Meet the Team

Meet the team

Lia Gomez-Perez

Chief executive officer

liagomezperez@vocalizecolumbus.org

Lia Gomez-Perez is a first-year PhD student in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences & Technology program studying Medical Engineering and Medical Physics with a concentration in Electrical Engineering. She graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering with minors in Computer & Information Science and Business in 2023. Lia hopes to make a significant impact on patients’ quality of life by developing innovative and feasible healthcare solutions. She is originally from Montevideo, Uruguay and immigrated to Shaker Heights, Ohio when she was 6 years old. As an immigrant and once a limited English proficiency (LEP) individual herself, Vocalize Columbus’ mission to improve LEP patient care and experience is a personal one.

Lindsey Allen

Chief technical officer

lindseyallen@vocalizecolumbus.org

Lindsey is a junior at The Ohio State University pursuing a dual degree in Computer & Information Science and Security & Intelligence. For Lindsey, working with Vocalize is a way to enrich her studies while engaging her passion for service. She believes in the power of software to break down barriers and build lasting change.

Joe Ziegler

president of the board

joeziegler@vocalizecolumbus.org

Joe Ziegler is a first-year medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine. He got his B.S. in Biology with a minor in Spanish from The Ohio State University in 2023.  Growing up in Spain, he developed an interest in medicine and public health, training and leading a team of medical interpreters that helped treat more than 3000 patients over the course of 3 years on medical missions to South America.  With this experience, and the knowledge of the struggles faced by individuals trying to navigate the healthcare system in an unfamiliar language, he hopes to help even the playing field for LEP patients in the Columbus area.

Xavier Vesco

chief administrative officer

xaviervesco@vocalizecolumbus.org

Xavier Vesco is a sophomore at The Ohio State University studying Biology with a minor in Spanish. Xavier has always had a strong interest in social issues and the medical sciences, and strives to combine his interests to make meaningful change. Xavier is especially concerned between the relationship with limited English proficiency and healthcare insurance enrollment and envisions Vocalize as a platform to educate patients on their affordable healthcare insurance options.

Anthony Moussa

chief analytics officer

anthonymoussa@vocalizecolumbus.org

Anthony Moussa is a first-year student in the Medical Scientist Training Program at the University of California, San Francisco. He graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Science with a minor in Neuroscience from The Ohio State University in 2023. Anthony plans to work towards a profession as a physician-investigator, improving health outcomes through research while also attending to patients in the clinic. With his Colombian and Lebanese background, Anthony has had meaningful service experiences in patient care in the US and abroad which have made him aware of medical challenges stemming from health disparities and is passionate about reducing these disparities through his work with Vocalize.

Priyanka Paradkar

Chief Operations Officer

priyankaparadkar@vocalizecolumbus.org

Priyanka Paradkar is a senior at The Ohio State University majoring in Biomedical Science with a minor in Bioethics. She plans to pursue a career as a physician, advocating for and serving underrepresented populations. Through her experience volunteering at free clinics around Columbus and abroad, Priyanka has gained an awareness and passion to combat the language barrier affecting LEP patient care. Priyanka’s passion aligns with the mission of Vocalize Columbus, and she strives to make positive change in her community.

Laney King

Chief Compliance Officer

laneyking@vocalizecolumbus.org

Laney King is a sophomore at The Ohio State University double majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and Spanish. Following undergrad, Laney wants to attend law school with a specific interest in social justice. She hopes to be able to provide legal services to the most vulnerable and underserved members of our society who have been historically denied equal access to competent legal aid. The mission of Vocalize Columbus closely aligns with Laney’s goals, and she values the opportunity to help ensure equal access to healthcare for LEP individuals.

Liyah Varghese

CHIEF Marketing officer

liyahvarghese@vocalizecolumbus.org

Liyah Varghese is a graduate of The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Biology and Spanish with a minor in Bioethics. Liyah plans to combat the language barrier in healthcare by working with underrepresented Spanish-speaking communities in the medical field. Growing up with immigrant parents and grandparents who did not speak English as a first language, she is passionate about bringing personalized healthcare experiences, free of language barriers, to patients in need.

Ian Thompson

Founding member

ianthompson@vocalizecolumbus.org

Ian Thompson is a graduate of The Ohio State University, holding a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering with a minor in Philosophy. Ian is interested in using software as a powerful tool to help the most vulnerable among us by providing software that is not only ethical but directly beneficial to those that need it most.

Harrshavasan Congivaram

Founding member

harrshavasancongivaram@vocalizecolumbus.org

Harrshavasan Congivaram a current M.D. candidate at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine. He graduated with a B.S. in Biomedical Science and a minor in Neuroscience from The Ohio State University in 2023. Harrsha plans to pursue a career in research focusing on neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s while also taking a physician’s role. His experiences working with patients in foreign countries has made him aware of how important communication is for patient outcomes. Through Vocalize Columbus, Harrsha hopes to improve the current understanding of health disparities in order to clear the path towards equity in medicine.