Bergen Man Honored At White House For Founding Healthcare Outreach Group

A Cliffside Park man who founded a non-profit to help people to sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act was honored among other people dubbed "Champions of Change" at the White House Friday.

Aakash Shah, 28, is the founder and executive director of Be Jersey Strong. The group trains and mobilizes student community health workers to address health-related social needs.

During the Affordable Healthcare Act's third open enrollment, the group recruited more than 500 student volunteers and helped non-English speaking residents sign up for health insurance. Two-thirds of the volunteers speak a second language.

Shah is a graduate of Bergen County Academies, The Record reported.

Shah is also an emergency room doctor-in-training. He earned his medical doctorate from Harvard Medical School. He earned a Master's in Business Administration from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.

The White House's Champions of Change program honors everyday Americans doing extraordinary things.

Aakash Shah, 28/Photo courtesy of The White House