Shanthi Hegde is a dedicated undergraduate third-year student at Northeastern University, where she is pursuing a major in Cell and Molecular Biology within the Honors Program. With aspirations to enter the field of medicine, Shanthi is committed to academic excellence and personal growth. As a member of the 2023 National Youth Leadership Institute (NYLI) cohort, she channels her passion for advocacy and awareness into supporting individuals with bleeding disorders, particularly focusing on raising awareness for women in this community, a cause close to her heart as someone with a bleeding disorder herself. Shanthi's ambition extends to fostering greater youth engagement in bleeding disorders nationwide, and she eagerly embraces her role as an advocate within NBDF to drive positive change in this area.