Students
Class of 2010
Lindsey Boortz
Lindsey (Minneapolis, MN; La Crosse, WI) received her B.S. in Biology (2008) from the University of Minnesota. She received a Gunderson-Lutheran Hospital Scholarship. She was a research assistant in plant genetics, studying how hormones regulate Arabidopsis. Her volunteer activities include Big Brothers/Big Sisters and a children¿s oncology unit. Lindsey would like to work in a clinical setting, and believes that the most important challenge for the field is getting the public informed about and involved with the benefits of genetic counseling and testing. Lindsey's research project is: Family CARE (Colorectal Cancer Awareness and Risk Education) project: Intervention, fidelity, and reliability.
Chien-Hui Chuang
Chien-Hui (Eugene, OR; Taipei, Taiwan) received her B.S. in Zoology (1996) from National Taiwan University, her M.S. in Genetics (1998) from National Yang-Ming University, and her Ph.D. (2007) in Cell and Structural Biology from the University of Illinois. Undergraduate research involved developmental control of the eye disc in Drosophila. She has been a teaching assistant in biochemistry and genetics, and worked on gene sequencing of human chromosome 4q16 as a research assistant. Her M.S. thesis title was Investigation of genomic abnormalities in human ovary cancer by comparative genomic hybridization. Her PhD research involved the discovery of a long-range, actin/myosin dependent, directed movement of an interphase chromosome region after targeting of a transcriptional activator (Dissertation title: Long-range chromatin motion in interphase CHO cells). She published these data in Current Biology in 2006 and has published two review articles. She won the outstanding thesis award for her master¿s thesis, and her research was the novel and newsworthy top pick for the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology. She speaks Chinese and Taiwanese (her native languages). Chien-Hui would like to take her strong technical background and acquire communication skills to help clients from diverse backgrounds to deal with their genetic conditions. Chien-Hui's research project is: Tailoring patient letters to breast cancer patients - Patient needs and preferences.
Larissa Hansen
Larissa (Brookings, SD) received her B.S. in Mathematics (2006) with a minor in Psychology from South Dakota State University. She received the Stephen F. Briggs scholarship. She has participated in a civil engineering internship and a biomedical engineering internship, and was a student orientation leader for two summers. Since graduation she has worked as a project materials manager. Her volunteer experiences include a youth mentoring program and hospice agency. She is excited to learn about the challenges, the science, and the counseling skills needed for her chosen career. Larissa's research project is: Healthcare transition for individuals with NF1: Patient, parent and provider perspectives.
Kara Reynolds
Kara (Fort Collins, CO; Anchorage, AK) received her B.S. in Health and Exercise Science (Cum Laude, 2007) from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. While at CSU she served as president of a religious student association that participated in university-sponsored volunteer activities, planned and executed weekly activities for young adults as activities chair, and recruited students as a student ambassador. She has worked as a camp counselor, bookseller, and physical therapist assistant. She speaks conversational Spanish. Kara is interested in increasing newborn screening and helping people understand how genes affect their lives. Kara's research project is: Potential indications for prenatal microarray.
Heidi McCoy
Heidi (Salt Lake City, UT) received her B.S. in Biology (2008) with a minor in chemistry from the University of Utah. She was a laboratory assistant in a genetics laboratory where she characterized the growth rates of skeletal structures in different populations of stickleback fish, and tested new microsatellite mapping markers. She received a University of Utah mini-grant for this research. She was an emergency room and outpatient admitting clerk at Salt Lake Regional Medical Center. She was a student intern at the University of Utah Honors College, where she reviewed admission applications, assisted with student advising and fundraising, and held information seminars. She served on the honors student advisory committee and the ASUU public relations committee. Heidi also volunteered with Planned Parenthood. She served a church mission in Los Angeles, CA, where she learned Spanish. Heidi envisions herself working in a prenatal or cancer genetics clinical setting. Heidi's research project is: Descriptive review and comparison of clinical outcomes of AFAP patients.
Jennifer Mueller
Jennifer (Port Orange, FL) received her B.S. in Microbiology and Cell Science (2007) from the University of Florida, Gainesville. Jennifer has worked as a docent, curatorial assistant and teacher assistant at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, where she organized and prepared materials for the Summer Learning Institute, and designed and presented general science and history lessons to students. Volunteer work has included time in the pediatrics and radiology departments at Shands Hospital, Planned Parenthood where she received certification as an HIV counselor, Relay for Life, and the Museum of Arts and Sciences. She spent the summer of 2006 at the University of Florida in Rome, Italy. Other interests include art history, tennis and foreign travel. She speaks Spanish and Italian. Jennifer hopes to contribute to growth in the field of genetic counseling, as it becomes more accessible to families and develops better options and medical treatments. Jenniffer's research project is: The current standards of practice for delivering genetic test results to clients in prenatal and pediactric genetic counseling specialites.
Tara Somer
Tara (Lincoln, NE; Yankton, SD) received her B.S. in Biochemistry (Honors (Highest Distinction), 2008) with minors in chemistry and mathematics from the University of Nebraska. She received the George Beadle, Distinguished Scholar, Holling Memorial, and Sam and Martha McKelvie scholarships. She was a teaching assistant in Cellular Function and Structure, General Genetics, and Biochemistry Laboratory, and tutor in Macromolecules and Metabolism. She worked on research projects including life span experiments with yeast, a diagnostic test for Sjörgen-Larrson syndrome utilizing fatty alcohols, and genetic marker analysis. Her research was presented as a poster and oral presentation at the NE-BRIN/INBRE conference. Her honors thesis work determined the effect of different strains of male flies on the lipid content of female eggs, and was presented at the Nebraska Academy of Sciences meeting. Tara was president and treasurer of the Biochemistry Club, and received the Outstanding Student Organization Officer award. Community service activities include organizing fundraisers for Relay for Life and Big Brother/Big Sister. Tara hopes to combine research and clinical counseling, as she helps families to understand the complex science of genetics. Tara's research project is: Stress and support in rural and urban families.
Heather Williams
Heather (Pullman, WA; Vancouver, WA) received two B.S. degrees in Psychology and Genetics/Cell Biology (Magna Cum Laude, 2008) from Washington State University, Pullman, WA. She was a laboratory research assistant in a genetics laboratory at Washington State University, service worker and animal caregiver at Washington State University Veterinary Hospital, a caregiver at the Hampton Alzheimer¿s Communities, and a Girl Scout camp volunteer. She earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. She received the J. Culbertson Scholarship and two university grants. One of these grants enabled Heather to work in a reproductive genetics laboratory, characterizing novel expressed sequence tagged genes. Heather loves the blend of science and working with people that genetic counseling offers. Heather's research project is: The value of patient letters in prenatal genetic counseling.
Class of 2011
Megan Bell
Megan (Benicia, CA) received an Associates Degree (2007, High Honors) in Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Liberal Arts and Biotechnology from Solano Community College in Fairfield, CA. She was an Academic Senate Distinguished Scholar, and a recipient of Solano Community College General Scholarship for excellence and two memorial scholarships for science excellence. She received her BS in Molecular Cell Biology with a minor in Chemistry (2008, Summa Cum Laude) from Dominican University, San Rafael, CA. She was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and was selected as the 2008 Dominican Scholar in Biology. She participated in a collaborative research project aimed at directing mouse embryonic stem cells to differentiate into adult cell types. Megan presented her findings at the 22nd National Council on Undergraduate Research and the 38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. While completing her undergraduate degree, Megan tutored math and science, and organized and led academic excellence workshops in organic chemistry. Her professional affiliations include membership in Beta Beta Beta Biological Honor Society, Alpha Gamma Sigma Scientific Honor Society, Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement Student Society, and Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science. Megan has completed an internship at Genentech in South San Francisco, where she helped develop an anti-tumor therapeutic, and an internship at BioMarin Pharmaceuticals in Novato, CA, where she worked on protein therapeutics. She has also worked as an environmental health specialist intern. She has a purple belt in Kenpo Karate. Megan is excited about genetic counseling because it offers personal interaction, the investigative aspect of biology, cutting edge science, and the opportunity to educate the community. She is interested in cancer genetics and personalized drug treatments.
Megan Blanksma
Megan (Salt Lake City, UT) received her B.S. in Health Science (biochemistry focus) with a minor in Human Biology (2008) from the College of Idaho, Caldwell, ID. She worked as a research assistant, synthesizing cadmium chelating agents and testing their ability to reduce cadmium induced cell death on human osteosarcoma cells. She was awarded an Idaho INBRE fellowship and performed assays to determine efficacy of two ethanolamine derived cadmium chelating agents. She presented this research at the Murdock College Science Research Program Undergraduate Research Conference, the Idaho Academy of Sciences, and the American Chemical Society National Conference. She is co-author of a manuscript published in Biometals (2007, 20:61-72). Megan's advocacy activities include hospice and working as a Campus Safety Officer. After graduation, she worked at Myriad Genetics Laboratories running PCR tests for breast and colon cancer genes. Megan is passionate about the genetic counselor's role in education and in helping patients to make better informed decisions.
Christina Hawbaker
Christina (Pullman, WA) received her BA (2009) in biology with minors in chemistry and psychology from Willamette University (Salem, OR). She participated in a summer research program at Clemson University (funded by NSF), determining diversity between and within populations of Arabidopsis lyrata, and was a volunteer genetic counselor assistant at the Helen F. Graham Cancer Center in Newark, Delaware and the Genetics Department at Kaiser Point West, Sacramento, CA. Honors have included a Willamette University scholarship, grant and merit award. She served as treasurer and vice-president of the Tri-Bet Biology Honors Society. Christina would like to work in both patient care and genetic research.
Lindsay Meyers
Lindsay (Houston, TX) received a BS in Molecular Genetic Technology (2005) from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Her undergraduate research projects included optimizing a PCR assay, and using CGH microarray to study pediatric leukemia (ALL) patients. After graduation, she worked as a technologist in the DNA Diagnostic Laboratory and genetic testing coordinator in the Medical Genetics Laboratories at Baylor College of Medicine. Lindsay previously worked as a laboratory technician in Texas Children's Hospital and a medical office assistant in a private clinic. She was an art cart volunteer at Texas Children's and a volunteer providing respite care for families with genetics conditions. Lindsay is looking forward to combining her laboratory and clinical experience as a genetic counselor.
Renee Rider
Renee (Salt Lake City, UT) received a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife with a specialty option in Molecular and Cellular Research (2001) from Oregon State University; a JD (2005) from Northeastern University School of law; and a BS in Psychology with a minor in Gerontology (2007, Summa Cum Laude) from Arizona State University. She received the Thurston E. Doler (at OSU) and Flinn (at Arizona) Scholarships. She studied abroad in Athens, Greece and Geneva, Switzerland. Renee has worked in multiple laboratories, with experience in molecular genetics, immunohistochemistry, database maintenance, wildlife biology, educational curriculum design, and research project design, data collection and analysis. Her advocacy and internship activities include Area Agency on Aging, Community Tax Aid of Boston, legal internships, and foster parenting of both children and animals. Renee's specific interests in the genetic counseling field include legal-political issues, accessible communication of complex scientific ideas, and advocacy. She hopes to work in an academic environment and is interested in reproductive genetics and research about genetic counseling, testing, and policies.
Brianna Sawyer
Briana (Davis, CA) received her B.S. in Genetics and Psychology with a minor in music (2008) from the University of California, Davis. She worked as student assistant to the director at the Center of Excellence in Nutritional Genomics at UC Davis, and spent a summer abroad in Italy. Briana volunteered for the Davis Community Clinic as a health educator, mentored girls in transition from high school to college in the Communicare Health Center Teen Program. Briana also worked for 5 years as a piano instructor. She loves how genetic counseling incorporates the science of inheritance, helping patients achieve emotional well-being, constant learning, and the ability to improve patients' lives.
Erin Youell
Erin (South Orange, NJ) received her B.A. in Biology with a minor in Spanish (1999) from Bowdoin College (Brunswick, ME.) She taught personalized lessons in biology, chemistry, physics, algebra I/II and pre-calculus at a private high school in San Diego, CA. She continued teaching secondary math and science, as well as health and Spanish, as a junior high instructor at a public magnet school in Los Angeles, CA. Her advocacy activities include Planned Parenthood and the Jewish Genetic Disease Consortium, where she organized genetic screenings at New York City area colleges. One of her most challenging and rewarding experiences was volunteering as a crisis counselor for a suicide prevention hotline and mental health service in New York City. She has also worked as a volunteer environmental education leader and in administration with both commercial and non-profit organizations. Erin is interested in community-based healthcare, genetics education, and expanding genetic counseling services to underserved communities.
