Class of 2027

Jordan Clark

Jordan received a bachelor’s degree with honors in biology and a minor in interdisciplinary studies from James Madison University. As an undergraduate student, she served as an undergraduate research assistant and genetics teaching assistant, and completed an independent research thesis in conservation biology. Additionally, she served as vice president of GIVE, an environmentally-focused service organization, and as a volunteer with Crisis Text Line. Jordan is from the Richmond, Virginia area and enjoys hiking, reading, and snowboarding.

 

Charlotte Conant

Charlotte received a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in psychology from George Washington University. During her undergraduate studies, she gained research experience in both genetics and ecology laboratories and worked as a newborn hearing screener. Prior to entering graduate school, she served as a laboratory genetic counseling assistant at GeneDx. Originally from Chicago, Charlotte enjoys exploring New York City, spending time with family and friends, and discovering new restaurants. 

 

 

Ashley Eisenberg

Ashley received a bachelor's degree in public health science from the University of Maryland, College Park. During college, she worked as an undergraduate research assistant and at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. She has also worked as a developmental paraprofessional and an emergency medical technician. Ashley was in a leadership role with her university's Pre-Genetic Counseling Society and volunteered with the crisis line on campus. Originally from Howell, New Jersey, she likes to be around family and friends and stay active. Ashley is conversant in Spanish.

 

Makayla Gorski

Dean's Scholar

Makayla received a bachelor’s degree in biology (genetics concentration) with minors in chemistry and psychology from Duke University. During college, she served as the co-president of the Duke Medical Ethics Journal, worked as a service-learning assistant for several end-of-life care facilities, studied abroad in Costa Rica, and volunteered as a text responder for DukeLine. She also contributed as a research assistant to teams studying the quality of life of cancer survivors, cancer biology, immunology, and developmental genetics. Makayla grew up in Connecticut and her hobbies include painting, discovering new board games, and volleyball. Makayla is fluent in Spanish.

 

Maddy Marcus 

Maddy received a bachelor’s degree in genetics and genomics with a certificate in disability rights and human services from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her time in college, she served as the director of recruitment counselors for the Panhellenic primary recruitment process and volunteered as a crisis counselor with Crisis Text Line. She also worked as a swim instructor for children with cancer and their siblings at Sunrise Day Camp. Maddy is originally from Long Island, New York and enjoys film and digital photography, exploring art history, and playing rummikub.

 

Julia Mizzi

Julia received a bachelor’s degree in molecular, cell and developmental biology with a minor in society and genetics from the University of California, Los Angeles. During college, she was a learning assistant for undergraduate biology classes, Crisis Text Line counselor, and as the business director for her a cappella group. She also worked as a learning disabilities tutor and a summer research trainee for Genomes2People. Julia is from Wellesley, Massachusetts and her hobbies include cooking, crosswords, going for walks, and exploring New York. She is conversant in Spanish.

 

Arrington Nelson

Arrington received a bachelor's degree with honors in genetics from the University of Georgia. During college, she conducted undergraduate research in a neuroscience lab investigating the genetic factors underlying a rare eye disease and worked as a genetic counseling assistant at a cancer clinic. Before coming to graduate school, Arrington worked as a clinical genetics' assistant at Natera and volunteered with Crisis Text Line and Camp John Marc. She is from Dallas, Texas and her hobbies include needlepointing, reading, trying new restaurants, and spending time with friends and family. 

 

Claire Ramirez

Dean's Scholar

Claire received a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in anthropology at UCLA. During college, she was a research assistant in an evolutionary psychology lab and biological anthropology lab. As a volunteer through Planned Parenthood: Generation Action, she worked locally to increase protections for clinics in California. Claire interned at Los Angeles General Medical Center, developing her medical Spanish through shadowing and patient intake. Her hobbies include going to concerts, reading, running and watching movies. Claire is proficient in Spanish.

 

Didi Ross

Didi received a bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology with a minor in psychology from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. During college, Didi served as a hotline operator for the Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education group, a Peer Mentor for first-year students, and as a literacy tutor at Gigi’s Playhouse in Metairie, Louisiana. She also worked as a research assistant in the Social Memory Lab at Tulane and as a summer genetic counseling intern at Labcorp. Didi is from Bernardsville, New Jersey and her hobbies include reading, pickleball, and spikeball. Didi is proficient in Spanish.

 

Andrea Saldaña Acerbo

Andrea received a bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience and a minor in biomedical ethics from the University of San Diego. Before coming to graduate school, she worked as a research assistant at the Salk Institute in a genetic analysis lab, traveled to Tijuana, Mexico with a group of genetic counselors and pediatric geneticists to provide free genetic consultations and testing, and volunteered at an Alzheimer’s memory care facility. Andrea was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and she enjoys reading books by the beach, arts and crafts, and live music. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.

 

Melissa Sedaghat

Melissa received a bachelor's degree in biology from California State University, Northridge. As an undergraduate student, she was a peer educator with the Blues Project, a student-led program that promotes mental health awareness and volunteered as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. Before coming to graduate school, Melissa worked as a genetic counseling assistant in cardiogenetics at UCLA Health. She is from Los Angeles, California and her hobbies include strength training, playing cards, and finding new coffee shops in New York City. Melissa is conversant in Farsi.

 

Carolyne Stoffel

Carolyne received a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cell biology with a concentration in genetics, genomics, and development from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to graduate school, she worked as a research associate at Carnegie Science, studying the physiological response to changing environments in microalgae. She has volunteered with GiGi’s Playhouse as a math tutor and with Crisis Text Line as a crisis counselor. Carolyne is originally from Fullerton, California, and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family, going to concerts, and playing the New York Times daily games.