Jessi Toumeh was born in the Middle East and moved to Texas when she was nine years old. She graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering in May of 2017. Post graduation, Jessi worked for Abbott Labs as an Engineer and then decided to pursue her Masters in Biotechnology at Northwestern. During her free time Jessi likes to catch up with friends, karaoke, play board games, write poems, and play basketball. As co-Vice President of ABS, she would like to work closely with the board members to organize information sessions from different biotechnology companies. Jessi wants to work closely with the Community Service Chair to increase participation in programs that are offered at Northwestern that encourage and represent underserved minorities. 

Stephanie Shea is from Elgin, IL, a northwest Chicago suburb. She obtained her Associate’s degree from a local community college maintaining the highest honors during her time there. She then obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. At UIC, she also served as a peer mentor in a Microbiology Laboratory course then graduated Magna Cum Laude and received Departmental Distinction from the Biological Sciences Department. Outside of academia, Stephanie enjoys cooking, playing tennis, working out, and trying new foods.  As community service chair of ABS, she is looking forward to creating a bond for our cohort while also creating a positive impact on our society! Giving back and paying it forward is one of the most rewarding endeavors that we can do.

Bisma Ajaz grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology and a minor in Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys finding new places to eat and exploring cities like Chicago. She is excited to help students in her cohort foster new professional, academic, and alumni connections and build on their professional development skills.