University Council
The purpose of University Council (UC) is to promote and advocate for the interests and welfare of all the students at SUNY Downstate as related to campus-wide issues and activities.
All Student Activity fee paying members of Downstate's student body are members of University Council .
UC funds various clubs and organizations at SUNY Downstate and meets monthly. Your University Council, with representation from all 5 colleges/schools, serves as a liaison group between students and administration for all pertinent matters to the total student body. The council deals with university-wide issues such as SUNY budget cuts and tuition increases, as well as stays informed about state-level discussions via affiliations with the SUNY Student Assembly and SUNY Council. UC funding co-sponsors activities such as Winter Ball/Spring Fling, an annual semi-formal dance, the Multicultural Fair, a Service Learning Poster Competition, and the Thanksgiving Dinner.
Do you have any suggestions/ideas for improving anything at our institution? Please fill out the
If you need to reach a member of the University Council please email them at UniversityCouncil@downstate.edu, plus a little information about your UC leadership representatives:
The University Council Leadership Communication Structure
Your University Council co-sponsors funding for clubs across campus, and allocates funds to clubs for the full academic year every March. Bylaws, meeting minutes, and the financial documents outlining whether or not your club has funding from different student councils can be found here.
If you are interested in becoming a leadership representative of University Council or want further information please contact Adam Burgman, through eMail or call 718-270-3293.
Council Organization
| Name | Position on Board | Bio |
|---|---|---|
| Tobi J. Somorin | President | Tobi is a fourth-year MD/MPH candidate in the College of Medicine and School of Public Health, and is excited to serve as President of University Council. A lifelong New Yorker born in the Bronx and raised in Middletown, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from Stony Brook University and started medical school after graduating. Between his third and fourth years of medical school, Tobi completed two research fellowships: Craniofacial and Pediatric Plastic Surgery Research at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Translational Research in Advancing Health Equity (TRACS) at SUNY Downstate, while also serving as a Teaching Assistant for the Executive MBA program at the University of Pittsburgh. As a former SUNY Student Assembly Representative Downstate, his leadership successfully passed legislation providing mandatory wellness days for all 510,000 SUNY students. Tobi is also passionate about global health through his work with Surgeons in Humanitarian Alliance for Reconstruction Research and Education (SHARE). Tobi is pursuing a career in reconstructive plastic surgery and has additional interests in health policy/administration, mental health, and healthcare disparities. He is committed to ensuring that each Downstate student has an excellent experience and thrives during their graduate school education. |
| Daniel Green | Vice President | Dan Green, MPH is a third-year student in the College of Medicine and the Vice President of University Council. He previously served as a SUNY Student Assembly representative. As a member of the Global Health and Clinical Neurosciences pathways, Dan is passionate about community-centered medicine, health education, and advancing health equity. He is committed to strengthening student representation and fostering collaboration across the Downstate community. Outside of medical school, he enjoys cooking, bouldering, and scuba diving. |
| Hend Heikal | Secretary | Hend (she/her) is a second-year medical student in the College of Medicine. She serves as President of the Medical Council for the Class of 2028 and Secretary of the University Council, where she works to ensure student perspectives are represented in university-wide decisions and advocates for initiatives that strengthen academic, scholarly, and wellness opportunities across all programs. She is the founder and president of the Cardiology Interest Group and a member of the Medical Educator Pathway, reflecting her commitment to mentorship, collaborative learning, and innovation in medical education. Hend is also engaged in research in neurology, cardiology, and obstetrics and gynecology. She lives in Queens and earned her Bachelor of Science from Fordham University and Master of Science in Physiology from SUNY Downstate. |
| Lianlen Joy Go Distor | School of Graduate Studies Representative | Lianlen Joy Go Distor is a second-year PhD candidate in Molecular and Cellular Biology at SUNY Downstate, serving as the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) Representative. Her current research at the Brooklyn VA focuses on cardiovascular electrophysiology, specifically investigating ion channel dysregulation in cardiotoxicity. She holds a BS in Biochemistry (ACS-certified) with a minor in Biology, and an MS in Healthcare Systems Engineering. As a multilingual student fluent in Filipino and English, with additional experience in Japanese and Mandarin, she brings a global, inclusive perspective to graduate student advocacy. Her broader research spans diabetes, infectious disease, and public health, with collaborations involving Kaiser Permanente, Stanford, and UNESCO. She holds a patent in antibacterial research and earned a Gold Medal at the Malaysia International Young Inventors Olympiad. Lianlen has served as a Graduate Senator and Student Representative on LMU鈥檚 Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee, and also coordinated operations for a university honors program. She developed Health Odyssey, an educational video game blending creativity with health advocacy. As the SGS Representative, she is committed to amplifying student voices, fostering collaboration, and enriching the graduate student experience across SUNY. |
| Isaac Vingan | Medical School Representative | Isaac is an 9th year MD/PhD student in to his 4th year of medical school. He is the active medical school representative and the former president and vice president of the University Council. Isaac passionately engages with campus faculty to play an active role in enhancing the education of his future medical peers. He has received his PhD from the Neural and Behavioral Sciences Program at SUNY Downstate in the laboratory of Dr. Juan Marcos Alarcon. He has TAed and tutored for numerous medical school and graduate school classes. He hopes to practice neurology at an institution that will enable him to continue basic research and teaching. |
| Thomas Sanford | SUNY Student Assembly Representative | As the SUNY Student Assembly Representative, Thomas is an MS4 on a mission to connect, represent, and advocate. His goal is to forge lasting connections across the greater SUNY network, ensuring that the voices of Downstate students are amplified. Thomas is dedicated to advocating for accessible healthcare education and fostering an inclusive environment where every student can thrive. Join him in shaping a SUNY that champions student success and community well-being. |
| Gelila Hawthorne | College of Medicine Representative | Gelila is a second-year medical student at SUNY Downstate. She serves as a College of Medicine (COM) representative on University Council, is the Director of the Health Professions Recruitment & Exposure Program (HPREP) for the Daniel Hale Williams Society (DHWS), and is involved in Admissions Office affairs. As a former speech-language pathologist and an aspiring psychiatrist, she is passionate about eliminating barriers to all forms of healthcare including the stigma attached to seeking mental health care. As one of the COM representatives for University Council, she hopes to bridge the gap amongst all the schools at Downstate and foster a more collaborative environment. |
| Serina Abdul Satter | School of Health Professions (SOHP) Representative |
Serina Abdul Satter is a second-year Physician Assistant student who is honored to serve as the School of Health Professions Representative for the University Council. She is deeply drawn to Neurology, where the complexity of the nervous system fuels her curiosity, and Endocrinology, where the interplay of hormones and physiology inspires her passion for holistic patient care. Serina earned her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the City College of New York (CUNY). She is actively involved in professional leadership, serving on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the New York State Society of PAs (NYSSPA). She also serves as the NYSSPA representative for the University. Beyond academics, Serina volunteers as a Crew Chief for BRAVO Volunteer Ambulance and works as the Co-Fundraising Coordinator for the nonprofit organization WhoIsHussain. Dedicated to advocacy and service, she aims to represent and support her peers across the university to help equip different the future of healthcare with the resources to address health disparities that plague the community. In her free time, Serina enjoys hiking, biking, baking, trying new coffee shops, and traveling. |