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Chelsea Anderson
Chelsea Anderson is from Harvest, Alabama. She graduated summa cum laude from Jacksonville State University in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Throughout undergrad, Chelsea held multiple leadership positions in JSU's music department. In the summer of 2020, Chelsea had the honor of participating in HudsonAlpha’s BioTrain Internship Program as a Genetic Counseling Intern where she contributed to data analysis of a published paper composed by clinical genetics teams from the United States and Canada. After graduation, Chelsea served as a genetic counseling assistant with the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Genetics where she gained valuable experiences in the field of genetic counseling. Currently, Chelsea serves as a Rape Response Advocate with the Birmingham Crisis Center, and she also serves in the children's ministry at Gardendale First Baptist Church. Chelsea plays the flute in the orchestra at Gardendale First Baptist Church where she is able to express her love of music, and she enjoys spending time with loved ones.
Jenna Duzs
Jenna Duzs is from Venice, Florida. She graduated from Florida State University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry. As an undergraduate, she worked as a learning assistant for 3 years and volunteered in classrooms with children with special needs. After graduation, she worked as a genetic counseling assistant for the UF Health Aortic Disease Center in Gainesville, FL. As an assistant, she supported two genetic counselors and several cardiac surgeons in the management of patients with inherited cardiovascular aortic conditions. Her responsibilities included database management, administrative duties, and pedigree information collection. Jenna was given the valuable opportunity to attend weekly meetings with genetic counselors and biweekly aortic conferences with aortic surgeons. Her time as a GCA provided ample patient interaction alongside a multidisciplinary team, an invaluable education of cardiovascular conditions, and opened doors of opportunity to shadow the other specialties of genetic counseling that UF Health has to offer. Outside of work and school, Jenna loves learning more about people through her creative passion of photography.
Spencer Favor
Spencer Favor is from Bossier City, Louisiana. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in May of 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in interdisciplinary studies in medicine and a Bachelor of Art in Spanish and history. As an undergraduate, Spencer worked as head genetics tutor for the Center for Student Success, volunteered at Druid City Hospital in Tuscaloosa, and was a director in Honors Action—a program that organized volunteer opportunities in local Tuscaloosa schools. All these opportunities led Spencer to the field of genetic counseling. After studying abroad in Spain for a summer and volunteering at a Spanish-language clinic in Tuscaloosa, Spencer decided she wanted to pursue genetic counseling for Spanish-speaking populations. Outside of genetics, Spencer presented her senior history thesis on the Greensboro Massacre at the University of Alabama Undergraduate Historical Conference. In her free time, Spencer enjoys spending time with her family and pets, crocheting, and doing jigsaw puzzles.
Anna Carpenter Harris
Anna Carpenter Harris is from Decatur, Alabama and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She graduated summa cum laude with Distinguished Honors in April 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Genomic Sciences and minors in Biology and Chemistry. She also received a Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences in August 2023. Anna Carpenter worked at her university’s wellness program as a Promoter of Wellness where she conducted outreach to the UAB student body as well as working in the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at Children’s of Alabama. She also served as president of her sorority where she was named Sorority Woman of the Year by UAB Fraternity and Sorority Life. Anna Carpenter conducted cystic fibrosis undergraduate research and was nominated to be an honoree of Birmingham’s Finest through the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She found a passion for teaching and mentoring after becoming a biology learning assistant, a certified peer educator, and a peer mentor through the Accelerated Bachelor’s Master’s Program. Anna Carpenter also served on the executive council of UAB Dance Marathon to raise money and host events benefiting the patients of Children’s of Alabama where she became a top fundraiser for her university.
Riley Moore
Riley Moore is from Chicago, IL. She attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI where she majored in Biological Sciences and minored in Psychology. After undergrad, she moved to Kansas City to work as a genetic Counseling assistant at Children’s Mercy Hospital. She gained experience with research and patient interaction by working for a research study called Genomic Answers for Kids, a pediatric rare disease repository aiming to find a genetic diagnosis for patients and families. She saw families in genetics, cleft lip and palate, and 22q clinic and enrolled them into the study. While working as a genetic counseling assistant, she received her Master’s certificate in Human Genetics and Genomics. Outside of work, she volunteered as a BRIDGE advocate for people facing intimate partner violence and worked in multiple organizations for people facing diverse abilities. These organizations include Down Syndrome Innovations and Northland Therapeutic Riding Center. She also spent time working as a court appointed special advocate for children in the foster system due to abuse or neglect.
Madison Nee
Madison Nee is originally from Ardmore, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2020 with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health and minor in Spanish. She went on to earn a Master of Science degree in Biomedical and Health Sciences from The University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2021. As an undergraduate student, Madison gained experience aiding patients overcome adversity in healthcare while working with a non-profit medical clinic. She also served on the executive committee, and eventually as President of Crimson Wishes, a student-run-organization aimed to benefitting the Make-A-Wish children and families of Oklahoma. Following her studies, she spent two years as a genetic counseling assistant in the UAB Department of Genetics. This role provided her the invaluable opportunity to interact with patients and clinicians across multiple specialties, namely in interdisciplinary oncology clinics where she facilitated the pre-test counseling process for patients diagnosed with breast and colon cancer. In her free time, Madison enjoys spending time with her two cats, Lily and Bash, and tending to her collection of plants.
Katherine Sleckman
Katherine Sleckman is from St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology. As an undergraduate, she enjoyed tutoring elementary school students and working with the East Georgia Cancer Coalition. After graduation, she worked as a research assistant at Washington University in St. Louis in public health and genetic epidemiology. In her free time, she volunteered at Planned Parenthood as a patient advocate. During her second-year post-grad, she moved to Birmingham to work at UAB as a genetic counseling assistant supporting genetic counselors and geneticists by ordering testing, obtaining consent, reviewing medical records, and speaking with patients about genetic testing. After getting settled in Birmingham, she started volunteering with the Alabama Autism Assistance Program and continued as a counselor at the Crisis Text Line. These opportunities allowed Katherine to confirm her passion for genetic counseling and continue to stay involved in her community.
Erin Whiting
Erin Whiting is from Huntsville, Alabama. She graduated magna cum laude from Lipscomb University with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and minors in Chemistry and Psychology for Health Professionals. While at Lipscomb, she participated in research evaluating the interactions between cell surface protease neprilysin and PI3K cell signaling in triple negative breast cancer. Post-graduation, Erin spent two years working as a clinical research coordinator (CRC) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center on a pharmacogenomics clinical trial. The trial examined genes CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 to better prescribe drug therapies for acute pain, chronic pain, and depression. As a CRC, she recruited participants for the trial, educated participants on the purpose and process of pharmacogenomics testing, and completed enrollment activities with them. These invaluable experiences researching the molecular basis of disease and engaging with patients prepared her well for a career in the field of genetic counseling. In her free time, Erin enjoys doing jigsaw puzzles, exploring new coffee shops, and spending time outdoors.
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Ace Harris
Ace was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. He graduated magna mum laude with High Distinguished Honors from the University of Alabama at Birmingham with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology. Ace discovered genetic counseling in his junior year of his undergraduate career and immediately knew it was for him. To further this goal, he shadowed at the UAB Women and Infants Center and the Kirklin Clinic. He also attended HudsonAlpha’s Exploring Genetic Counseling seminar and participated in a genetic counseling mentorship program through Clover Genetics. Ace’s experiences outside of genetic counseling were extremely fulfilling. He volunteered at Girls Inc. as a mentor and tutor, and The Trevor Project as a crisis counselor. Ace was also the founder and president of UAB’s Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (oSTEM) chapter and a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Champion. When Ace is not volunteering or studying, he’s usually working as a pharmacy technician at CVS where he’s been for the last 3 years. When trying to relax, Ace tends to turn to reading, listening to music, or writing poetry.
Alex Rollins
Alex is from the St. Louis, Missouri metro area. She graduated summa cum laude from Saint Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Health Care Ethics. During her time as an undergraduate, she volunteered for a student-run sexual assault hotline designed to provide immediate and long-term resources for survivors. Additionally, she worked as a teaching assistant for introductory biology and genetics classes. These teaching experiences led her to join a research lab studying undergraduate pedagogical learning techniques. She primarily worked under Ph.D and postdoc students aiding them in data collection and data analysis. After graduating in 2023, Alex moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area and worked as a cancer genetic counseling assistant at UT Southwestern. On a team of seven other assistants, she was an integral part of the cancer genetics department which saw over 6,000 patients in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. Her major tasks included taking family histories, processing patient results, and disclosing negative and variant of uncertain significance (VUS) results to patients. In her free time, Alex enjoys training her cat, Suki, and putting together Lego sets.
Emily (Gaines) Sandlin
Emily is from Athens, Alabama and attended The University of Alabama at Birmingham for her undergraduate degree. In April of 2022, she graduated summa cum laude with High Distinguished Honors in the Science and Technology Program, earning a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Genomic Sciences and minors in Biology and Chemistry. She was also awarded her Master of Science degree in Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in genetics. During undergrad, she found a passion for teaching and simplifying complex topics while working as a chemistry teaching assistant. She also worked in a molecular genetics lab, studying cystic fibrosis and laboratory techniques such as the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. She sought clinical experience as a patient volunteer with Children’s Hospital of Alabama and as patient care technician on a medical-surgical unit at St. Vincent’s Hospital. Following graduation, she joined GeneDx as a remote genetic counseling assistant and has been working on their rapid testing team while volunteering with the Exceptional Foundation and Crisis Text Line. In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, friends, and pet rabbits, and going on cross-country road trips with her husband.
Hannah Eady
Hannah is from Madison, Alabama. She graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and a minor in Counseling. During her time at Auburn University, she participated in Warmhearted Individuals for Nurturing Great Success (WINGS), where she was a volunteer helping students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Hannah received the Disability Advocacy Certificate through this program. As an undergraduate, Hannah also volunteered as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line. She researched PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in Auburn’s Vet School Pathobiology Lab and presented her work at Auburn University’s Student Research Symposium. She also interned at Wellstone Behavioral Health and collaborated with an on-site case manager to coordinate care for residents with psychiatric/neurodevelopmental disabilities. After graduation, Hannah worked as an intern at Clearview Cancer Institute. Her responsibilities included collecting patient information, creating online pedigrees, and placing patients’ orders. These opportunities confirmed her passion for genetic counseling. In her free time, Hannah loves to read and play tennis.
Mahnoor Asif
Mahnoor is originally from Pembroke Pines, FL. She graduated with Honors from Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology. She then went on to pursue a Master of Science in Biological Sciences, and discovered her passion for teaching through working as a TA for Biology I Lab. The desire to be involved in a busy genetics clinic inspired a move to Birmingham, AL to work as a Genetic Counselor Assistant at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Here, she helped place clinical test orders, disclose negative test results, and oversaw a team of clinical GCA’s. This opportunity provided her with many patient-facing experiences, which fueled her dedication to the field of genetic counseling. While working as a GCA, Mahnoor also pursued a Graduate Certificate in Industry Genetics and Genomics at UAB. The coursework in variant interpretation provided valuable insight into the complexities of genetic test reports. While working, she volunteered as a Rape Response Advocate and was selected for a poster presentation at the 2023 Emory Medical Genetics Student Symposium. In her free time, Mahnoor enjoys taking care of her bonsai tree, Planty. She also practices her calligraphy and is improving her embroidery skills.
Mary Scott Hodgin
Mary Scott is from Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. She also earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 2022. Mary Scott first learned about the field of genetic counseling as an undergraduate while producing a documentary film about a family tested for the BRCA gene. During this time, she also worked with children and adults with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. After graduating, Mary Scott worked as the health and science journalist for WBHM, the local NPR station in Birmingham, reporting on the impact of precision medicine and statewide genomic testing initiatives. She also volunteered with UAB’s Neurofibromatosis Clinic, helping to produce interactive patient education materials. After nearly six years in journalism, Mary Scott decided to pursue a career in genetic counseling, merging her interests in education, communication and science. Outside of work, Mary Scott enjoys spending time outside, traveling and cooking. She is fluent in Spanish and has previously lived in Madrid, Spain.
Resh Meck
Resh is from Tallahassee, Florida. She graduated magna cum laude from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. During her time at Florida State, she was involved in an ecological research laboratory that studied negative frequency-dependent selection in Trinidadian guppies. Outside of the classroom, she volunteered as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line and worked as a patient care assistant at a local hospital. During her gap year, she moved to Gainesville and worked as a genetic counseling assistant for the University of Florida Pediatric Genetics and Metabolism Clinic. As an assistant, she supported five genetic counselors and three metabolic dietitians in the management of pediatric patients with metabolic and other inherited disorders. She also spent her gap year volunteering as a student ambassador for the United Multiple Sulfatase Foundation (UMSDF), with the goal of advocating for children and families who are affected by MSD, a rare inborn error of metabolism. In her free time, Resh enjoys drawing, listening to music, and spending time outdoors.
Sandra DeMaria
Sandra is from Madison, Alabama. She graduated summa cum laude from UAB in May 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Genetics and Genomic Sciences. She also received a Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Biomedical Sciences in May 2022. Throughout undergrad, Sandra worked at her university as an inaugural member of the Peer Wellness Program where she provided outreach to first-year students. She also worked as a first-year honors resident assistant where she guided students through challenges specifically during the pandemic. She also fostered her passion for aiding others by becoming a certified peer educator, a biology learning assistant, and a peer mentor for the Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master's Program. After graduation, Sandra worked at Advancing Sight Network where she approved ocular transplants for the state of Alabama by evaluating family interviews and all pertinent medical information to determine donor eligibility. This invaluable opportunity taught her about the intricacies of medical systems and individual medical histories as she worked to uphold the final wishes of donor families. Her experience helped her reinforce her drive to provide the same level of advocacy in the genetic counseling field. In her free time, Sandra enjoys reading and trying new recipes.