SANJUANA CASTORENA MARES

Hometown: Asheboro, North Carolina
School: Georgetown University
Major: Health Care Management & Policy

Sanjuana was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and raised in Asheboro, North Carolina by her hard-working parents who also immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico. Growing up, Sanjuana saw the need for healthcare resources, not only in her family but also in her surrounding community. This pushed Sanjuana to become the first person in her family to attend college, hoping to one day address the healthcare disparities that affected her family and others in her community.

Sanjuana is a rising senior at Georgetown University, majoring in Healthcare Management and Policy, with a concentration in Health Policy Analysis. In addition to academics, Sanjuana helps plan and execute events in clubs like Hermanas de Georgetown, Hoya Saxa Weekend, Georgetown University’s Women of Color, and Georgetown’s Latinx Leadership Forum. Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Sanjuana hopes to obtain a master’s degree in Public Health with an emphasis on Public Health Policy and Management. Her ultimate career goal is to work for the Department of Health and Human Services specifically in their Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working on promoting and effectively providing resources for vulnerable populations and communities in the United States.

As a CHCI participant, Sanjuana hopes to strengthen her knowledge of the legislative process as well as gain insight into the healthcare policy that is being discussed today. Sanjuana hopes that this experience will enable her to be part of the healthcare reform movement that is needed in the United States.