Simon was born in New York, NY, but grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and Surrey, England before returning to New York for college. Simon is being recognized for his work as Director of Nightline Peer Listening, an anonymous, student-run peer listening organization that serves the University community. Alongside this work, he has pursued research between the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Zuckerman Institute investigating the neural basis underlying comorbidity between depression and chronic pain. He plans to continue this work as an MD-PhD student following graduation.