ART-GC Students
Certified genetic counselors affiliated with the five consortium programs (University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Baylor College of Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, and University of Washington School of Medicine) are encouraged to apply.
Two genetic counselors from each site will be enrolled each year, creating a cohort of ten trainees yearly and a total of 40 trainees over the period of the grant. Applicants should have several years of experience in genetic counseling, including some research, and an interest in pursuing additional research at a higher level.
The first cohort of students started the program in fall 2023 and completed it in May 2024.
Class of 2025
Elsa Balton (University of Washington)
Elsa Balton is from Bellingham, Washington. She graduated from Western Washington University in 2017 with bachelor’s degrees in Cell & Molecular Biology and Spanish, and from Keck Graduate Institute in 2021 with her MS in Genetic Counseling. After graduation, Elsa worked in a medical genetics clinic in Seattle, WA for two years before transitioning to a research genetic counselor position at the University of Washington. Elsa’s professional interests include rare disease, application of diagnostic technologies, and increasing the utility of genetics services to underserved populations. As a genetic counselor for the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, she especially loves connecting with families and providing support on the diagnostic journey. When not working, Elsa is outside enjoying the beautiful Pacific Northwest via boat, bicycle, or on foot with her dog.
Jessa Bidwell (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Jessa Bidwell graduated from the Northwestern University Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling in 2022. She earned her bachelor's degree in neuroscience from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa in 2016. Jessa is a research genetic counselor at Mayo Clinic’s Center for Individualized Medicine. She specializes in returning genetic results to generally healthy participants of large genomic studies. During the ART-GC program, Jessa aims to study the role(s) and utility of genetic counselors in the clinical-translational space, particularly clinical trials and gene therapy studies. Jessa lives in Zumbrota, Minnesota with her husband and pets. In her free time, she can be found playing pickleball, gardening, enjoying television shows and traveling.
Natalie Burrill (University of Pennsylvania Perelman College of Medicine)
Natalie Burrill is a genetic counselor in the Division of Human Genetics at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Previously she was a Fetal Genetic Counselor Specialist at the Richard D. Wood Jr. Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment, also at CHOP, where she played an integral role among a team of genetic counselors at the CFDT in providing highly specialized multidisciplinary care to her patients. She obtained her bachelor’s degree at Boston University and her graduate degree in genetic counseling at Arcadia University in 2018. Her research interests lie in correlating prenatal imaging findings to genetic diagnoses and defining the outcomes of those fetuses to better counsel her patients. She has presented her research and clinical experience at 10 national conferences and 14 speaker presentations.
Pankhuri Gupta (University of Washington)
Pankhuri Gupta is from Delhi, India and currently lives in Seattle, WA. She received her BS in Biology from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in 2020, and her MS in Genetic Counseling from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 2024. Her research interests include utilizing long-read sequencing to identify mutations in patients with rare and undiagnosed conditions. She is a research genetic counselor at the University of Washington, where she works on the NIH funded Brotman Baty Institute Clinical Variant Database project, focusing on analyzing functional data for variant reclassification. She also collaborates with geneticists and genetic counselors on the Undiagnosed Diseases Network study to help find diagnoses for patients through long-read sequencing. Outside of work, Pankhuri loves exploring the PNW outdoors, reading, and spending time with her cat Chikoo!
Cecilia Kessler (Vanderbilt University College of Medicine)
Cece Kessler is from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and currently lives in Nashville, TN. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh (2019) and a Master of Genetic Counseling from Vanderbilt University (2024). Passionate about patient advocacy and healthcare accessibility research, she currently serves as a Research Genetic Counselor at Vanderbilt Eye Institute. Cecilia focuses her research on enhancing comprehensive care and expanding access to clinical trials for inherited retinal diseases. Beyond her work, she finds joy in art, embroidery, long-distance running, and spending time with friends and family.
Elizabeth McCormick (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)
Elizabeth McCormick graduated from Arcadia University in 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology. She then attended the Arcadia University Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program and graduated in 2011. Elizabeth has been a genetic counselor at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the Mitochondrial Medicine Frontier Program since 2011. Throughout her career, with roles in both the clinical and research settings, she has focused on mitochondrial disorders with special interests in genomics and psychosocial aspects of this group of disorders. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys walking with her dog, running, playing field hockey, and spending time with friends and family.
Shelly Weiss McQuaid (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine)
Shelly Weiss McQuaid received her MS in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University and her BS in Brain, Behavior and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Michigan. Shelly has diverse experience spanning adult clinical genetics, industry, pediatric cancer genetics, laboratory stewardship and advocacy. She joined Lurie Children’s Hospital in 2016 and is a founding member of the hospital’s Cancer Predisposition Program. Shelly’s primary research interest is hereditary cancer risk assessment in the gender diverse pediatric population. Shelly resides in the suburbs of Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, crafting, and going on adventures with her husband and daughter.
Bailey Mitchell (Baylor College of Medicine)
Bailey Mitchell is from central Illinois and completed her degree in genetic counseling at Augustana University in 2022 after previous undergraduate and graduate studies at Eastern Illinois University. She has since worked as a pediatric genetic counselor at Baylor College of Medicine and CHRISTUS Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, in a role combining clinical care with laboratory genetic testing stewardship. Her research interests include variant interpretation and genotype-phenotype correlation in rare disease. Outside of work, Bailey enjoys reading, walking, and spending time with her dog, Evie.
Lianna Paul (Vanderbilt University School of Medicine)
Lianna Paul is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated from Duquesne University in 2016 with a bachelor’s in biology and minors in English and biochemistry. She received her master’s in genetic counseling from Vanderbilt University in 2024 and will begin her career as a research genetic counselor at Vanderbilt. Lianna is passionate about population and reproductive genetics. Her current research focuses on the diagnostic process for genetic conditions and factors that lead to delays and extended diagnostic odysseys for patients. In her free time, Lianna enjoys running and hiking, traveling, and reading.
Sarah McKeown Ruggiero (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)
Sarah McKeown Ruggiero is a Genetic Counselor who specializes in the genetics of epilepsy and related neurodevelopmental disorders. She has a long-standing interest in neurodevelopmental disorders, and she worked as a research scientist within multiple laboratories exploring the pathobiology of neurodevelopmental disorders before becoming a Genetic Counselor. She is a Genetic Counselor at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where she works within the Epilepsy Neurogenetics Initiative (ENGIN) and the Center for Epilepsy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ENDD). Sarah’s research is particularly focused on genes involved in neuronal synaptic function, specifically STXBP1-related disorder. She has an MS in Genetic Counseling from Arcadia University, as well as a BS in Neuroscience and BA in English from the University of Delaware.
Michelle Zelnick (Baylor College of Medicine)
Shelly obtained a B.S. in Neuroscience and Psychology as well as a M.S. in Cellular and Molecular Biology from Tulane University. Shelly Graduated from the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences genetic counseling program in 2022 and went on to pursue a career in immunogenetics. She works at Baylor College of Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, focusing on pediatric patients with suspected inborn errors of immunity in both the clinical and research setting. Shelly’s passion for translational research stems from the immediate positive impact it has for her patients in the immunology field. With the ART-GC program, she hopes to develop a more strategic algorithm for genetic testing in the immune space to reduce ambiguous results and increase diagnostic yields. In her free time, Shelly enjoys pickleball, audiobooks, and taking walks with her dogs, Nala and Gimli.
CLASS OF 2024
Kelsey Hazelberg (Vanderbilt University College of Medicine)
Kelsey Hazelberg is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Kelsey received their Master’s in Genetic Counseling from Vanderbilt University in 2023, and their bachelor’s in biology and philosophy at Mount Mary University in 2017. Kelsey is passionate about engaging in research that amplifies the voices and experiences of LGBTQIA2S+ people. Kelsey’s current research focuses on the experiences of Trans, Nonbinary, and Gender Expansive individuals in reproductive healthcare. Kelsey works as a genetic counselor at Vanderbilt and sees patients in the Genomics and Therapeutics Clinic and Prenatal clinics. In her free time, Kelsey enjoys gardening, cooking and camping.
Madilyn Head (University of Washington School of Medicine)
Madilyn Head began her research journey at the University of Montana, contributing to evolutionary genetics, cellular biology, and immunology focused projects. Inspired by the altruistic nature of research, she pursued a degree in genetic counseling from the University of Washington, where she conducted a qualitative analysis regarding implementing a hereditary breast and ovarian cancer risk assessment in primary care. This experience deepened her interest in the intersection of public health and genetic counseling, and she hopes to enhance accessibility through broader education initiatives in public health and primary care. Madilyn will be working with the Washington State Department of Health, assessing primary care providers' knowledge and educational needs regarding hereditary cancer syndromes, ultimately contributing to the integration of genetics in primary care. Alongside her work, Madilyn finds solace in exploring the wonders of the Pacific Northwest and beyond, seeking new experiences and perspectives with her friends and family. When not on an adventure, you can find her curled up with her beloved cats (Mer & Matilda Blair), engrossed in a book, indulging in her never-ending movie-list, or collaging—her current creative obsession.
Liya Rabkina (Northwestern University)
Liya Rabkina graduated from the Northwestern University graduate program in genetic counseling in 2020 and became board certified later that year. She earned her bachelor's degree in biochemistry from Scripps College in 2017. Liya is currently practicing as a preconception genetic counselor at Igenomix, where she specializes in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Liya has a passion for translational research due to its potential to impact clinical care for her patients. During her time in the ART-GC program, she aims to advance knowledge in the preconception realm by investigating pediatric outcomes following the transfer of embryos with various PGT results. Liya resides in San Francisco. In her free time, she can be found jogging along the Embarcadero or cuddling with her kitten, Luna.
Anna Raper (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)
Anna Raper graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008 with a major in Biological Basis of Behavior and minor in English. She was a clinical research coordinator on drug trials for lipid disorders for several years before attending Arcadia University where she received a MS in Genetic Counseling in 2016. Since then, she has worked at Penn Medicine in the Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics as a clinical and research genetic counselor. Anna would like to help increase access to genetic testing and study the patient and provider impact of this testing in the Cures Act era. Apart from her work, Anna enjoys walking, movies/TV, radio, concerts and spending time with friends and family.
Alyssa Rippert (University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine)
Alyssa Rippert graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and minor in Psychology. She then attended the University of Cincinnati Genetic Counseling Program and graduated with a Master of Science in Medical Genetics in 2016. Alyssa has been a genetic counselor with the Division of Human Genetics and Division of Cardiology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia since 2016. As a member of the Cardiomyopathy Genetics Clinic, her research efforts have included characterizing rare genetic causes of, evaluating the diagnostic yield of comprehensive genetic testing in, and variant burden and outcomes in pediatric cardiomyopathy. Her current research interests include outcomes and disease severity in RASopathies, particularly evaluating predictors of cardiac and neurodevelopmental outcomes and clinical severity scale development for Noonan syndrome. Alyssa enjoys baking, going to Phillies games, and reading in her free time.
Jill Slamon (Vanderbilt University College of Medicine)
Jill Slamon is a Senior Associate faculty in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Vanderbilt School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee. She is also the founding Assistant Program Director of the Vanderbilt University Master of Genetic Counseling Program. Jill has over 10 years of clinical experience in reproductive and prenatal genetic counseling. She also has 20 years of teaching and curricular design experience. Jill earned a Bachelor of Science from the Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University. She then earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from National Louis University and a Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Her research project will focus on standardizing assessment tools for genetic counseling education and training. Jill lives in Nashville with her wife, Alison, and their two children: Ivy, 7 and Arlo, 5
Juliet Torres (University of Washington)
Juliet Torres is from Chicago, Illinois. In 2019, she obtained her B.A. Biology from Grinnell College. Her research experiences ignited her passion for combining research and genetic counseling. Juliet’s projects at the Anne & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center focused on Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome. In 2023, Juliet completed her M.S. in Genetic Counseling at the University of Washington. She will be a Fellow at the University of Washington’s Center for Interstitial Lung Diseases providing genetic counseling services and leading a research project. In her free time, Juliet enjoys weightlifting, hiking, and spending time with her loved ones.
Blake Vuocolo (Baylor College of Medicine)
Blake Vuocolo is from Doylestown, Pennsylvania. She obtained a B.S. in neuroscience with certificates in African studies and European Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. Blake graduated from the Baylor College of Medicine genetic counseling program and is currently a research genetic counselor at Baylor College of Medicine. As part of her current research, she works with underrepresented patients throughout Texas who have undiagnosed, rare diseases. Blake is passionate about making genomic services accessible worldwide in a sustainable and culturally sensitive way. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, trying new restaurants, traveling, and spending time with her family and dogs.
Lauren Westerfield (Baylor College of Medicine)
Lauren Westerfield was born in Ohio and currently lives in Houston, TX. She received her B.S. in Psychology at Florida State University in 2007, and her M.S. in Genetic Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh in 2013. Her research interests include improving the fetal diagnostic workup by addressing gaps in phenotyping, gene-disease associations and phenotype expansions, and sequencing interpretation. She works as a reproductive genetic counselor at Baylor College of Medicine, where she is the lead genetic counselor at the Texas Children’s Hospital Fetal Center and coordinator with the PrenatalSEQ multi-center study for WES/WGS of fetuses with congenital anomalies. In addition to the Houston food and arts scene, she enjoys reading, crafting, and video games.
Jessica Young (Northwestern University Feinberg College of Medicine)
Jessica Young is from Vancouver, Canada. She graduated from Simon Fraser University in 2016 with a BS in Biology and from Northwestern University with her MS in Genetic Counseling in 2021. After graduation, Jessica worked as a Pediatric Genetic Counselor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In both her research and clinical work, Jessica’s main goal as a genetic counselor is to mitigate health disparities for underserved and at-risk communities by increasing access to genetic services and providing equitable care. In her free time, Jessica enjoys traveling, baking, reading, hiking, and spending time with friends and family.