Meet the Team
Joanne Snapp, EdD, MA, MSEd
Founder &
Pre-Med, Pre-PA, and Pre-Dental Advisor
Since 2006, Joanne has helped pre-health students on their journey to a health career. After serving as the Director of Admissions at an allopathic medical school in New York followed by helping thousands of students as a pre-health advisor at a UC in California, Joanne gained the insight and knowledge needed to provide holistic, compassionate advising to applicants.
Joanne earned a BSEd and MA in English (as well as an MSEd and and EdD in Leadership, Policy and Learning), so her strong writing skills paired with an ability to coach individuals through interview prep and difficult life decisions has led to almost every applicant she's worked with successfully matriculating into medical, dental, PA school or their residency of choice. Joanne is well connected to many schools and has spent a decade studying what schools want and who gets in where. Schedule a free consultation with Joanne to learn more about how she can help you on your journey.
Susana Kalish, PA-C, MPH
Lead Pre-PA Advisor
Susana recently graduated with her PA/MPH dual degree from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. She was awarded the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. full-tuition graduate scholarship through Northeastern's African-American institute. Before PA school, Susana worked at an FQHC in Los Angeles, where she trained and became a certified medical assistant. She also worked part-time at a start-up clinic integrating primary care and preventative medicine where she monitored patient vitals remotely. She graduated from UC Davis in 2020 with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and a minor in Spanish, and completed a Pre-PA post-baccalaureate at Keck Graduate Institute in 2021.
Susana has over 7 years of pre-health advising experience and specializes in pre-PA advising. She was involved in the UC Davis Pre-PA club, is an active member of the National Society of Black PAs, and the American Academy of Physican Associates (AAPA).
Erin Smith, DO, MHA
Lead Pre-Medical & Residency Prep Advisor
Erin graduated from Des Moines University in 2026 with dual degrees in Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and Master of Health Administration (MHA). She is currently a Med-Peds resident at Medical University of South Carolina.
She earned her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and B.A. in Anthropology from University of California, Davis in 2020. During her time at UC Davis, Erin served as a Student Ambassador in the Admissions Department for three years, mentoring prospective students and families navigating pre-health pathways, including traditional and transfer routes. Her passion for global health and health equity led her to volunteer with MEDLIFE in Peru and participate in study abroad programs in England and Ghana. Following graduation, Erin worked for two years as a dermatology medical assistant and mentor for at-risk youth. Here she gained invaluable knowledge about the intricacies of delivering patient care.
At DMU, Erin held leadership positions in the Pediatrics and Global Health Clubs, served as the National Liaison for the Student American Academy of Osteopathy (SAAO), and worked as a teaching assistant, supporting the education and development of fellow medical students. She also completed a research internship with the Centers for Disease Control, Climate and Health Division, where she explored the intersection of environmental factors, public health, and health equity. Erin additionally completed an international clinical rotation in Vietnam, training in Internal Medicine and Pediatric Gastroenterology. Her long-term goal is to integrate clinical medicine and healthcare leadership to improve access to high-quality care for underserved communities both locally and globally.
Since 2023, Erin has served as an advisor with My Honest Advisor, helping applicants successfully navigate the medical school and residency application process through personal statement editing, interview preparation, school list development, and residency advising.
Gabriella Pandza, MD
Lead Pre-Medical & Residency Prep Advisor
Gabriella completed medical school at Loyola Stritch School of Medicine in 2026 and is currently completing a pediatric residency at Advocate Park Ridge in Chicago, IL. Both before and during medical school Gabriella’s focus has been on education and mentorship. She founded a mentorship program that spans from high school level to residency, worked directly with interested pre-medical students, mentored and tutored medical students facing hardship or preparing for board examinations, and pursued medical education by participating in a program to teach students point of care ultrasound.
Gabriella completed her undergraduate degree in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at UC Davis in 2019. As a non-traditional applicant, she is familiar with the challenges of the admissions process, including navigating medicine without physician mentors in her family and taking the MCAT twice before applying. During her gap years, she worked for a Family Medicine residency program and as a chemist for a biotechnology company in the Bay Area.
Gabriella’s advising philosophy stems from her lived experience and passion for mentorship. She focuses on helping students recognize their strengths, develop confidence in their personal narrative, and navigate challenges in their application. She is passionate about helping applicants identify what makes them unique and translating those qualities into compelling applications and authentic interviews.
Herman Dhillon, MD
Pre-Medical &
Residency Prep Advisor
Herman is a Diagnostic Radiology resident at Northwell Health (North Shore/LIJ). Prior to this, he completed his Transitional Year at Plainview Hospital. Herman earned his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from UC Davis in 2020, before graduating from the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell (ZSOM) in 2024.
During medical school, Herman was involved in the SONICS Certification in Medical Ultrasound and played an active role in the ultrasound curriculum, which he showcased to prospective students during ZSOM’s second-look events. He also served as a student member of the Admissions Committee, gaining firsthand experience in the medical school admissions process and a deep understanding of what makes a successful applicant.
Herman is passionate about helping future medical school and residency applicants, leveraging his experience in navigating the competitive admissions process for both.
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Hunter Green, MD
Pre-Medical &
Residency Prep Advisor
Hunter earned his MD from Chicago Medical School in May of 2026 and is now a combined Psychiatry/Family Medicine Resident at the University of Cincinnati. He graduated from UC Davis with a double major in English and Biological Sciences in 2020. Prior to starting medical school in 2022, he spent his gap years working at UC Berkeley’s Innovative Genomics Institute performing PCR testing to detect COVID in patient samples during the pandemic and served as a crisis line volunteer for Suicide Prevention of Yolo County. In medical school, he was inducted as member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, won a student leadership award for his numerous community building activities on campus, presented a research poster at the Annual Association of Medicine and Psychiatry conference, and continued to serve as a crisis line volunteer at San Francisco Suicide Prevention.
Hunter’s advising style draws heavily from the lessons he learned entering medicine as a
nontraditional student. He grew up in rural California as the son of a single mother, and was also a first generation and community college transfer student. Through the process of becoming a successful first time applicant, and having to learn to embody the once unfamiliar professional identity of being a physician, Hunter has developed the mindset that no matter what someone's natural strengths and weaknesses are, much of what we need to be successful in life is a learnable skill. The competitive nature of the medical system can lure many students, especially those from nontraditional backgrounds, into having difficulty recognizing the value they will bring to medicine. Hunter aims to help every applicant he works with recognize their inherent value and unique strengths, and learn to reframe areas of struggle not as signs of fundamental flaws or failings, but as opportunities for growth. In his free time, Hunter enjoys reading, playing the drums, and sharing a meal with his friends and family.
Madeline Bright
Pre-Medical Advisor
Madeline is a fourth-year MD/PhD candidate at Zucker School of Medicine/Northwell and has been an advisor with My Honest Advisor for four years. She graduated from UC Davis in 2021 with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. At UC Davis, she was the OB/GYN co-chair for the Willow Clinic, a student-run clinic that serves people experiencing homelessness, volunteered with a Sacramento street medicine program, tutored biochemistry, and volunteered at the local VA hospital. In addition to her work with underserved communities, she worked in an organic synthesis lab for 4 years, developing her love for basic science and translational research. During her gap year, she worked in clinical research at the Stanford Cancer Institute in the Breast Cancer Group.
Madeline is currently in the PhD portion of her schooling, performing cellular and molecular biology research to investigate the underlying pathways of and potential treatment for endometriosis and chronic endometritis. In addition to her PhD research, she has been the co-chair for the ZSOM Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) chapter, where she pioneered projects for incorporating abortion doulas in clinics and restructuring medical school abortion/contraception curriculum. She is also a chair of the Free Clinic and chair of the social work committee, where she advocates for increased and accessible OB/GYN care. As the vice president of the Graduate Student Organization, she helps rising graduate student researchers in their research journey. At ZSOM, she has participated in numerous research activities, from endometrial cancer and case reports to preserving human specimens for museums in Germany.
Madeline has been with My Honest Advisor since 2023 and loves working with students to dig deeper into their stories and backgrounds to find unique ideas and the value they bring to medicine.
Roxanna Sharifi
Pre-Medical Advisor
Roxanna is a third year medical student at Keck School of Medicine. She graduated from UC Davis in 2022 with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and a minor in Spanish. At UC Davis, she was involved in Shifa and River student run clinics, Homeless Outreach Through Prevention and Education, research on diabetes, and tutoring. After graduating, she worked as a medical assistant and TMS technician at a psychiatry clinic in Los Gatos. She is now able to translate these experiences into serving and advocating for the diverse and vulnerable communities she works with in Los Angeles. At Keck, she was involved in street medicine, the Primary Care Program, the Human Rights Clinic, and mentorship for high school and undergrad students. She is also working on research in tattoo removal in incarcerated individuals as well as hepatology. She loves working with students and has been working as a tutor/advisor for 11 years, and now enjoys helping them achieve their next steps into becoming future healthcare providers!
Michaela Cortes, BS RN
Pre-Medical Advisor
Michaela is a current medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Woman's University in 2017. Over the course of her eight-year nursing career, she worked in the neuroscience ICU at UT Southwestern Medical Center before transitioning to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where she served as a research nurse in the Surgical Neurology Branch. During her undergraduate years, Michaela participated in multiple research projects spanning both bench and clinical research. As a new graduate nurse, she quickly immersed herself in research at UT Southwestern and collaborated with physicians and nurses to publish high-quality work, including a publication accepted by a Nature journal.
At the NIH, she worked closely with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). She collaborated on multi-site research studies with leading institutions, including the Mayo Clinic. Michaela has authored an FDA-approved drug protocol for patients with recurrent glioblastomas and has managed several natural history and clinical trial protocols. Her recruitment materials helped translate complex research into accessible language, supporting patient understanding and enrollment in clinical trials.
Michaela is passionate about mentoring and looks forward to helping students achieve their goal of professional school.