Nicole K. (IN A NUTSHELL)

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nicole graduated from Harvard-Westlake School in 2018, where she was named a USA Biology Olympiad Semifinalist, founded the school’s student-run magazine, and was a member of the Varsity Cheerleading Team. In June 2022, Nicole graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where she majored in Biology and minored in Neuroscience, English, and Health Services Management while on the pre-medical track. During her time at Penn, Nicole worked on a few research projects that aimed to improve the safety and efficacy of cancer treatments, including CAR T-cell therapy, which is one of the most innovative treatments available for cancer. Throughout her four years of college, she was also a teacher for CityStep, which gave her the amazing opportunity to teach dance and mentor students in West Philadelphia public schools. Nicole is passionate about increasing access to care for patients with substance use disorders, a mission that she plans to pursue as a future physician. This passion stems from witnessing the need for more accessible addiction services while working as a Care Coordinator for Ophelia, a telehealth startup that provides treatment for opioid use disorder, and doing community outreach in Kensington, which is the epicenter of Philadelphia’s opioid crisis. In her free time, Nicole likes to write poetry, homebrew kombucha, and hang out with her dogs Nemo and Eggy!