Meet the Team

Ayaka is a first-year MD-PhD student at Weill Cornell Medicine, originally from Ann Arbor,
MI. Before college, she was a camp counselor for a middle school summer camp, where she
taught mathematics and history. Ayaka graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 2023
with a Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies and Molecular and Cellular Biology. During
her time at college, she served as a camp counselor and board member for Camp Kesem, a
nonprofit that hosts summer camps for children whose caregivers have been impacted by
cancer. Outside of classes, she enjoys playing soccer and pickleball. Ayaka is passionate
about supporting children and their families, and she is so excited to be one of the Co-
Directors for Camp Phoenix this year!

Tara is a first year MD/PhD student in the Tri-I MD/PhD Program (Weill Cornell Medicine, Rockefeller University, and Memorial Sloan Kettering). She is originally from Atlanta, but she has also lived in Toronto and San Jose. She graduated from Cornell University in 2024, where she majored in Neurobiology with a minor in Global Health. Throughout college, Tara helped teach science workshops to elementary school students in the Ithaca-Tompkins Region as Co-President and later Senior Advisor for the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board. She has also served as a camp counselor at a number of summer camps, ranging from drama camp for middle school students to art camp for preschool children. In her free time, Tara enjoys singing, playing the piano, painting, and hiking. She loves working with kids and is so excited to be one of the co-directors of Camp Phoenix this year!

Wei is a first-year MD student at Weill Cornell Medicine from Vancleave, MS. She graduated
from Yale University with a BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology and spent
her gap years working as a medical assistant and clinical research coordinator. Before
starting medical school, Wei worked as an assistant teacher for children ages 3-5 at
Creating Kids Discovery Center and volunteered with the YMCA Youth Achievers Program.
During college, she also served as a first-year student counselor, mentoring peers to help
them successfully adjust to campus life. In her free time, Wei enjoys painting and
photography. She is excited to serve as the Family Coordinator of Camp Phoenix this year
and looks forward to bringing the community together for camp fun!

Kellsey is a first-year MD student at Weill Cornell Medicine, originally from Waldwick, NJ.
She graduated from Monmouth University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry,
concentrating in Biochemistry. During her gap years, she conducted research on melanoma
metastasis at Weill Cornell Medicine. Before college, Kellsey spent seven years working at a
children’s party center in New Jersey, where she held roles as a party host, camp counselor,
and eventually manager. During her gap years, she also enjoyed coaching a local soccer
team in Red Bank, NJ, where she loved planning practices and organizing team events.
Kellsey is excited to bring her passion for creating engaging activities to Camp Phoenix this
year and looks forward to making it a fun and memorable experience for everyone.

Sonal is a first-year MD student at Weill Cornell Medicine from Charlotte, NC. Before starting
medical school, she graduated from Stony Brook University with a BS in Psychology and
received her MBA in Healthcare Management from Stony Brook during her gap years.
Throughout college and graduate school, Sonal volunteered with various local and national
organizations, including Project Sunshine at Stony Brook, the National Eating Disorder
Association, the Melanoma Research Foundation, and a free community clinic in North
Carolina. Sonal is thrilled to serve as the Burn Unit Liaison this year and looks forward to
coordinating fun and welcoming activities for our campers and their families.