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Genetic Counseling Class of 2025
Introducing Bay Path's Genetic Counseling Class of 2025
Please visit the MS in Genetic Counseling program page to learn about the curriculum, program options, and more!
Kristin grew up in a small city outside of Greensboro called Burlington, North Carolina. She attended North Carolina State University and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in genetics and a minor in anthropology in 2021. As an undergrad, she was a teaching assistant for an introductory genetics class and discovered her passion for teaching others. She also volunteered with the campus Women’s Center as a Movement Peer Educator, a group that advocates for interpersonal violence and sexual assault awareness and prevention. Kristin took a gap year after graduating and now works as a teaching assistant at a daycare where she works with children who are disabled, have histories of trauma, and/or come from difficult family situations. She has formed strong bonds with children in every classroom she has worked in and has enjoyed watching them grow and learn. Walking down the hallway and hearing an excited “Ms. Kristin!” from the kids never fails to make her day. Kristin has been interested in genetic counseling since her junior year of high school. She fell in love with genetics during AP biology and sought a career where she could interact with individuals on a daily basis. After shadowing multiple genetic counselors, she discovered a new love and respect for the field of genetic counseling as she admires the patient-centered care that is at the forefront of each session. She is excited to pursue her Master’s Degree in Genetic Counseling at Bay Path and grow her knowledge and passion for this career. Kristin still resides in Burlington, where she spends time with her large family, pets, and significant other. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, cross-stitching, and taking care of her house plants. She also began weightlifting in 2022 and has enjoyed challenging herself and growing stronger over the past year! |
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As a military brat, Staci spent much of her childhood moving around but considers Cottonwood, Arizona, her hometown. She attended Arizona State University and received a BA in Secondary Education—Chemistry. During her undergraduate years, she volunteered with Camp Kesem—a summer camp for children of cancer victims. She also worked as a tutor for refugees at a community college, where she gained a passion for education. After graduating from Arizona State, Staci moved to San Antonio, Texas, where she taught middle and high school chemistry for eight years. Her experience in science education has equipped her with the skills to communicate complex information in a clear and concise manner, and she believes it will be invaluable in her future work as a genetic counselor. During her time as a teacher, Staci had a personal experience with infant loss, which proved to be a pivotal moment in her life. This experience inspired her to pursue a career in genetic counseling. Now residing in Reno, Nevada, with her husband and two children, Staci is dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of genetic conditions. She is passionate about using her knowledge and experience to provide support and resources to those facing similar challenges. In her free time, Staci enjoys hiking, running, traveling, rewatching The Office, baking chocolate chip cookies, and playing with her kids. |
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Kennedy Cunliffe-Storey was born and raised in Ogden, Utah. After graduating high school, she went to Humboldt State University (now Cal Poly Humboldt) in Arcata, California, graduating summa cum laude with a B.S. in Cellular/Molecular Biology. During her college years, she first studied genetics during the genetics course and lab. She continued genetics studies by doing undergraduate research using CRISPR. After graduating, Kennedy received a CIRM (California Institute of Regenerative Medicine) internship in a lab at Stanford University. She primarily studied increasing the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells by adding different genetic components to the CAR T cells. With the onset of COVID in 2020, she moved back home to Utah. She worked as a Lab Specialist at the University of Utah, studying the effects of renal dendritic cells in salt-sensitive hypertension. She later took a position in the research and development department at Fresenius Medical Care. |
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Nicole (Nicky) Daley grew up in Granite Bay, California. While studying Animal Biology at the University of California, Davis, Nicky was a laboratory assistant at the MRLT Vision Sciences lab. This lab has many projects around the genetic component of ocular disorders and supported Nicky while she conducted her own research project investigating the morphological features involved in the pathogenesis of a genetic condition known as Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG). Her work was then incorporated into a larger study seeking to identify genetic loci associated with PACG. Nicky was introduced to the field of genetic counseling when her aunt was diagnosed with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, prompting her aunt and mother to be referred to a genetic counselor. After learning more about the field, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in genetic counseling. After graduating from UC Davis with honors, Nicky began working as a genetic counseling assistant at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. During this time, she volunteered as a soccer and swim coach for the Special Olympics and continued to volunteer as a crisis counselor with the Crisis Text Line. With this foundation in genetics and patient advocacy, Nicky is excited to begin working toward a master’s degree in Genetic Counseling at Bay Path University. In her free time, Nicky loves spending time with family and taking her Golden Retriever on doggie dates. With her history as a competitive swimmer and water polo player, Nicky also enjoys training in the gym and being active. |
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Sam Esterly grew up in the shade of the windy city, a suburb of Chicago: Elgin, Illinois. A love of science ever present, biology became his main focus following an AP Biology class at his high school, Burlington Central. Particularly, the genetics unit hooked him from the word “AUG.” Sam ended up attending college at Illinois State University, where he kept busy with a myriad of activities, including strongman/powerlifting, undergraduate research, and his ultimate goal of getting into medical school. |
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Siobhan Ferrall was born and raised in Goodyear, Arizona. She attended Arizona State University and graduated in 2023 with a B.S. in Forensic Science and a minor in Environmental Science. During her time at ASU, Siobhan worked as a teaching assistant for an introductory environmental science course. She also worked in a genetics lab at ASU, where she investigated new genes in Drosophila pseudoobscura. This project was in conjunction with researchers at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. |
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Grace Fisher is from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. She graduated from Western New England University with a Bachelor of Science in Forensic Biology and a Minor in Chemistry. During her time at Western New England University, Grace was a member of the Women’s Basketball Team, winning a Conference Championship and making two NCAA Tournament appearances. |
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Anahit was born and raised in Armenia. She came to the US at 17 and started her higher education at Los Angeles Valley College. She transferred to USC and graduated summa cum laude with a BS in biochemistry. During her undergraduate, she was awarded a competitive federally funded NIH scholarship called the Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGSP) award. Through this program, Anahit completed a post-baccalaureate research internship at the NIH on the genetics of autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. After finishing her internship, she wanted to explore the field of genetic counseling further and thus joined Bionano Laboratories (formerly Lineagen) as a Genetic Counselor Assistant. Throughout this experience, she also volunteered as a crisis counselor and truly loved helping people in crisis and supporting them in difficult moments. These experiences made her realize that genetic counseling is indeed the field she is so passionate about and hopes to pursue- to be there for her future patients, educate them about their health and genetics, and support them on their healthcare journey. |
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Alyssa Griswold is from Jackson, Michigan. She went to Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and obtained a combined Bachelor's and Master's in Cell and Molecular Biology. She had been interested in genetics research since high school. While working on her graduate degree, she interned and then worked at NxGen MDx, a genetic carrier screening company, as a molecular technician. After graduation, Alyssa moved to Orlando, Florida, for two years, where she assisted two pediatric neuro-oncologists in opening a brain tumor translational laboratory. This position focused on culturing brain tumors and molecular research to advance the field of pediatric neuro-oncology. Additionally, this is where Alyssa learned about clinical care and became interested in genetic counseling. Then, after two years in Orlando, she moved back to Michigan. This time in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she obtained a job working for a veterinary research company, doing molecular vaccine development for domestic animals. Over time, Alyssa has volunteered at various brain tumor advocacy events, a therapeutic horse-riding center, Crisis Text Line, and a YWCA child care center. Alyssa's favorite activities are watching movies and doing puzzles. She also loves spending time with her family. She still lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with her husband, baby boy, and three cats. |
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Melissa Hayden was raised in Tecumseh, Michigan, where she was a four-sport Varsity athlete throughout high school. She played collegiate softball at Eastern Michigan University and Hillsdale College, graduating with a B.S. in Biology with honors. She was also awarded the GLIAC Softball All-Academic team and a member of a social fraternity and two academic fraternities. After undergrad, Melissa moved to Grand Rapids to work as an MA in an Emergency Department while obtaining her Master’s in Pharmacology and Toxicology with a focus on neurotoxicity from Michigan State University. Melissa originally applied and was accepted to medical school but disenrolled in 2019 to pursue her passion in genetic counseling. Within that time period, Melissa worked on medical missions focused in Nicaragua and Peru and worked for the YWCA in Grand Rapids as a Rape and Domestic Violence Advocate and volunteer at their domestic violence shelter. Melissa also volunteered for ICCF, helping to build houses for those in need, and was a grant reviewer for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. She was also the Varsity Softball and Freshman Girl's Basketball coach, with her husband, at East Grand Rapids High School. In 2020, Melissa and her husband found out they were pregnant with their first child, a baby girl named Ryann. They moved to Caledonia, Michigan, and when Ryann was only five months old, they found out they were pregnant with their second baby girl, Austyn. Melissa is now ready to finish her education pursuit and work in a field she is passionate about while being an educator and advocate for her patients. Melissa is an avid adventure seeker, whether that be through traveling across the world, skiing (both snow and water), playing in slow pitch and basketball leagues a couple of nights a week, or just any new activity that comes her way. She enjoys spending as much time as she can with family, and on her slow days loves crafting toys for her girls, reading, and cooking. |
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Stephanie grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and graduated magna cum laude from the University of New Mexico with a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Psychology in 2021. Stephanie discovered a love for patient care emphasizing mental well-being while volunteering at Agora Crisis Center and later working as a Research Assistant at a non-profit neurodegenerative research center in Albuquerque. She currently serves as a board member for the Parkinson’s Connection of Central New Mexico, working for the education, outreach, and support of the Albuquerque Parkinson’s community. In her free time, Stephanie loves baking sweet treats, spending time with friends at trivia or rock climbing, and playing with her two rambunctious dogs, Ted and Cooper. |
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Curious from an early age, Jordan Olberding fell in love with genetics in seventh-grade biology Having developed a technical and “behind the scenes” understanding of clinical genetics, as |
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Deanna Pietrorazio grew up in the small town of Middlebury, Connecticut. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2022 with a B.S. in Physiology and Neurobiology and in 2023 with a graduate certification in Clinical Genetics and Genomics. During her time there, she participated in the university’s ballet company as well as wrote an honors thesis entitled: “Regaining effort-based food motivation: the drug methylphenidate reverses the depressive effects of tetrabenazine in female rats.” This thesis helped her to understand the effects of drugs used to treat major depressive disorder and how these effects change in female versus male subjects. While Deanna loved studying brain chemistry, she grew even more fascinated with the role that genetics played in brain development. She has also peer tutored biology, chemistry, and math, volunteered with Crisis Text Line, and worked as a manager at the non-profit dance studio that she grew up in, where she often helped families through tough financial, social, and domestic situations. In her free time, Deanna loves to exercise, dance, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with her friends and family. She is very excited to begin Bay Path’s program and work towards her dream of becoming a genetic counselor. |
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Taylor Reiff is joining the program from Collegeville, Pennsylvania. She recently graduated a semester early from Wilkes University in 2023 with dual degrees in biology and neuroscience and a psychology minor. During her time at Wilkes, Taylor worked as a research assistant in the genetics lab on campus, investigating the Drosophila genome and studying the effects of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signaling targets and their role in eggshell structure and morphology. Outside the research lab, Taylor represented the Wilkes Women’s Soccer Team as a four-year member and captain. She and the team partnered alongside Special Olympics in a variety of events and worked towards the betterment of the Wilkes Barre community. In addition, Taylor served as a Student-Athlete Advisory Committee representative on both university and conference stages representing the Middle Atlantic Conference at the NCAA Division III level. In this role, Taylor represented the female population of athletes, focused on the mental health of student-athletes, and served as a member of the justice, diversity, and inclusion committee. |
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Victoria Robertson hails from the small town of Allegany, New York. She graduated from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in 2015 with an honors degree in Biology. While attending Edinboro, she earned a commission as a Medical Service Officer in the United States Army through the Fighting Scots Army ROTC program. Her first assignment on Active Duty was with the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, Colorado, where she served as a medical platoon leader for the 4-9 Infantry Battalion and executive officer for the 4th Brigade Support Battalion. After promoting to Captain, she was reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, where she served as a medical operations planner and Company Commander for the 225th Brigade Support Battalion. |
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Erica Sontheimer lives in San Diego, CA, with her husband and two children. She studied physics as an undergraduate at Mount Holyoke College, which provided a strong foundation in analytical thinking and problem-solving. After college, she worked as a communications professional in a variety of roles and environments, while living in San Francisco, New York, and Brisbane, Australia. She loves helping people grasp complex ideas, which extends into her other pursuits as a creative writer and a former yoga teacher. |
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Eva Steinbach was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. She attended The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, and graduated in May of 2022 with a degree in Biology and Biochemistry. During her undergraduate career, she spent several semesters working for the Neuroscience Department, focusing on the correlation between bee brain mass and the quantity of neurons in the brain. She also worked for the university as a peer tutor and teaching assistant, helping students find success in math and science courses throughout her college career. |
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Matthew Stikeleather grew up in Cary, North Carolina. He first discovered the field of genetic counseling through his high school senior thesis, where he researched the risks and benefits of direct-to-consumer genetic tests and their genetic disease predictions. He quickly realized the significant need for genetic counselors who can interpret test results in coherent, compassionate ways to patients, and his passion for genetics and patient care aligned with those goals. |
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Madalyn Turner grew up in central Illinois, right along the Illinois River. After high school, she attended the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and graduated in 2020, where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Psychology. Since then, she has worked as a genetic counseling intern with the Mayo Clinic Health System. She works for GeneDx as a genetic counseling assistant on their rapid sequencing team. In addition to working, Madalyn has volunteered at Crisis TextLine, women’s shelters, and STEM education programs. Outside of school and work, Madalyn enjoys running, hiking, traveling, playing board games, and baking. She recently moved to Great Falls, Montana, with her husband, dog, and cat, where they are all looking forward to living by the mountains and learning to ski. |