Akhila Narla, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri

Akhila Narla, a junior at Washington University in St. Louis, is committed to fostering connections that provide health resources for historically disadvantaged populations. She works on health lesson plan development for underserved youth, projects concerning international maternal /child health, and health promotion in rural villages through economic empowerment. Collaborating with a community-based, grassroots NGO in Uganda already linked to a school student group, she co-founded the non-profit organization Crafts By Youth (www.craftsbyyouth.org) to partner with local student groups and stores that fundraise alongside the young rural Ugandan artisans lacking basic requisites for health by selling their environmentally-friendly jewelry.