Could you tell us a little bit about your educational background?

I went to relatively small, Jewish day school in Los Angeles called Milken Community High School—then attended Tulane University in New Orleans where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

What first got you interested in the healthcare field as a career choice? There are a lot of career options in the field -nursing, physician assistant, etc., what made you decide that genetic counseling was the right practice area/career choice for you?

My dad is an internist, so I grew up going to clinic with him every weekend. During that time, I became obsessed with medicine. I wanted to know everything there was to know about human anatomy and physiology. Since I was so curious, my parents told me about my chromosomal mutation, discovered during an amniocentesis. That piqued my interest in genetics specifically. Years later, when I was taking biology in high school, my teacher told the class about genetic counseling as a career. I thought it was the perfect marriage of my favorite subjects: genetics and psychology. I’ve wanted to be one ever since!

What type of obstacles have you had to overcome on the road to getting your education and in particular in pursuing your Genetic Counseling degree?

I first applied to genetic counseling programs right out of undergrad, but was not accepted. This may have been a blessing in disguise as I became very sick and had to have my gallbladder removed. Throughout that time, my passion for genetic counseling never waned. Once I recovered, I dedicated my time to strengthening my application with additional coursework and crisis counseling experience. In the meantime, KGI founded its program, and the timing could not have been more perfect to reapply!

Once you decided to pursue a Genetic Counseling degree, how did you know that KGI was the right school for you?

Not only is KGI close to my home and family, its Genetic Counseling program is the only one housed in a School of Pharmacy. It’s safe to say that pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine is the future of healthcare, and I’m so excited to be in this particular program as healthcare continues to evolve.

What are you most looking forward to about beginning your Genetic Counseling studies at KGI?

Honestly, it’s so difficult to say! I’m looking forward to everything! If I had to choose, I’d say I’m looking forward to learning more about prenatal genetic counseling—and integrating pharmacology into my study of genetics. In general, I’ve really missed being a student and look forward to being back in an academic environment.

What is one fun and interesting fact about you?

I’m actually a certified optician! If you ever need your eyeglasses adjusted, come find me!