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

My undergrad is in International Studies with an emphasis in Peace and macro-level Conflict Resolution. My top coursework highlights included a summer study abroad to Russia as well as a Peace Studies track in Washington DC, Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.

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?

Before international studies, I was actually a nursing major! While a little late in the game, I was a few years into my nursing program before I realized it wasn’t a good fit for me. That experience did, however, propel me into an amazing medical career. With over 12 years in medicine, I’ve worn a lot of hats in a lot of places: long-term healthcare, emergency and internal medicine, reproductive care, alternative medicine, radiology, and even optical health.

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?

One of the most powerful things I learned in my academic career is to know what a good fit looks like -- it’s something I took away from my experience in nursing school. However, I honestly believe that the greatest obstacle between me and genetic counseling specifically was my lack of awareness of the field. Genetic counseling was literally the path I had been looking for all my life!

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

It’s all about seeking a school with the same values as you: KGI not only has a program that empowers its students with progressive learning approaches, they also set a human precedence in the way they prioritize individual and group fit.

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

The people! I mean this in every way: I absolutely cannot wait to undertake this journey with my fellow other students, the professors at KGI, and eventually with the patients in clinicals.

What is one fun and interesting fact about you?

I’m an avid video gamer, and I’ve built my last 4 computers.