Founding Faculty

Lisa Gantz, MD

Dr. Gantz completed her residency training in the combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Program 2015-2019 and will be serving as Chief Resident for the Pediatric Residency Program at UCLA for 2019-2020. During her medical training, she spent time working with a law firm representing unaccompanied minors in shelters in Brownsville, Texas. She mentors and engages students and trainees in working with the Task Force and coordinates the Speaker Series.

Dr. Juvonen is a Professor in Developmental Psychology who studies psychosocial adjustment of youth in the school system. She engages students in learning about how schools can meet the social-emotional needs of separated and unaccompanied youth. Dr. Juvonen has a long history of experience conducting research in the Los Angeles area public schools with diverse students.

Alice Kuo

Dr. Kuo is a Professor in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine and Health Policy and Management in the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. She is a national expert in child health policy and has co-authored ten policy briefs on social determinants of child health on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. Kuo supervise trainees on the policy aspects and opportunities for immigrant youth in Los Angeles County.

Dr. Rabin is Director of the Immigrant Family Legal Clinic at UCLA School of Law.  She provides guidance on the legal needs of immigrant youth, facilitates connections between community legal service providers and the Task Force, and mentors law students engaging in Task Force activities and opportunities.

Sural Shah

Dr. Shah is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and an adult and pediatric primary care physician. She is chair of the AAP CA-2 Chapter Immigrant Health Committee and co-directs the Olive View-UCLA Human Rights Clinic and LA Human Rights Initiative, which provides forensic medical and psychological evaluations for asylum-seekers. Dr. Shah supports students in identifying how health systems and academic medical centers can support the physical and mental health needs of immigrant youth.

Jennifer Silvers

Dr. Silvers is an Assistant Professor of Psychology and an expert on the effects of parental separation and early adversity exposure on brain development. Dr. Silvers advises student trainees on psychological and neuroscientific research relevant to understanding the experiences of immigrant youth.