Indian American cancer physician Kamal Menghrajani has been named one of the 15 “exceptional young leaders” chosen for the 2023-2024 class of White House Fellows. This prestigious program offers these individuals the opportunity to gain firsthand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.
Kamal Menghrajani, based in New York, specializes in treating patients with leukemia. She has been assigned to the Executive Office of the President at the Office of Science and Technology Policy, with a specific focus on health outcomes and cancer health policy, as announced by the President’s Commission on White House Fellows on September 20.
Prior to her appointment, while working at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Menghrajani conducted research in the field of cancer, particularly focused on early diagnosis and prevention.
Her background and expertise extend beyond medicine. She has extensive experience managing volunteers and community organizers, working on startups in the global health sector, conducting epidemiology field research, and building global health collaborations. In addition, she has provided care to oncology patients in international contexts, including Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai and the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala.
As an entrepreneur, Menghrajani has co-founded startups aimed at addressing unmet needs in cancer treatment and utilizing artificial intelligence for rapid cancer diagnosis. She has also played a pivotal role in growing the nonprofit organization Nourish International, which engages student leaders in international development work.
Passionate about using journalism for health education, Menghrajani has completed her MD at the University of North Carolina and her MS in Biostatistics at Columbia University. Her extensive coursework has focused on biostatistics, epidemiology, clinical trial development, and the implementation of machine learning and artificial intelligence algorithms in healthcare and medical research.
Her multifaceted career includes experience in medical and health policy journalism, including work for the ABC News Health Unit and contributions to NPR-affiliate KQED in San Francisco.
Under the White House Fellows program, initiated in 1964, fellows spend a year working closely with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other high-ranking Administration officials. The experience equips them to become better leaders in their communities.
The 2023-2024 Fellows were selected through a highly competitive process, representing a diverse range of professions and experiences, including the private sector, local government, academia, non-profits, medicine, and the armed forces.
