Ric Orias is currently a senior at CUNY Hunter College pursuing his B.S. in Community Health, graduating in May 2016. His commitment to public health equality and equity come from his own personal experiences, where he aims to continue developing his leadership and professional skills. In the near future, he hopes to see the end of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, closing gaps of health disparities, and overall improvement in quality of life especially amongst the LGBT and minority communities. It is with these goals in mind that Ric dedicates every step of his academic and professional career to bring him closer to the change he wishes to see. In his spare time, Ric is very enthusiastic about cooking, is a film-fanatic, and enjoys fitness. He resides in Harlem, New York City.