
Council of Young
Filipinx Americans in medicine
Program Conference Committee

Melissa Palma, MD, MPH
(She/Her/Hers)
Program Committee Mentor
Jackline Lasola
(She/Her/Hers)
Co-Head of Program Committee
Jackline is an MD/PhD student at the University of Maryland Medical Scientist Training Program. She will be graduating with her PhD in Molecular Microbiology and Immunology in October 2021 and will return to medical school as an MS-III. Jackline was born in San Francisco and grew up in Vallejo, CA, prior to attending the University of California Berkeley for undergrad. She then moved to Baltimore, MD, to pursue graduate studies at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health before matriculating to medical school. She loves the community that CYFAM has been able to build through its first few years and is excited to see its expansion as CYFAM nurtures the next generation of Filipino leaders in medicine and health.


Alexandra Bartolome
(She/Her/Hers)
Program Committee Member
Jonathan Ibanez
(He/Him/His)
Program Committee Member


Urielle Gutierrez
(She/Her/Hers)
Program Committee Member
Urielle Gutierrez was born and raised in the Philippines, she immigrated to the U.S. when she was 14 years old. At 19, she graduated as a consistent honor student from Sweetwater High School and is majoring in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
At UCLA, she is the Apo Project Director for UCLA Pilipinos for Community Health (PCH), an organization that empower and serve the underserved communities in the Greater Los Angeles area by providing cultural relevant health literacy and services. Just like the name entails, Apo Project strives to foster grandparent-grandchild relationships and bridge the intergenerational gap. Apo Project is the only component that serves the elderly by building meaningful relationships with them. Growing up, she has been passionate about long-standing problems that the elderly face such as social isolation, mental disorders, as well as dementia. She is also the Program Coordinator for Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) a non-profit organization promoting the cultural, social and economic advancement of the Filipino American Community.
During high school, she held numerous positions in her school’s Associated Student Body, wherein she became the second chief of staff in history. She was a Junior Leader and a volunteer at SHARP Chula Vista, bringing smiles to the patients through art. She also welcomed and greeted patients and families as a Reception & Information desk volunteer. By becoming a Junior Leader, she was able to interview incoming volunteers, attend orientations, and train volunteers. Her passion for volunteering, has garnered her a total of 400+ community service hours. When Urielle is not busy with her studies, she volunteers, or watch K-dramas and cook for her family.