Faculty, Students & Alumni

Faculty and Staff

Kathleen Berentsen Swenson, MS, MPH, CGC
Program Director, Genetic Counseling Program
Assistant Professor, Medical Sciences & Education
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Kathleen received a BS in Natural Science and Psychology from Muhlenberg College, an MS in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College, and an MPH from Columbia University focusing on Population and Family Health. Kathleen’s contributions to the genetic counseling profession include a range from clinical care across many specialties (prenatal, pediatrics, neurology and cancer); advocacy work at the national level with the Children’s Tumor Foundation overseeing the NF Clinic Network and at the community level with the Dominican Women’s Development Center where she trained promotores de salud; public health work with the New York State Department of Health focused on raising disability awareness and at The Guttmacher Institute where she supported research specific to reproductive health; and in industry as a Medical Affairs Genetic Counselor at the former Counsyl, Inc. Kathleen is currently active on committees for the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Board of Genetic Counseling and the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. She holds current leadership positions as President of the New England Regional Genetics Group and as a member of the Executive Committee for the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors. Kathleen is passionate about teaching the next generation of genetic counselors in a student centric, inclusive and supportive training environment. She was recognized as the 2018-19 Graduate Medical Sciences Educator of the Year and recognized in 2021 for Outstanding Mentoring by Graduate Medical Sciences.

Lillian Sosa, MS, CGC

Lillian Sosa, MS, CGC Assistant Program Director
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Lillian received a BA in chemistry with a biochemistry concentration from Skidmore College. Prior to pursuing genetic counseling, Lillian worked as a research technician and lab manager in an epigenetics laboratory at MIT. She received her MS in Genetic Counseling from Boston University School of Medicine. Before joining the Boston University team, Lillian worked as the senior genetic counselor at Maimonides Cancer Center and the program coordinator for the Division of Pediatric Genetics at Maimonides Infants & Children’s Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. At Maimonides, Lillian served on the multidisciplinary cleft lip and palate team and was actively involved in the pediatric residency genetics core curricula. At Boston Medical Center, Lillian is a clinical counselor in the Antenatal Testing Unit, providing counseling in a prenatal setting. In addition Lillian oversees fieldwork coordination and initiatives in clinical education for the BU Genetic Counseling Program. Lillian is an active member of the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors and National Society of Genetic Counselors.

Nikkola Carmichael, PhD, MS, CGC

Assistant Director, Student Research
Assistant Professor, Medical Sciences & Education
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Nikkola received a BA in Mathematics and a BMus in Vocal Performance from Rice University and an MA in Musicology from the University of Chicago before discovering her true career path in genetic counseling. She pivoted with a MS in Genetic Counseling from Brandeis University, and then went on to complete a PhD in Health Professions Education at Simmons University, where her dissertation was a qualitative study focused on the training experiences of genetic counseling students who identify with a racial or ethnic minority group. Prior to joining the faculty at Boston University, Nikkola worked as a clinical and research genetic counselor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. For the last 4 years, she has specialized in pulmonary genetics, providing genetic counseling to adult and pediatric patients with lung disease and spearheading gene discovery initiatives. Nikkola‘s research interests are centered on the education of genetic counseling students, the creation of equitable and inclusive training environments for students with identities that are currently underrepresented in the profession, and the ways in which being bicultural impacts genetic counselors’ interactions with patients.

Phil Connors, MS, MPH, CGC

Assistant Director, Admissions and Recruitment
Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Phil earned a BS degree in Biochemistry from Northeastern University, an MS degree in Genetic Counseling from Boston University School of Medicine, and an MPH degree concentrated in Health Policy & Law at Boston University School of Public Health. Prior to joining the BUGC team in 2015, Phil worked in the Cancer Genetics and Prevention Program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He continued his work in cancer genetics while also joining the prenatal genetics team as a GC at Boston Medical Center, before transitioning out of the Cancer Care Center into the Lead Genetic Counselor role for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Today, Phil sees patients and families in the Antenatal Testing Unit for reproductive and prenatal genetic counseling and manages a team of GCs in OB/GYN. Phil’s research interests focus largely on the intersection between genetics, public health and public policy – spanning from access issues and disparities in health outcomes in genetics and medicine, to access genetic counselors as an inclusive profession for historically excluded and underrepresented individuals. Phil is an active member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors as a slated Director-at-Large for the 2023-2025 Board of Directors, and as a past Chair of the Membership Committee.

Jodi Hoffman, MD

Medical Director, Genetic Counseling Program
Section Chief for Genetics, Dept. of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center
Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine

Dr. Hoffman received her medical degree at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, completed a Pediatric residency at Yale Children’s Hospital in New Haven, and completed Medical Genetics training at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she developed special interests in Jewish genetic diseases, hereditary cancer syndromes, connective tissue disorders and the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Dr. Hoffman joined the faculty at Boston Medical Center/Boston University in 2015. She is the Section Chief for Genetics in the Division of Pediatrics where she practices as a general medical geneticist and provides counseling and diagnosis regarding preconception care, neonates, children and adults with personal or family history of genetic conditions. She serves as the medical director for the BU Master’s Program in Genetic Counseling where she enjoys teaching in the classroom and mentoring in the clinic. Prior to joining the Department of Pediatrics at BMC, Dr. Hoffman was Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medical, where she served as Program Director for the Medical Genetics residency. She also practiced medical genetics at Tufts Medical Center and was Director of the Victor Outreach and Screening Program for Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Diseases in Boston for 10 years. Dr. Hoffman serves on the Scientific Advisory Committee for the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association. Dr. Hoffman is an active member of American College of Medical Genetics, was past president of the ACMG Social Ethical and Legal Issues Committee and currently serves on the ACMG Program Committee. Locally, Dr. Hoffman is member of the BUMG Work Life Harmony Committee, devotes time to genetic test utilization optimization at BMC, and works with the Framingham Heart Study on disclosing medically actionable results.

Gauri Anand, MS, CGC
Instructor, Department of Pediatrics
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Gauri received a BS in Molecular Genetics & Microbiology and Health & Disease from the University of Toronto. She received her MS in Genetic Counseling from the Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons at Columbia University. At Boston Medical Center, Gauri works as a clinical counselor in the Department of Pediatrics and in the Cardiovascular Center. Gauri is a member of the Boston Minority Genetic Counselors and the Minority Genetics Professionals Network. Her clinical and research interests include promoting access to genetics education and increasing diversity within the field of genetic counseling.

Claire Barton, MS,
Genetic Counselor

Claire Barton earned a BA in Biology from Vanderbilt University and an MS in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Stanford University School of Medicine. At Boston Medical Center, Claire works as a clinical genetic counselor at the Cancer Center and in the Department of Pediatrics. Her clinical and research interests include optimizing and enhancing genetic counseling services to promote active engagement, particularly when there is a language difference between patient and provider.

Nadine Channaoui, MS, CGC
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Nadine graduated with a BA in Psychology from Brandeis University and an MS in Genetic Counseling from Boston University School of Medicine. She has provided clinical genetic counseling services in the cancer and cardiovascular settings and currently works at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in their Cardiovascular Genetics Center. Within the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Nadine has held various volunteer and leadership positions, primarily centered around diversity inclusion efforts. As a former Fulbright U.S. Student Grant awardee and experienced yoga teacher, Nadine merges cultural and societal consideration, introspection, and wellness prioritization within her roles as a clinical genetic counselor, student supervisor, and course instructor.

Darius Haghighat, MS
Instructor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Genetic Counselor

Darius received a BS in Biology and a BA in Religious Studies from Stonehill College. Prior to pursuing genetic counseling, he worked as an Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at Boston University. He then received his MS in Genetic Counseling from Boston University School of Medicine. After graduating, Darius joined the genetic counseling team at Boston Medical Center where he sees patients in both the Antenatal Testing Unit and the Cancer Center. He is particularly passionate about LGBTQIA+ justice and intersex care.

Katherine (Kat) Lafferty, MS, LGCClinical Instructor; Licensed Genetic Counselor

Kat obtained her BS from St. Lawrence University in biology with a minor in chemistry. She then went on to attend Boston University School of Medicine, graduating with her MS in Genetic Counseling in 2011. Upon graduation, Kat spent the next three years working as Laboratory Genetic Counselor in the Laboratory for Molecular Medicine at Partners HealthCare. With a desire to move to Northern New England and gain more clinical experience, Kat started practicing as an oncology genetic counselor at Maine Medical Center. In 2022, she returned back to laboratory analysis and interpretation as a Senior Clinical Variant Analyst at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard’s Clinical Research Sequencing Laboratory. Kat has always maintained a passion for working with students in her various roles as a genetic counselor. She currently co-instructs the Genetic Diagnosis and Laboratory Methods course at BU.

Maggie Ruderman, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor, Medical Sciences & Education
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Maggie received a BS in Biology and Biotechnology from Endicott College and an MS in Genetic Counseling from Boston University School of Medicine. During her time in the BUGC program, she enjoyed interfacing with the exceptional patients and providers at Boston Medical Center and formally joined the Genetics team following graduation. She is a clinical genetic counselor in the Cancer Center at Boston Medical Center and appreciates the opportunity to come together with patients to discuss how genetic information can impact their health. Improving healthcare equity and access to genetic services are some of Maggie’s primary focuses. Her research centers around the impact of systemic exclusion of diverse communities in the field of genetics, particularly related to trust, awareness, accessibility, and variant interpretation. She recently joined Dr. Catharine Wang and team at the Black Women’s Healthy Study on a trial returning cancer genetic research results to participants across the country. Outside of genetics, Maggie is a figure skating coach and enjoys supporting skaters throughout their journey in the sport.

Joselyn Saenz Díaz, MS, CGC
Instructor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Licensed Genetic Counselor

Joselyn Saenz Díaz, MS, CGC is a Prenatal and Cancer genetic Counselor at Boston Medical Center. She is a graduate of the inaugural genetic counseling class of MGH Institute of Health Professions. Joselyn previously worked at Invitae as a Clinical Consult Specialist and at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center as a Research Project Interviewer. She completed her undergraduate degree at UC Santa Cruz and is a proud banana slug.

Victoria Suslovitch, MS, CGC
Clinical Instructor; Licensed Genetic Counselor

Victoria received her Master of Science in Genetic Counseling from the Boston University School of Medicine. Before becoming a genetic counselor, Victoria got her BA in Biology at the University of Tampa, studied Biological Anthropology at the University of Oxford, and worked at the World Health Organization Headquarters in Geneva. She now works as a research genetic counselor at Boston Children’s Hospital, in a laboratory studying the development of genomically targeted therapeutics for children with rare neurological diseases (www.theyulab.org). In the Yu Laboratory, she supports the logistical, educational, and emotional needs of patients and families enrolled in translational genomics studies.

Diana M. Toldeo, PhD, MS, CGC
Clinical Instructor; Associate Director, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

Dr. Toledo obtained her BA degree in Biology from Brown University and her MS in genetic counseling from Boston University. She worked as a clinical and laboratory counselor at Boston Medical Center, the Laboratory for Molecular Medicine, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital for three years prior to returning to school and obtaining a PhD in Genetics from Dartmouth College. Her thesis focused on a multi-omics approach at identifying gene expression signatures in a rare autoimmune disease, systemic sclerosis. Dr. Toledo also contributed to Dr. Catharine Wang’s genetic health communication project with a Virtual Counselor (VICKY) at BU during her PhD. She went on to do a post-doctoral clinical fellowship in Molecular Pathology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and is currently at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard as an Associate Director in their Clinical Research Sequencing Platform (CRSP) Laboratory. The CRSP lab is a CLIA/CAP accredited lab that performs whole genome sequencing (WGS) for the All of Us government initiative, WGS for other clinical projects, whole exome sequencing for somatic application, and high-volume SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing.

Meghan Towne, MS, CGC
Clinical Instructor; Licensed Genetic Counselor

Meghan attended Boston University School of Medicine for her graduate studies in Genetic Counseling. Her studies piqued her interest in the impact of innovative technologies on diagnosing and connecting families with rare genetic disorders. Meghan worked for seven years at Boston Children’s Hospital developing the institutional infrastructure for gene discovery, enhancing research collaborations, and evaluating the utility of genomic sequencing in newborns. In 2016, Meghan joined Ambry Genetics working in variant classification and exome reporting on the Clinical Genomics team before transitioning to the Clinical Research team. In her current role, Meghan oversees internal research and external collaborations for cardiology, neurology, and other rare diseases. She also serves as the liaison for research studies involving biotech industry partners. Meghan maintains her research connections to the Boston community by serving as a voting member of the Massachusetts General Brigham IRB and through her involvement in the research seminar series at Boston University School of Medicine.

Grace VanNoy, MS, CGC
Clinical Instructor; Licensed Genetic Counselor

Grace received a BS in Biology from Bates College where she also studied anthropology and public health. She then earned her MS in Genetic Counseling from the Boston University School of Medicine. Following her graduate studies, Grace pursued her interest in clinical research at Boston Children’s Hospital. At BCH she was involved in developing and co-managing research studies focused on rare pediatric diseases, genomic sequencing in newborns, and rapid whole exome sequencing for sick neonates. In her current role at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, she is the Project Manager for the Rare Genomes Project, which aims to expand access to genomic sequencing for individuals with rare, undiagnosed diseases.

Catharine Wang, PhD
Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences
School of Public Health

Dr. Wang obtained her doctorate in Health Behavior and Health Education from the University of Michigan and has expertise in survey research methods, intervention development, and program evaluation. Her research has spanned across several areas including public health genomics, health communication/e-health, health literacy, and cancer prevention and control. Dr. Wang currently serves as a member of the National Cancer Institute’s PDQ Cancer Genetics Editorial Board. Much of Dr. Wang’s work focuses on the effective translation of genomic discoveries into clinical and public health practice. She has been the Principal Investigator on several grants to examine how people understand and use complex risk information to make health decisions. Her work also examines how individuals adopt new health technologies, including genomics and molecular diagnostics, and examines barriers to the adoption and implementation of these technologies among underserved patient populations.

Kim Zayhowski, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor, Medical Sciences & Education
Licensed Genetic Counselor

Kim received her BS from Brandeis University, triple majoring in Neuroscience, Biology, and Psychology, and minoring in Mathematics. She received her MS in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Stanford University School of Medicine. Prior to joining the BUGC team in 2020, Kim worked at UMass Memorial Medical Center, counseling patients in general, prenatal, cancer, and cardiac genetics clinics. Now at Boston Medical Center, Kim is a cancer genetic counselor and clinical researcher in the Cancer Care Center. A queer, multiracial genetic counselor, Kim’s research within genetic counseling has primarily focused on improving equity in healthcare for communities that continue to be marginalized. She dedicates much of her time to educating genetic counselors on the needs of the LGBTQIA+ community through talks, blogs, and research, including several published studies on improving genetic counseling services for gender diverse patients. Kim co-leads a virtual process group for LGBTQIA+ genetic counselors and students. She is also an active member of the Minority Genetics Professionals Network and Boston Minority Genetic Counselors

Abby Gatanti
Administrative Coordinator

Abby received a BA in biology from Assumption College. She is currently pursuing a MS in Nutrition and Metabolism. Abby is passionate in assisting people in all aspects of healthcare. Her previous experience includes medical plan document reviewing and client relations. Abby’s most recent position was as a patient coordinator at BU School of Dental Medicine.

Class of 2023

Evelyn Fisher

Evelyn was born and raised outside Philadelphia. In 2010, she graduated from Sarah Lawrence College, and in 2012 earned a Master in Social Services from Bryn Mawr College. Throughout her social work career, she has held positions working with those struggling with mental health concerns, substance abuse issues, and homelessness. Through all this, she just couldn’t shake her love of genetics and knew that genetic counseling was the perfect blend of her passions. Evelyn has been living in Denver, CO for the past several years but is excited to be back on the east coast. In her spare time, you can find her exploring the outdoors, spending time with her dog, or trying new foods.

Andrew Giles

Andrew was born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Following an early passion for genetics, he attended Clemson University in South Carolina. While there, he became involved with The Clemson Backpacking Club and became President by his senior year. He graduated with a B.S. in Genetics with a minor in Psychology in 2019. After graduating, he started working at GeneDx in Maryland as a Genetic Counseling Assistant for the Array program. Outside of work, Andrew volunteered with a local Knoxville pediatric genetics clinic and with Crisis Text Line as a crisis counselor. He is excited to learn so much at BU and explore the Boston area. In his free time, he enjoys yoga, hiking, paddle boarding, and playing music.

Natalie Jones

Natalie is originally from Syracuse, NY and graduated from Northeastern University in December 2019 with a combined degree in Biology and Mathematics. Natalie has worked as a research coordinator in several clinical research settings, including the Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research at Boston Children’s Hospital as an undergrad, and more recently at the VA Boston Healthcare System on the GenoVA Study. Natalie loves to perform and was able to pursue many musical opportunities during undergrad. She was president of her a cappella group Treble on Huntington, performed in several musical theatre performances and played alto sax in the rock ensemble. Natalie is very excited to be staying in Boston as it is close enough to drive home for a weekend to visit her family, and she can attend as many Red Sox games as possible!

Haley Leishman

Haley grew up splitting her time between Connecticut and Montana, but has called Boston home for a few years now. She graduated from Holy Cross in 2018 with a double major in Psychology and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies. In 2021, Haley received her master’s from Tufts University in Child Study & Human Development. While at Tufts, Haley was inducted into their Honos Civicus society for her dedication to civic engagement. Some of her roles included being a one-to-one aid for students at a residential therapeutic school, a volunteer support group facilitator for children grieving the loss of a parent, and an intern within the MGH HealthySteps program. Haley is an avid runner and enjoys being a sighted-guide for visually impaired runners. She also has a passion for hiking, coffee, traveling, and drawing. Haley found out about genetic counseling during a developmental psychology class her senior year at Holy Cross, and cannot wait to pursue this career at Boston University!

Natalie Lillie

Natalie grew up in Los Altos, California, and became a frequent traveler of Highway 5 to attend Scripps College in Claremont, California. She graduated in 2019 with a degree in Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience where she presented her senior thesis on the influence of dopamine and D2 dopaminergic receptors on monogamous pair bond formation in zebra finches. When Natalie wasn’t managing her professor’s lab and helping birds fall in love, Natalie led prospective student programming and gave campus tours as the co-head of the tight-knit Scripps Admissions Team. She also found great joy in being the Spirit Captain of her club ultimate frisbee team. After college, Natalie worked briefly in healthcare tech at Intuitive, a company focused on optimizing patient outcomes through robotic assisted surgery, before transitioning into a clinical, patient-facing role as a clinical research coordinator in the Day Lab at Stanford University. She worked primarily with and cared for both familial and sporadic ALS patients, and her experiences and interactions with neuromuscular rare disease patients and their families motivated her to pursue genetic counseling. Natalie’s favorite forms of self-care include running and biking (any form of movement, really!), collaging, watching Bay Area sports, and spending time with her family and friends. She is so grateful for and excited about the opportunity to train as a genetic counselor at Boston University – it’s a dream come true, and she can’t wait to get started!

Darilyn Mahoney

Darilyn was born and raised in Beltsville, MD. She graduated with a B.S. in Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Maryland, College Park. After graduation, she started working at GeneDx as a genetic counseling assistant in cardiogenetics and was later promoted to genetic counseling program assistant. Outside of the lab, she volunteers as a crisis intervention specialist at an online crisis chat organization and teaches dance classes at the competitive level. In her free time, she loves to do anything creative including baking, sewing, painting, and dancing. Darilyn also likes to explore new places and relax with some good TV.

Margaret Meserve

Margaret grew up in Portland, Maine and graduated in 2019 from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Neuroscience and Behavior. In college, Margaret was involved in research on genetic testing and social understandings of Autism Spectrum Disorder. She was also very involved in her dorm’s community and served as a member of the Club coordination council. After graduation, Margaret spent two years exploring Chicago and working as a clinical research coordinator at the Northwestern University School of Medicine. In her free time, she enjoys reading, trying new crafts and exploring coffee shops and restaurants.

Mary Nahorniak

Mary grew up in Chicopee, Massachusetts and moved to Boston to attend Emmanuel College, where she received her B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Health Sciences. Since graduating in 2019, she has been working as a middle school math and science teacher in Brookline, Massachusetts. Mary also volunteers as a Friendly Visitor for FriendshipWorks, an organization working to reduce social isolation in older adults in the Boston area. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, rehearsing with a local dance company, knitting, traveling, and trying new recipes.

Erica Ogert

Erica is a native of New Hampshire Her undergraduate degree is in Biology with a minor in Psychology from the University of New Hampshire at Manchester. Erica has known she wanted to become a genetic counselor since the 7th grade when she learned all about genetics and inheritance. For fun, Erica enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and traveling the world. Erica would really love to explore every country out there to see all that it has to offer, and is waiting for a time when we are all able to do so safely. Erica is incredibly excited to be able to receive an education and someday work in the Boston area where she has frequently visited museums, restaurants, and other local attractions

Jessica Tsang

Jessica Tsang grew up in Philadelphia, PA and graduated this past June from Drexel University with a degree in Biology and a certificate in Ethical Theory and Practice. At Drexel she was involved in research focusing on Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) at the University of Pennsylvania, volunteer work with Crisis Text Line, and English tutoring with the Washington English Center. With her experience working in both research and outreach, she knew that genetic counseling aligned with her passions. Jessica looks forward to the next couple years in Boston where you can find her trying new restaurants, in a museum, or catching up with friends and family at her favorite coffee shop.

Anna Verwillow

Anna grew up in the Bay Area and stayed for school, attending Stanford University where she received a Bachelor’s in Computer Science with a concentration in Biocomputation and a Master’s in Biology. During school, she took and TA-ed a class about empathetic and honest communication, spent Friday afternoons swimming with the Special Needs Aquatics Program, and volunteered in the Stanford Cancer Genetics Center and the Stanford Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease clinic. After graduating, she worked at Genome Medical, automating components of genetic counseling pre-appointment education and genetic test ordering. When she’s not listening to podcasts on walks with her dog, she loves playing frisbee and sharing a bunch of random items off of a menu.