Ruth Okyere is a registered nurse, healthcare founder, and Vice President of Columbia University's Postbac Premed Student Council, where she leads external events for the council. Ruth works in acute care at Mount Sinai, where her bedside experience shapes how she thinks about clinical workflows and technology. She is the Founder, President and CEO of Opal Clinical, a nurse-built company developing a hands-free clinical voice and AI platform that helps nurses stay at the bedside while bringing hospital systems within reach. She is currently a student in the MBA/MS program at Cornell University and Weill Cornell Medicine. Her work brings together nursing, student leadership, and practical healthcare innovation.
Noah comes to the Postbac program after working several years at a strategy & innovation consulting firm and at a small Fintech startup focused on making financial health accessible to the average American. Prior to working, Noah received a BS in Product Design and MS in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University. At Stanford, he also played football, beginning his career as a walk-on and eventually becoming starter and 2x Academic All-American. Outside of studies, Noah currently works as a Medical Scribe in the Emergency Department at Weill Cornell Medical Center and NYP-Lower Manhattan. He also volunteers as a Teaching Fellow for the IYRC, a program to get high schools involved in medical and research fields. In his free time, Noah enjoys staying active, playing tennis, reading, exploring NYC, and spending time with family & friends.
For inquires about the Medical School Fair, please email [email protected].
Nicholas (Nick) is a premedical postbaccalaureate student at Columbia University and a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where he studied finance. After beginning his career in business, he decided to pursue medicine and has developed a growing interest in neuroscience and medical research. He enjoys mentoring and working with students, drawing on his own experiences navigating different academic and career paths. Outside of school, Nick enjoys swimming, weightlifting, golf, exploring New York City, and traveling.
Marissa is excited to step into the role of PPSC President this year as she enters her third year in Columbia's Postbac Premed Program. After serving as Senior Vice President last year, she is enthusiastic about building upon the work of the previous Board and continuing to strengthen the PPSC's impact. She is passionate about fostering a strong sense of community and supporting her fellow classmates throughout their time at Columbia and beyond.
Before beginning her journey toward medicine, Marissa retired from a fourteen-year career as a professional dancer. She graduated with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance from the State University of New York at Purchase College, where she was awarded the Dance Faculty Scholarship Award of Excellence. Throughout her career, she toured nationally and internationally with repertoire companies, taught master classes and participated in arts outreach programs, was named one of Dance Magazine's “25 to Watch,” and performed in operas and commercials. Her final bow came on the stage of Radio City Music Hall in the Christmas Spectacular.
Outside of the classroom, Marissa is an intern at Columbia University's Microsurgery Training and Research Laboratory and a social services volunteer at the Columbia Student Medical Outreach Clinic (CoSMO). She also volunteers with Citymeals on Wheels, the Leonard Covello Older Adult Center, and Free Food Harlem. In her limited free time, you can find Marissa lost in a sci-fi novel, bragging about her cats, or planning her next scuba diving adventure.
Lydia Jacob double-majored in Anthropology and Linguistics when she was an undergraduate at UT Austin. After graduating in 2017, she went on to complete a term of service with American Conservation Experience (AmeriCorps) before entering the field of cultural resource management archaeology. After 6 years of fieldwork and lab work as an archaeologist, Lydia became inspired by personal experiences to pursue a medical education! Having achieved the Pre-Medical Sciences Certificate offered by Columbia's Postbac Program in Spring 2026, she is excited to have time to give back to the postbac community in the upcoming year by planning events aimed at their wellness and personal and professional development.
Jack Ocken is from Bedford, New York and is in his orgo-bio year of the postbac program. Outside of school, he's a Senior Research Associate in the Weill Cornell Emergency Department. Before Columbia, he worked for Radian Capital, a software growth equity firm in NYC. He graduated from Yale University with a B.A. in English. As an undergrad he played varsity lacrosse, researched in the Pediatric Neurosurgery Department, and worked in the University Writing Center. Jack spends his free time reading and writing fiction, weightlifting, and walking in the woods.
For inquiries about the Medical School Fair, please email [email protected].
Betty is excited to be an active member of the PPSC as she finishes her final year in the Postbac Premed program. With previous experience in arts administration, she looks forward to building up the postbac community here at Columbia through her assigned secretarial duties for the Council, and by supporting the President and her fellow Vice Presidents with their robust plans this academic year. When she is not in classes, studying, or working on the Council, you can find her at the gym or running, sheer motivation for the curation of her annual Spotify playlist.