The department of Anthropology is excited to announce that we will be hosting a Medical Anthropology and Global Health Career Panel featuring alumni who completed the Medical Anthropology and Global Health track. Our guests will share about their work in the field plus provide insight into how their time at UW has informed their careers. Please click below to RSVP to the event: Medical Anthropology and Global Health Panel RSVP – Fill out form.
The event will be on Zoom on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, from 3:30 PM - 5 PM and there will be an opportunity to ask our panelists questions.
Here is more information about our guest speakers:
- Kennedy Patterson, ANTH - MAGH graduate '23, current: PhD student at Northwestern University
- Noah Greco, ANTH - MAGH / HEB graduate '22, current: Genetic counselor
- Anaan Feruz, MAGH graduate, current: MBS candidate at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
- Katie Welch, MAGH graduate '24, current: Neurodiversity advocate and educator
You can read each alumni’s biography below:
Kennedy Patterson
Kennedy Patterson is a Doctoral Student at Northwestern University studying Sociology. She is a sociolegal scholar who uses quantitative and qualitative research methods to explore public and global health at the intersection of state violence, homelessness, and urban policy. She graduated from the University of Chicago with a Masters in the Social Sciences in Spring of 2024, and from the University of Washington in Spring 2023, majoring in Medical Anthropology & Global Health (BA), while minoring in Gender, Women's and Sexuality Studies.
Noah Greco
Noah is a Genetic Counselor, otherwise known as a healthcare profession, that helps patients and families understand their risks for inherited genetic conditions. He graduated from UW in 2022, where he pursued a BS in Anthropology, completing both the MAGH and HEB tracks. He then went on to complete a 2.5 year long MS in Human Genetics at UC San Francisco School of Medicine followed by a board certification exam to be able to see patients. His role also involves research, where he is involved in several projects ranging from developing AI-based tools for diagnostics in cardiovascular disease, to surveying clinics nationwide to assess readiness for genetic testing in primary care settings.
Anaan Feruz
Anaan Feruz is a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences candidate at Charles R. Drew University, where she bridges clinical medicine with medical anthropology to better understand health disparities. Her work centers on women’s health, reproductive justice, and how displacement shapes the healthcare experiences of immigrant and diaspora communities. Through ethnographic research, including hospital-based interviews in East Africa, she examines how loss of cultural familiarity and support systems impacts trust, self-advocacy, and engagement in reproductive care. In parallel, her current research explores the molecular role of NF2/Merlin signaling in tumor biology, reflecting her commitment to integrating bench science with community-centered inquiry. As a medical assistant, Anaan has developed a deep commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care. She aspires to become an OB/GYN physician who advances both scientific innovation and culturally responsive care for underserved women.
Katie Welch
A 2024 graduate of the Medical Anthropology and Global Health program, Katie is returning to the University of Washington this Autumn as an incoming dual-degree MSW/MPH student. She hopes to bridge Social Work Administration and Policy Practice with Health Systems and Population Health to drive systemic changes for the neurodivergent community. She currently serves as a self-advocate trainee in UW's LEND fellowship and as the Vice Chair of the Mental Health Advisory Council for Disability Rights Washington—a leadership role she began during her time as an MAGH undergraduate. Having recently joined the UW Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences as a self-advocate co-researcher for a study on neurodivergent communication in childhood, Katie is exploring how to apply structural analysis lenses to center lived experience within clinical research.
Please use the following link to log into on April 30th, 2026 at 3:30 PM:
https://washington.zoom.us/j/4698243605
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at kvin96@uw.edu.