Each year, the second-year genetic counseling
students invite an individual from the genetic counseling community to speak as
part of our annual Leadership Seminar Series. This is an opportunity for us to hear
a unique and important perspective on leadership, genetic counseling practice,
and professional opportunities as we approach our graduation. In 2021, we
hosted Dr. Gillian Hooker, genetic counselor, former President of the National
Society of Genetic Counselors, and current Chief Scientific Officer at Concert
Genetics.
Below are some reflections from our current genetic counseling students.
When the time finally came for our esteemed speaker, Dr. Hooker, to join us at the University of Pittsburgh, I wondered how someone at the start of their GC journey like myself could possibly approach a conversation with someone with such a robust list of experiences and accolades in the field. However, it didn't take long to see how down-to-earth, relatable, and passionate that Gillian was! I immediately understood her role as a model and expert in the field, and became motivated to gather as many nuggets of expertise from her during her visit as possible. During this time, it was apparent how invested she is in educating the next generation of genetic counselors on how to be innovative as we continue to push the field forward. I appreciate the time that she took to visit us here in Pittsburgh and look forward to reflecting on key points from her fantastic seminar as I prepare for graduation and enter the workforce!
-Frank Swann, Class of 2022
It was wonderful to hear Gillian speak about
her perspectives regarding the evolution of genetic counseling; being one of
the young genetic counselors fighting to make a difference and change what our
field looks like was meaningful and made me feel even more excited about my
position. Gillian has had an abundance of leadership experience in the field
and I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned from her and apply that to my future
career.
-Ariel Breeze, Class of 2023
Gillian’s presentation was incredibly
inspiring. It was great to hear from someone so successful in our field and it
made me excited for my future as a genetic counselor.
-Madalyn Charnego, Class of 2023
It was so encouraging to hear from someone so
well-known and established in the genetic counseling field, and how they
believe we should move forward as a field. Being able to discuss and address
some of the field of genetics’ shortcomings and how to best proceed made me
feel integral in the process and gets me excited for the future of genetic
counseling.
-Samantha Runa, Class of 2023
Gillian’s talk was both informative in regard
to the past and present of our field, as well as invigorating regarding its
future. I’m so excited to be joining a profession with such thoughtful and
inspiring leaders!
-Kate Cioffi, Class of 2023
I was so thankful that Gillian took the time
to speak with us. As we enter this fast-growing community of genetic
counselors, it feels important to hear about where the profession started and
how things may shape in the years ahead. Having the privilege to speak with
Gillian, who has been such a leader in the genetic counseling community, helped
me understand our responsibility to the profession and made me excited for what
is to come.
-Elise Williams, Class of 2023
Gillian is a true leader in the genetic
counseling field and it was a privilege to have her be our presenter in 2021.
Listening to Gillian’s lecture, and speaking with her afterward, about the
past, current, and future trajectory of our profession was certainly inspiring!
-Lucy Galea, Class of 2023
It was such an amazing opportunity to be able
to speak with Gillian before hearing her lecture at the Leadership Seminar. As
a second-year class, we were so excited to invite Gillian to be the speaker for
this seminar because of her incredible work in the field. She gave such insight
into the evolution of the field of genetic counseling and where the field may
be headed in the future. Gillian’s talk was both informative and invigorating,
and made me so excited about the fact that I will soon be transitioning from
the role of a student to that of a genetic counselor. Thank you, Gillian for
inspiring future GCs!
-Savannah Binion, Class of 2023
It was such a privilege to hear Gillian speak
and learn more about her professional journey in genetic counseling. She is so
inspiring and it definitely excited me for my future as a genetic counselor!
-Glenna Noska, Class of 2023
Unfortunately, I was unable to make it in
person, but I appreciated the discussions remotely. Gillian’s lecture was
energizing, and her encouragement made me proud to be a part of the "game
changers" generation of genetic counseling as a first-year GC student.
Afterwards, I reached out to her via LinkedIn to thank her, and she immediately
replied with the same energy!
-Daniel Brennsteiner, Class of 2023
I was so grateful to have the opportunity to
hear Gillian speak and share her knowledge as one of the leaders in the field.
As a future genetic counselor, hearing her perspective on the future of the
profession was eye-opening and motivating!
-Impana Shetty, Class of 2023
It was such an amazing experience having
Gillian as our speaker. She really embodies what it means to be a leader in
genetic counseling and her insights into where the field is moving really
opened my eyes to what it means to be an innovative leader.
-Carolyn Maxwell, Class of 2023
I really enjoyed meeting with Gillian and
listening to her talk. She came at a time during the semester where things were
really starting to pick up speed and get pretty stressful. Her discussion of
the future of genetic counselors and genetic counseling was some much-needed
motivation to keep going. She made me so proud to be a part of this community
and reminded me why I love this field and its people so much.
-Julia Knapo, Class of 2022
It is 6 months away from my graduation, and
along with the feeling of excitement, I feel the uncertainty in getting my
first job and looking into directions for my career. Gillian’s talk has come at
such a right time, not only in terms of motivation and dedication, but also an
important reminder for me to broaden my horizons and envision what is and will
be in the field, as well as what I aspire to make an impact on. As I take what
I learned from her talk to shape my niche hopefully starting from my first job,
I hope to reconnect with her and hear more of her insights which are sure to be
invaluable.
-Phuc Do, Class of 2022
I am grateful for having the opportunity to
meet with Gillian and have her speak at our Leadership Seminar. We were able to
sit down and talk with Gillian before our seminar where she shared her path and
took a true interest in getting to know all of us and our journeys. She also
talked about the work she is doing to help improve access to genetic services
and where she sees growth in the genetic counseling community. I have always
had a passion for finding ways to increase access to genetic services and being
able to speak firsthand with a leader in this area has made me even more
excited to become a genetic counselor.
-Kristen D’Aquila, Class of 2022
It was inspiring to hear Gillian present on
her experiences in the field of genetic counseling. I am grateful to have had
the opportunity to learn about how she views the future directions of genetic
counseling and the ways in which we can contribute to the growth of the field
as we continue our education.
-Morgan Brzozowski, Class of 2023
Gillian’s lecture was very critical to the evolution
of the field of genetic counseling. It is important to be reflective and
address the areas that we can improve. Listening to her present was a wonderful
experience. Thank you Gillian!
-Haley Soller, Class of 2022
I was in awe of Gillian’s lecture as it made
me reflect on how far the field of genetic counseling has come in such a short
time. Gillian was able to artfully highlight the strengths of our field while
addressing the ever-changing areas of growth. I will take her wisdom with me as
I enter the field myself and always remember the foundation our careers have
been built on.
-Natalie Tri, Class of 2022
