Alex Nica is a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona. Originally born in Romania, Alex graduated from Northwestern University in 2020 with a BS in Biomedical Engineering and MS in Computer Science and then spent a year prior to medical school working as an analyst in business consulting. All his life he’s loved connecting with those around him through exercise and sports, whether it be basketball or powerlifting. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Alex was one of the founding members of the Fuel Our Heroes initiative to help source supplies and donations to aid frontline workers and at-risk hospitals. He now joins Medicine in Motion to help others in a different way, by sharing the power of movement as a means of managing stress and fostering friendship.

Grace Madura is a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in her hometown Scottsdale, AZ. She left one desert for another to attend the University of Southern California to major in Human Biology and minor in Cinematic Arts. Grace is passionate about women’s and sexual health. By teaching workshops on sex ed and breast cancer, she developed a passion for education and its ability to empower the community. Growing up as a competitive swimmer, Grace appreciated the mental break exercise gave her. Now she enjoys finding new ways to move in a variety of classes and disciplines. Outside of school and the gym, you can find Grace cooking a new TikTok recipe, watching a psychological thriller, or playing with her dog, Tank.

Nick Allen is a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine interested in disease prevention, health systems, health policy and more. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020, where he majored in Immunology and minored in Global Poverty. Nick firmly believes that exercise and stress management are central components of a paradigm shift toward disease prevention, and he is thrilled to address both through Medicine in Motion. Since a young age, he has enjoyed serving marginalized communities including people experiencing homelessness, immigrants, refugees, low-income children, and more. He has previously raised money for these service projects by doing a 600-mile bike ride down the California coast and an Ironman triathlon. A former quarterback, Nick loves watching football and previously coached a high school team in Oakland, CA. Aside from playing and watching sports, he loves board games, having deep conversations, watching HGTV, and taking any opportunity to spend time with his family and childhood friends.

Sayi Boddu is a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine currently exploring his interests within the medical field and research. He is originally from Cupertino, California and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020 with a degree in Neurobiology. He discovered a passion for helping the special needs community through volunteering with the Special Needs Aquatic Program during his undergraduate years and working with children with autism during his gap year as a behavioral technician. Now as a medical student, he loves spending his free time playing volleyball, tennis, basketball, boxing, weight-lifting, or hiking with friends. He cherishes physical activity and sports as a means of stress-relief, social connection, and staying healthy. When he isn’t exercising, you can find him trying new cooking recipes or watching Netflix.

Vikram Gill is a medical student at the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was born in Windsor, Ontario but grew up in the Seattle area where he played basketball and ran track throughout high school. He went on to graduate from the University of Washington in 2021 with a BS in Cellular & Molecular Biology. Growing up playing a variety of sports, Vikram saw first hand the good that sport and exercise can have both on oneself and on a community. During his undergraduate studies, Vikram was involved in setting up a new food bank helping provide food to the community in the midst of the pandemic. He loves being hands-on with his community and is now involved in organizing events with Special Olympics of Arizona. He is excited to join Medicine in Motion to continue to bring people together through exercise and contribute to local organizations.