Exam Proctors & Assistants

Brandon Lewis

Brandon is a fourth-year doctoral student at Yale University’s School of Environment. He grew up and was raised in the Piedmont of North Carolina. His doctoral research investigates the impacts that indoor air pollution and agricultural farming have on community health and sustainability. His undergraduate studies in meteorology at NC State University, his master’s in air quality at NC State University, and his rural upbringing in North Carolina influenced his love for the natural environment and built community. In his free time, Brandon enjoys tennis, music, reading, playing saxophone and piano, and meeting new people. He is an enthusiastic member of the Exam Team and is looking forward to continuing to make Yale’s Community more accessible.

Maggie Proctor

Maggie is pursuing a Master of Environmental Management at Yale School of the Environment, with a focus on urban sustainability and climate-resilient governance systems. Prior to coming to Yale, she worked in international development in Washington DC, managing USAID-funded projects aimed at building peace, strengthening civil society, and fostering effective and equitable local government. She aims to connect this work experience to questions of environmental stewardship and climate change adaptation at the community level, and hopes to build stronger roots within Yale and New Haven.

Nae Pajarillo

Nae Pajarillo (they/them, el/elle) is a second year PhD student in the Yale Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program (INP). Nae is a student in the lab of Dr. Alicia Che in the department of Molecular Psychiatry where they are researching early-life neural circuitry and developmental cortical systems. They are ecstatic to serve as SAS Accessibility Assistant and are looking forward to assisting in student accomodations and exam scheduling. In addition to their work in the SAS office, Nae is passionate about scientific and academic equity, social justice for underserved communities, and the intersections between accessibility and social education. As a trans-masc scientist, Nae is vocal about queer liberation on and off campus. Outside of their role, Nae enjoys attending live music events, being in nature, cooking for friends, and reading obscure novels. They are a proud cat-parent to a beautiful grey tabby named Benito. 

Archie Enninful

Archie Enninful is a fourth-year PhD student in the Fan Lab at Yale’s Department of Biomedical Engineering. He first joined the Fan Lab during his undergraduate senior thesis at Yale, where his research focused on using spatial omics technologies to study the mouse lymph node microenvironment. As a graduate student, Archie is now involved in mapping senescent cells in lymphoid tissues, contributing to the NIH’s Cellular Senescence Network (SenNet) Consortium.

In his first year of graduate school, Archie became an Accommodations Assistant with the Student Accessibility Services Team, a role he’s excited to continue. Outside of the lab, he enjoys cooking, playing FIFA, and supporting Liverpool FC.

Manal Mekhael

Manal is a second-year student studying New Testament at Yale Divinity School. She grew up in the Middle East (Kuwait and Egypt) and has always been fascinated by the region. After earning her undergraduate degree in Veterinary Medicine from Cairo University, Manal decided to pursue a career in theological education. She has a Master’s degree in Education Leadership from the American University in Cairo and has worked as a registrar, admissions officer, and director of distance theological education for a local and international theological education organization. At Yale, Manal is affiliated with YDS Library Student Assistant-Special Collections and Accommodations Assistant and Proctor 2 Go for the Student Accessibility Services Office. Manal academic dream is to continue her studies with a PhD in Eschatology in the Medieval Middle East.

Arwen Chen

Arwen is a first-year MPH candidate in Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale School of Public Health. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Behavioral Science and Psychology from Duke University and Duke Kunshan University. Arwen’s research interests focus on human perception, cognition, and developing interventions to reduce mental health stigma. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys traveling and capturing the world through photography.

Kimia Sinaeian

Kimia Sinaeian is a third-year Ph.D. student in Chemical Engineering at Yale University, where she researches ice nucleation and antifreeze proteins as part of the Computational Soft Matter Group. She earned her Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering from the University of Tehran. Kimia is also the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Fellow at Yale’s Office of International Students & Scholars, fostering community and inclusion. In her free time, she enjoys learning new languages, gardening, and playing board games with friends and family.

Laron Dowdell

Laron Dowdell, LMSW, MDiv, is a dedicated educator, and social worker whose extensive career bridges spiritual care with community advocacy. With over fifteen years of experience, Laron has been a transformative force in various capacities, from leading worship services in faith communities to fostering emotional growth as a Success Coach in New York City Public Schools. His work is marked by a commitment to racial healing and social justice, highlighted by co-founding a coalition for these causes and building vibrant music ministries. He has a heart for pastoral care and facilitating dynamic support groups, demonstrating his deep empathy and leadership. Laron’s work underscores his dedication to integrating faith with professional practice, while his past work in domestic violence support and emotional learning showcases his holistic approach to social work and community service.

Negin Farzad

I am Negin Farzad from Tehran, Iran, currently pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Yale School of Engineering. My research focuses on cellular senescence and human aging, using spatial multi-omics to unravel the complexities of these biological processes. Prior to Yale, I earned a BS in medical sciences from Shahid Beheshti University and a MS in Biomedical Engineering from the University of New Haven. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, swimming, and cooking. I look forward to contributing to SAS’s initiatives, working towards making the school accessible and equitable for all.

Lex Herrerias

Lex is a second-year PhD student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. Lex is originally from Mexico City, but did her undergrad at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA where she studied Biology and Neuroscience. Wanting to continue that work, she then did a post bacc program at the NIH where she did research looking at cannabinoid receptors. At Yale she decided to change it up and now does research in neurodevelopment with the goal of going into industry to help find better treatments for patients suffering from psychiatric disorders. When not in the lab, Lex likes to paint, go out with friends, or force her cat to cuddle. She is looking forward to being a part of the Exam Team this year and along with her role as a fellow in the Yale Biological and Biomedical Sciences Diversity and Inclusion Collective (YBDIC) she is excited in helping make Yale more equitable, diverse, and accessible for all. 

Alex Rich

Alex is a PhD candidate in Yale’s Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program. She is in Dr. Ifat Levy’s Decision Neuroscience Lab studying learning and decision-making in the context of disordered eating. Alex grew up in Normal, Illinois, and received her B.S. in Neuroscience from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. During her time at Yale, Alex has served on her program’s Executive Committee, as President of the Graduate and Professional Student Senate, and as Secretary of the Graduate Research and Development (GRAD) Coalition which supports the GRAD Caucus in the House of Representatives. Whether it’s writing a data report about campus food insecurity or proctoring exams in Student Accessibility Services, Alex is passionate about student well-being, support, and equity.

Chris Camp

Chris is a 4th-year PhD student in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program from Charleston, South Carolina. They help develop new analysis methods for brain scans to better understand psychiatric illnesses like anxiety and depression. Before coming to Yale, she graduated from Duke University with a B.S. in Neuroscience and minors in Spanish and Music and spent two years studying adolescent depression at the National Institute of Mental Health. They have worked with Student Accessibility Services since their first semester at Yale in the fall of 2021. Outside of research and accessibility, he is a member of the Local 33 executive board and loves cooking, gardening, and music. 

Zhiyuan (Zack) Liu

Zhiyuan (Zack) Liu is a Horstmann Scholar and an M.P.H. candidate at Yale School of Public Health, majoring in Social and Behavioral Sciences with a concentration in Statistical Modeling. Prior to Yale, he graduated with distinction from Duke University’s dual-degree program in Behavioral Science and Psychology. His research interests focus on elucidating the intricate dynamics of emotions and social cognition through physiological, neurological, and behavioral lenses. As one of the Psychology Departmental Accommodation Assistant for the 2024-2025 academic year, he is dedicated to fostering an equitable, accessible, and inclusive testing environment for all students.

Apoorva Dhingra

Apoorva is a graduate student at YSE where they specialize in water management and climate adaptation. They are from Delhi, India, and are passionate about identifying ways to minimize marginalized communities’ exposure to environmental disasters and degradation.

Shuozhen Bao