-year PhD student in Immunobiology. He was born in Minnesota before attending Emory University, receiving a BS in Biology and a BA in Chemistry. His research interests are in B cell intrinsic mechanisms of proliferation which guide development and control autoimmunity. Jake is excited for his second year in GSA, and he served on the Committee on Regulations and Discipline in the 2023-24 year. He is passionate about student advocacy, and is excited to serve the student body and work with Yale admin this year!
 

Committee Chairs, 2024-2025

Pranav Garg, Academics and Professional Development Committee Chair

Pranav is a fourth-year PhD student in Financial Economics. His research explores the interaction between financial markets, financial intermediaries, and the macroeconomy. He completed his undergrad from the University of Delhi, his master’s from the Paris School of Economics, and researched at the University of Chicago prior to joining Yale. This is Pranav’s first year as a GSA rep and as the APD committee chair. He is eager to maximize the academic and professional development of GSAS students, and collaborate with Yale alumni and professional development leadership. He loves live music, sports, and the great outdoors.

Colton Klein, Conference Travel Fund Director/Committee Chair

Colton Klein is a second-year PhD student in the History of Art and a Whitney Humanities Center Fellow in the Environmental Humanities. His research focuses on the visual culture of the United States, with particular interest in material and environmental histories. This is his second year serving on the CTF Committee in the GSA, and he is eager to continue supporting fellow PhD students in presenting their research at professional conferences and academic meetings.

Nathan Suri, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Chair

Nathan Suri is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Physics working on machine learning applications in high energy physics, specifically noise mitigation and anomaly detection for the ATLAS experiment. He received a B.S. in physics at the California Institute of Technology. This is Nathan’s second year on the GSA and his second year chairing the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. He is excited to continue advocating for a supportive and inclusive academic community for graduate students here at Yale.

Thomas Zapadka, Facilities and Healthcare Committee Chair

Thomas is a 5th year Ph.D. candidate in the Cellular and Molecular Physiology department working on visual neuroscience and the physiologic mechanisms of ocular injury. He received a B.A. in Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University in 2020, where he researched ocular immunology and chronic inflammation’s role in diabetic retinopathy. This year Thomas is serving as the Facilities and Healthcare committee chair and is excited to enhance the experience of graduate students at Yale.
 

Anastasiya Andriyash, Service Committee Chair

Anaa is a fifth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology where she studies plant cell signaling during floral organ development. She graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry and a B.S. in Biology from the University of New Mexico in 2020. At Yale, Anaa is passionate about science outreach, promoting plant biology, and her love of New Mexico. This is Anaa’s second year on the GSA and first year as chair of the service committee, and she is excited to continue and expand upon projects aimed to support graduate students during their time at Yale. 

Riley Wadehra, Transit and Security Committee Chair (she/her)

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Riley Wadehra is a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. She graduated with a B.A. in Environmental Science from Colorado College in 2020 and a minor in mathematical modeling. Here at Yale, she studies fires in the tropical savannas and loves to talk about how important wildfires are! This is her second year in the GSA and first year as a committee chair, and she’s excited to further advocate on behalf of the grad student community, specifically regarding getting students from one place to another as safely (and happily) as possible.

Jennifer Kroeger, Public Relations Committee Chair (she/her)

Jennifer Kroeger is a 4th year PhD candidate in the School of the Environment and Center for Industrial Ecology. She is originally from Texas and received her B.A. in Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences from Rice University. At Yale, Jennifer works on utilizing industrial ecology methodologies to analyze the sustainability of carbon dioxide removal strategies, with a focus on Enhanced Rock Weathering. This is Jennifer’s second year in the GSA, and first year serving as the Public Relations committee chair. She is excited about revamping the GSA’s communication platforms and recruiting other GSA members to contribute to this initiative!

 

Swathi Manivannan, International Students Committee Chair

Swathi is a third-year PhD candidate in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Her research focuses on understanding how pathogens evolve, through theoretical and experimental approaches. Originally from Singapore, she completed her undergraduate studies in Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge. This is Swathi’s first year on the GSA and as a committee chair, and she is looking forward to further advocating for international graduate students’ concerns at Yale.