Jean Brownell
Jean Brownell is a third year PhD student in the Energy, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering (EECE) Department in the McKelvey School of Engineering where she studies herbicides as emerging environmental contaminants in the Parker Lab.
Prior to pursuing her PhD, Jean earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a Sustainability Minor at the University of Rochester as a first-generation, low-income student. While in Rochester, Jean was actively involved in various campus organizations. Following her graduation, she moved to St. Louis to begin working at Anheuser-Busch. In her 5-year tenure, she held many roles including as an engineer in the Brewing Department at the St. Louis Brewery and North American Zone Microbiology Subject Matter Expert at the St. Louis Headquarters.
At WashU, she has pursued graduate student leadership roles including serving on the EECE Graduate Student Council (GSC), the EECE Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) Committee, and the Graduate Student Affairs Advisory Board (GSAAB). Jean also is a volunteer for EECE/McKelvey School of Engineering PhD Visit Day and Orientation Week. During her time working in her current lab, Jean has mentored multiple undergraduate researchers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Following her PhD, Jean seeks to pursue a career in research that informs policy to mitigate environmental contamination and protect public health. In addition to her research, Jean has utilized her coursework at WashU to investigate her interdisciplinary interests by combining EECE coursework with environmental law classes.
As a driven individual who is passionate about advocating for her peers, Jean is excited for this opportunity as the Board of Trustees graduate student representative to make a positive impact on the campus community.
Andréa Charles
Andréa Charles was born in France, near Paris. She moved to Missouri in 2018 to study Political Science at Lindenwood University. She started her JD degree in August 2022 and became involved in the law school student government named the Student Bar Association (SBA), GPC, and Pro-Grads. In May 2023, she was elected to be the SBA President and was appointed to be the only student on the School of Law dean search committee. Andréa also interned at the Office of the General Counsel at Washington University in Saint Louis and will intern at Amundsen Davis in Chicago this summer. Andréa will be an executive note editor for the Journal of Law and Policy, and we will be working on the Crime Against Humanity Initiative at Washington University Law School. Outside of school, Andréa enjoys reading, spending time with her family, doing martial arts, and playing the piano and harpsichord.
Amaya Daniels
Amaya Daniels is a senior from Columbia, Missouri, majoring in Finance and double minoring in Business of Social Impact and Urban Studies. Fueled by her passions and personal experiences, she has invested much of her time at WashU to build community cohesiveness and curate outlets for students to feel a sense of belonging. Amaya currently serves as the Programming Assistant Manager for Campus Life, overseeing over 30 events catered to students. Amaya is also a Questbridge National Match Scholar and a part of the Taylor Family Stars Program. She has previously served as a LEAD Project member for Campus Life and as a consultant for Rem & Company, an organization that offers free consulting to local small minority and women-owned businesses. Amaya is currently interested in the intersection between Finance and Social Impact sectors and aims to aid in increasing financial literacy for first-generation, limited-income young adults and teens. Thus, following her undergraduate studies, Amaya plans to work within the Investment Management sector with ESG initiatives, earn her MBA in Asset Management, and become a CFA & CFP chart holder. Within this role, Amaya aims to build connections, advocate for underrepresented voices, be seen as a support channel, and contribute to elevating the student experience to be beneficial for all students.
Sarai Steinberg
Sarai Steinberg is a senior from Mountain View, California, majoring in American Culture Studies with minors in Marketing and the Business of Social Impact. A student worker at the John C. Danforth Center for Religion and Politics, she values interdisciplinary experiences that spark constructive dialogue. An avid reader, Sarai finds power in all forms of narrative. As the recipient of the Harriet Schwenk Kluver Prize for Excellence in Writing and the Lynne Cooper Harvey Undergraduate Writing Prize, she seeks to blend the intellectual and the personal in all her writing. On campus, Sarai is most passionate about community building and mental health. Since her first year, she’s been highly involved in Uncle Joe’s Peer Counseling and Resource Center, which provides confidential, 24/7 counseling services and resource referrals to undergraduate students. After completing 100+ hours of training herself, Sarai trained the 2023 cohort of peer counselors and most recently served as Recruitment Director. In her free time, Sarai enjoys backpacking and scrapbooking. Following her undergraduate studies, she hopes to pursue a career in marketing and nonprofit management. Sarai is deeply committed to building an equitable, supportive, and memorable WashU student experience for all.