Student Profiles

Cohort of 2024

My name is Kate and I am from Barrie, Ontario. I graduated from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario with a BSc Honours in Biology in 2023. 

Upon graduating, I completed a summer internship at the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Here, I worked in the Gibson Lab where I investigated epigenetic regulation of SETD1B in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders. After this, I spent a year working as a clinical assistant in the Genetics Clinic at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) in Ottawa, Ontario.

Apart from work and school, I volunteered on a crisis line with the Sexual Assault Centre in Kingston and facilitated a support group for individuals with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and their caregivers through the Colleen Cunningham Foundation. Besides genetics, I enjoy hiking, swimming, and spending time with friends.

Cohort of 2024

Hi! My name is Grace, and I am from Toronto, Ontario. I graduated from Queen’s University in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Biology and a minor in Health Studies. At Queen’s, I had the opportunity to be a research mentorship student in the Bendena lab, where I studied the role of specific neuropeptides in a receptor pathway in C. elegans to better understand the pathways involved in narcolepsy. During my third year of undergrad, I discovered genetic counselling. I instantly knew from the profession’s combination of genetics and providing care to patients that I wanted to pursue the career.

Following graduation, I worked in marketing and volunteered for the Familial Breast Cancer Research Unit at Women’s College Hospital (WCH) to gain further experience in genetics-related research. After working in marketing for a year, I became a research assistant for the Rapid Genetic Testing 2 Study at WCH – this study provides rapid genetic testing to women at the time of breast cancer diagnosis. This job expanded my knowledge of cancer genetics, research genetic counselling and working in patient-facing roles and reaffirmed my desire to be a genetic counsellor.

Additionally, to prepare for genetic counselling school, I volunteered for Swimming with a Mission, where I taught swimming lessons to children with disabilities, the Sexual Assault Centre Kingston crisis line and Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s monthly peer support groups (acting as a peer support facilitator). These experiences furthered my passion for connecting with and supporting individuals. 

In my spare time, I enjoy travelling, baking, running, and spending time outdoors. I am so excited about what is ahead and to be a part of UBC’s Genetic Counselling Cohort of 2024!

Cohort of 2024

Hi, my name is Amy and I’m from Victoria, BC. I graduated from the University of Victoria where I was a part of the co-operative education program and earned a BSc Honours in Biochemistry with a focus in genetics. For my undergraduate degree, I wrote a thesis on my research in Dr. Chris Nelson’s lab on the evolution of protein paralogs Fpr3 and Fpr4 in budding yeast. My creative outlet during school was my part-time work as a dance teacher for young children which I eventually expanded on to teach dance to children on the autism spectrum as a form of group therapy. As I was finishing my degree, I began volunteering at an emotional support and crisis chat line supporting youth across Canada, as well as working at a transition house supporting survivors of brain injury. All of these experiences pushed me to pursue a career in genetic counselling where I could combine my interest in genetics and passion for directly caring for and supporting others.

I continued my roles at the crisis line and with survivors of brain injury after graduation, and I supplemented these experiences by volunteering at a transition house for women and children escaping domestic violence which gave me a well-rounded understanding of different challenges people may face. In August of 2023, I started a full-time position at the Vancouver Island Medical Genetics Clinic as their first genetic counselling assistant after having volunteered in the clinic for a year. There, I gained valuable experience on the process of arranging genetic testing, on the dynamics of a genetics clinic, and shadowing genetic counsellors.

In my spare time, I love to be outdoors, read a good book, or do anything artistic and creative. I’m so excited to take the next step in my career and be a part of the UBC Genetic Counselling Cohort of 2024!

Cohort of 2024

Hi there! My name is Kennedy and I came to Vancouver from Edmonton, Alberta. I graduated from MacEwan University with an BSc in molecular biology and a minor in psychology. Throughout my degree I volunteered as a crisis responder with Kids Help Phone and spent time in a volunteer peer support role at an addiction treatment center. These experiences molded my interpersonal skills, and gave me the confidence to support individuals from all walks of life. Igained exposure to the field of genetic counselling by seeking out time at the Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) clinic in Edmonton, where I was able to feel the emotional intensity and social complexity of prenatal genetics. This experience truly refreshed my own understanding of my ambition to become a genetic counsellor through igniting my passion for the psychological facets of the patient experience in healthcare. I then spent half a year working as a Genetics Assistant at the Edmonton Medical Genetics clinic before making the move to BC to begin my studies. In my free time I enjoy anything outdoorsy; mainly hiking, camping, and swimming in every body of water I come across. I’m so excited to be a part of the genetic counselling cohort of 2024!

Cohort of 2024

Hello! My name is Gabrielle Kowalchuk, and I am from Vancouver, BC. I graduated in 2022 with an Honours BSc. in Microbiology from the University of Victoria.

In the final year of my degree, I completed my thesis project at BC Cancer Victoria, where I investigated how alanine impacts T cell metabolism and function. After graduating, I continued to work in the lab as a research intern where I had the pleasure of designing and testing viral vectors for T cell genetic engineering. My research experience taught me so much about the value of collaboration, adaptability, and asking questions.

Around a year after graduating, I learned about genetic counselling, and quickly realized that it was exactly the kind of career I had been searching for. The discovery led me back to Vancouver, where I worked as a data entry clerk for the Provincial Newborn Screening Program. There, I had the opportunity to learn about screening, interact with diverse care providers, and work directly with a genetic counsellor. In preparation for the program, I also volunteered at both a crisis text line and women’s transition house. All of these experiences further solidified my desire to become a genetic counsellor.

In my spare time, I enjoy reading, running, and relaxing by the water! I am so excited to be a part of the UBC program and look forward to learning from my instructors and peers.

Cohort of 2024

Hi, my name is Miya, and I am from Edmonton, Alberta. I graduated from MacEwan University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a minor in Chemistry.

During my undergraduate degree, I was employed as a Chemistry lab assistant and then as a research assistant working on microplastic quantification in environmental samples and, separately, antibiotic adsorption to sand. Although I was significantly involved in the chemistry department, I always felt called to biology, specifically genetics. I first heard about Genetic Counselling in a third-year genetics class that focused on social, ethical, and legal issues of genetic modification, prenatal testing, and other advancing technologies in genetics. Having a Genetic Counsellor guest lecture about how to work through an example case was a turning point for me, and I knew that was what I wanted to be. Additionally, after being introduced to informed consent in this same class, it resonated with me as an essential subject in the healthcare system. I decided to write an essay on this topic for another class, and my paper was published in the MacEwan University Student eJournal in 2022.

After graduating, I volunteered as a Victim Services Advocate, providing emotional support to victims of crime. This role honed my advocacy skills and taught me the importance of remaining calm and collected in high-stress situations. It was an enriching experience that reinforced my desire to become a Genetic Counsellor, a role where I can use my empathy and resilience to support individuals.

Most recently, I trained as a Clinical Genetics Technologist at BCIT. I learnt how to identify and analyze chromosomes with possible abnormalities and perform cytogenetic and molecular tests to be used by clinicians for patient diagnosis.

When I’m not immersed in the world of genetics, I enjoy reading, crafting, exploring coffee shops, and spending time with my loved ones. I am thrilled to join UBC’s Genetic Counselling cohort of 2024, where I can further my passion and contribute to the field.

Cohort of 2024

Hello! My name is Lauren, and I was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta. I completed my BSc in Honours Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Alberta in 2023. During my degree, I completed two undergraduate thesis projects studying bacterial genetics and RNA sequencing.

Throughout my undergraduate program, I had the pleasure of working on both local and national crisis lines with the Canadian Mental Health Association and 988 Canada, where I provided supportive listening and crisis intervention to people experiencing mental health crises in my community. Following graduation, I was lucky to have had the opportunity to work as a Genetics Assistant at the Edmonton Medical Genetics Clinic and be directly involved in patient care. I loved getting to know my patients, hearing about their experiences within the healthcare system, and observing the genetic counselling process in action. Both experiences helped to increase my awareness and understanding of the variety of backgrounds and perspectives that people can have, emphasizing the uniqueness of each person’s circumstances and the need for patience and compassion in patient-centred care.

In my spare time, I love spending time with friends and family, travelling, baking, figure skating, and being outside. I am grateful to be a part of the UBC Genetic Counselling Cohort of 2024 and I look forward to expanding my knowledge and genetic counselling skills over the course of my career.

Cohort of 2024

Hello! My name is Aparna Udiaver, and I am from Mississauga, Ontario.

I completed a Bachelor of Science degree with an honours specialization in genetics from Western University, as well as a Master’s degree in Public Health Genetics from the University of Pittsburgh. I was introduced to genetic counselling during my undergrad and was immediately drawn to the field because of my interests in medical genetics and the psychosocial components of health care. During my undergrad I volunteered with the Canadian Mental Health Association, where I developed supportive listening skills. I also got to learn about the lived experiences of children with genetic conditions through my volunteer work with ErinoakKids and The Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. For my Master’s practicum and essay, I worked with the Lynch Syndrome Screening Network to develop and conduct a research survey as well as interviews to understand Lynch syndrome screening practices internationally. Working on this project got me very interested in cancer genetics, as I learned the importance of tumour screening and germline testing in reducing the burden that inherited cancers can have on families.

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to pursue my genetic counselling education at UBC and look forward to contributing to this exciting field! Apart from my studies, I enjoy spending time in nature, travelling, journaling, and trying new recipes!