Mentorship is an important part of my research program. On this page, you will find the wonderful people I have the privilege of calling my mentees. 

Learn more about them below!

Julio Blanco III graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Anthropology on the Pre-Medicine track. 
 
Julio is a Research Assistant in the Department of Anthropology at Dartmouth College, currently collaborating with National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Margarita Hernandez, on the Latino Immigrant Health Study (LIHS). This study aims to explore the impact of migration on biological and social mechanisms of aging and stress on newly arrived Latiné refugees in the United States. Julio has also collaborated with Dartmouth College Associate Professor and Biological Anthropologist Dr. Zaneta Thayer, exploring maternal health and early childhood development in underserved communities. Additionally, Julio is a Clinical Research Coordinator for New York University’s Co-Care (Collaborative Care for Polysubstance Use in Primary Care Settings) Study, a nationwide study that is testing a collaborative team approach to caring for patients with substance use.
 
Julio’s research interests are deeply rooted in his passion for bridging the gap between biomedical science and social science to explore and challenge adverse health outcomes in pediatric, global, and minority communities. Julio’s ideology reflects the desire to treat patients in a “whole person” manner, approaching medicine as interdisciplinary rather than a linear field. Dedicating his gap years to research and preparing to apply to MD/PhD programs in Anthropology, Julio aspires to one day specialize in a variant of primary care and start his own health center.
 
Aside from his professional endeavors, in his free time, Julio loves to exercise, watch films, cook, travel, and spend time with his friends and family. Additionally, he is an avid runner with a love for 5ks and a pickleball/tennis enthusiast.
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Luisana (Luisa) Rodríguez is a bilingual, Venezuelan-born professional with a background in psychology, marketing, and community engagement. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Universidad Arturo Michelena (UAM) and brings a blend of analytical and human-centered experience to her work on the Latino Immigration & Health Study (LIHS) at Dartmouth College, where she supports participant outreach, data collection and processing, and culturally grounded community connections as a Research Assistant to Dr. Margarita (Maggie) Hernandez.

Outside of her research role, Luisana serves on the board of the Peace and Justice Center in Vermont and co-founded Hermanas Vermont, an affinity group and support network for Latinas in the Green Mountain State. She also works full-time as a Bilingual Review Response Specialist at Widewail, a customer insights and online reputation management company based at the Hula innovation and coworking campus in Burlington, VT.

Luisana is a regular contributor to Her Agenda, where she writes about lifestyle, identity, and women’s experiences. After completing a seasonal position as a Marketing and Events Coordinator with the City of Burlington, she enrolled in a Marketing Certificate program through Champlain College Online. Through her coursework, she has collaborated with several small and BIPOC/woman-led businesses, including the Center for Real Dialogue, Human Stories LLC, 5 Star Paint and Design LLC, Hula, and Eat Preppi.

As an immigrant herself, Luisana draws on lived experience and cultural fluency to strengthen projects that uplift and better understand immigrant communities across the United States, with a particular focus on New England. In her free time, she enjoys reading, discovering new cafés, and hosting friends and family at the apartment she shares with her boyfriend and younger sister.

Gabriella da Silva is a current undergraduate student at Dartmouth College, majoring in Psychology with minors in Public Policy and Anthropology, with an interest in pursuing Licensed Clinical Social Work following her undergraduate experience. 


As a Research Assistant at Dartmouth College, Gabby collaborates with Dr. Margarita Hernandez on the Cuban Immigration Health Study (CIHS) to examine how migration policy and socioeconomic factors influence the long-term health of Cuban immigrants. In this role, she transcribes interviews, uses grounded theory methodology, and NVivo software to analyze qualitative data and help build empirically grounded theories from participant experiences. As the daughter of immigrants, she finds it especially important to research immigrant experiences. Additionally, Gabby works for EvergreenAI at Dartmouth, a platform that uses clinical literature to help deliver evidence-based strategies for wellness to the Dartmouth student community.


Gabby’s broader interests are in understanding how structural inequalities, public policy, and personal experiences shape mental health outcomes in communities. She hopes to eventually combine clinical social work with advocacy and community-centered care to support underserved populations.


Outside of her roles at Dartmouth, Gabby volunteers at Grow Together Daycare and Learning Center, where she assists in childcare and coordinates activities with the primary daycare provider. In her free time, she enjoys puzzling, spending time with her younger sister, watching TV shows, and playing Club Field Hockey.