Alumni Council

Anissa Muhammad, MPH – Alumni Council Chairperson | Class of 2016, Urban Public Health

A native of Cleveland, OH, Anissa Michele Muhammad is a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother.  Anissa possesses an indescribable love and passion for the wellness of her community and promotes healing the mind, body, and spirit as the key to longevity. Her mantra:  Mine the Mind to a Healthier You.  

Anissa’s background is in allied health, nursing, human services, and public health. Her educational achievements include 3 Associate Degrees – Liberal Arts (music), Interdisciplinary Studies, and Psychology. She also holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services and 2 Master’s degrees–one in Human Services, the other in Public Health, and is a CDU alumnus, class of 2016. Since graduating, Ms. Muhammad has become the founder of Sisters 4 Life Health Equity Group, a non-profit organization that promotes health and well-being for women and families in South Los Angeles. She is also a #1 Best-selling author of the Repair of the Black Family Anthology—a book that highlights turning life’s trials into triumphs

Ms. Muhammad is currently pursuing a new careers as a physician assistant and is a doctoral candidate with a focus in Healthcare Administration. She has 25 years of experience in health elevation education & chronic disease self-management, domestic violence counseling, and disaster/survival preparedness training.  

Ashanti Carter, MPH | Class of 2014, Urban Public Health

Ashanti Carter is an advocate for education and health equity. A native of Los Angles, Ms. Carter has worked in the education field for over a decade. Her career has spanned the gamut of education from high school to postsecondary education. As a former teacher with the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE), Ms. Carter taught math and science to at-promise students, and later transitioned to Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU), where she honed her skills in student affairs. Ashanti graduated from CDU with a Master’s of Public Health degree, which took her to Johns Hopkins University and later to the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GW) where she served as Program Director. During her time at GW Ms. Ashanti Carter led numerous programs for high school and undergraduate students who were pursuing a career in health professions through the Rodham Institute. 

Ms. Carter is also the former Chair of the Health Sciences Industry Advisory Board of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in Washington, DC. Ashanti Carter returned to CDU and is currently serving as the Director of Community College Partnerships. She is also a doctoral candidate at the George Washington University Graduate School of Education and Human Development in the Higher Education Administration program.    

Carmen Saunders-Russell | Class of 2000, College of Science and Health

Carmen Saunders-Russell is a Tenured Associate Professor in the Health Sciences Department at California State University Northridge.  Carmen teaches courses in both the undergraduate and graduate programs in Health Administration, where she shares her vast career experiences from both the clinical and administrative sides of health services.

Carmen also serves as the Graduate Coordinator for the Master in Health Administration program. Her research interests are in the areas of interprofessional collaboration, the imposter syndrome in health administration/health professionals, culturally competent and appropriate communication amongst health professionals and healthcare leaders, LGBTQ+ health-related services and the health administrator’s role, and lastly, improving instruction via innovative techniques for health sciences students.  She enjoys working with her students, getting to know them, and helping them transform their lives by realizing their potential.

Frederick Wofford Sr. | Class of 2000, College of Science and Health

Frederick Wofford Sr. graduated top of his class from the Radiologic Technology program in 2000, earning his associate of science degree. Frederick went on to advance his career earning his Vascular Intervention (VI), Cardiac Intervention (CI), and Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) certifications. Currently, he works in the Cardiac Cath Lab of Kaiser Permanente. In his personal life, Frederick is the co-founder of Long Beach Gold, a youth basketball organization based out of Long Beach, California. Unsurprisingly, Long Beach Gold’s mission and values are not only aligned with Fred’s ethos but also that of CDU. The organization uses basketball as a vehicle to mentor student-athletes while equipping them with the tools and skills they need to be successful on and off the court.

In 2022, Frederick started the Wofford Family scholarship at CDU to help Rad-Tech students succeed and complete their education. “Being a part of the alumni council is important to me because I want to ensure students in the Radiology program have a voice.” Mr. Wofford is also a natural recruiter! He has successfully recruited a number of his family members to CDU’s Rad-Tech program, including his children! His legacy at CDU indeed lives on. 

Dominique Woods, MD | Class of 2014, College of Medicine

Dr. Dominique Woods began her educational journey at the Johnnie Tillmon Child Care Center, which is a part of CDU’s rich history of providing high quality community services in South Los Angeles. She credits the Drew Child Development Corporation for fostering her love of learning and inspiring her to become a physician. Dr. Woods attended the University of Southern California on an academic scholarship and as part of its prestigious premed Baccalaureate/MD program. She was awarded the Gold Family Study Abroad Scholarship to attend the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Her experience studying the Sub-Saharan HIV/AIDs epidemic motivated her to earn a Master’s in Public Health with a concentration in Community Health Education. As a graduate student she worked in the CDU Department of Research as a research associate on community-based HIV/AIDS research projects. Under the tutelage of CDU’s inspiring faculty, Dr. Woods developed a passion for developing and promoting research innovations in medically underserved communities. 

Dr. Woods earned her medical degree as a part of the joint CDU/UCLA medical education program. In alignment with CDU’s mission of service, Dr. Woods was appointed as student representative to the CDU Board of Trustees, elected class president, and selected as delegate and community service chair to multiple regional and national medical associations. As a medical student, she coordinated numerous local and regional community health events, including UCLA’s annual health symposium and CDU’s Spring into Health annual community health fairs. She completed general surgery internship at the University of Arizona. As medical director of clinical research for Limitless Therapeutics, her clinical interests include digital health innovation and novel precision medicine therapeutics for disabled and marginalized patient populations. Dr. Woods also volunteers as a research assistant and think tank member at the Rancho Research Institute at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. She is currently pursuing master’s degrees in Health Analytics at Northwestern University and Healthcare Systems Engineering at Johns Hopkins University to aid in her mission to promote digital health equity for medically underserved communities.

As a first-term alumni council member, Dr. Woods looks forward to paying forward the continual support she has received from the CDU community throughout her education and medical career.

Mercedes Humski

Mercedes Humski, 32, from San Pedro, California, is currently a third-year Bachelor’s student in Biomedical Science at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. In her academic pursuits, Mercedes has consistently achieved high grades, securing a place on the Dean’s List. Her studies include a broad range of subjects such as psychology, biology, and chemistry. She is also involved in a research project focusing on doctor-patient communication, enhancing her knowledge in this area and allowing her to work with like-minded professors and students. 

Mercedes’s engagement extends beyond academics. She serves as the Student Government President for the class of 2024 and participates in various roles, including a Bioenrichment fellow in the HCOP cohort and work-study positions with the Dean’s executive assistant and the DNP coordinator. Her initiatives include organizing student housing, reviving campus clubs, assisting new students, and working to increase undergraduate enrollment. She also volunteers regularly both on and off campus, including in the 2023 homeless count. 

Mercedes aims to further her education with a master’s degree in biomedical science and eventually work in the Biotechnology industry. Her long-term goal is to become a Geriatric physician and psychologist, focusing on minority healthcare and eldercare policies.