Campus Organization at the University of California, Irvine
Meet the Board
2020-2021
Please feel free to reach out to any of us we would love to answer your questions and provide more information about ourselves or our organization! We are here to help you if you let us!
Advisor
Dr. Stephanie McEwan
President
Ishwinder Battoo
Hello I am Ishwinder Battoo! I am a fourth year biological sciences major at the University of California Irvine and I am the president of the Pre-Veterinary and Animal Wellness Association.
I have been passionate about animals and science for as long as I can remember and I hope to become a veterinarian in the future.
I currently work with alligators in my bio mechanic, physiology and muscle movement research lab and one of my favorite animals I've work with is ducklings! In my free time I love to hike, draw, sew, and play field hockey, basketball and lacrosse.
It is my goal to provide every member volunteer opportunities, hands on animal experiences, resources, guidance and a family they are always welcomed to. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for whatever you need whether its for advice on getting into a research lab, steps to applying for vet school, animal career paths suggestions, or just to talk!
I look forward to getting to know you all personally and can't wait for an amazing year!
email: ibattoo@uci.edu
phone: 858-663-7766
Vice President
Vanessa Scoffone
Hi everyone! My name is Vanessa Scoffone and I am the vice president of PAWA, previously the fundraising officer. I am a fourth year biological science major. Animals have always been a large part of my heart and I hope to either be a veterinary technician or a zookeeper.
My goal for this year is help foster an environment where people feel safe to speak their opinions and explore possible career options that involve working with animals.
I have two rescue dogs, Nala and McKenna, that are home in the Bay Area. My favorite animals are dogs, giraffes and tigers.
In my free time, I sing in a local women’s choir, read comic books, and watch a lot of movies and shows. I am always available to talk about your favorite movies and would love recommendations.
Treasurer
Flor Yanez
Hello! My name is Flor Yanez and I am a fourth year Biological Sciences major. I will be serving as this year's Treasurer.
I have a deep love for animals and have previously owned a rabbit, and many wild birds. However, I currently have a pet parrot named Pepe and two cats. One named Catrina, who was a stray cat, and the other Garfield, her son.
As a child, I was never allowed to have cats or dogs in the house so, I started off with a rabbit, birds, and gradually a cat, which I was completely amazed by when my dad brought in a stray cat, which eventually lead to keeping her.
My goal is to go to vet school and eventually become a veterinarian for exotic animals and if not, go to medical school to become a OB-GYN.
In my free time, I like to play guitar and when I’m back home I usually play with a mariachi group during the weekends if I have the time. I also love to watch movies, listen to music, especially reggeaton, hike, work out, play badminton, bake, go shopping or go out to eat because who doesn’t like food.
Secretary
Vivian Chong
Hello! My name is Vivian Chong and I'm a second-year Biological Sciences major. This year, I will be serving as the secretary of the Pre-Veterinary and Animal Wellness Association.
Becoming a veterinarian has always been a dream of mine since I was a child. I love animals of all kinds and have a passion for animal care. I would ideally love to work at an animal hospital with other veterinarians that I can learn from and create close relationships with, all while doing what I love.
When I have free time, I enjoy hanging out with my friends, going to amusement parks, reminiscing about One Direction, baking, and napping.
This year, I hope to create and strengthen my relationships within this club and create awesome memories with everyone! Please reach out to me if you want to chat about anything! I'd love to make a new friend<3
Fundraising Officer
Mario Hernandez
Hi, my name is Mario Hernandez and I’m a co-fundraising officer for the club. I’m a fourth year physics major specializing in astrophysics. I’m not really sure what I want to do yet after I graduate but I’m thinking about grad school or maybe teaching. I enjoy playing video games, driving, or talking about astronomy so if you ever want to talk about how you think the universe is gonna end, I’d be happy to.
Fundraising Officer
Hongmei Wu
Hello, I am Hongmei Wu, a first year international student in biomedical engineering major. Although I am not pre-vet now, I have shown great passion in wildlife protection since high school. I am a fan of all kinds of animals, especially for birds. During my spare time, I enjoy cooking, listening to light music and doing bird watching. This year I will work with Mario as co-fundraising officers. Please feel free to chat with me and I will be so glad to make friends with everyone!
Media Officer
Valeria Mercardo
Hello my name is Valeria Mercado, but I go by val in case my name is a little hard to pronounce. I am currently a fourth year Biological Sciences major and I am the Social Media Officer for a second year in this club. I have been with this club for three years now and it’s my little family at UCI! I plan to become a veterinarian someday in the future, I have always had a passion for the wellbeing of animals since I was little. I enjoy hanging out with my friends, listening to music, & taking pictures (especially of sunsets). I also love going to Disneyland and concerts during my free time and I love making friends, so don’t be shy to reach out, we are all here for you! :)
Networking Officer
Kexin (Cici) Zhang
Hi all, This is Kexin Zhang, or call me Cici! I am a 4th year international student, majoring in German Studies and minoring in Bio Sci at UCI. This academic year, I am the Networking Officer at VSAPA, and I will work hard to give our members best opportunities and experiences to learn more about animals and work with them.
I love all animals. I like large and scary animals, but all cats and horses (especially dapple gray horse) are always my favorite. I am obsessed with the spider Martinique pinktoe (gorgeous creature). My dream is to become a vet in equine field, and spend my life working with different animals.
When the 8-year-old me saw the tragedies happened to those wild animals in my community, the vet dream was planted in my mind and never stopped growing.
In my spare time, other than volunteering with animals, I watch movies and horse videos, find good restaurants, eat, and spend time with my friends. If you'd like, hang out with me and let's spend some great time together~
Events Coordinator
Abigail Gonzalez
Hello! My name is Abigail Gonzalez but I sometimes go by Abby. I am a third-year Biological Science Major and also PAWA’s Co-Event Coordinator. This will be my second year with the club and I am very looking forward to achieving our goals as a group and continue sharing our love for animals. As for myself, I own a tabby cat and a shitzu who we consider family. I also love penguins and sea turtles. My dream job has always been to work for National Geographic or BBC Earth however becoming a zoologist, veterinarian or PA is amongst my options. During my free time I love to cook, bake, paint, roller skate, embroider or now play Animal Crossing. I do have a long list of hobbies but each one makes me happy!! Feel free to reach out to me, making new friends is always welcomed :) ”
Events Coordinator
.jpg)
Wenbo Li
Hi guys! My name is Wenbo Li, or you can go by Bella! I’m a third-year chemistry major and I’m a co-events coordinator of PAWA this year. This is my first year in this club. I am very excited and looking forward to doing some activities on animal protection with you all！
As for myself, my favorite animal are wolves and I like reading books about wolves. I like mystery films and novels very much. When I was young, my dream was to be an FBI agent or detective lol. In my spare time, I like photography, painting, and DIY. By the way, I also like boxing! Looking forward to seeing all of you and spending the next year together!
Best wishes,
Wenbo Li