People

Guest Faculty

Kelly Bolton, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Oncology
Institution: Washington University

Kelly Bolton is a physician-scientist at Washington University in St. Louis. She is currently an assistant professor in the Section of Stem Cell Biology Division, Division of Oncology. Her research group focuses on utilizing genomic markers of cancer risk to develop prevention and early intervention strategies. Originally from Los Angeles, she completed her undergraduate studies at Cornell University. She completed medical school at the UCLA School of Medicine and a PhD in Genetic Epidemiology through Cambridge University. She went on to complete her residency in internal medicine and Cornell University and a fellowship in medical oncology at MSKCC. Her work has been published in high impact journals including Nature Genetics, JAMA, and JCO. She receives grant support from the National Cancer Institute, the EvansMDS foundation and the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation

Jane Churpek, MD

Assistant Professor, Section of Hematology/Oncology and Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics
Institution: University of Wisconsin-Madison

JANE CHURPEK, MD, MS, is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology and Palliative Care within the Department of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She is a board-certified hematologist and oncologist who focuses on the care of adults with low blood counts due to acquired and inherited causes, including clonal hematopoiesis, myelodysplastic syndrome, and inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. She also specializes in the diagnosis and management of patients and their families with hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes. Dr. Churpek’s research focuses on identifying inherited genetic factors that cause increased risk of cancer and bone marrow disorders, especially among understudied tumors and blood disorders. Her goal is to understand who is at increased risk and how specific exposures increase or decrease risk. She aims to utilize this information to optimize early detection, treatment, and, ultimately, prevention of cancer and bone marrow disorders. Dr. Churpek has contributed to the understanding of several novel hereditary blood cancer predisposition syndromes and the role of inherited predisposition in exposure-associated cancers such as therapy-related leukemia and mesothelioma. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, and the American Society of Human Genetics, and she is the recipient of an American Society for Clinical Investigation Young Physician-Scientist Award.

Julie Culver, MS, LCGC

Director of Genetic Counseling, USC Norris Cancer Hospital
Clinical Instructor of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Keck School of Medicine of USC 
Institution: USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center 

Julie Culver, MS, CGC, CCRP is a licensed genetic counselor and Clinical Instructor specializing in cancer genetics. She received her Master’s degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor in 1994. Ms. Culver then worked in Cancer Prevention and Public Health at the University of Washington and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research in Seattle for almost a decade. In 2004, she joined the City of Hope Division of Clinical Cancer Genetics where worked for 8 years and served as the Assistant Director of the Cancer Screening & Prevention Program Network and conducted research pertaining to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and decision-making for woman carrying deleterious BRCA mutations and variants of uncertain significance. In 2012, she moved to the USC Norris Cancer Comprehensive Cancer Center where she currently serves on the faculty of Medical Oncology and is the lead genetic counselor. Her research pertains to hereditary cancer panel testing, cancer risk perception, and medical decision-making following genetic testing. She has served on the faculty for the City of Hope Intensive Course and taught cancer risk assessment to health professionals and students since 2004.

Tobias Else, MD

 Professor, Internal Medicine, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes 
Institution: University of Michigan

Dr. Else’s primary appointment is with the Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology and Diabetes, but he currently serves as the Interim Chief of the Division of Genetics in Medicine in the Dept. of Internal Medicine. He received his MD degree from the University of Hamburg, Germany. He pursued his clinical training at the University of Hamburg (Residency: Internal Medicine) and the University of Michigan (Residency: Internal Medicine, Fellowship: Endocrinology). His main research interests are the genetics of endocrine tumors. Dr. Else’s clinical practice focuses on the care for patients with benign and malignant endocrine tumors, particularly pheochromocytoma, adrenocortical tumors and neuroendocrine tumors as well as accompanying hormone excess syndromes (e.g Cushing syndrome, primary aldosteronism). Dr. Else has a particular interest in taking care of patients with hereditary syndromes that predispose to the development of endocrine tumors (e.g. Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia (MEN) type 1, MEN2A & MEN2B, Hereditary Paraganglioma Syndrome). He attends the Multidisciplinary Endocrine Oncology Clinic, where patients with tumors receive diagnostic procedures and treatment. In addition, he is part of the Cancer Genetics Clinic, which evaluates patients for hereditary syndromes and facilitates regular exams and surveillance for patients at risk for endocrine tumors.

Carol Fabian, MD

Director, Breast Cancer Prevention & Survivorship Centers
Institution: KU Breast Cancer Prevention Center

Dr. Carol Fabian is a breast medical oncologist, University Distinguished Professor, and holds the Morris Endowed Chair in Cancer Prevention at the University of Kansas Medical Center.  She received her medical degree from the University of Kansas in 1972, and fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of Kansas in 1977.  She is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.  She  has been on the faculty in the Division of Medical Oncology since 1977 and has served in multiple capacities including Medical Director of the Cancer Center, Founder and Director of the Breast Cancer Prevention and Survivorship Research Center, Leader or co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention Program, and Associate Director of Clinical Research in the NCI Designated Cancer Center.

Judy Garber, MD, MPH

Director, Center for Cancer Genetics and Prevention
Institution: Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Dr. Garber is the Director of the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Disease Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Garber conducts research in clinical cancer genetics, with a special focus in the genetics of breast cancer. She has played a major role in the development of national guidelines in cancer genetics. She is also a leader in research into the characteristics and treatment of triple negative or basal-like breast cancer, the most common form in women with BRCA1 mutations. Her translational research focuses on the evaluation of novel agents targeting DNA repair defects in breast cancer, including PARP inhibitors for treatment and prevention of breast cancer and other BRCA-associated cancers.

 In 2011-2012, Dr. Garber was the President of American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the largest organization of cancer researchers in the world. She is a member of the National Cancer Advisory Board and was recently elected to the Institute of Medicine.

Veda Giri, MD

Division Chief, Clinical Cancer Genetics; Director, Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program; Director, Early-Onset Cancer Program
Institution: Yale School of Medicine

Veda N. Giri, MD is a medical oncologist with specialization in clinical cancer genetics. She serves as Division Chief of Clinical Cancer Genetics for Yale School of Medicine, Director of the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program, and Director of the Early-Onset Cancer Program at Yale Cancer Center. As leader of Cancer Genetics and Prevention, Dr. Giri leads a comprehensive effort in genetic evaluation for precision medicine, tailored cancer screening, and hereditary cancer assessment across patient populations. She is the Principal Investigator of multiple grant-funded cancer genetic evaluation studies spanning genetic counseling, genetic testing, disparities, behavioral science, and implementation research. As Director of the Early-Onset Cancer Program, Dr. Giri is leading a cutting-edge translational effort to address clinical, research, and psychosocial needs of patients with early-onset cancers. Integral to this effort is to address the needs of underserved and minority patients with early-onset cancers.

Dr. Giri received her medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College (previously Jefferson Medical College) and proceeded to complete her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Hematology-Oncology at the University of Michigan. She then completed advanced training in molecular cancer genetics and cancer risk assessment at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She also has a certification in cancer risk assessment from City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Giri currently serves on several national committees including the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, NIH PDQ® Cancer Genetics Editorial Board, and American Society of Clinical Oncology, contributing expertise in cancer risk assessment and genetics at the national level.

Teresa Heckel, MBA

Project Director, Clinical Programs
Institution: Sarah Cannon Research Institute

Teresa Heckel, MBA, is an accomplished healthcare executive with over 30 years of progressively responsible experience in the oncology field. For the past 14 years she has worked with large national health systems to assist them in cancer program strategy and development. In her most previous role as Director of the National Oncology Service Line for Catholic Health Initiatives, she provided leadership in the strategic development and implementation of cancer initiatives across their 50 cancer treatment facilities. As an oncology consultant, her work with national health systems has been largely focused around developing clinical programs and creating tumor specific cancer centers of excellence. She is currently leading the effort to develop High Risk Women’s Programs across the Sarah Cannon/HCA enterprise. She is a Past President of the the Association of Cancer Executives, and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of the National Consortium of Breast Centers and is a board trustee for the American College of Surgeon’s National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.

Karen Hurley, PhD.

Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Institution: Cleveland Clinic

Karen E. Hurley, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic specializing in hereditary cancer risk and a Clinical Member of the Cancer Prevention, Control and Population Research Program at the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. She received her A.B. in psychology from Bryn Mawr College in 1983, and her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Temple University in 1998. Before joining the Cleveland Clinic staff, she spent eight years on faculty at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center conducting NCI-funded research on patient decision-making about cancer genetic risk management and other psychosocial issues relevant to high risk patients. She has provided psychotherapy and consultation to nearly 500 individuals, families and couples with a variety of inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes, including breast/ovarian (BRCA1/2), Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Li-Fraumeni syndrome, and diffuse gastric cancer syndrome (CDH1). Dr. Hurley has conducted numerous professional education seminars and patient workshops for organizations such as American Psycho-Oncology Society, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and FORCE (Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered). She is a past or current member of several national advisory boards for high risk individuals, including FORCE, Bright Pink, Sharsheret, The Cancer Support Community’s Breast & Gastric Cancer Registries, the City of Hope National Medical Center’s Cancer Genetics Career Development Program, and the National Cancer Institute’s PDQ Cancer Genetics Editorial Advisory Board. In 2014 she received the Spirit of Empowerment-Individual Commitment award at the 8th Annual FORCE conference, in recognition of her work on behalf of the hereditary cancer community.

Junne Kamihara, MD, PhD

Attending Physician Instructor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Institution: Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center

Instructor of Pediatrics
Institution: Harvard Medical School

Dr. Kamihara received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and her PhD in genetics from MIT. She completed her pediatric residency training at Boston Children’s Hospital/Boston Medical Center and her fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital. She is currently an attending physician in the Jimmy Fund Clinic. Her research and clinical interests focus on pediatric cancer predisposition syndromes.

Dr. Kamihara serves as an expert for the Department of Hematology-Oncology for Boston Children's Hospital Precision Medicine Service. For more information about the Precision Medicine Service please visit bostonchildrens.org/precisionmed.

Sonia S. Kupfer, MD

Assistant Professor of Medicine
Institution: University of Chicago Medical Center

Sonia S. Kupfer is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Section of Gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. She is the Director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Risk and Prevention Clinic and co-Director of the Comprehensive Cancer Risk and Prevention clinic at the University of Chicago. She is funded by a K08 career development award from the NIH/NCI to study colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility variants in African Americans. Dr. Kupfer is also currently investigating genetics related to chemopreventive agents for colorectal cancer, notably vitamin D. In addition to her translational research, Dr. Kupfer is actively engaged in clinical studies in high-risk colorectal cancer primarily Lynch syndrome. Her clinical work focuses on hereditary GI cancer evaluation, testing and management. She also has served as co-Director of two CME conferences on genomics. Dr. Kupfer received her undergraduate degree from Yale University and then completed medical school, residency, chief residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at the University of Chicago. She is originally from a northern suburb of Chicago and currently resides in the Hyde Park area with her husband, an art dealer, and her two children.

Allison W. Kurian, MD, MSc

Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology and Population Health
Institution: Stanford University School of Medicine

ALLISON W. KURIAN, M.D., M.Sc., is a Professor of Medicine and of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University. She is Associate Chief of the Division of Oncology, Director of the Stanford Women’s Clinical Cancer Genetics Program, and Co-Leader of the Stanford Cancer Institute Population Sciences Program. Dr. Kurian’s research is designed to understand cancer burden and improve cancer treatment quality at the population level, with a focus on identifying women with elevated breast and gynecologic cancer risk, and on the development and evaluation of novel techniques for early cancer detection and risk reduction. She leads epidemiologic studies of cancer risk factors, clinical trials of novel approaches to cancer risk reduction, and decision analyses of strategies to improve cancer outcomes. Her research has been supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, California Breast Cancer Research Program, Komen for the Cure Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and others. Dr. Kurian’s work has been honored by Impact Awards of the National Consortium of Breast Centers and the BRCA Foundation, selection as a Komen Scholar and election to the American Society of Clinical Investigation. Dr. Kurian also contributes her extensive expertise to the City of Hope Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice as a distinguished faculty member.

Lisa Madlensky, PhD, CGC

Director, Family Cancer Genetics Program
Institution: Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health

Lisa Madlensky, PhD, is a board-certified genetic counselor who provides cancer risk assessment and genetic counseling for patients and their families. She helps people investigate their family health history, navigate the genetic testing process, and understand and adapt to the medical or psychological implications of genetic diseases. As director of the Family Cancer Genetics Program at Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health, Dr. Madlensky helps ensure that patients and families with an increased risk of cancer receive outstanding care, with a focus on cancer prevention and early detection. In addition to her clinical activities, Dr. Madlensky is a researcher at Moores Cancer Center. Her work centers on cancer prevention in those at increased risk of disease because of their family history or genetic predisposition. Her research themes include clinical genetic testing and follow-up for families with Lynch Syndrome and BRCA1/2 mutations; the public health implications of cancer genetic testing; quality of life in those at increased risk of cancer; the integration of cancer risk assessment into family practice; and family-level cancer prevention. Dr. Madlensky earned her doctoral degree from the University of Toronto Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation. She obtained a Master of Science in genetic counseling from McGill University in Montreal Canada.

Rachelle Manookian, MS, CGC

Genetic Counselor
Institution: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

RACHELLE MANOOKIAN, MS, CGC is a licensed and board-certified cancer genetic counselor specializing in pediatric oncology at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA). She was previously with the Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics at City of Hope, and before that, a general genetic counselor at the VA Medical Center serving six VA hospitals via telehealth. She has a special interest in genitourinary cancers. She brings her growing expertise in medical education to her role as an adjunct faculty member for the Keck Graduate Institute Genetic Counseling and Genomic Data Analytics master’s programs. She serves as a faculty mentor, graduate capstone supervisor, and rotation supervisor for current genetic counseling students. She is actively engaged in the Fanconi anemia community and has been a volunteer at Camp Sunshine Fanconi Anemia week since 2016, and she is a two-time nominee of the Heart of Genetic Counseling Award from the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

Brian Shuch, MD

Director of the Kidney Cancer Program and the Alvin & Carrie Meinhardt Endowed Chair in Kidney Cancer Research.
Institution: University of California, Los Angeles

Brian Shuch is a urologic oncologist focused on kidney cancer. He trained at UCLA in urology followed by an oncology fellowship at the NCI. At Yale he established the GU Cancer Genetics Clinic, before moving to UCLA as Director of the Kidney Cancer Program. He also directs the UCLA VHL Program which is one of the largest in the west coast. His laboratory research focuses on understanding HLRCC/SDH Cancer syndromes including how Krebs Cycle mutations influence the homologous recombination pathway. He has helped define “early onset RCC” and led two genetic risk assessment consensus conferences on RCC to better select who should have genetic testing. He is active in clinical trial leadership and is co-chair of the NCI Renal Task Force, co-chair of the SWOG Renal Committee, and Secretary-Treasurer of the Society of Urologic Oncology Clinical Trials Committee.

Colin Pritchard, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Institution: University of Washington

COLIN PRITCHARD, MD, PhD, is a Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Washington and Program Director for Cancer Precision Diagnostics for the Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine. He also serves as the Co-Director of the Genetics and Solid Tumors Laboratory that services the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. The Pritchard laboratory focuses on oncology molecular diagnostics, particularly the source and utility of cell-free nucleic acid biomarkers in blood, and the development of innovative molecular diagnostics for the identification of DNA repair gene mutations that can guide therapeutic decision-making. His clinical work focuses on applications of next-generation sequencing gene panels for cancer risk assessment and precision treatment. He has led the development and implementation of the ColoSeq™ Lynch and Polyposis Syndrome Panel and the UW-OncoPlex™ Cancer Gene Panel in current clinical use for cancer patients and their families. He is a longstanding distinguished faculty member of the City of Hope Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice. In 2021 Dr. Pritchard was awarded the C2 Catalyst for Precision Medicine Award from Scientific American.

Padma Sheila Rajagopal, MPH, MD

Physician-Scientist Early Investigator
Institution: Cancer Data Science Laboratory and Women's Malignancies Branch at the National Cancer Institute

PADMA SHEILA RAJAGOPAL, MD, MPH, MSc, is a Physician-Scientist Early Investigator at the Cancer Data Science Laboratory and Women’s Malignancies Branch at the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Rajagopal’s laboratory focuses on how characterizing genomic and transcriptomic interactions between germline variants/inherited cancer syndromes and somatic development in tumors can improve clinical prediction and prognostication in patients with cancer. Her current research focuses on using transcriptomics to characterize breast cancers and treatment responses in patients with hereditary cancer syndromes. She received her M.D. at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, during which she also received an M.P.H. in quantitative methods with a focus on genetic epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health. She completed her internal medicine residency training at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in hematology/oncology with an additional fellowship year focused on cancer genetics at the University of Chicago, where she received an M.Sc. in biomedical informatics. Dr. Rajagopal is a recipient of the Ruth L. Kirschstein F32 Postdoctoral Fellowship and the American Society of Clinical Oncology / Breast Cancer Research Foundation Conquer Cancer Young Investigator Award.

Charite Ricker, MS, CGC

Cancer Genetic Counselor And Genetic Services Coordinator
Institution: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine

Charité Ricker, MS, LCGC - is a board certified genetic counselor with specialization in hereditary cancer risk assessment with the University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine. She has a Bachelors of Science in genetics from Texas A&M University and received her Masters of Science in genetic counseling at California State University, Northridge. Ms. Ricker is fluent in Spanish and is interested in the provision of cancer genetics services in medically underserved and culturally diverse populations. She is actively involved in cancer genetics education to physicians, physician fellows, nurses, other healthcare professionals and patients. Ms. Ricker is a voting member of the Institutional Review Board for the USC Health Science Campus, LAC+USC Medical Center and Health Research Association. Ms. Ricker is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC), the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancer (CGA), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM). She currently serves as the co-chair of the NSGC Cultural Competency Sub-committee and is a member of the ASCO Genetics Sub-committee.

Elective & Emeritus Faculty

Patricia Ashton-Prolla, MD, PhD, FACMG

Professor
Institution: Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre

Patricia Ashton-Prolla is a MD, PhD clinical geneticist and Professor in Genetics at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) in Porto Alegre, Brazil. She coordinates the Cancer Risk Assessment Program at the University Hospital (Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre) where she also holds the position of Director of Research since 2016. Her research activities focus in translational aspects of cancer genetics and cancer geneticcounseling. She has received funding from Brazilian Governmental Agencies, Susan G Komen for the Cure, GlaxoSmithKline, Welcome Trust and Organización Panamericana de la Salud. Dr. Ashton-Prolla holds active research collaborations with colleagues in South and Central America, the U.S., Canada, France, U.K. and Portugal. In the last 5 years she has authored or co-authored 57 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed journals, and directly supervised 8 postdoctoral fellowships, 13 PhD thesis and 25 MSc dissertations.

Randall W. Burt, MD

Senior Director for Prevention and Outreach
Institution: Huntsman Cancer Institute

Dr. Burt is Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Utah and Emeritus Director of Prevention and Outreach at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). He served as HCI’s Senior Director of Prevention and Outreach from February, 2001, through October, 2013, serving also as Interim Senior Director of Clinical Affairs from April, 2012, through March, 2013. He was Director of HCI’s High Risk Colon Cancer Clinic 2001-October, 2013, and was co-leader of the Cancer Center Support Grant’s Gastrointestinal Cancers Program from 2008 to 2013. He was co-leader of the Cancer Control and Population Sciences Program for five years. In addition, he served as Interim Executive Director of HCI for 15 months before re-assuming co-leadership of the Gastrointestinal Cancers Program. Other past administrative positions at the University of Utah include Chief of Medical Service at the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration Medical Center for two years and GI Division Chief at the University of Utah School of Medicine for six years. He is a leader in policy making for average- and high-risk colon cancer screening nationally and internationally, and has served as a member of the American Cancer Society National Advisory Committee on Colorectal Cancer, the Governing Board of the American Gastroenterological Association, and the Scientific Advisory Board of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for the Prevention of Colorectal Cancer. He has served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Colorectal Cancer Screening Panel for six years and has chaired that committee from 2006 to the present. He has been on the advisory committee of the NIH Colon Cancer Familial Registry for 10 years, and was chairman for 5 years. His research and administrative work has been instrumental in establishing the colon cancer screening guidelines now used by all major health policy organizations, in particular those for high-risk familial and inherited colon cancer conditions. Dr. Burt is a clinical genetics investigator (gastroenterologist) whose career has involved research in the inheritance of colorectal cancer and the identification of colon cancer susceptibility genes. He was one of the first investigators to describe common inheritance of colonic adenomatous polyps segregating with colorectal cancer. He was involved with identifying the APC gene, describing the attenuated polyposis syndrome, developing strategies for genetic testing and surveillance for inherited and familial high-risk colon cancer, and designing, obtaining funding, and completing clinical trials for chemoprevention in sporadic and inherited colon cancer. Related projects include study of genetic environmental interactions and gene-gene interactions that give rise to colon cancer. His chief clinical focus is on cancer prevention through appropriate screening for colorectal and other cancers, with particular attention given to increased risk factors in inherited and non-inherited polyposis syndromes. Dr. Burt has been a principal investigator on several large NIH studies of colon cancer, including program projects, and has authored or co-authored numerous textbook chapters and articles in major scientific journals, several of which are considered seminal.

Stephanie Cohen, MS, LCGC

Director of the Genomic Medicine Institute
Institution: St. Vincent Hospital

Stephanie Cohen is a board-certified, licensed Genetic Counselor at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, IN, where she was instrumental in starting the Cancer Genetics Risk Assessment Program. She earned her MS degree in Genetic Counseling at the University of Michigan, and is a 2007 graduate of the City of Hope Intensive Cancer Course. She is active in several groups within the National Society of Genetic Counselors, including a position as chair of the Service and Delivery Model subcommittee regarding access and service delivery. Stephanie has been working to improve access to cancer genetic services by implementing a collaborative process with Genetic Counselor Extenders throughout the St. Vincent Health network across the state of Indiana. She serves on the Indiana Genetics Advisory Committee (IGAC) and is active in training genetic counseling students as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Indiana University as a clinical supervisor and co-instructor for a Cancer Genetics course. She has multiple publications in the field of cancer genetics and genetic counseling service delivery.

Fergus J. Couch, PhD

Professor
Institution: Mayo Clinic

Fergus J. Couch, Ph.D., studies how genetic alterations influence the development of both breast and pancreatic cancer. The long-term goals of his research program are to develop methods that predict an individual's risk of developing breast cancer and facilitate cancer prevention efforts, as well as develop tests that improve selection of treatment for individuals with breast and pancreatic cancer. Specifically, inherited mutations that predispose to breast cancer are being identified by studying familial breast cancer. Separately, factors that influence the response of breast and pancreatic tumors to chemotherapy are being identified by characterizing early genetic alterations. Dr. Couch's team uses genomics and cell biological approaches and animal and mathematical models to address these goals.

Dr. Couch is affiliated with the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and the Center for Individualized Medicine. His research is supported by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and an NIH Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Breast Cancer.

Kevin Davies, PhD

VP Business Development & Publisher
Institution: C&EN American Chemical Society

Kevin Davies PhD is a scientific publisher, editor and author. He is the founding editor of Nature Genetics and Bio-IT World, and author of four popular science books including Cracking the Genome and The $1,000 Genome. He is currently EVP Strategic Development with Mary Ann Liebert Inc., where he is leading the launch of The CRISPR Journal, and the reccipient of a 2017 Guggenheim Fellowship.

Kevin studied biochemistry at Oxford University and obtained his PhD from St Mary’s Hospital Medical School in London working on the genetics of cystic fibrosis. After postdoc fellowships at MIT and Harvard Medical School, he joined the editorial staff of Nature magazine. He is the founding editor of Nature Genetics, the first of the Nature sister journal franchise. After spells at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Cell Press, where he served as Editor-in-Chief, he became the founding editor of Bio-IT World, a trade magazine covering the intersection of IT and life sciences. In 2013, Kevin joined the American Chemical Society as VP Business Development and Publisher of the weekly magazine Chemical & Engineering News. Kevin is the author of four popular science books: Breakthrough (co-authored with Michael White) on the race for the breast cancer gene; Cracking the Genome, an exploration of the Human Genome Project, translated into 16 foreign languages; and The $1,000 Genome, which explores advances in next-gen sequencing and personal genomics. He also served as genetics consultant on the 2014 movie Decoding Annie Parker. Davies is also a co-author of DNA: The Story of the Genetic Revolution (August 2017) with Nobel Laureate James D. Watson and Andrew Berry.

Lucy Langer, MD, MSHS

Co-Medical Director Cancer Genetics
Institution: Compass Oncology

Dr. Lucy Langer is the Practice President and practices Medical Oncology and Hematology with Compass Oncology in Portland, OR. She completed her undergraduate training in Economics at Columbia University and received her MD from Stanford University, where she also completed her internship, residency, and chief residency in Internal Medicine. Dr. Langer's Hematology/Oncology fellowship was completed at UCLA where she worked closely with Dr. Patricia Ganz in the Division of Cancer Prevention & Control Research. She is a graduate of the advanced course in cancer genetics through the City of Hope. Her areas of interest include Breast Cancer, Cancer Genetics, and Cancer Prevention & Survivorship. Dr. Langer is the co-Medical Director of the US Oncology Genetic Risk Evaluation and Testing Program.

Katrina Lowstuter, MS, CGC

Institution: USC/Norris Cancer Hospital

Katrina Lowstuter, MS,CGC, is a board certified genetic counselor who joined City of Hope in May of 2005 from the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she developed her interest and expertise in hereditary colon cancer syndromes. In 2003, Ms. Lowstuter was awarded a grant from the National Society of Genetic Counselors to evaluate the status of hepatoblastoma screening for children at risk for familial adenomatous polyposis. Additional areas of research includes surveying primary care physicians to obtain their knowledge and perspectives regarding genetic discrimination. Ms. Lowstuter is a graduate of the University of Colorado Genetic Counseling Masters Program. She is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Society of human Genetics and the Collaborative Group of the Americas, an international consortium focused on hereditary gastrointestinal cancer research. Ms. Lowstuter currently works at University of Southern California Norris Cancer Hospital.

Patrick Lynch, MD

Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, & Nutrition
Institution: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Dr. Patrick Lynch is a gastroenterologist and scientist with specific expertise in cancer risk for mismatch repair gene mutation carriers. He is a Professor of Medicine in the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at UT-MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Lynch received his Law degree and degree in Medicine from Creighton University. His internship and residency were at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. He completed his Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Dr. Lynch provides surveillance for patients and families with hereditary colorectal cancers, and is actively involved in the counseling and management of these patients and families. He has led or collaborated on multiple NIH- and industry-funded studies in hereditary colorectal cancers, including basic science, clinical, chemoprevention and behavioral studies. He is a member of Council for and past President of the International Society for Gastrointestinal Hereditary Tumors (INSIGHT) and is past President of the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancer. He was recently awarded a grant under the UTMDACC “Moonshot” program for further development of a web-based registry for familial cancer families.

Therese M. Mulvey, MD

Physician in Chief / Medical Oncologist
Institution: MA General Hospital

Dr. Mulvey has dedicated her career to providing state-of-the-art community based care for cancer patients. Her philosophy is to empower patients to receive high-quality care in their own communities, with shared decision making among specialists and patients. As the Director of Breast Medical Oncology at MGH/ North she oversees programs that are committed to ensuring patients have access to high-quality oncology services and leading-edge clinical cancer research. Dr. Mulvey earned her medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed fellowships in hematology/ oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital as well as Tufts-New England Medical Center, where she also completed her residency. Dr. Mulvey is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine. Areas of interest: cancer genetics and breast cancer.

Karen Tedesco, MD

Chief, Clinical Genetics Service
Institution: NY Oncology Hematology

Dr. Tedesco earned her MD from SUNY Health Science Center in Syracuse, NY and graduated magna cum laude. She completed an Internal Medicine residency at University of Michigan Medical Center where she earned a SPORE (Specialized Program of Research Excellence) student grant and received the House Officer Research Award for her Prostate Cancer Genetics project. Dr. Tedesco completed her Hematology and Oncology fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Dr. Tedesco is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology, and Oncology and a member of many professional societies including AOA medical Honor Society, AMA, ASCO, and ASH. Dr. Tedesco has been an attending physician with NY Oncology Hematology since completing fellowship and is vice president of the Board of Directors. She is the program director for the NYOH Hereditary Cancer Risk Assessment Program and the NYOH Physician Mentoring Program. Dr. Tedesco is a member of the USON Breast Cancer Research Committee and local PI for many breast cancer clinical trials. She is co-director of the NYOH/Albany Medical College annual Translational Research Symposium and regularly teaches medical students and residents. Dr. Tedesco practices general Hematology and Oncology with a particular interest in breast cancer. She is regularly involved in community based education and outreach events. 

Kenneth Offit, MD, MPH

Chief, Clinical Genetics Service
Institution: Memorial Sloane-Kettering Cancer Center

Kenneth Offit M.D.,M.P.H. is Chief of the Clinical Genetics Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, a Member of Cancer Biology and Genetics Program at the Sloan-Kettering Institute, and a Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University. He is a graduate of Princeton University, the Harvard School of Public Health, and the Harvard Medical School. In 1996, his research group discovered the most common genetic mutation associated with inherited breast and ovarian cancer, occurring among Jews of European ancestry. In 2002, his group was the first to prospectively measure the impact of preventive ovarian surgery in individuals carrying BRCA mutations and he led the first genome wide association study of BRCA2 breast cancer. In 2013 his group described a new genetic syndrome of inherited childhood lymphoblastic leukemia. He is currently using next generation sequencing to define genomic markers of risk for leukemia, lymphoma, breast, ovarian and prostate cancer. Dr Offit was honored with the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology-American Cancer Society award for his work in genetics and cancer prevention. He is currently a member of the Board of Scientific Counselors of the U.S. National Cancer Institute, a genome advisory panel to the U.S. C.D.C., as well as co-Chair of the Germline Cancer Working Group of the Clinical Genome Resource of the National Human Genome Research Institute.

Mark E. Robson, MD

Clinic Director, Clinical Cancer Genetics Services
Institution: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Mark Robson, MD is a Member and Attending Physician of the Clinical Genetics and Breast Medicine Services in the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is also Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He received his B.Sc. from Washington and Lee University and his M.D. from the University of Virginia. He performed residency and fellowship training at Walter Reed Army Medical center before coming to Memorial Sloan-Kettering in 1996. He is currently the Clinic Director of the Clinical Genetics Service. He serves on the Cancer Prevention and Ethics Committees of ASCO, is an Associate Editor for JNCI and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Dr. Robson’s research is primarily directed toward the improving the integration of genetic information into the clinical management of women with breast cancer. He and his colleagues have conducted a number of studies examining outcomes in women with hereditary breast cancer to better define the risks and benefits of treatments such as breast conserving therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy in this group. He is also coordinating studies of PARP inhibitors in women with BRCA mutation-associated breast cancer. He and his coworkers have also conducted a number of studies examining the effectiveness of screening interventions such as breast MRI or ovarian cancer screening in women at hereditary risk. He is also investigating the optimal integration of new genetic technologies, such as genomic profiling and multi-gene testing, into the care of women at risk for breast cancer.

Patricia Rodriguez, MD

Cancer Genetics Specialist
Institution: Virginia Cancer Specialists

Dr. Rodriguez attended Johns Hopkins University where she was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in biomedical engineering. She received her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine where she was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honors Medical Society. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at George Washington Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology.

Dr. Rodriguez practices hematology and oncology in Arlington, VA. She is a member of several professional organizations including the American Society of Hematology and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She is on the board of the Arlington Free Clinic and the Arlington County Medical Society.

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Dr. Rodriguez speaks both fluent Spanish and French.

Thomas Slavin, MD, FACMG, DABMD

Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for Oncology
Institution: Myriad Genetics

Dr. Slavin is Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs for Oncology at Myriad Genetics. He is a physician-scientist, triple-board-certified in clinical genetics, molecular diagnostics and pediatrics. Most recently, he served as assistant professor in the departments of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research and Population Sciences at City of Hope National Medical Center. Dr. Slavin graduated medical school with Alpha-Omega-Alpha-honors from the University of South Florida. He completed his residency programs at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio; this training included a postdoctoral research year in genetic epidemiology. He has also completed graduate course work towards a Masters degree in clinical research through the University of Southern California. He is an active member of the American Association of Cancer Research, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Human Genetics, the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Colorectal Cancer, and is a fellow of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. He has served on National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)committees for both the genetics of and screening for colorectal cancer. He has served on three ClinGen expert working group committees for variant classification of breast, gastrointestinal and ovarian cancer predisposition genes. Focused on expanding genetics education for cancer care providers, Dr. Slavin has helped shape both ASCO University as well as City of Hope’s hereditary genomics training program. He is a well-published researcher in the field of medical genetics, including over 60 journal articles, multiple book chapters, and numerous presentations at national and international medical meetings. He has been involved in many national cancer research grants, and was a 2018 National Institutes of Health (NIH) K08-career development grant awardee.

Louise C. Strong, MD

Professor of Cancer Genetics
Institution: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Louise Strong, M.D., is best known for her scientific leadership and vision in pursuing studies of the genetic components and late effects of childhood cancer. She is a pioneer in advancing our understanding of cancer-prone disorders, with seminal discoveries into the genetic basis of Wilms tumor, retinoblastoma, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome. In 1981, Dr. Strong became the first woman faculty member at MD Anderson to be named to an endowed professorship, which now is the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Chair. Dr. Strong graduated from The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston with the long-term goal of conducting research in human genetics. Her interest in childhood cancer genetics originated with her postdoctoral work with Alfred Knudson, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., where they discovered that a subset of cancers might be due to the loss of suppressor genes rather than the acquisition of oncogenes. This research provided the sustained foundation for cytogenetic and molecular biological studies that extended their hypothesis to other hereditary tumors and propelled Dr. Strong to the forefront in the field of human genetics. Dr. Strong focused her research on childhood cancer, reasoning that children have not had the years of exposure to potential cancer causing agents as adults, and hence might represent a better model for genetic studies. She is best known for her work on childhood cancers, retinoblastoma, Wilms tumor of the kidney and Li Fraumeni syndrome, an inherited predisposition to multiple tumor types in children and young adults. The findings from this work have confirmed her idea that genes predisposing to cancer in rare hereditary cancers are the same genes altered in the more common non-hereditary cancers. Her team includes molecular and statistical genetics, with increasing opportunities in the new genomics era. Her current work with risk modifiers not only helps to explain the variation in risk both within and across families with genetic mutations predisposing to cancer, and individuals in the general population, but for long term impact is more significant in identifying pathways that may provide drug targets. Her clinical commitment is also in genetics, providing genetic counseling to high risk families, especially those with childhood or young onset cancer. It has been a nice complement to the research that led to the opportunity for genetic testing and counseling, and provides a "reality check" in terms of the research. She also is involved in the training of graduate students, genetic counselors, and oncology fellows. Dr. Strong is a recognized leader in her field as evidenced by her service on numerous advisory committees and recognition for her accomplishments. She has served on many review groups and policy-making committees of the National Cancer Institute, including her six-year term on National Cancer Advisory Board. In 1996-97, Dr. Strong served as President of the American Association of Cancer Research, the largest cancer research organization in the world. Her term as president was noteworthy for her leadership of a strategic planning process conducted by the Board of Directors. As a result of these discussions, the AACR embarked on an ambitious program that continues today to make the expertise of its members available to the lay public, government officials, cancer survivors, and the media. Dr. Strong has received many awards for her work including the first annual faculty achievement award for cancer prevention in 1992, the 1997 Ashbel Smith Distinguished Alumna of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and the Distinguished Texas Geneticist Award from the Texas Genetics Society for 1997. In addition, the Retina Research Foundation of Houston has honored her work on retinoblastoma many times. In 1999, Dr. Louise Strong was honored with the Charles A. LeMaistre Outstanding Achievement Award in Cancer at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Jeffrey N. Weitzel, MD

Professor of Oncology and Population Sciences

Jeffrey N. Weitzel, MD, is board Certified in Medical Oncology and Clinical Genetics, and founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. He co-founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice with Dr. Blazer. A Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scholar and an honorary Professor of Oncology for the Latin American School of Oncology, he is also the ASCO Conquer Cancer Research Professor in Breast Cancer Disparities. At the vanguard of precision prevention, Dr. Weitzel’s multidisciplinary clinical, research, and training experience emphasize translational research in cancer disparities, genomic cancer risk assessment, chemoprevention, targeted therapy, clinical and psychosocial outcomes, genetic epidemiology and health services research, with a focus on underserved populations. Dr. Weitzel received the American Society of Human Genetics Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education.

Sharon Wilczynski, MD, PhD

Director, Anatomic Pathology and Cytology
Institution: City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

Sharon P. Wilczynski, M.D., Ph.D., is one of City of Hope’s leading experts in gynecologic pathology. Throughout her career, she has been involved in multiple investigations studying genetic causes and potential treatments for cervical and ovarian cancers, with particular emphasis on the role of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in the etiology of cervical and other cancers. Currently, Dr. Wilczynski is involved in several group clinical trials testing new therapies for patients with ovarian, endometrial and breast cancers. Her studies are funded by the National Institutes of Health, the California Cancer Research Program and the Southwest Oncology Group. In addition to her research, Dr. Wilczynski is very active in national and local medical and scientific bodies. She currently serves as chair of the Gynecologic Pathology subcommittee for the Southwest Oncology Group, and is a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Committee for Determining Practice Guidelines for Cervical Cancer Screening.

Janet L. Williams, MS, LGC

Director, Research Genetic Counselors
Institution: Genomic Medicine Institute, Geisinger Health System

Janet L. Williams, MS, LGC obtained a Master’s Degree in Medical Genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979. Ms. Williams attended the Advanced Training Program offered through the Institute for Health Care Delivery Research at Intermountain Healthcare. Ms. Williams initiated the Cancer Genetic Counseling program at Intermountain Healthcare. She joined Geisinger in 2012, and is now Director of Research Genetic counselors. She has been involved in several research efforts including the clinical research study offering Whole Genome Sequencing for Undiagnosed Children. Ms. Williams is an Investigator in a project funded through the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to develop genome sequencing result reports for patients and providers that enhanced communication and and shared decision making between clinicians and patients. Ms. Williams is now actively involved in a variety of efforts designed to improve the reach of Cascade Screening, particularly involving the three top tier genomic conditions recognized by the CDC, i.e. HBOC. Lynch and FH. In addition to the research position, Ms. Williams is employed part-time by Geisinger Health Plan to support development of medical policy to determine appropriate coverage of genetic testing, genetic counseling and genetic service delivery within Geisinger. 

Marc S. Williams, MD, FAAP, FACMG

Director of the Genomic Medicine Institute
Institution: Genomic Medicine Institute of the Geisinger Health System

Marc S. Williams, MD, FAAP, FACMG, FACMI is a clinical geneticist and informaticist. As of January 2012, he has been the director of the Genomic Medicine Institute of the Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pennsylvania. He is the co-PI of the Geisinger Electronic Medical Records in Genomics (eMERGE) project and is the medical director of the whole genome sequencing clinical research project. He is site PI and leads the EHR integration workgroup of the NHGRI funded ClinGen project. He represents Geisinger Health System on the NHGRI Genomic Medicine working group. He has participated in the Personalized Medicine Workgroup of the Department of Health and Human Services’ American Health Information Community Task Force, chaired the CDC’s EGAPP Stakeholder’s Group and was a member of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee for Genetics, Health and Society. He is a member of the EGAPP working group. He is a past member of the ACMG Board of Directors, and served as Vice-President for Clinical Genetics. He is past chair of the ACMG Committee on the Economics of Genetic Services and founded the ACMG Quality Improvement Special Interest Group. He is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Clinical Pharmacogenetic Implementation Consortium (CPIC) and a member of the CPIC informatics committee and has participated in guideline creation and review for that group. He recently joined the Scientific Advisory Board of the NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Project. He is boarded in clinical informatics and is a member of the AMIA genomics and translational bioinformatics workgroup and was Geisinger’s representative to the Clinical Decision Support Consortium. He was elected a fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics in 2016. He has authored over 130 articles on a variety of topics including the economic evaluation and value of genetic services, implementation of genomic medicine and the use of informatics to facilitate genomic medicine.