Student Biographies

Makenna Beigh (Sacramento, CA) earned her B.A. in Human Biology & Society from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2019, where she spent the majority of her undergraduate career exploring social determinants of health and healthcare access. She completed a summer public policy program in her hometown of Sacramento where she interned for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and conducted research on the intersection of poverty, nutrition, food access, and nutrition-related health outcomes. Upon exploring her interests in psychological and psychiatric disorders, Makenna interned at an early intervention center for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, where she discovered her love for pediatrics and mental healthcare. Makenna also served as the chapter president of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, in which her fierce work to combat sexual assault on campus earned her the 2018 Panhellenic President of the Year award. After graduating, she served as a genetic counseling intern at UCSF’s Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, where she provided research efforts to identify and address disparities in germline testing for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Makenna is passionate about equity in medicine and hopes to extend the power of genomic medicine to underserved and overlooked populations, including those afflicted by addiction, severe mental illness, and adoption.

Anneka Ecker (Minneapolis, MN) earned her BS in Biology and minor in Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2020. During her time as an undergraduate she worked in a research laboratory at 3M as a research assistant. Anneka also volunteered for the Tubman center, a shelter for battered women and children, as a resource counseling advocate. After graduation she continued her volunteer work at the Tubman center as well as taking on another volunteer role with the genetic counseling team at MHealth Fairview hospital. Her role in this position was to help the genetic counselors organize and submit genetic variants to the ClinVar database. Anneka also became the first genetic counseling assistant (GCA) at the Mayo Clinic where she supported genetic counselors in the Genetic Testing and Counseling Unit and the Predictive Genetics Clinic. She also worked on many genetic research projects at the Mayo Clinic such as the Biobank and Tapestry study with the goal of sequencing the DNA of as many patients as possible to further the advances of genetics in healthcare. Anneka is excited to apply her experience working with marginalized communities through her roles at Tuman and the Mayo Clinic to become an advocate for increased access to genetic counseling for all patients regardless of race, class, culture, or ability.

Emma Fosbinder (Wailuku, HI), received her BS in Anthropology with an emphasis in Human Biology from the University of Arizona (magna cum laude, 2021). Her thesis research was titled “The Ethical Considerations of Genetic Research and Genetic Testing: Best Practices”. As an undergraduate, she was a research intern with the Bureau of Applied Research in Anthropology on a project investigating the lived experiences of young adults with disabilities during their transitions to adulthood. Emma was also an Undergraduate Teaching Coordinator for a math course, a preceptor for an organic chemistry course, and a volunteer for an emergency room where she provided emotional support to patients and their families. Following graduation, Emma worked with youth as a substitute teacher and ocean sports instructor. She combined her research and work experience to volunteer for an organization working to improve access to ocean sports for individuals with physical disabilities and expanded her advocacy experience by volunteering as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. Emma would like to work in a clinical setting and is passionate about informed consent, empowering underrepresented populations in the field of genetics, and improving access to genetic counseling in underserved communities.

Hannah Hart (Fort Collins, CO), received her BS in Neuroscience and Biology from Wartburg College in Waverly, IA (summa cum laude, 2020) and was named Outstanding Senior in Neuroscience. She played soccer while at Wartburg, attending the NCAA tournament all four years and serving as captain her senior year. Throughout college, she volunteered with the local memory care home, groups working closely with kids with chronic illness and disabilities, and an organization training service dog. After graduating, she worked with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and 211 to aid and empower those in crisis. Hannah participated in research throughout her undergraduate work, taking special interest in neurodegenerative diseases. Her projects investigated stress reduction in Alzheimer’s Disease through familiar music, the influence of GM1 ganglioside in Huntington’s Disease, the progression of memory errors in Alzheimer’s Disease, and amyloid beta accumulation following traumatic brain injuries. For the last two years, she has worked closely with families with Huntington’s Disease, helping them integrate and contribute to research. Hannah has an interest in neurogenetics, and she looks forward to contributing to genetic counseling’s leadership in making healthcare more inclusive and equitable.

Sarah Nelson (Salt Lake City, UT) received her BS in Biology and Psychology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Utah.  As an undergraduate she volunteered at the Rape Recovery Center.  She worked both on the phone with the crisis line and responded to emergency rooms to advocate for survivors. She has worked with first responders experiencing PTSD, advocating, and supporting them.   For 4 ½ years, Sarah has volunteered with the VA.  She started in the outpatient PTSD clinic, helping veterans through the process.  Currently, she is volunteering in the Genomics Department.  Sarah is passionate about science communications.  She loves to help people discover science through drawings, animations and hands on through her 3D printed models.  She is looking forward to learning about cytogenetics and genetic counseling in a laboratory setting.

Cedar Palaia (Minneapolis, MN), graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development in 2021. As an undergraduate, he worked as a research assistant at the Lillehei Heart Institute for a cardiac regeneration research lab and a wild rice breeding, genetics, and conservation research lab. He volunteered for the Crisis Text Line counseling individuals experiencing mental health crises and was actively involved in the University of Minnesota genetic counseling program, volunteering and shadowing in various GCA roles. Upon graduation, he worked as a genetic counseling assistant for PreventionGenetics writing genetic testing reports as well as volunteering for the Wisconsin Special Olympics as a sports coach. In his free time, Cedar enjoys doing any activity outdoors but especially hiking, fishing, camping, cooking, and golfing. He is excited to combine his passion for genetics and healthcare on his journey to becoming a genetic counselor.

Sierra Pond (Salt Lake City, UT) earned her BS in biology with a molecular emphasis from Loyola University Chicago in 2017 (magna cum laude). During her years in Chicago, she worked in a research lab studying methylation patterns of heterochromatic regions of human chromosome 21. Sierra served as the executive vice president and president of the Theta Mu chapter of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, championing philanthropy efforts and career development. After graduation, Sierra moved to Jackson, Wyoming where she worked as the lead medical assistant for a local family practice provider. She simultaneously worked for a local family planning non-profit, coordinating fundraising efforts and community outreach. Sierra subsequently returned to Salt Lake City and began working for Shriners Children’s as their Multidisciplinary Clinic Coordinator. In this role, she has worked to expand specialty clinic offerings and assist in the development of access for genetic services. Sierra enjoys recreating in the mountains and volunteers with a local nonprofit to bring children with amputations into outdoor spaces for recreational and occupational therapy. Sierra has a strong interest in pediatric neuromuscular genetic counseling and sees herself working in multidisciplinary clinics for patients with complex care needs.

Madison Rumsey (Sandy, UT), received her BS in Biology from the University of Utah in 2019. During her undergraduate career, she worked as a clinical lab assistant at Primary Children’s Hospital, later moving into the send out department to gain more experience with genetic testing. She is a genetic counseling intern, where she applies data utilization and management to support the laboratory genetic counselors at Intermountain Healthcare. She is also a member of the Genetic Lab Stewardship Committee, which inspired her to start the first newsletter at Intermountain highlighting the importance of stewardship with genetic testing. To be more involved in her community, she began volunteering as an HIV prevention counselor at the Utah AIDS Foundation where she gained a great deal of experience helping individuals from a variety of backgrounds overcome the barriers of accessing healthcare. In addition, she has volunteered at the Murray Greenhouse Foundation, which is a center for special needs adults who have aged out of the school system. The combination of these experiences have helped shape her mindset and offered different perspectives for providing her future patients with the best care possible. She is interested in learning more about the different roles of laboratory genetic counselors and continuing to help underserved communities access health care.

Tatum Vilaboy (Tempe, AZ) received her BS from Arizona State University in 2021 in genetics, cell and developmental biology and a certificate in law and human behavior. While in undergrad, she researched the energy metabolism of heliobacteria and completed and defended a thesis project on using genetic engineering of hydrogen production to better understand heliobacteria physiology. She also volunteered as a crisis counselor, responding in a mobile unit with Tempe police and fire department to assist those experiencing crisis and provide resources. Additionally, she worked as tutor, a softball pitching coach, an after-school mentor for at risk youth in her community, and a pharmacy technician at CVS. During the summers, she volunteered as a camp counselor for a summer camp designed for children affected by cancer or developmental disabilities, both in-person and virtual. Since graduating, she begun working as a medical scribe for a pediatric geneticist, shadowed genetic counselors, and continued her volunteer experiences where she enjoys working with different populations who hold varying perspectives. Tatum is looking forward to using her clinical genetic counseling skills to bring the patient perspective on genetic conditions and testing into the public health and policy sector.

Grace Wilson (Portage, WI) received her Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in 2020. Her research primary involved studying the metabolic effects of herbicides on mouse liver enzymes, as well as conducting an independent study on the chemical relationship between ants and S. canadensis, where she presented at the Seven Rivers Symposium in 2020. During undergrad, she enjoyed working as a laboratory assistant for the Microbiology department and being an Organic Chemistry TA. Grace was inducted into the Tri Beta National Honor Society in 2020 and graduated from the honors program at St. Mary’s. She is passionate about advocating for people who have disabilities and has spent many hours working and volunteering at group homes, nursing homes, and for Special Olympics. Upon her graduation, she spent time working as a special education teacher assistant before joining Prevention Genetics laboratory in Marshfield, WI as a laboratory genetic counselor assistant. Grace is highly interested in pediatric genetics and epigenetics and is passionate about making genetic testing more accessible and routine in healthcare.

Yanete Rodriguez (Santa Ana, CA), received her BS in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Irvine (2018). During her time as an undergraduate, she worked extensively as a student researcher investigating the molecular basis for mammalian reproduction and development. She was awarded a fellowship and presented her research topic, “FNDC3B, a Novel Negative Regulator of SMAD-Dependent Signaling, is Required for Skeletal Development in Humans and Mice,” at the Summer Undergraduate Research Program symposium. Yanete’s research focused on the interaction of multiple proteins and their link to craniofacial abnormalities seen in humans. After graduation, she worked for three years as a genetic counseling assistant and certified Spanish translator at Genetics Center (Orange, CA), where she gained clinical experience in prenatal and cancer genetics. In her free time, she volunteers as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line, offering support and resources to those struggling with mental health issues. Yanete has a strong interest in advocacy and outreach to improve the accessibility of genetic counseling and testing. She would like to work in a clinical setting and is excited to learn more about pediatric genetics, neurogenetics, and metabolic genetics.

Ali Khalaf (Rancho Cucamonga, CA), received his BA in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. As an undergraduate, he was a research assistant for a lab that dealt the social implications of how healthcare professionals should deliver life-altering news as well as how people cope with uncertain waiting periods. He also was employed as a behavioral health therapist. He supported individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities/delays as well as helped them work through the challenges that accompany their diagnosis. During and upon graduation, he spent his time volunteering as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line as well as being employed full time throughout the entirety of the pandemic servicing first responders and front-line workers with their telecommunication needs. Witnessing the lack of access to genetic services/knowledge in his underserved community back home in the Middle East that he also noticed mirrored in his communities in the states, has driven Ali into the world of genetics and patient advocacy. Upon graduation, Ali has interests in providing exceptional clinical care as well as being an advocate for patients from underserved populations.

Susanna Pudner (Auburn, AL), received her BS in Biology with a minor in Psychology from the University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL (summa cum laude, 2021). During her time at South Alabama, she competed for the track and cross-country teams where she was awarded Sunbelt Conference Academic Honors all four years. She also volunteered as a student mentor, a fundraiser for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America, and a victim advocate for the Rape Crisis Center of Mobile, where she counseled survivors both over a crisis hotline and in the emergency room setting. Susanna took part in computational genetics research during her undergraduate career which identified novel regions in the human genome associated with chromosomal rearrangements in malignancy. She also served as a summer genetic counseling intern at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Huntsville, AL (2020), where she worked closely with the genetics team and took part in qualitative research analyzing patients’ perceptions of a population-based hereditary cancer screening program. Susanna has a strong interest in psychiatric genetics and hopes to increase the utility of genetic counseling in this area. She also aspires to use her educational and advocacy skills as a genetic counselor to increase genetic understanding and services in underserved African communities.

Martinna Raineri Tapies (Rockville, MD / Santiago, Chile), received her BS in Biology at the University of Maryland, College Park. During her time in college, she tutored Spanish majors in their Spanish-speaking abilities and joined Beta Psi Omega- the professional biology fraternity. Additionally, she worked as a teacher assistant at Georgetown Hill Early School daycare where she discovered her passion for working with people. During two of her summers, Martinna was an intern at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine studying ALS at a neurogenetics lab. Following her undergraduate studies, she worked at two research laboratories at Feinberg as an animal technician and research assistant. There, she gained exposure to calcium signaling research, whilst getting publications in motor-cortex neural circuits research. During this time, she was able to volunteer in the epilepsy department as a genetic counselor assistant at Lurie Children’s Hospital, and as a sexual assault hotline advocate at the YWCA. Martinna has a strong passion for advocacy, where she wants to provide equitable care to minorities, including LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking patients

Brianna Stebbins (Salt Lake City, UT), received her BS in Cell and Molecular Biology with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Utah. During her time as an undergraduate, she was a teaching assistant for an Evolution and Diversity lab and researched sperm competition in C. elegans at the Eccles Institute of Human Genetics. Deciding to shift her focus from genetic research to clinical testing, she joined ARUP Laboratories. First, as a Genomics Technician, then as a Genetic Counselor Support Specialist working alongside cytogenetic and molecular laboratory genetic counselors. Brianna has a love for advocacy and the diverse experiences she gained through volunteering. She previously brought genetics education to low-income schools through BioEyes and companionship to adults with disabilities through Best Buddies. Current activities include participating as a LinkLine advocate for the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition and working with the Utah AIDS foundation to champion sexual health. Brianna hopes to incorporate her advocacy skills and laboratory experience into the clinical setting to advance improved transparent connections between clinical and industry counselors. She currently envisions a role in genetic counseling for inborn errors of metabolism and is interested in the ethical considerations of pediatric genetics.

Nathan Shepherd (Heber City, UT), graduated from Brigham Young University in 2014 with bachelor’s degrees in Elementary Education (BS) and Spanish (BA). Since then, he has acquired educational endorsements from the Utah State Board of Education in Teaching English Language Learners, Spanish Teaching, Dual Language Immersion Education, and Elementary Mathematics. For the last seven years Nathan has been teaching in a Spanish Dual Language Immersion classroom and has enjoyed seeing many native Spanish speaking students thrive academically as a result of receiving instruction in their native language. He has worked with and provided accommodations for students with diverse educational needs and advocates for students with learning difficulties to stay in the general education classroom for as long as is possible. Nathan’s volunteer and advocacy experiences include Utah County Crisis Line operator, service at a women’s and children’s shelter, and as a swimming instructor to children with disabilities. Nathan is excited to learn more and engage in genetic counseling of all types and in all settings.

Kara Eckberg (Minneapolis, MN), earned her BS in Genetics, Cell Biology and Development with a minor in Spanish Studies from the University of Minnesota in 2019. During her time as an undergraduate, Kara researched enzymes implicated in the biosynthesis of heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Additionally, she was a Clinical Program Assistant at Fraser Mental Health Day Treatment, working with pediatric clients combatting mental health challenges and traumatic events. During the summers, she was a program director at an outdoors camp in northern Minnesota. She studied in Panama for a semester, completing a research paper exploring the relationship between organic farming practices, plot diversity, and prevalence of fungal disease in Theobroma cacao. Since graduation, Kara has been employed as a researcher in a lab at the University of Minnesota Medical School examining the genetic drivers of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD). She worked on projects investigating the role of long noncoding RNAs in the pathogenesis and progression of ADPKD. Kara is interested in translational genetics as well as improving equity and access in genetic testing.

Samantha (Sam) Beck (Park City, UT), received her BS in Biotechnology and Biology from Utah Valley University, emphasizing plant science (cum laude, 2018). As an undergraduate, she held scholarships as a first-generation student and was awarded the Outstanding Student award from the College of Science and Health (2015). She presented at multiple international and local botany conferences on, “Induction of Callus on Capsicum annuum: The First Step Toward Micropropagation” and “A Review of Medicinal Uses and Pharmacological Activities of Tridax procumbens (L.).”, publishing on both topics. Samantha acquired teaching experience through tutoring biology as well as coaching mountain biking and skiing. She gained other valuable experiences while volunteering with different demographic groups and organizations, tutoring underprivileged children, mentoring women and young girls interested in STEM, caregiving for the elderly and people with Autism. Sam also served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate working with foster children. After her undergraduate program, she worked with a diagnostic intelligence company aiding in the design of medical devices for histology labs and biopsy specimens gaining interest in cancer genetics. Samantha also has interests in advocacy for underrepresented communities and genetic counseling in the lab setting. She looks forward to learning more about the field to better understand her role in creating an equal and welcoming healthcare system.

Julia Prinzi (Staten Island, NY), received her BS in Molecular Biology from the University of California, San Diego (2020). Her research experience includes identifying the neural substrates of motivated behavior, especially as involved in binge eating behavior, addiction, obesity, or post-traumatic emotional disorders (Scripps Research Institute, 2017-19). Julia also researched the mechanisms of neurodegeneration in neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses and Down syndrome (IBR, 2018). As an undergraduate, she volunteered for Alzheimer’s San Diego as a companion intern and the Women’s Resource Center as a sexual assault response team member and their crisis hotline. Julia worked as a Behavior Interventionist with children diagnosed with Autism spectrum disorder and as a clinical trial support intern for a startup genetics company focused on rare diseases. Since graduating undergrad, she also worked as a Genetic Counseling Intern at Jacobi Medical Center. Julia is passionate about advocacy, mental health, and person-centered care. She looks forward to aiding the advancement of a more compassionate healthcare system and working with other professionals to provide the most comprehensive care for her future patients.

Nivedita Rao (Gurgaon, India), completed her BSc Chemistry/Microbiology/Zoology from Mody University, Rajasthan (2017), and her MS degree in Human Disease Genetics from Centre for Human Genetics, Bangalore (2019). Her Master’s thesis was titled Genetic Determinants of Premature Coronary Artery Disease. During her master’s she completed a two-month summer internship in a genetics clinic with an independent project, A study of Organic Acidemia from one Southern Indian Centre. She presented this at ISIEM National Conference (2019, Pune). In the past two years, she was a trainee genetic counselor, where she predominantly saw pediatric and prenatal disorders. Along with her clinical work, she also teaches post-graduate courses. She has presented clinical cases in dysmorphology seminars and in Down syndrome meetings. During the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person clinics were brought to a halt, she along with her team member initiated and set up a now very successful telegenetics clinic. Together, they have submitted a paper on ‘Telegenetics: The experience of an Indian Center during the Covid-19 pandemic’ to the Journal of Genetic Counseling. She also feels she has achieved her dream because of the constant support of her mentor and her team members who kept up their/her spirits through the pandemic days. She now looks forward to exploring different specialties, learning leadership roles, and hopes to combine clinical and research for the service of humankind. She has been an active member of the rare disease community and wants to contribute equally in future as well