Joanna Papadakis

Driven by her aspirations to become a physician and global health practitioner, Joanna Papadakis joined the NeuroKids team to support efforts in advancing global health equity, the organization’s clinical research and outcomes reporting, and improving access to pediatric neurosurgical care in resource-limited settings. 

Ms. Papadakis holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Global Health from Cornell University. During her time at Cornell, she participated in child development research in Malawi, became certified as an EMT in wilderness and austere medicine, and was awarded a peacebuilding grant to perform fieldwork in refugee and humanitarian health in Greece. 

She then joined Boston Children’s Hospital, where she conducted pediatric neurosurgical research on patients with hydrocephalus and spina bifida, under the guidance of Dr. Benjamin Warf, Ashley Birch, and others. 

Firmly believing in healthcare as a fundamental human right, she is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the field as she strives to one day pursue a hopeful career in global surgery.