Meet the solace team
Shivani Patel (she/her)
President
Shivani is a fourth year, majoring in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology. She is most excited for Solace to grow into an organization that can enrich and brighten the lives of even more geriatric patients all around Alachua county with a group of members who are a family!
Shivani Patel
President
Adriana Kanarek (she/her)
Chief of Membership
Adriana is a third year biology student. She is excited to meet all the new recruits, help this organization develop, and plan a bunch of fun activities to create a family-type environment that works together to help the elderly community.
Adriana Kanarek
Chief of Membership
Zoya Mukherjee (she/her)
Chief of Hospital Affairs
Zoya is a third year biology student. She is looking forward to hopefully meeting all members in person, getting to know everyone better, and spending time with patients!
Zoya Mukherjee
Chief of Hospital Affairs
Jana Ignacio (she/her)
Chief of
Communications
Jana is a third year, nursing major. She is most excited to be a part of this amazing team and witness just how much this organization will grow.
Jana Ignacio
Chief of Communications
Kiah Coleman-Spradley
Volunteer Coordinator
Kiah has been one of UF Health Shands Hospital’s incredible Volunteer Coordinators for over 4 years, and has been working with the Solace team since the Spring of 2020! She is a proud mother and loves working with all of her UF volunteers. She is a wonderful asset to the Solace team and provides an unparalleled amount of support and guidance to our members.
Kiah Coleman
Volunteer Coordinator
Dani Sakkal (he/him)
Vice President
Dani is a third year, majoring in Family Youth and Community Sciences. He is super excited to expand our organization and build membership among our current members. He is also looking forward to hopefully volunteering at Shands while assisting ElderCare of Alachua County.
Dani Sakkal
Vice President
Rishi Kondapaneni (he/him)
Chief of
Finances
Rishi is a third year, majoring in biology. He is looking forward to changing the lives of the individuals our organization serves, no matter what!
Rishi Kondapaneni
Chief of Finances
McKenna Barkett (she/her)
Chief of Programming
McKenna is a fourth year, majoring in Health Science. She is looking forward to planning crafts and activities for the patients in the ADTU unit at Shands.
McKenna Barkett
Chief of Programming
Dongwoo Kim (he/him)
Chief of
Fundraising
Dongwoo is a third year, majoring in Microbiology. He is excited to be more involved in this new organization, and utilize his role as Fundraising Chair to allow Solace to grow.
Dongwoo Kim
Chief of Fundraising
Dr. Diba Mani
Organization Advisor
Diba Mani, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the Department of Applied Physiology & Kinesiology at UF. Alongside teaching, she is dedicated to research in the field of geriatrics and enjoys the human component of any work she is engaging in. Dr. Mani also enjoys being an international judo referee in her free time! We are so lucky to have her as a part of our team!