Meet Our Team
The Drexel HOPE team is an interdisciplinary group of medical providers, social workers and peer recovery specialists all working together to meet patients where they are.
Program Co-Director
Pronouns: he/him
Dr. Seval is a board-certified internist and infectious disease specialist. He sees patients at the Drexel Partnership Comprehensive Care Practice and is also an adjunct faculty member in infectious diseases at Jefferson University Hospital where he sees inpatient consults. Dr. Seval seeks to improve care for all people who use drugs through evidence-based medicine and compassionate, patient-centered care. His additional interests are in clinical research and in the intersection of infectious diseases with addiction.
Medical Provider
Pronouns: she/her
Dr. Kou-Chow is board certified in family medicine and practices at the Drexel Partnership Comprehensive Care Practice. She completed her family medicine residency at Drexel University College of Medicine/Hahnemann University Hospital. Before coming to Drexel, Dr. Kou-Chow worked for more than 10 years as a primary care provider in the North Philadelphia region. She is a passionate advocate for making culturally sensitive, comprehensive, compassionate care available to vulnerable populations, including immigrant populations, the underserved and the uninsured. Dr. Kou-Chow is a native Spanish speaker.
Paulina Pok, MPH, CHES
Program Manager
Pronouns: she/her
Paulina Pok is a certified health education specialist and completed her master's in public health at Drexel’s Dornsife School of Public Health. As the program manager at Drexel HOPE, Paulina coordinates many of the daily activities inside and outside of the mobile medical clinic. Prior to her role with Drexel HOPE, Paulina spent over seven years working in Philadelphia, taking on roles in population health, community health education, psychosocial research and improving access to care. She worked with people who had developed opioid use disorder after receiving long-term pain medication prescriptions and the experience motivated Pauline to take on a larger role in helping combat the opioid epidemic. Paulina is passionate about improving health equity and access to quality care for underserved and overlooked communities.
Melissa Sullivan, BSN, RN
Viral Hepatitis Coordinator
Melissa Sullivan is a registered nurse and the viral hepatitis coordinator with Drexel HOPE. She completed her bachelor of science in nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Drexel HOPE, Melissa worked in the inpatient hospital setting and community health centers with underserved individuals including people who use drugs. Melissa is committed to decreasing the stigma and barriers faced in the health care system by people who use drugs, to ensure equitable, empathetic, high-quality care. As a member of the HOPE team, Melissa tests community members for hepatitis A, B and C, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections. She supports our patients to get treated and cured of hepatitis C and empowers our patients to get vaccinated against infectious diseases like hepatitis A and B. Melissa is passionate about improving access to health education, treatment and resources for underserved communities. Melissa tailors her health education and care coordination to our patients’ priorities and needs, empowering them to make decisions aligned with their goals and wellbeing.
Jesse Telles, LCSW
Social Worker/Medical Case Manager
Pronouns: she/her
Jesse Telles completed her Master of Social Work degree at Temple University. Jesse has 13 years of experience in social services, having worked in medical case management for people living with HIV, and as a therapist for trauma survivors. Prior to joining Drexel HOPE, Jesse also worked in forensic case management in a program that offered substance use disorder treatment in lieu of incarceration for non-violent offenders. Jesse is passionate about improving access to health care for underserved populations, with a special interest in providing care to people in the LGBTQ+ community.
Vince Mason, CPS
Peer Recovery Specialist
Pronouns: he/him
Vince Mason is a certified peer specialist and was trained in phlebotomy by Drexel University in 2020. Since 2015, Vince has been a facilitator of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP), an evidence-based practice for peer specialists. Vince has supported patients in substance use disorder recovery and mental health treatment across inpatient, outpatient and community integrated settings. He is a person with lived experience and a veteran.
Leon Smith, CPS, CHW
Peer Recovery Specialist
Pronouns: they/he
Leon is a certified peer specialist and community health worker dedicated to serving populations that exist at the intersections of marginalized identities. As an activist, they are committed to tackling LGBTQ+ inequities, especially for youth and people of color. He is a member of Colour’s Community Advisory Board and previously participated in Valley Youth House’s Pride Task Force and Youth Advisory Board. Leon is an avid public speaker who frequently serves on panels to share about their lived experience as a Black queer youth and advocate for disability rights, harm reduction and collective liberation.
Program Evaluator
Pronouns: he/him
Dr. Bennett is a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Drexel University College of Medicine. His research and clinical interests include identifying barriers and support in treating substance use disorders.
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The information on these pages is provided for general information only and should not be used for diagnosis or treatment, or as a substitute for consultation with a physician or health care professional. If you have specific questions or concerns about your health, you should consult your health care professional.
The images being used are for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted is a model.