INEL LEWIS

President and Chief Administrative Officer

Inel J. Lewis, MPA is the President and Chief Administrative Officer of the Persevere Foundation. She has spent 40 years in almost every space dedicated to medical education. She has served as a residency coordinator at the world-renowned Jules Stein Eye Institute, UCLA as well as Family Medicine and Radiation Oncology at the University of Michigan; Director, Continuing Medical Education at the Charles R. Drew School of Medicine and Science; Manager, Diversity & Career Development Office, University of Michigan Medical School and currently serves as the Director, Office of Inclusion & Belonging, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University. She has served as the past Central Region Director, National Minority Medical Educators, Inc. (NAMME), and is the recipient of numerous awards dedicated to student service. Through the Persevere Foundation, she hopes to provide the resources (mentoring, educational and fiscal) to enable students to pursue their dreams of becoming physicians.

ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS

CLAUDE REGIS

Founder

Claude Regis is a graduate of Stony Brook University and is currently a medical student at Sidney Kimmel Medical College with a strong interest in orthopedic surgery, leadership, and mentorship. He currently serves as President of Black Men in White Coats at his institution, where he focuses on mentorship, representation, and creating pathways for future physicians. As founder of The Persevere Foundation, his work is driven by a commitment to service, community impact, and empowering the next generation of leaders. Claude is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

CHRISTIAN JEFFERSON

Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Christian Jefferson is a senior Biology major and Simons STEM Scholar at Stony Brook University, where he conducts cancer and gene-regulation research and has presented his work at national conferences, including ABRCMS, AACR, and the SNMA Annual Medical Education Conference. He has completed NIH-funded research through the STEP-UP program at Johns Hopkins and the USDA, earned first-place honors for a lupus nephritis poster, and serves as an eSUPREMES Fellow, PACE Scholar, and Healthcare Scholars United Fellow. Christian brings his experience as a CNA, clinical volunteer, and mentor for underrepresented pre-health students to his role supporting Persevere’s mission to widen access to healthcare careers.

JACOB MORALES

Communications and Outreach Coordinator

Jacob Morales is a recent graduate of Stony Brook University with a degree in Biology and an incoming Master's student at the Renaissance School of Medicine. He is a PACE Scholar and served as both President and Vice President of the Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students (MAPS) at Stony Brook University, where he expanded programming, mentorship opportunities, and professional development resources for aspiring healthcare professionals. Jacob has participated in several leadership and pipeline programs dedicated to increasing access to healthcare careers for underrepresented students and has gained clinical experience through hospital volunteering, physician shadowing, patient-facing roles, and mentoring pre-health students. He currently serves as Co-Director of the EOP Summer Program at the Renaissance School of Medicine, where he supports students through academic enrichment, professional development, and exposure to healthcare careers. Passionate about mentorship, service, and health equity, Jacob is committed to helping the next generation of healthcare professionals pursue their goals and succeed in medicine.

CATRINA WILTSHIRE MCLEOD

Catrina Wiltshire McLeod is from Brooklyn, New York. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biology and her master's degree in Physiology and Biophysics from Stony Brook University, and is currently a medical student at Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her passion for medicine stems from seeing health disparities firsthand in her community, which inspired her to become an advocate for underserved populations. Catrina is committed to mentoring and educating underserved youth and helping create pathways for future healthcare professionals. She has also gained hands-on clinical experience in reproductive medicine as an IVF coordinator, where she learned the importance of empathy and resilience while supporting patients through difficult diagnoses. As a future physician, her goal is to strive every day to ensure every patient receives equitable, quality care and leaves feeling heard and empowered.