Dr. Mark Brahier ’16

Internal Medicine Resident, Duke University Hospital

Major: Biology

Rising above and beyond clinical expertise to provide compassionate healthcare

As an internal medicine resident at Duke University Hospital, Dr. Mark Brahier ’16 is redefining what it means to provide compassionate care, combining his Catholic faith with his medical expertise to enhance the patient experience.

During his time at Notre Dame, Dr. Brahier was awarded the College of Science Dean’s Award, the Paul F. Ware M.D. Excellence in Undergraduate Research Award, and the Mr. and Mrs. Frank McDonald Senior Leader Fellowship, three of the highest honors a student can achieve at the University.

After graduating, Dr. Brahier earned his medical degree and a Master of Business Administration at Georgetown University. There, he re-established the Catholic Medical Association and revitalized the campus ministry by organizing spiritual formation events, Lenten lunches, the first medical student off-site retreat, and the annual Anatomical Donor Mass.

Dr. Brahier is now a third-year internal medicine resident at Duke University and intends to pursue additional training as a clinician-leader in the field of cardiac electrophysiology. Colleagues praise his commitment to excellent medical care and humanism as he expertly guides patients and their families through challenging medical situations, treating every patient with the utmost compassion and providing holistic care that addresses their physical, mental, and spiritual needs.

Mike McGlinchey ’17

Offensive Tackle, Denver Broncos

Major: Film, Television, and Theatre

Celebrating autistic individuals and advocating for their rights and needs

Mike McGlinchey ’17, now entering his seventh NFL season, may be most known for his success on a football field. Off it, he’s a tireless advocate for people with autism and special needs, a passion born when his younger brother Jimmy was diagnosed with autism at age two.

While with the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, McGlinchey served as the co-chair for the Silicon Valley Bocce Bash, an event that brings together Bay Area professional athletes with Special Olympics athletes and members of the community. Featuring bocce ball and cornhole tournaments, food and drinks, and an auction of 49ers memorabilia, the event provided an unforgettable experience for Special Olympians.

McGlinchey also partnered with Levi’s for several years on a holiday Shop with a Player event in San Francisco, spending a day shopping individuals from Autism Speaks and Football Camp for the Stars, which introduces kids with Down Syndrome to football.

The “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign is part of an annual collaboration between the NFL and players, which gives players an opportunity to represent their respective causes with custom-designed cleats in an effort to raise awareness and funding. During his first three seasons with the 49ers, Mike dedicated his shoes to Autism Speaks in honor of his brother.

A two-time captain and first-team All-American at Notre Dame, McGlinchey was drafted by the 49ers in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. An All-Rookie pick by PFWA in 2018, he helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV in 2019 and multiple NFC Championship games. He’s now entering his second season with the Denver Broncos, where he started all 16 games he played in 2023.

McGlinchey and his wife, Brooke, welcomed their first child, Michael Sean “Tripp” McGlinchey III, on August 4, 2024.

Rachel Svetanoff ’15 M.S.

Visiting Associate of Policy and Practice, University of Notre Dame
Founder, Project Energy for Life Cameroon
Co-Founder, Global Futurist Initiative
Global Goals Ambassador Lead, United Nations Association of the USA

Working to end energy poverty and reduce multigenerational poverty in Cameroon

Rachel Svetanoff ’15 M.S. is an activist with a history of supporting efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Her background as a global health professional has immersed her in cross-sector social impact, where she has learned to tackle societal challenges across 37 countries supporting more than 125 non-governmental organizations including known brands such as UNICEF USA, Johnson & Johnson, Sesame Street, and The Global Fund U.S.

In 2021, Svetanoff founded Project Energy for Life Cameroon, a community-centered, cross-sector consortium between Bronco Power Boost (an innovative solar power and technology company) and nonprofit organizations Unite for Health Foundation (providing maternal and child healthcare in rural Cameroon) and InternetBar.Org Institute (advancing access to justice and human rights). Her consortium delivers individual medical aid and solar power to the remote Elak Oku village, an underserved community where the electrical grid has failed for years. The region’s chieftain, HRM Fon Ngum IV, serves as a key leader and advisor on the project.

That same year, she co-founded the Global Futurist Initiative, an effort that has mobilized 72 organizations to prioritize youth issues and future generations in multilateral global agendas having built relationships with numerous UN agencies and affiliated institutions.

She is currently a visiting associate of policy & practice at Notre Dame’s Pulte Institute for Global Development, where she is conducting policy research on localizing the UN SDGs to Indiana. Her other current appointments include:

– UNA-USA Global Goals Ambassadors Lead
– U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Next Generation Leader
– Foreign Policy for America Next Gen Delegate
– International Monetary Fund Youth Fellow

Svetanoff earned her bachelor of science in chemistry and an MBA from Purdue University. She is one of Purdue’s most decorated young alumni, earning more than 10 honors and scholarships throughout her Boilermaker journey including the Young Alumni Impact Award and distinguished alumni Purdue Rising Professionals honor. In 2015, she earned her Master of Science in Global Health from Notre Dame’s Eck Institute for Global Health.

Sarah Beadle ’22 MBA

Senior Project Manager, GE Vernova

Innovating technologies to create a more sustainable future

Sarah Beadle ’22 MBA is helping manage the construction of the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm, overseeing all business operations for GE Vernova’s offshore wind farm being built in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Her work is helping the nation transition to alternate and sustainable sources of energy.

Prior to GE, Beadle served for seven years as one of the first female submarine officers in the U.S. Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant. Her passion for sustainable energy was fostered as she trained with the Nuclear Power Training Unit and served aboard the USS Georgia, a guided missile Ohio class nuclear submarine. There, she led the Reactor Laboratory Division and went on to serve as the Tactical Systems Officer, Lock-out Chamber Officer, Anti-Terrorism Officer, and Strike Officer, earning a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal.

In 2020, Beadle arrived at Notre Dame to serve as an Assistant Professor of Naval Science and to complete her Master of Business Administration degree from the Mendoza College of Business. As part of the University’s Naval ROTC program, she mentored more than 200 undergraduate students and earned a second Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal. As the Nuclear Propulsion Program Officer, Beadle also prepared students for interviews at Naval Reactors with a pass rate of 100 percent.

Beadle continues to support Notre Dame as a member of the ND Club of Boston. She hails originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and received her undergraduate degree in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Florida in 2015 where she was a member of that university’s Naval ROTC program and a member of Sigma Kappa sorority. She is also currently the president-elect of the New England Gator Club.

Dr. Ansel Nalin ’14, MD, Ph.D.

Radiation Oncology Resident, MD Anderson

Major: CHEMISTRY

Minor: THEOLOGY

Though the completion of both a medical degree and doctorate already distinguishes Dr. Ansel Nalin ’14, MD, Ph.D. as exemplary in his field, he has further set himself apart with his award-winning cancer research and commitment to empowering others through relationship-centered service.

After graduating summa cum laude from Notre Dame in 2014, Dr. Nalin entered the Medical Scientist Training Program at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. As a doctoral student, his research on cancer immunology and the mechanisms of human natural killer cell development earned him a competitive National Cancer Institute F30 Grant Award as a principal investigator at the age of 26. Dr. Nalin would go on to co-author 19 research publications during his MD/Ph.D., earning him multiple honors, including the prestigious Medical Scientist Award at his commencement.

While excelling in the field of research and scholarship, Dr. Nalin also dedicated time to share his expertise and talents with others, leading tutoring services for medical and pre-medical students from underrepresented backgrounds preparing for national exams. He also committed himself to educating others in the undergraduate CAMELOT program in Cancer Mentoring, Education, Leadership, and Oncology Related Training for visiting student researchers, serving as a lead mentor for six years. His love of running led him to serve as a track-and-field volunteer with the Special Olympics, and he also volunteers in the Order of Malta Free Clinic, which provides free, on-site preventative health care services to uninsured and low-income patients.

An active member of the Catholic Medical Association, Dr. Nalin won the St. Luke’s Faith and Reason Award for his embodiment of Catholic medical practices. Most recently, Dr. Nalin matched into the top-ranked radiation oncology residency program in the U.S. at M.D. Anderson, where he continues to impact areas of cancer research and treatment.

Ashley Kyalwazi ’18

Medical and Health Policy Student, Harvard Medical School & Harvard Kennedy School 

Major: NEUROSCIENCE AND BEHAVIOR

Minor: SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND VALUES

Possessing a zeal for learning and passion for advancing social justice, Ashley Kyalwazi ’18 has made it her mission to use her platform to mentor the next generation of healthcare professionals from underrepresented backgrounds.

A first-generation African American student, Kyalwazi fostered her commitment to educational equity and mentorship during her time as an undergraduate at Notre Dame. Understanding what it meant to overcome structural barriers to education, she served as both a Building Bridges and Balfour mentor, programs that seek to assist historically underserved first-year students with their transition to college. Taking her dedication to this mission a step further, Kyalwazi founded Notre Dame’s first chapter of Matriculate Advising Fellows, a nonprofit organization that uses a virtual platform to connect low-income high school students with current college students. 

As a current dual medical and masters in public policy student at Harvard, Kyalwazi leads national studies as a Sarnoff Cardiovascular Research Fellow that explore the intersection of health policy, health equity, and cardiovascular health outcomes for historically marginalized populations. While excelling in the classroom, she has managed to also found the MV3 Foundation, a nonprofit whose mission is to build and empower a community of Black scholars poised to positively impact the future of health and biomedical sciences through mentorship, scholarships, academic support, and leadership development.

For her exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing health equity, Kyalwazi was named a Gleitsman Leadership Fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government through the Center for Public Leadership. Currently, she plans to apply for an internal medicine residency in the fall of 2023, eager to build a career as a physician, policymaker, and social entrepreneur, where she will continue advocating for the development of innovative and equitable opportunities for marginalized populations to achieve optimal health. 

Bryan Dimas ’14

Line Producer, Development, Warner Bros. Animation & Cartoon Network Studios

Majors: Film, Television & Theatre | Electrical Engineering

A trailblazer in his own field of production, animation, and entertainment, Bryan Dimas ’14 carves out time and energy to make space for other underrepresented artists and filmmakers across the entertainment industry.

As a Line Producer for Development at Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios, Dimas oversees and manages the production of animated projects across the categories of Preschool, Kids & Family, Longform, and Alternative/Adult. Originally from Houston, Texas, Dimas arrived to Notre Dame as a QuestBridge Scholar, overcoming challenging life circumstances to attend the University.
Through hard work and resilience, he got his start in the entertainment industry while a Reilly Dual-Degree student at Notre Dame, graduating with both electrical engineering and film, television & theatre majors. As an FTT major, Dimas participated in the Film and Digital Production Program, where he produced several live-action short films and animated projects.

As a Latino in Hollywood, Dimas dedicated himself to co-founding the LatinX in Animation (LXiA), which is a signature program of the Latino Film Institute, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to mentor, develop, and support Latinx filmmakers with independent and diverse visions, and to elevate the standards of Latinx story development and presentation of Latinx culture in the industry. Dimas remains committed to LXiA’s mission of empowering diversity in animation, VFX, and gaming by organizing events, mentorship opportunities, workshops, grants, learning curriculums, and more. Even though the organization is relatively new, Dimas has helped to grow their audience to over 10,000 people.

Through his indie production company, Ocelotl Productions, Dimas produced a live-action Oscar-qualifying short film “Frank & Emmet,” which premiered in fall 2021 and has been featured at over 30 film festivals worldwide. “Frank and Emmet” received several awards for Best Live-Action Short Film, which qualified the film for consideration for the 2023 Academy Awards. Dimas is currently producing an animated short film, “Remember Us,” which focuses on the Salvadoran Civil War and is slated to premiere in 2024.

Dimas serves as a committee member for Notre Dame’s Media & Entertainment Leadership Committee, which works to strengthen opportunities for students and alumni aspiring for careers in the media and entertainment industries. He not only opens doors for other Latino creatives, but helps them to walk through.

Elizabeth Wood ’14

Senior Attorney, Immigration Intervention Project, Sanctuary for Families

Major: PROGRAM OF LIBERAL STUDIES

Supplemental Major: SPANISH

Enacting positive change for her clients at an individual, community, and national level, Elizabeth Wood ’14 continues to fuel her passion for serving historically marginalized populations as a Senior Attorney with Sanctuary for Families’ Immigration Intervention Project.

On any given day, Wood is directly responsible for the legal defense of anywhere from 60-100 cases in immigration proceedings in New York City.  She represents immigrant women and children navigating a legally complex and underfunded immigration system while also supervising a staff with equally significant caseloads. Despite each case’s individual complexities and challenges, Wood remains both undaunted and compassionate in helping women and children who have endured unspeakable traumas gain legal status in the United States. Whether the victim is a victim of cartel gang violence, a Central American separated from their parents at the border, or a Ukrainian feeling war, Wood accompanies these clients with empathy and a warm demeanor by talking through, documenting, and communicating these traumatic experiences during immigration and family court proceedings.

 Wood’s success in helping her clients win legal status began at Catholic Charities in New York City.   There she progressed from a staff attorney to supervising attorney within the Unaccompanied Minors Program (UMP) allowing her to teach and mentor other attorneys— and also took on the role of Legal Director with UMP’s partnership with Terra Firma a medical legal partnership helping to provide holistic medical and legal care to unaccompanied youth.  Recently, Wood sought to expand her engagement through a new role at Sanctuary for Families which allows her to continue her work with and advocating for youth, but also allows her to work with adult women escaping gender based violence.

During law school at Fordham, Wood created public facing guides for refugee seekers completing a Request for Review, investigated land tenure security and traditional governance in rural South Africa, and interned for both Terra Firma and The Door: A Center for Alternatives. She has also worked on anti-human trafficking initiatives that concentrate on enhanced employment services for trafficking survivors.

Making tangible change to our nation’s immigration laws, rules, and practices, Wood is engaged in the immigration policy discussion through her casework, published work and legal comments, and has given multiple presentations to law enforcement and public sector organizations. Her service-minded and mission-centered leadership and care towards her work makes her a Domer who fully lives out Notre Dame’s call to serve those most in need.

Garrett Blad ’15

Civic Engagement Director, Faith in Indiana

Major: Sustainable Policy and Development

Supplemental Major: Environmental Science

Garret Blad ’15, though offered other opportunities across the world to fight climate change and engage in activism, chose to return to his home state of Indiana to ignite positive change in the community that raised him.

Since graduating from Notre Dame with a degree in environmental science and sustainable policy, Blad has been a leading voice for young Americans in the fight for social, racial, and climate justice. In 2015, Blad joined the U.S. Youth Delegation to the Paris Climate Talks, helping to cement the most aggressive warming limit in the Paris Agreement. As a part of his role in launching the Sunrise Movement, Blad led a mass demonstration for the Green New Deal in November 2018 — a viral moment that helped to make climate change a political priority.

After moving back to Indiana, Blad became involved in local climate efforts to protect parcels of land subject to bulldozing and paving into industrial parking lots. When an opportunity arose during the pandemic to run for state representative, he took a chance as a rookie candidate on a shoestring budget, running as an openly gay, climate justice-centered candidate. Though losing by a slim margin, Blad did not waver in his commitment to his home state.

Now, as Civic Engagement Director at Faith in Indiana, Blad has played a significant role in working across the aisle to support legislation to make mental health services more accessible across Indiana. Recently, he testified about his family’s personal grief regarding the loss of his brother, which in many ways resulted from failures of the state’s medical system. Blad helped lead the “Call for Care” campaign that passed legislation to invest $100 million to revolutionize Indiana’s mental health care system.

Blad has committed himself to daily community organizing in order to advocate for environmental, social, and economic progress to support the liberation of all people, especially those who are marginalized in society. He maintains a strong tie to the University, pursuing ongoing educational opportunities by auditing classes in the Portuguese department and working with administrators and professors with whom he has fostered deep working relationships.

Ihuoma Nwaogwugwu ’15, ’16

3D Printing Research Engineer, HP Inc.

Majors: Mechanical Engineering, Design

Both during and after her time at Notre Dame, Double Domer Ihuoma Nwaogwugwu ’15, ’16 has excelled in faith, service, learning, and work.

Born in Benin City, Nigeria, but later moving to Marietta, Georgia, Nwaogwugwu arrived on campus as a Balfour-Hesburgh scholar, a Notre Dame program that provides high-achieving students from underrepresented backgrounds with a close-knit learning community of current students at Notre Dame. Though kept busy as an undergraduate as a Reilly Dual-Degree student, an active member of the African Students Association and the Voices of Faith Gospel Choir, and as a varsity weight and hammer thrower on the Notre Dame track team, Nwaogwugwu still made time to nurture and prioritize her faith life, traveling off campus to attend services at Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church in South Bend, where she became a valued parishioner and fostered relationships with local community members.

Nwaogwugwu’s work ethic and devotion to her studies led her to become a Double Domer, earning degrees in both mechanical engineering and industrial design. Upon graduation, she accepted a role at Hewlett Packard, where she now works as a 3D Printing Research Engineer. Working directly with Multi Jet Fusion Technology prototyping and production machines, Nwaogwugwu leads innovative advancements in the 3D printing industry while also serving as a role model for women engineers and engineers of color.

In 2018, Ihuoma Nwaogwugwu ’16 showed up to a Notre Dame Club of San Diego meeting for the first time. Soon, she was helping to lead one of the largest projects that the club coordinates — the Casa de los Pobres county-wide candy collection involving 40 parishes and schools that donate their leftover Halloween treats to children most in need in Tijuana, Mexico, at Christmas time. Nwaogwugwu carried forth this community effort for several years, coordinating club volunteers and working closely with the local diocese.

Fast forward five years and Nwaogwugwu now serves as the club’s first Black president and second female president in its 74-year history, leading day-to-day operations and welcoming other alumni of color to get involved in club activities. She continues to inspire future generations of Domers and alumni, parents, and friends to be a force for good for their local communities and beyond.