Class of 2025
Megan Grantham grew up in Olympia, Washington, and graduated from the University of Washington-Seattle in 2020 with a degree in Biochemistry and a minor in Spanish. As an undergraduate student, she held multiple officer positions in Alpha Epsilon Delta, a premedical honor society. She also volunteered as a COPE Health Scholar at Swedish Medical Center, where she gained experience advocating for patients and their families during their hospital stays. During her time as a student, Megan participated in the University of Washington's chapter of Global Medical and Dental Brigades. She facilitated patient care by assisting healthcare providers across numerous specialties, advocated for community health by organizing educational opportunities for local youth, and addressed public health concerns by assisting locals in building eco-stoves and water canals. After graduation, she worked as a behavior technician, supporting students with autism, and on a crisis phone line that serviced underserved counties in Washington. Before entering graduate school, she spent a year working as a laboratory genetic counseling assistant with the laboratory stewardship team at Seattle Children's Hospital. In this role, she conducted research that investigated common barriers to genetic testing coordination with the goal of improving resource utilization. In her free time, Megan enjoys spending time with her friends and dogs, watching movies and reality TV (her guilty pleasure), exploring nearby restaurants and bars, playing board games, and trying out new recipes.
Liana Cole grew up in Northfield, Minnesota. She stayed in her hometown to complete her B.A. in Biology at St. Olaf College, with concentrations in Biomolecular Science and Gender and Sexuality Studies. In undergrad, Liana researched pattern formation and metabolism in the model organism Tetrahymena thermophila, and worked as a lab TA. She also gained exposure to qualitative research methods through an internship at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. Following graduation, Liana worked as a clinical research assistant in the Angelman Syndrome research group at Boston Children’s Hospital for two years, where she was continually awed by the tireless dedication and advocacy of families in the AS community. Liana has served as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line and Trevor Project, and SafeZone Project facilitator to promote an affirming environment for LGBTQ+ patients, families, and staff at BCH. In her free time, Liana likes to read (especially sci-fi, nonfiction, and graphic novels), play word games, draw and paint, and begin exploring the bike trails in the Twin Cities.
Iris Pantovich was born and raised in Rochester, MN. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in 2019 with a B.A in Biology, Society, & Environment and a minor in Health Psychology. During her undergraduate career, she was an active member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and volunteered in the Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the M Health-Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center. As a research assistant for the U, she coded behaviors of romantic dyads making decisions on finances and time spent as a couple. After graduation, Iris worked as a medical scribe at the M Health-Fairview Clinics and Surgery Center before transitioning to a clinical laboratory technologist position at Mayo Clinic’s microarray laboratory. Here, she fell in love with the genetic counseling profession and was able to get connected with and shadow genetic counselors in many different specialties. Outside of work, she volunteered as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Text Line, as well as a Family Activities volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House. Iris will also continue to work as a genetic counseling assistant for the Mayo Clinic during her time in graduate school. In her free time, she enjoys taking workout classes, shopping, spending time with her partner, and pining after cute cats on adoption websites.
Abigail Rich is from Elk Grove Village, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Integrative Biology with high distinction in research and a minor in Chemistry. Her undergraduate research in the Kukekova Laboratory focused on determining common haplotypes of the maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) in red fox populations and investigating how each one influences tame and aggressive behavior in these foxes. Abigail also co-founded the first genetic counseling interest group at her undergraduate institution and organized group volunteering sessions, professional development workshops, and guest speaker events to provide resources to prospective GC students. She also served as a peer advisor for the School of Integrative Biology and a sexual abuse hotline volunteer at RACES in Urbana, Illinois. During the summer before her senior year, she interned for a reproductive genetics laboratory, Igenomix, where she learned about preconception genetic counseling and pre-implantation genetic testing. In her free time, she enjoys singing/songwriting, staying active, cooking, and exploring local restaurants.
Mili Meredith was born in London, England and raised in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She graduated with Honors in Research from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2022 with Bachelor of Science degrees in both Genetics and Genomics and Psychology, as well as a certificate in Health and the Humanities. During her undergraduate career, Mili had the privilege of working in a psychobiology lab with non-human primates (NHP) to elucidate the effects of early life stress on long-term health and development. During this time Mili also volunteered at both the Dane County Rape Crisis Center, providing emotional support and resources over the phone to survivors of sexual assault and their support persons, and Gigi’s Playhouse, where she was a one-on-one literacy tutor to a student with Down syndrome. Mili was also an active member of the University of Wisconsin Swim Club (SCUW), for which she served as the social chair. After graduation, Mili worked for a year as a Genetic Counseling Assistant at the University of Utah in the department of Pediatric Neurology in Salt Lake City, UT. In her free time, Mili enjoys swimming, hiking, reading, cooking and spending time with her golden retriever, Sunny.
Emma Garval grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She earned her B.A. degree in Molecular Biology from Scripps College in 2021. During college, Emma explored different research areas, spending time working in a psychology lab, a chemical biology lab, and as a summer intern in the epidemiology department at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. For her senior thesis project, she worked with the ClinGen Biocuration Core at UNC-Chapel Hill to perform a systematic review on predictors of phenotypic severity for the metabolic disorder VLCADD. After graduating, Emma got a job at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio where she worked as a clinical research coordinator in the hospital's Institute for Genomic Medicine. In this role she worked with a team of research genetic counselors to support several translational genomics studies. In Columbus, Emma also volunteered as a helpline advocate with the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO) and a side-walker for therapeutic horseback riding classes. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, watching reality TV shows, spending time outside, spending time with her partner, and petting cats.
Jennifer Holt was born in New Brunswick, Canada, grew up in Pennsylvania, and moved to Maple Grove, Minnesota in high school. She attended the University of Minnesota, Twin-Cities, graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development. As an undergraduate, Jennifer was passionate about engaging with the U’s APIDA community, taking on multiple board positions within the Korean Student Association and serving as an officer for the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. She also enjoyed working as a teaching assistant for undergraduate biology courses throughout college and mentoring high school interns at the Bell Museum during the summer of her junior year. In her senior year, she conducted research examining the evolution of snake venom alpha-neurotoxin resistance for members of the mammal families Herpestidae and Viverridae. To explore her growing interest in genetic counseling, Jennifer participated in the Johns Hopkins Summer GC Intern program and took a gap year to work at GeneDx as a laboratory genetic counseling assistant. In her free time, Jennifer loves playing board games/video games and spending time with her cats (and meeting new ones).
Marcus Peterson grew up in Chisago City, Minnesota, where he spent many days enjoying the lakes for which the state is famous. He attended the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, where his time volunteering as a Spanish interpreter at the Phillips Neighborhood Clinic piqued his interest in community health and science communication. After graduating with a B.A. in Spanish and a B.S. in Biology, he spent three years working in the fast-paced world of emergency medicine as a medical scribe, followed by three years working in a Health Information Management role at the Community-University Health Care Center (CUHCC), which provides primary care, dental, and mental health services to low-income families in Minneapolis. Outside of class, you can find Marcus at brewery trivia with his partner, on a brisk walk around his South Minneapolis neighborhood, or engaged in a grim struggle against the weeds in his backyard garden.
Naomi Moresi was born in the Bay Area, California and then moved around during her childhood to Colorado, Arizona, far North Queensland Australia ultimately ending up back in the Bay Area. She graduated cum laude from the University of Washington Seattle with Interdisciplinary Honors and a B.S in Psychology. During her undergraduate career, she worked in a research lab investigating familial relationships and emotional regulation in the context of pediatric cancer diagnoses. Additionally, she worked in a separate genetics and genomics laboratory conducting analysis of variants in budding yeast to study the functions of human genetic variants that contribute to metabolic deficiencies, specifically in relation to caffeine resistance in yeast and TOR signaling. During her time in this lab she was awarded first place for the undergraduate poster awards by the Genetics Society of America's at the 2022 Yeast Genetics Meeting and published a first author paper about “Caffeine-tolerant mutations selected through an at-home yeast experimental evolution teaching lab”. After she graduated in 2022, Naomi transitioned to working in patient care at an IVF clinic where she was exposed to prenatal genetic counselors. In her free time Naomi enjoys going to the gym, baking, hiking and trying to explore the Midwest as she can!
Melanie LeMinh was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, and moved to Minnesota in 2012. She graduated with High Distinction from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, in the Fall of 2022 with a B.S. in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development. As an undergraduate, she conducted research in a genetics laboratory in which she studied how cell surface signals affect downstream signaling and the morphology of wing development in Drosophila melanogaster. Melanie also worked as a volunteer Welcome Week Leader and volunteered as a crisis text line counselor. In addition, she worked for ACR homes in which she advocated for people with disabilities and cared for their everyday needs and wellbeing. She developed her passion for genetic counseling by being a member of the pre-genetic counseling club, and attending a summer genetic counseling internship through the Medical College of Wisconsin. After graduation, Melanie volunteered for Alexandra house, an organization whose goal is to help survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault. She volunteered at the domestic abuse shelter and was also a volunteer hospital advocate in which she would meet sexual assault survivors and support them through evidence collection kits and provide resources for mental health, legal services, and counseling. In her free time, she loves outdoor activities, embroidering, playing golf, watching tv shows, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
Class of 2026
Jordan Bruer grew up in West Fargo, North Dakota and moved to Minnesota in 2020. She graduated from the University of Minnesota in May 2024 with a B.S. in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development and a minor in Sociology of Law, Crime, and Deviance. Throughout her undergraduate career, Jordan was an active member of the UMN Pre-Genetic Counseling Club and served as both communications coordinator and president. She volunteered at M Health Fairview in the PACU assisting patients who were getting out of surgery. In addition, she was a hospice volunteer through North Memorial where she provided companionship and comfort to patients on end-of-life care. For two and a half years, she worked as a student lab assistant at the UMN Genomics Center where she gained extensive knowledge on DNA/ RNA sizing procedure and analysis. During her senior year, she got involved with Dr. Heather Zierhut’s GC-PRO research study, performing a variety of tasks including patient recruitment and GC session coding as a part of data collection. She is excited to continue her contributions to the GC-PRO team while in graduate school. In her spare time, Jordan can be found reading romance or fantasy novels, binging Love Island (mostly UK version but some US seasons), doing puzzles on her iPad, lounging by a pool, and spending time with her family and friends.
Nikhita Dhar grew up in the Twin Cities metro area. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in Psychology and minor in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota in 2023. As an undergraduate, Nikhita started her research journey in the Engel Vision and Imaging Lab researching long-term adaptation to colored lenses through the DFRACS program. She later completed her honors thesis with the Vrieze lab, examining phenotypes associated with rare variants in the KMT2E and CNTN4 genes linked to autism spectrum disorder. During this time, she also worked as both a peer advisor for the CLA Career Services office and an undergrad TA for the biochemistry lab course. After graduation, she took a full-time position as a Patient Coordinator with MNGI Digestive Health, aiding with procedure coordination and acting as a liaison between patients and providers. She recently started volunteering at Planned Parenthood as well, and she hopes to continue doing so while in the graduate program. In her free time, Nikhita enjoys reading, embroidering, running/going to the gym, exploring new coffee shops and restaurants in the Twin Cities, and petting dogs or cats.
Mikayla Eraquam grew up in the small town of Chetek, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Stout in 2022 with a B.S. in Psychology and a Genetics concentration. As an undergraduate student, she devoted time as a mentor with a ministry based equestrian program working with at-risk youth and held leadership positions within her university’s Psi Chi chapter. Mikayla also served as a Crisis Advocate at her local domestic abuse shelter and worked as Behavioral Specialist in the children’s summer program at the YMCA. Before entering graduate school, Mikayla enjoyed her time working as Genetic Counseling Assistant (GCA) with the clinical genomics team at Mayo Clinic. Mikayla will work as a laboratory GCA for the Mayo Clinic during her time in graduate school. In her free time, Mikayla enjoys spending time with her family and pets, trying out new recipes, and painting.
Tori Johnson grew up in a small town in the Chicago suburbs. She graduated from Knox College in 2022 with her Bachelor of Arts in biochemistry and minors in neuroscience and psychology. As part of her undergraduate degree, she completed her research thesis, which was focused on identifying the protein(s) involved in light sensation within the unicellular ciliate Stentor coeruleus. After graduation, she moved to Minneapolis and began working remotely as a medical scribe. She then transitioned to a clinical research role at Children's Minnesota, where she and her team managed several research studies with the goal of improving treatment and patient care for individuals with genetic conditions. She also dedicated time as a volunteer with RAINN, a 24/7 hotline for survivors of sexual violence. Before entering graduate school, she also worked as a Genetic Counseling Support Assistant at Allina Health's Cancer Institute in St. Paul. In her free time, Tori enjoys being active, exploring the Twin Cities, and experimenting with new recipes.
Abigail Krull grew up in Sycamore, IL. She completed her undergraduate degree at Iowa State University in 2024, majoring in genetics and minoring in pharmacology and toxicology. During her undergraduate studies, Abby worked in a functional genomics zebrafish lab, utilizing the CRISPR-Cas9 system to determine the function of human-zebrafish homologous genes. She also worked as a WiSE supplemental instructor for Organic Chemistry I, teaching students involved in the Women in Science and Engineering program, supporting their academic goals, and connecting them to resources to aid in their success. Within that same supplemental instruction program, she held a mentorship position, training new SI leaders and aiding in their professional development. She has served as the president of the genetics club, a laboratory TA, and a member of the DEI committee at her college. Outside of school, she advocated for patients within the Elder Life Program at Unity Point Hospital in Des Moines, visiting with patients and helping them process their emotions during their hospital stays. She also completed a clinical research internship at Mayo Clinic Florida, working with patients in breast oncology. It was there that she fell in love with the collaborative atmosphere of healthcare and, specifically, the role that genetic counselors play within that collaboration. In her free time, she loves to be outside, going on hikes, swimming, and taking walks. She enjoys reading, staying active, and hanging out with her friends and family.
Elise Layne grew up in a small town outside of Boise, Idaho. She earned her B.A. degree in Biochemistry from Swarthmore College in 2022, where she was a Questbridge Scholar. During her undergraduate career she had the privilege of conducting research at both Boise State University and in the Summer Honors Undergraduate Research Program at Harvard Medical School. After graduation, she participated in the Research Scholar Initiative at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences while working at Boston Children’s Hospital as a research assistant in the Zon Lab. Here she worked on two projects: lineage tracing to identify cells contributing to melanoma development, and characterizing the effect of bioactive lipid mediators on blood stem cells. During this time, Elise also volunteered at Dana Farber Cancer Institute where she aided patients undergoing cancer treatment. Additionally, Elise engaged in outreach opportunities including volunteering as a genetics lecturer for Camp Zon, a virtual high school research experience, and founded the National Organization for Rare Disorders Chapter at Boston Children’s Hospital. Currently, she volunteers as a rare disease support group moderator for Rare New England. In her free time, Elise loves taking absurdly long walks, sewing, and watching reality TV.
Aarya Patil grew up in Mumbai, India, and she graduated with a Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology from D. Y. Patil University in 2023. In her junior year she discovered and fell in love with genetic counseling and pursued this interest at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), the R&D wing of the Tata Memorial Hospital, by researching on germline BRCA1 gene hotspot mutation screening in the North-East Indian population. Outside of work, she provided assistance to create academic content on Yoga Shastra and Psychology. After graduating, she volunteered as a Genetic Counseling Assistant at ACTREC’s busy cancer genetics clinic, coordinating genetic testing for cancer patients. In her senior year, she dedicated her time to volunteer and continues her bond with Ankahee Helpline, formerly Samaritans Mumbai A Suicide Helpline, where she took on various roles to provide emotional support to those who may be distressed, depressed or suicidal. As she spent her childhood surrounded by the rich cultural and traditional heritage of India, she loves to spend her free time exploring new cultures, visiting art galleries in Minneapolis and practicing yoga honoring her family’s spiritual roots.
Lauren Russell was born in Sarasota, Florida, and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee in high school. She attended Florida State University, graduating magna cum laude with Bachelor of Science degrees in both Biology and Public Health. During college, Lauren worked in a research lab investigating the role of the gut microbiome in neurodegenerative diseases and overall health. She also volunteered with University Health Services, where she gained experience advocating for students and their health needs. Additionally, Lauren served as a Student Health Ambassador to provide healthcare resources to students on campus. She enjoyed working as a Learning Assistant for undergraduate biology courses and mentoring first-year students for the Florida State University Honors Program. During this time she also volunteered as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. In her free time, Lauren loves caring for her (many) plants, reading literary fiction, crocheting, taking fitness classes, and exploring the Twin Cities with her partner.
Melissa Schlein grew up in Denville, New Jersey. She graduated cum laude from the University of Alabama in 2022 with a B.S. in Biology and minors in Psychology and English. As an undergraduate, she conducted research investigating the neuroprotective effects of natural extracts and diet in C. elegans models of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. During this time, Melissa regularly organized benefit concerts with local NJ musicians to fundraise for nonprofits, including Trans Lifeline and Jersey Battered Women’s Services. She also held the service chair position in her university’s chapter of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity. After graduation, Melissa secured a position as a postbac research fellow at the National Institutes of Health, working in a clinical research laboratory studying the genetic links between mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired immune response. In this position, Melissa developed and maintained novel organizational databases for the lab’s clinical study and had the opportunity to interact with numerous families affected by mitochondrial disease, where she developed a lasting passion for rare disease advocacy. Outside of work, she volunteered for Crisis Text Line and was the volunteer coordination chair for the NIH fellows’ LGBTQIA+ affinity group. In her free time, Melissa enjoys adding to her sketchbook, writing fiction, playing video games, and pining after cats sitting in apartment windows.
PhD students
Elise Travis grew up in Tracy, California. In 2017, she was the first in my family to graduate college from California State University, East Bay with a B.S. in General Biology. After graduation, Elise worked full time as a lab associate at a biotech start up in the Bay area and also worked part time as an advocate at Ruby's Place and A Safe Place Emergency shelter. Elise’s involvement in the genetic counseling community began in 2019 at the NSGC conference in Salt Lake City, Utah where she met UMN genetic counseling alumni, joined the Minority Genetics Professional Network (MGPN), and met many Black genetic counselors who still mentor her today. In 2020, Elise moved to Ohio to attend Case Western Reserve University. In Cleveland, she worked at the VA hospital and completed her Master of Arts in Bioethics and Medical Humanities under the leadership of Dr. Patricia Marshall, Dr. Marsha Michie, and Dr. Aaron Goldenberg. Elise’s capstone research project on Black infant mortality in Northern California was presented at the 2021 CDC Place and Health Conference. In Fall 2021, Elise moved back to the Bay Area and worked at Genentech where she served on the Global Ethics Committee and member of the Oncology Biomarker Development (OBD) DEI Committee. In January 2022, she worked as an IRTA scholar at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) with the Genetic Counseling team in Bethesda, Maryland. In her free time, Elise enjoys traveling, baking, spending time with her King Charles Cavalier, and connecting with other current genetic counselors and prospective genetic counseling students in the GOLDEN network.
Jacque Lyman grew up in Chandler, Arizona and graduated summa cum laude from Northern Arizona University with degrees in Biology and Spanish and a minor in Chemistry. During her undergraduate career, she worked as a researcher in conservation genetics and developed a noninvasive assay to detect environmental DNA of an endangered mammal. She studied abroad for two semesters in Spain at the University of Alicante where she took classes in ocean sports, culinary arts, and molecular genetics. Additionally, she interned in an andrology research lab optimizing gamete selection for assisted reproduction. Jacque was an Honors student mentor, crisis counselor with Crisis Text Line, and a volunteer for children with limb differences. She founded Northern Arizona University’s first multidisciplinary campus organization for Women in STEM to promote inclusion and advancement for underrepresented students. Jacque is an only child, despite being raised alongside a blue and gold macaw named Booboo. In her free time, Jacque enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and petting dogs.
Alana Rodney is originally from Baton Rouge, LA. She graduated in 2019 from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences. As an undergraduate she did research in maize genetics and worked as a mentor for underrepresented students in science. She also completed a Master’s in Animals Science from the University of Missouri, with a focus in genes involved in feline oral squamous cell carcinoma. She is now a dual PhD/Genetic counseling student and works in Dr. Michael Koob’s lab and studies the genetic mechanisms involved in Alzheimer’s. In her free time, she enjoys walking Lake Bde Maka Ska, serving in her community, and listening to live music.