About us

Vita Valens’ advances research to holistically improve the health and wellbeing of underserved communities in the New York City area. We conduct and support research to develop equity-based solutions and programming with the goal of fostering connectivity to bolster health outcomes. Vita Valens advances implementation research that contributes to and builds upon current best practices for educational programming to empower New Yorkers to access the resources they need to improve their own health and wellbeing.

Our approach examines physical and emotional health as intrinsically tied to the social determinants that shape the landscape of New York City. We implement and study one-on-one and group-based programming as a means of empowering individuals in health self-management through formats that center community, connectivity, and peer support.

Vita Valens provides a variety of existing programs for New Yorkers. Key areas of focus are increasing access to health information, social isolation and loneliness, and facilitating connections to health care services and resources.

Vita Valens works to improve the physical and emotional health of New Yorkers. We believe that providing genuine and compassionate connections are a core value in providing health support. Through our programs, New Yorkers can experience a revived sense of self, purpose and connection.

Adrian Stiles Photography - @adrianstilesphoto

Our Team

Jeffrey Fan

Jeffrey Fan is a Partner at 1585 Healthcare, an investment firm focused on investing in businesses that facilitate the delivery of quality healthcare to older adults and other vulnerable populations. He was formerly an Associate at The Carlyle Group, where he evaluated and managed investments in energy projects and companies. He began his career in Leveraged Finance at Barclays covering the Technology, Real Estate, and Gaming industries. At Barclays, he was involved in all aspects of the deal execution process for leveraged loans and high-yield bonds for clients such as Avaya, Brookfield, Dell, GoDaddy, and Iron Mountain. In 2018, Mr. Fan was a summer associate in Finance and Strategy at Blizzard Entertainment, a premier video game developer and publisher. Mr. Fan graduated with a BAS in Computer Science from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences of the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Economics from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (M&T Program). He also has an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Shubnit Kaur Makkar

Shubnit Kaur Makkar is a Research Associate at Vita Valens. Ms. Makkar brings a background in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, with experience applying behavioral science and data-driven methodologies to research, program evaluation, and organizational initiatives. Her work focuses on analyzing program and population data to generate actionable insights, evaluate effectiveness, and inform evidence-based strategies to improve community health and well-being. She holds an MA in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from New York University, an MA in Psychology, and a BA in Psychology.

Akshara Ramaseshan

Akshara Ramaseshan is a Research Associate at Vita Valens. Ms. Ramaseshan has experience working within research intensive environments in the financial sphere as well as higher education and academia. Her passion lies in bringing data-driven methodologies to enhance healthcare delivery and outcomes. She previously worked as an Investment Banking analyst at Rothschild & Co. She has an MA from The City College of New York, and a BA in Applied Mathematics and Middle Eastern Studies from Colgate University.

Our Board

Jeffrey Fan

Julie Kim

Julie Kim is a Partner at 1585 Healthcare, an investment firm focused on investing in businesses that facilitate the delivery of quality healthcare to older adults and other vulnerable populations. Formerly, Ms. Kim was a Principal and fund COO at The Carlyle Group, where she was responsible for the operations of the structured energy fund family. Prior to Carlyle, Ms. Kim was an associate in the Project and Structured Finance Group at Morgan Stanley. She began her career in Equity Derivatives at Morgan Stanley. Ms. Kim graduated with a BS in Mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She also earned a BS in Management Science from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Peter Faroni

Peter Faroni is an Advisor to 1585 Healthcare, an investment firm focused on investing in businesses that facilitate the delivery of quality healthcare to older adults and other vulnerable populations. Formerly, Mr. Faroni was a Founder, Managing Member and General Partner at Madryn Asset Management, a healthcare-focused investment firm, where he led the firm’s investment activities. Prior to Madryn, Mr. Faroni was founding member of the investment teams at Visium Asset management and CRG (f/k/a Capital Royalty). Mr. Faroni began his career at Morgan Stanley where he worked in the Special Situations Group and Structured Solutions Group within the Fixed Income Division and Global Capital Markets, respectively. Mr. Faroni graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Mathematics from the Middlebury College.