Roll Call Tribute
Sarah Luna '10 May 31, 2019 12:12 PM updated: May 31, 2019 12:14 PM
Published in Ventura County (CA) Star from June 2 to June 7, 2019
Sarah Victoria Luna
Sarah Victoria Luna
- - February 8, 1988 - May 20, 2019
A remarkable young woman began a new journey on May 20th. As Chief Epidemiologist of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Sarah passed away on her first field assignment out of Anchorage in a floatplane crash as she neared Metlakatla, on Annette Island in remote Alaska, her final destination. She died as she had lived, in service to others. Her immediate goal had been to assist with a diabetes health clinic in this hamlet of 1,700 Native Alaskans.
Sarah graduated with honors from Pacifica High School in Oxnard in 2006. She received a full scholarship to Texas A&M, graduating with honors with a double major in Nutritional Sciences and Kinesiology in 2010. From College Station, Texas, she made her way to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York to work on her PhD.
Sarah began her professional service to others during her post-graduate years, spending time in India and Rwanda conducting research and providing nutritional counsel to the underserved.
After earning her PhD from Cornell in Human Nutrition, with an emphasis in epidemiology in August 2015, Sarah continued her life of service by enlisting in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a uniformed branch of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. As such, she attained the rank of Lieutenant in the United States Public Health Service attached to the Coast Guard. She was very proud to serve her country.
After her commitment with the CDC she spent time researching new opportunities to further serve humanity. She found her calling early in 2018, and committed to joining the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium as their Chief Epidemiologist. She worked out of Anchorage conducting research and writing grants for the Liver Disease and Hepatitis Program, while eagerly awaiting her first field assignment in the wilds of Alaska.
Sarah was not only dedicated and committed to a life of excellence, but also energetic and athletic. She loved classical Japanese dance, and earned her Third Degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do under Grandmaster Yong Sup Shin before entering college. While in graduate school she joined DanceSport, Cornell's traveling competitive ballroom dance team. Sarah was also a member of Zouk Atlanta and participated in various dance organizations in Anchorage. She was an adventurous world traveler, spending time in China, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Ireland, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Nepal. She loved to travel to new places to study and learn the local culture.
Sarah is mourned and survived by her parents, Laura and Victor Luna, her brother Sam, her grandparents Jean and Don Rowland and Consuelo Luna, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and a multitude of friends worldwide.
The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to the first responders of Metlakatla, Alaska who selflessly attempted to rescue Sarah.
Her memorial and celebration of life will be at the Pacifica High School Performing Arts Center, 600 East Gonzalez Rd, Oxnard, CA. at 2 PM on the 8th of June.
Memorial scholarships are being created by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage. The details of making a donation in Sarah's name are still being finalized by these agencies and should be available at her memorial service.
Sarah Victoria Luna
Sarah Victoria Luna
- - February 8, 1988 - May 20, 2019
A remarkable young woman began a new journey on May 20th. As Chief Epidemiologist of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Sarah passed away on her first field assignment out of Anchorage in a floatplane crash as she neared Metlakatla, on Annette Island in remote Alaska, her final destination. She died as she had lived, in service to others. Her immediate goal had been to assist with a diabetes health clinic in this hamlet of 1,700 Native Alaskans.
Sarah graduated with honors from Pacifica High School in Oxnard in 2006. She received a full scholarship to Texas A&M, graduating with honors with a double major in Nutritional Sciences and Kinesiology in 2010. From College Station, Texas, she made her way to Cornell University in Ithaca, New York to work on her PhD.
Sarah began her professional service to others during her post-graduate years, spending time in India and Rwanda conducting research and providing nutritional counsel to the underserved.
After earning her PhD from Cornell in Human Nutrition, with an emphasis in epidemiology in August 2015, Sarah continued her life of service by enlisting in the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a uniformed branch of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. As such, she attained the rank of Lieutenant in the United States Public Health Service attached to the Coast Guard. She was very proud to serve her country.
After her commitment with the CDC she spent time researching new opportunities to further serve humanity. She found her calling early in 2018, and committed to joining the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium as their Chief Epidemiologist. She worked out of Anchorage conducting research and writing grants for the Liver Disease and Hepatitis Program, while eagerly awaiting her first field assignment in the wilds of Alaska.
Sarah was not only dedicated and committed to a life of excellence, but also energetic and athletic. She loved classical Japanese dance, and earned her Third Degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do under Grandmaster Yong Sup Shin before entering college. While in graduate school she joined DanceSport, Cornell's traveling competitive ballroom dance team. Sarah was also a member of Zouk Atlanta and participated in various dance organizations in Anchorage. She was an adventurous world traveler, spending time in China, Guatemala, Argentina, Chile, Spain, Ireland, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Nepal. She loved to travel to new places to study and learn the local culture.
Sarah is mourned and survived by her parents, Laura and Victor Luna, her brother Sam, her grandparents Jean and Don Rowland and Consuelo Luna, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and a multitude of friends worldwide.
The family would like to express our sincere gratitude to the first responders of Metlakatla, Alaska who selflessly attempted to rescue Sarah.
Her memorial and celebration of life will be at the Pacifica High School Performing Arts Center, 600 East Gonzalez Rd, Oxnard, CA. at 2 PM on the 8th of June.
Memorial scholarships are being created by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in Anchorage. The details of making a donation in Sarah's name are still being finalized by these agencies and should be available at her memorial service.
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