Founder & Co-Director
Salma Amin is a fourth-year medical student at Meharry Medical College and the Founder & Co-Director of iHEAR. Growing up as a refugee, she experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating unfamiliar systems, particularly healthcare. Inspired by her background and her work at an immigrant and refugee health clinic in Boston, she founded iHEAR to expand health education, advocacy, and support for immigrant and refugee communities. She is passionate about training future physicians to provide compassionate, culturally responsive care.
Fun fact: Outside of medicine, Salma enjoys hiking, practicing yoga, and spending time with family, friends, and her cat, Mateo.
Co-Director
Ebtisam Ahmed is a fourth-year year medical student at Meharry Medical College with a strong interest in family medicine and preventive care. Originally from Ethiopia, her interest in medicine was shaped by early experiences witnessing challenges in accessing timely and quality healthcare for family members, which sparked her commitment to health equity and serving underserved communities. Since 2024, she has been involved with iHEAR, where she began as Director of Community Outreach and currently serves as Co-Director. In this role, she has worked to strengthen community engagement and support initiatives aimed at improving health awareness and access.
Fun fact: Ebtisam has twin sisters who are 18 years younger than her. She enjoys spending time with them whenever she can. In her free time, she also enjoys shopping and exploring new places.
Director of Operations
Shay Cope is a fourth-year medical student at Meharry Medical College with an interest in family medicine and health equity. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, his desire to serve others was shaped by the support his family received after a tornado destroyed their home in 2011. Before medical school, he worked as an EMT, which deepened his interest in patient care. He now serves as iHEAR’s Director of Operations, supporting its efforts to improve health awareness and access.
Fun fact: Outside of medicine, Shay enjoys hiking, fishing, and kayaking. He also loves woodworking and once had a workshop of his own.
Secretary
Kalkidan Bekele is a fourth-year medical student at Meharry Medical College interested in going into internal medicine. Her involvement with iHEAR stemmed from her passion in advocating for underserved populations. Prior to medical school, she was an English tutor who worked with refugees and immigrants at the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE). Upon matriculating to Meharry, iHEAR provided the opportunity for her to continue to work with these populations in accessing better healthcare. As secretary, she has helped coordinate club communications, maintain membership records, and help assist in organizing community outreach initiatives . She finds fulfillment in helping others and hopes to continue working with disenfranchised populations after completing her degree.
Fun fact: Kalkidan is an avid reader, enjoys traveling, and loves to paint
Director of Patient Education
Katie Frederickson is a medical student at Meharry Medical College with a strong interest in dermatology, health equity, and improving access to high-quality care for underserved and diverse populations. Her path to medicine has been shaped by a commitment to service and advocacy, beginning with her career as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner before pursuing her medical degree.
Fun fact: Katie enjoys, tennis, Lagree pilates, hot yoga and quality time with family.
Director of Patient Education
Roxan Mansoori Dara is a fourth-year medical student at Meharry Medical College with an interest in psychiatry and health equity. Having immigrated from Iran to the United States as a teenager, she brings a personal understanding of adapting to a new language and culture. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at UC Irvine and worked as a behavior therapist supporting children with autism. She is passionate about helping immigrant and refugee communities feel informed, supported, and empowered in their healthcare.
Fun fact: Outside of medicine, Roxan enjoys rock climbing, snowboarding, and watching science fiction movies.
