In this episode we are recapping and reflecting on the National Society of Genetic Counselors 41st Annual conference, which was just held in Nashville. Some attendees joined in virtually and others, like myself, joined in person. It was incredible to meet so many of you listeners. I am already looking forward to NSGC 2023 in Chicago in October. If I didn’t get a chance to say hi to you, or you couldn’t attend the conference, email me at info@DNAtoday.com. I’d love to connect and also add you to our email newsletter so you can stay updated on DNA Today.

Oh and don’t forget to enter our giveaway from last episode for one of 5 copies of the Genome Defense. You can enter on our social media on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook all @DNATodayPodcast.

Enjoy our thoughts on the conference and what we learned! I am honored to feature four outstanding genetic counselors (wish I had time to include even more). Check out their bios (including what we chatted about in the episode) below in order of their appearance in the episode.

Guests

Monisha Sebastin, MS, CGC (She/Her) is a genetic counselor who specializes in pediatric genetics, cardiovascular genetics, and immuno-genetic conditions in New York City. She is this year’s recipient of the Heart of Genetic Counseling Award that recognizes one genetic counselor every year who goes above and beyond for their patients. Monisha was a presenter at “We’re Not In Kansas Anymore, Toto! International Genetic Counselors’ Experiences in the US” which we chat about in this episode. Monisha continues to serve as co-chair of the USIGC sub-committee of the International Special Interest Group (SIG) and as co-chair of the Pediatric and Clinical SIG at the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). Monisha is a member of the NYCKidSeq research team and is the lead genetic counselor on her team. She volunteered as the chair of the education committee at the New York State Genetics Task Force (NYSGTF) in 2020 and 2021. You can follow Monisha on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Gabrielle Shermanski, MS, LCGC (She/Her) is a cancer genetic counselor and research coordinator at Geisinger in Pennsylvania. She earned her Master of Science in Human Genetics at Sarah Lawrence College. Gabrielle earned her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at Penn State University. We discussed the session she attended which explored the new NCCN guidelines. The updated guidelines recommend genetic testing for anyone with colorectal cancer and genetic testing for people assigned female at birth diagnosed with breast cancer 50 years or younger. You can connect with Gabby on LinkedIn.

Gabrielle Ernst, MS, CGC (She/Her) is a cancer genetic counselor in Boston, Massachusetts. She is one of the creators of Amplify Sprouted, which provides education on gender inclusive genetic counseling. Our host, Kira Dineen, was a participant in the workshop that accompanied the Amplify Sprouted content. She was one of the presenters during “Platform Presentations - Gender, Sexuality, and Identity Related to Genetic Counseling Practice” at the conference, which we chat about in this podcast episode. Gabrielle has four publications in the oncology field. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Genetics from the Ohio State University and Master of Science from the University of Michigan. You can follow Gabrielle on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Ashlyn Enokian, MS, CGC (She/Her) is a prenatal genetic counselor in Las Vegas, Nevada at a clinic with a high patient volume. She is a member of the Minority Genetic Professional Network (MPGN) and provides mentorship for genetic counseling students. Ashlyn is also the Business Liaison for GC Genius Guides. The name might be familiar with their popular Study Guide utilized by over 400 genetic counselors studying for boards and more. During the conference, GC Genius Guides launched flashcards featuring the Top 100 Genetic Conditions and sold out within 24 hours. Keep that site bookmarked and use code “DNATODAY” for a discount when they restock. Using the code helps support the podcast, so please do! And of course, she is on our DNA Today team as our graphic designer and the one to thank for our snazzy logo. You can follow Ashlyn on Twitter and connect with her on LinkedIn.

Resources:

NSGC International Special Interest Group’s Twitter and Website. Their email is nsgcinternationalsig@gmail.com
DNA Today Episode #109 Shenela Lakhani on Genetic Counseling in Qatar
Updated National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Guidelines
Amplify Sprouted for Gender Inclusive Cancer Genetic Counseling
(Password: Amplify21, please only access if you are a GC or GC student)
Amplify Sprouted for Gender Inclusive Prenatal/Preconception Genetic Counseling (Password: sprouted22, please only access if you are a GC or GC student)
DNA Today Episode #190 PhenoTips: Gender Affirming Care in Genetic Counseling (with Holden Bender-Bernstein)
GC Genius Guides’s Etsy page (use code “DNATODAY” for discounts, which supports the show)

You can check out our previous NSGC recap episodes…

Episode #111 NSGC 2019

Episode #135 NSGC 2020

Episode #157 NSGC 2021

This episode was released early to coincide with the end of the NSGC conference. Episodes are usually released on Friday, so stay tuned for our next episode on December 2nd. In the meantime, you can binge over 200 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.

DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.

See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com.

Blueprint Genetics Event and Marketing Specialist, Mandy Widen poses with *DNA Today* host Kira Dineen.

When it comes to the quality of genetic testing, the most important aspect to consider is patient care. At Blueprint Genetics, patients come first. In order for a test to be considered high quality, it should provide valuable information for the patient. That’s why Blueprint Genetics is focused on prioritizing quality and delivering answers to patients and their families. Stay tuned for our interview with Blueprint Genetics where we will define what quality genetic testing means. In the meantime, you can learn more at BlueprintGenetics.com. (SPONSORED)