UUGPGC Spotlight

My name is Yanete Rodriguez. I am coming to the end of my first year of the genetic counseling program. It is a bittersweet feeling because the program has made my learning experience memorable; however, I am excited to start seeing patients this summer! When I am not in the depths of studying, I am participating in activities with my amazing cohort, hiking, or trying out the diversity of foods that SLC has to offer. A fun fact about me is that I used to spend hours hiking along the tidepools at the beach, collecting different colored sea glass as a form of self-care.

My name is Samantha Greenberg and I am a genetic counselor at Huntsman Cancer Institute. I have been a faculty instructor with the UUGPGC for almost six years, and working with students is one of my favorite roles as a genetic counselor. From chairing research to teaching the cancer genetics course, watching students grow from the start of the program to graduation and ultimately their career is so rewarding. At Huntsman, my research focuses on prostate cancer and paraganglioma genetics where I have the privilege of collaborating with patients, clinicians, and other researchers to help improve clinical care for these populations. This work inspired me to start a PhD program here at the University of Utah, where I get to formalize my training and leverage my newfound skills to both student teaching and research. However, I’m not all work and school! In my free time, I can be found on the kickball fields with Beehive sports, skiing and hiking (depending on the season), or checking out local places with friends. I also work at Bath and Body Works for fun selling candles and never miss a Michigan football gameday (Go Blue!). Utah has truly become ‘home’ and there is never a shortage of activities. Sometimes, work and life collide when conferences end up on the ski slopes and you and your students get to ski Snowbird together, as in this photo!