Jessica de Laguna

Jessica de Laguna is a Yo'eme and Cherokee descendant and a former foster youth from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a Spring 2026 graduate of Cal Poly Humboldt, majoring in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in biomedical research, health education, and journalism, along with a minor in Chemistry.

Driven by a deep fascination with the mind–body connection, Jessica studies how the brain, trauma, stress, and mental health shape and affect the health of the human body. Her goal is to become a trauma‑informed physician serving tribal communities and challenging the social determinants of health that disproportionately impact Indigenous peoples.

Jessica plans to practice medicine along Northern California’s Highway 101 corridor, where she hopes to reduce the prevalence of diabetes, support community healing, expand access to care, and help build healthier futures for Native families and rural communities.