Meet The Team

Jolene Morales (She/Her)

President

Hi everyone! My name is Jolene Morales, and I’m from Canton, Georgia. I grew up in Oregon and Washington before joining the military. I recently completed my Master of Nursing at Emory and am currently continuing my education in the DNP program, pursuing both a Family Nurse Practitioner and Emergency Nurse Practitioner program. I also work as an ICU nurse, so healthcare, leadership, and continued learning are a huge part of my life.

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Jordan John Lee (He/Him)

Executive Vice President

jordan.john.s.lee@emory.edu

Hi everyone! I'm Jordan, a second-year MD-PhD student at Emory University School of Medicine. I am originally from Temple City, California, about 20 minutes east of Los Angeles, and this is my first time living in the South!

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Kent Tran (He/Him)

Chief Judge

Hey y’all! I’m Kent Tran, a second-year student at Emory University School of Law. I was born and raised in San Jose, California, attended UCLA for my undergraduate degree in English and Sociology, and spent the last seven years living and working in New York before moving to Atlanta.

Pablo

Vice President of Student Outreach

I am part of the MD class of 2029. Outside of the school of medicine, you can usually find me at the movie theater. I am originally from Atlanta. Chose to be part of GSGA as I was the medical school representative for 2025-2026 and wanted to continue serving in a leadership position.

Ashton Rogers

Assistant to Vice President of Student Outreach

Hi everyone! My name is Ashton Rogers, and I am a 2L at Emory’s School of Law. I’m most interested in the intersection of public policy, regulatory practice, and community infrastructure. On campus, I am currently a student mentor for Emory’s Student Bar Association, and a member of our Corporate & Business Law Society, Law & A.I. Society, and Georgia Association for Women Lawyers. Outside of school, I enjoy going on walks, trying out new coffeeshops, and doing crafts. Prior to law school, I completed my B.A. in English at The University of Texas. I then taught advanced English and coached tennis at a large public high school in the Houston area. There, I developed both a passion for fostering an inclusive space for students as well as a strong voice to advocate for their needs. This experience is what ultimately led me to join GSGA. I am excited to create meaningful change within the graduate community through cultivating collaborative relationships across diverse groups with varying objectives.

Jessica Li Zhi Biao

Vice President of Finance

Hello! I’m Jessica Li Zhi Biao, and I’m from Mauritius. I am a PhD student in the Department of French and Italian. In Mauritius, I studied accounting through the ACCA program and worked as an auditor for NGOs. At Emory, I served as treasurer of the French Enrichment Response Association and as a member of the Emory International Council.

Christopher L. Tyner

Assistant to the Vice President of Finance

Hi everyone! I'm Christopher, and I'm from Tuskegee, Alabama. I earned my B.S. in Corporate Finance & Investment Management from the University of Alabama and now reside in the Atlanta area. I'm an Evening MBA student in Finance at Goizueta Business School, with an expected graduation in August 2028. During the day I work as an Assistant Vice President and Risk Officer at Morgan Stanley, where I've spent more than 20 years in wealth management, capital markets, and compliance and risk. Outside of work and class, I'm involved in Goizueta's Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital Club (EVCC). I'm also developing an early-stage real estate venture in Georgia. In my free time I enjoy reading, watching college football, and hanging out with friends. I joined GSGA this year because I want to put my finance and risk background to work for the graduate student community. Evening students balance careers, families, and coursework, and I want to help make sure student funds are managed transparently and directed toward programs and events that matter to them. I'm excited to support the VP of Finance and to be a resource for fellow students across Emory's graduate programs.

Katie Upchurch (She/her/hers)

Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Hello! My name is Katie and I am a 2nd-year Evening MBA student in the Goizueta Business School. I am originally from Atlanta, but I got my Bachelor's at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville (go Vols!) where I studied Anthropology and Political Science.

Sabrina Carson

Assistant to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Hello! My name is Sabrina Carson and I am from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. After earning my Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism at Northwestern University, I am currently studying to earn my JD at Emory University’s School of Law.

Jenna Daniel

Vice President of Sustainability

Hi! I’m Jenna Daniel, a third-year medical student at the School of Medicine. I was raised in South Florida and am a proud double alumna of the University of Florida (Go Gators!). Before deciding to pursue my MD, I managed global tuberculosis research projects in East and South Africa. In my free time, I enjoy reading, taking classes at Highland Yoga, and getting outside on hiking trails around Atlanta.

Outside of the hospital, I am serving a two-year term on the MARTA Riders’ Advisory Council for the City of Atlanta where I have focused on advocating for improved bus access to Grady Hospital and other major healthcare centers in Atlanta. On campus, I am a member of the Transportation and Parking Advisory Committee and continue to engage in research with the Emory Tuberculosis Group.

Within GSGA, I serve as Vice President of Sustainability, with my current priority being the implementation of the MARTA subsidized pass program for graduate students. Looking ahead, we hope to develop this into a sustainable and permanent transportation option for our community and will continue to work towards making public transportation a more accessible and reliable option for all students.

Danika Ransom

Vice President of Alumni Affairs

I was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and am currently enrolled in the Master of Legal Studies program at Emory University. In my work experience, I am currently the Vice President of Operations, where I head teams and spearhead strategic projects with the primary aim of building networks.

Kalani Franklin

Assistant to the Vice President of Alumni Affairs

Greetings, I'm Kalani Franklin! I'm originally from Atlanta, GA, and I'm currently a graduate student in the Master of Nursing program at Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Before nursing school, I earned my MHA from UGA and my BS in Public Health from Georgia Southern.

I currently serve as Vice President for Alumni Engagement with the Graduate Student Government Association, where I'm part of the Emory Alumni Angel Network and continue working to strengthen the connection between alumni and graduate students.

David O'Brien

Vice President of Wellness and Inclusion

David was born and raised in Newtown, Pennsylvania. He graduated with a Bachelors of Arts from La Salle University in Philadelphia. At La Salle, he majored in History, Religion, and Political Science. During his time in college he served as an interfaith fellow and a faith and public health fellow. He also received a certificate from the McLaughlin Social Justice Institute from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN. He is currently a third year law student. At Emory Law, he has worked on the Journal of Law and Religion, competed in the international law and religion moot court, and was a member of Emory's Interfaith Journey to Uzbekistan.

Leah Barth

Assistant to the Vice President of Wellness and Inclusion

Hello! I am Leah Barth. I am a 3rd year hybrid Master of Divinity student at Candler. I live in Kansas City and am a justice-focused community leader, hoping to become a pastor soon in the United Methodist Church. I am involved in multiple organizations in the metro that support environmental, racial and economic justice for marginalized people and I serve in local missions in the urban core of KC through my church. I have a background as a high school French teacher and a fitness professional. I have been so blessed by the Candler community; I am excited to serve on the team this year representing wellness and inclusion.

Arielle Wallenstein

Vice President of Community Engagement

Hi everyone! My name is Arielle Wallenstein, and I am a second-year student at the School of Medicine. At Emory, I am involved in vascular trauma research, a course representative for anatomy and hematology, a first and second-year representative and mentorship chair for Women in Surgery at Emory Residencies (WISER). I also have a part-time job working with an autistic teenager on motor coordination.

Within GSGA, I serve as Vice President of Community Engagement. I look forward to helping connect students to one another, as well as to the greater Atlanta community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas!

Esther Effiong (She/Her)

Assistant to the Vice President of Community Engagement

Hello everyone! My name is Esther Effiong, and I am a second-year EPI MPH student with certifications in Infectious Diseases and Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology. I am from Minnesota but originally from Nigeria.

I graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with degrees in Biology and Public Health (Pre-Med). Within GSGA, I serve as the Assistant to the Vice President of Community Engagement. My experience includes implementing initiatives, project management and research. I am passionate about fostering inclusive, healthy, and connected communities and am always excited to collaborate with others to make a positive impact on campus. Please feel free to reach out anytime. I look forward to connecting with you all!

Allison Wachen (she/her/hers)

Chief of Staff

Hi Eagles!

I’m Allison Wachen, and I’m honored to serve as your GSGA Chief of Staff this year. I’m a second-year student at Emory University School of Law, where I’m pursuing a concentration in health law and am an active member of the Health Law Society. I’m from Potomac, Maryland, and graduated from Dartmouth College with majors in psychology and government. Before law school, I advised financial institutions on payments strategy as an Associate Consultant at Mastercard.

My past experiences in student government showed me firsthand how effective advocacy can improve students’ experiences and inspired me to become involved with GSGA. I was particularly drawn to GSGA’s mission to represent graduate students’ interests and strengthen connections across Emory’s graduate and professional schools. The friendships I have formed throughout Emory’s graduate community have been a particularly meaningful part of my time here. As Chief of Staff, I’m excited to help implement GSGA’s priorities, elevate student concerns, and support programming that brings graduate students together. I welcome your ideas about how GSGA can better serve our graduate community, so please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Timi Jafojo

Deputy Chief of Staff

My name is Timi Jafojo and I am from metro Atlanta, the son of two Nigerian immigrants, and education has always been a priority in my family. That is a big part of why I am here. I am an Evening MBA candidate at Goizueta Business School (Class of 2028), concentrating in strategy and operations, and I work full time as a Project Consultant for the Georgia Public Defender Council, where I handle operations, finance, and communications for a statewide agency. I joined GSGA because I know how much a strong graduate experience matters, and I want to use my day-job operations background to help the board serve students well and make grad school at Emory work better for the people in it.