Hi, I'm Sadra!

In the summer of 2025, I travelled to Guatemala to volunteer as a physiotherapy assistant. During my time there, I met a 91-year-old woman who was afraid of walking because she feared falling. Instead of rushing her, I worked with her one step at a time, helping her become more comfortable with moving again. What stayed with me wasn't just the experience itself, but how much of a difference patience, encouragement, and simply understanding someone's concerns could make.

A little about where I come from. I was born and raised in Iran and moved to Canada with my family in 2019, shortly after my father's cancer surgery. Like anyone moving to a new country, there was a lot to figure out. Between learning how things worked, helping my family settle in, and eventually finding my own direction, I learned to become independent and take responsibility early on.

My university journey wasn't exactly a straight line either. I started at York University, studying Kinesiology, while working and getting involved in different community activities. I had my challenges academically at first, but I gradually figured out what worked for me. I went on to complete my BSc in Kinesiology, conduct research in biomechanics, and work on an honours thesis. Looking back, I'm proud of how much I've grown, both academically and personally.

One experience I particularly enjoyed was spending two years teaching financial literacy to newcomers in Canada. I helped people better understand things like banking, insurance, mortgages, and savings. I knew from my own experience how confusing these systems could be when you're unfamiliar with them. Being able to take something complicated, explain it in a way that made sense, and see people become more confident in making their own decisions was something I genuinely valued.

Now, I'm pursuing my MHIA at Schulich because I want to better understand how healthcare works beyond the individual patient level, including how decisions are made and how they affect people.

Through all these experiences, one thing I've come to appreciate is that everyone has their own background, priorities, and challenges. I don't believe leadership means having all the answers or making every decision yourself. To me, it means being approachable, listening to people, standing by your word, and making sure their concerns actually lead somewhere.

That's the kind of person I want to be for our MHIA cohort.

Leadership & Community Involvement

• Beat by Beat: Founded a blood donation initiative to encourage more people to donate and get involved in their community.

• Curve Lake First Nation: Taught first aid and shared practical emergency response skills with community members.

• Financial Literacy Education: Taught newcomers about banking, insurance, mortgages, and savings for two years.

• City of Richmond Hill: Worked with residents, addressed concerns, and helped resolve problems as they came up.

Healthcare & Community Service

• Guatemala – Hogar Virgen del Socorro: Volunteered as a physiotherapy assistant, helping residents with different mobility challenges.

• Extendicare Sherwood Court: Supported older adults through exercise, recreation, and companionship.

• KMH Medical Imaging: Volunteered in the PET/CT department, welcoming patients and helping them feel comfortable.

Education & Research

• York University: Completed my Specialized Honours BSc in Kinesiology, conducted biomechanics research, and wrote an honours thesis.

• Schulich School of Business: Currently pursuing my MHIA to better understand healthcare management and leadership.

I believe that when students raise a concern, something should actually be done about it. Whether it's an issue with a professor, a course, or the program itself, I want to be someone my classmates can count on to speak up and push for a solution.

I'll listen, bring concerns to the right people, and follow through. If something isn't working, I won't be afraid to challenge it!

I don't want our MHIA experience to be just about attending classes, finishing assignments, and getting our degrees. I want us to build friendships, support each other, and feel like we're part of something bigger.

My goal is to organize at least one activity every month, whether that's a casual get-together, volunteering, or something we decide on as a group. I want everyone to feel included and have a chance to get involved.

I don't want anyone in our cohort to miss out on an opportunity simply because they didn't know it existed or didn't have the right connections.

I plan to create a shared space where internship opportunities, job openings, and career resources are accessible to everyone. I also want to reach out to MHIA alumni, bring them into conversations with our cohort, and open doors for networking and mentorship.

We're surrounded by people with different backgrounds, experiences, and connections. I want us to use that to our advantage and help each other move forward.

I don't want our cohort to be left guessing about what's happening, especially when decisions affect us directly. We deserve to be informed, involved, and heard.

I'll provide weekly updates, create a space for anonymous feedback, and make sure concerns are brought to the attention of the right people. More importantly, I'll follow up on those concerns so everyone knows what's being done and where things stand.

Communication shouldn't be a one-way street. I want everyone to have a voice in our cohort, not just the loudest people in the room.