Kianna frAGA aLBUJA: pRESIDENT

nURSING ‘26

Kianna Fraga Albuja is a current sophomore in the School of Nursing BSN program. She is minoring in Population Health in a Global Context and is incredibly passionate about reducing healthcare barriers, particularly within Spanish-speaking populations. In the summer of 2023, she helped teach the 9-10 year olds and play with them tirelessly during free time. Being born in Quito, Ecuador herself, she deeply enjoyed the opportunity to spend the summer in Quito see her family again after 10 years. Kianna loved all the traveling she got to do with her fellow tutors and family. After graduating from nursing school, Kianna plans to work in the pediatric ICU and eventually become an acute care pediatric nurse practitioner.

Chelsea Schroeder-Lozada: Executive & Research Director

Global dnp fnp

Chelsea Schroeder-Lozada is a current Global DNP FNP student at the School of Nursing and recipient of the Priscilla Schwartz Graduate Student Scholarship. This is her first year working with TQP but she has worked and volunteered in areas of global health for several years. She is the co-founder of an NGO called Reuse Peru, which has organized and designed curriculums on health and environmental education in schools in various rural areas in Peru. She is currently working as a research associate on HPV vaccination equity with the U-M Center of Global Health Equity.

Emi Yunda-Raijer : Secretary

nursing ‘26

Emi is a sophomore currently going for her BSN in the School of Nursing. She worked with the 7 year old students at camp during Summer 2023 and absolutely adored her "pececitos". Aside from camp, Emi loved getting to go on weekend excursions with the group and visit her family in all different parts of Ecuador. After nursing school, she has the end goal to obtain her NP licensure with a concentration in women's sexual/reproductive health. She also plans to dedicate her work to bridging health inequities found in Latinx and Spanish-speaking populations.

Brenda Gonzalez: Director of Finance

Neuroscience & ENglish ‘26

Brenda Gonzalez is a sophomore at the University of Michigan double majoring in Neuroscience and Creative Writing. Upon graduation, she aspires to pursue a career in the field of medicine to become a Neurosurgeon. She is of Cuban and Peruvian descent and was raised in Miami, Florida. Her passions lie in creative writing, making a positive impact on people’s lives, and educating herself in all aspects of life. This past summer she was a tutor for the 5-6 year olds at the camp, where she won an award for being an open-minded individual. She adored working with children and aspires to contribute to the Latino community in all capacities.

Briana Gonzalez: director of Community Engagement and Outreach

BCN & Creative Writing ‘26

Briana Gonzalez is a currently a sophomore in the College of LSA, studying Biopsychology, Cognition & Neuroscience & Creative Writing, and minoring in Latino Studies. She traveled to Ecuador the summer of ‘23 as and worked with 8-9 year olds, known as “Las Panteras Negaras.” She had a wonderful time curriculum building, teaching her kids, and traveling through beautiful Ecuador. This is her first year working with TQP as a part of the executive board. After attaining her Bachelor’s she desires to attend law school and specialize as a corporate or immigration lawyer.

Alana Rodriguez

The University of michigan

Center for Global Health Equity

Alana Rodriguez is the U-M adviser for The Quito Project. She has served as the Education and Outreach Program Manager at U-M’s Center for Global Health Equity since August 2022 and previously served as Associate Director of Operations and Partnerships at U-M’s Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies, bring experience from both of TQP’s co-sponsoring units. Alana has advised the education component of TQP since January 2017 and is overseeing the development of new health promotion initiatives beginning in the 2022-2023 academic year. She has a master’s degree in Latin American Studies and a Master’s of Public Health in Epidemiology from San Diego State University. Her research focuses on sexual and reproductive health in Latin America, especially Cuba and Mexico. Her favorite part of participating in The Quito Project is having the privilege of collaborating with such wonderful students and partners at U-M and USFQ.

DOLO Lasso

universidad SAn Francisco de Quito

Department of Education

María Dolores Lasso (Dolo) is a USFQ’s Education teacher for both the undergraduate and graduate programs. She obtained her PhD degree in Education at New Mexico State University, her dissertation focuses on educational leadership and teacher education. She obtained her Masters degree in Education from Boston University and an Elementary Education undergraduate degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. She has been a teacher in Ecuador for more than two decades, focusing on teacher education and educational improvement during the last decade. She is currently the providing academic advice and continuous improvement and innovation advice as curriculum expert to all the different academic areas at USFQ. She has been the appointed Faculty Advisor for The Quito Project, a community outreach project lead by student volunteering efforts in collaboration with University of Michigan since 2013.