Peer Support Ambassadors 2025-2026

Walter Hsiang, MD, MBA

I am a fifth-year urology resident who grew up in the Bay Area. Prior to residency, I attended Yale School of Medicine and the School of Management for a joint degree in medicine and business. My research focuses on improving access to urologic care. Through the Peer Support Ambassador program, I hope to support other residents in their difficult journeys, especially those who are experiencing tragedy or family emergencies. In my free time, I enjoy playing the cello, gardening with my wife, and going on road trips across California. 

 

Thomas Li, MD

I am a native New Yorker and a General Surgery resident. I adore General Surgery because of its interplay with critical care, research, and - most importantly - patients' lives. Through surgery, I have led and participated in basic and clinical research in Surgical Oncology and autoimmunity. I am a firm believer in wellness and strive for balance. I frequent Mount Sutro and Golden Gate Park for post-shift jogs and completed the Six World Marathon Majors in 2024. To fuel these runs, I love to cook for family and friends. Serving our UCSF community as a Peer Support Ambassador was an opportunity I could not pass up, and I am excited to work with everyone soon.

Meg Lobel, MD

Hi I’m Meg (she/her). I’m a second-year Maternal Fetal Medicine clinical fellow caring for patients with high-risk pregnancies. Prior to my fellowship, I completed my OBGYN residency training at Brown University in Rhode Island. Throughout my training, I recognized the importance of building communities of support while undergoing a rigorous program. While we spend most of our time working to provide compassionate and comprehensive care, we often leave little space to care for ourselves, losing pieces of who we are in the process. I want to help my peers regain their passion, confidence, and sense of self by developing tools to succeed both in the hospital and in life. I was motivated to become a part of the peer support program because of my own experiences with anxiety, insecurity, and struggling with a sense of belonging. There is strength in vulnerability, and I hope my candidness will create a safe, supportive space for sharing and growing as physicians and people. I look forward to connecting and empowering my peers to do the same.

Mary Nguyen, MD, MSc

A bit about me, I am from the suburbs of Arizona, went to Brown University for undergrad, earned a master’s degree from the University of Oxford, and finished medical school at the University of Arizona - Tucson. As a first-generation college student who grew up in a low-income immigrant household, going to Brown was a complete culture shock. I struggled to find who I was academically and socially. I had a peer mentor who supported me through those transitions, and I joined as a peer mentor in my second year in college to provide others with the kindness and help I received. Being a trainee in a broken healthcare system is incredibly challenging, and I hope I can provide support for others throughout this journey. Outside of medicine, I enjoy finding and eating good food, traveling to new places, scouring thrift stores, and spending time with loved ones.

Casey Norlin, MD

I like hiking in the sunshine, rock climbing indoors, buying too many used books that I can’t quite read fast enough, and travelling with my fiancée. As someone with food intolerances, I enjoy cooking and baking my own treats, but often struggle to find the time to meal prep during residency. I’m passionate about intersectional feminism, health care equity, prioritizing mental health during medical training, and more! I grew up moving around the US and UK, and I moved across the country for residency from New Orleans, Louisiana - without having ever set foot in San Francisco. I’m so grateful for the support system I’ve found and built, and I am excited to support my peers.

Eudora Olsen, MD MPH

I am a second-year Internal Medicine resident interested in hospital medicine and primary care. I was inspired to pursue a career in medicine after working in non-profits and witnessing the health disparities that impact unhoused communities. This work inspired my interest in public health and street medicine, which led me to get an MPH during medical school and focus on trauma-informed care in my research. I chose to become a peer support ambassador after seeing the toll of intern year on myself and my peers who began to lose sight of their motivations to pursue medicine. The overwhelm and anxiety of our training leads to burnout and a loss of compassion for ourselves and our patients. As a peer support ambassador, I hope to be able to employ trauma-informed care techniques to provide a safe space for my peers to recognize their own resilience and reorient toward their purpose. 

 

 

Leah Ibrahim Puri, MD, MA

I’m a urology resident from Abuja, Nigeria. My background in anthropology and a master’s degree in ethics have shaped my understanding of the social and economic dimensions of health, and continue to inform my multifaceted approach to patient care. I’m passionate about partnering with people to navigate complex health issues and help them build a deeper connection with their bodies.

I care deeply about physician well-being and advocate for a culture of care within the medical profession. My framework is inspired by my Black, African, and queer identities. Outside of work, I find restoration in community, long walks with my film camera, and quiet moments with a good book.

 

Marissa Reyes, MD

I am a second-year pediatric resident in the PLUS program, and I have a passion for health equity through the power of community engagement and participation. As the daughter of an immigrant father, I observed firsthand the impacts of generational trauma and cultural norms that contribute to the erasure of mental health struggles within the Latino community. I see parallels in the medical community's historical stigma around vulnerability and workplace culture that contributes to burnout. I am honored to be a peer support advocate to ensure that no one feels alone in this journey. My hope is to contribute to a culture of community and connection, to cope with stress and trauma together. For me, being a Peer Support Advocate is about combating isolation and the impostor syndrome that breeds depression and anxiety. Outside of work, I enjoy collecting new hobbies that put me in community with others, including yoga, printmaking, thrifting, sewing, and trying new restaurants/cafes in the city.

 

Kristen Vossler, MD

I am a third-year internal medicine resident, interested in a career in palliative care. In both clinical care and life outside, I have seen how meaningful it is when someone takes the time to listen, name what’s hard, and be present. That perspective was shaped in part by losing my uncle to suicide in college, an experience that left me wondering what could have been said or done differently. The loss, along with my own experiences with anxiety and burnout, sparked my commitment to mental health advocacy and education. I have served as a Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) instructor and volunteered with the Crisis Text Line, roles that have taught me to navigate complex conversations and provide a space of support and healing. I am honored to now serve as a Peer Support Ambassador to remind other residents they are not alone and foster openness, connection, and a sense of belonging in training.

 

Jeffrey Woods, MD

I am a second-year psychiatry resident.  I was born in Chicago, raised in Texas, and went to Stanford for undergrad.  At Stanford, while taking mostly premed classes, I took a religious studies class that unexpectedly completely changed my life. It showed me the person I want to become–someone who can help others heal through making them feel safe, understood, and whole, regardless of how the world might judge them. Realizing how far I was from that, I embarked on a nearly two-decades-long journey after undergrad that included living in China, studying ethics at Harvard, working as a hospital chaplain, and intensively practicing/teaching yoga and meditation before ultimately going to medical school.  Whether as a doctor or in mentorship, I find the greatest joy in creating safe spaces, supporting others to face challenges in their lives, and feel empowered to be fully themselves.