Class of 2011

Michael “Jay” Harrison earned his BSc in Business Administration in 2002 from University of Dayton in Ohio. Jay went back to school at The Ohio State University to gain a solid foundation in the pre-medical sciences. While attending The Ohio State University, Jay worked in the Clinical Cancer Genetics Program at the James Cancer Hospital. He was inspired by the work of the genetic counselors and decided to pursue it as a career. Jay has laboratory experience from working at The Ohio State University’s DNA sequencing core and The James Cancer Center’s DNA sample bank. He also volunteered at the North Central Mental Health Services Suicide Prevention Hotline. In his spare time, Jay enjoys jogging, traveling, Buckeye football and hanging out with friends.

Sommer Hayden graduated summa sum laude from Western Michigan University in 2009 with a BSc in Biomedical Science. While attending WMU, Sommer worked as a Student Success Advocate at Kalamazoo Valley Community College, where she served as a mentor for students to aid in their pursuit of secondary education by providing the resources and tools necessary for their college and career success. She volunteered as a peer mentor for a Young Adult Program with Croyden School’s special education team to help students with special needs gain basic skills for interacting in social settings. She also volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters and served as an officer of Phi Theta Kappa for two years. Sommer really enjoys spending her free time outdoors and with family and friends.

Lauren Isley graduated in 2009 from the University of Missouri with a BS in Biological Science. As an undergraduate, she worked in a plant genetics laboratory on a project studying the phototropic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana by using translational fusions. After having the opportunity to shadow a prenatal genetic counselor, she knew that genetic counseling was the career path she wanted to take. Her advocacy work includes working as a volunteer at the Mid-Missouri crisis hotline and providing guidance to both hearing and deaf callers. Lauren also enjoys going for long runs, reading, spending time with friends and family, and cheering on the Missouri Tigers.

Jason Laufman earned his BSc in Molecular Genetics in 2008 from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. Jason’s laboratory experience includes vector-borne disease testing and surveillance for the Ohio Department of Health. He also volunteers for the American Red Cross serving as a member of the Disaster Action Team. In his free time, Jason enjoys reading and flying.

Bridget O’Connor graduated from the University of Michigan in 2008 where she earned her BS in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. While a student at UM she worked in a Pediatric Genetics laboratory studying the relationship of adrenocortical dysplasia and p53 in mice and also has previous research experience studying gait patterns in children with Down syndrome. As an undergraduate she was an active member of the Student Society for Stem Cell Research educating the community on stem cells. Bridget gained advocacy experience volunteering with the homeless at SOS Community Services. In her spare time Bridget’s passions include dancing argentine tango, floral design and spending time with friends and family.

Divya Wilson Mathews graduated with an Honors BSc degree specializing in genetics with a minor in biochemistry from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario in 2008. While at McMaster, her major project involved identifying proteins unique to Cyanobacteria using comparative genomics. Prior to entering the genetic counseling program, she was involved with Brampton Birthright International, where she worked closely with women faced with unplanned pregnancies. Her advocacy experience also includes volunteering at Telecare Distress Centre. She likes to maintain a positive attitude and loves to laugh. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her favorite TV shows, dancing and spending time with her family and friends.

Class of 2010

Sohnee Ahmed graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada in 2007 with an Honors BSc, specializing in genetics and biotechnology with a minor in biological anthropology. While at U of T, she was a student activist on the undergraduate student union's Board of Directors. Before entering the genetic counselling program, Sohnee was an assistant to the National Grants Program at the SickKids Foundation in Toronto and also volunteered as a peer counselor at a community sexual education centre. There, she managed a telephone hotline and taught educational workshops regarding safer sex practices and a healthy lifestyle. In her spare time, Sohnee enjoys shopping, karaoke, and chatting with friends over coffee.

Ghazal Almradi graduated with a Medical degree from the Damascus University School of Medicine in Syria in 1996. She later pursued a Masters degree in health services at Madonna University, graduating in 2001. Ghazal has worked as a volunteer and research assistant in the William Beaumont Hospital's Molecular Pathology Laboratory, and in 2002 she graduated from their medical technology program. She is certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Technologist and is certified as a Clinical Laboratory Specialist in molecular biology. She has also completed the Michigan State University Molecular Diagnostics certificate program. In the summer of 2007, Ghazal completed the Brandeis University online clinical genetics program by shadowing a cancer genetics genetic counselor at William Beaumont Hospital. In her spare time, she plays the piano, enjoys travelling and spending as much time as possible with family.

Melissa Dumouchelle earned her BSc in Honors Genetics in 2008 at the University of Western Ontario in London, Canada. While in London, she was vice-president of the Women in Science and the Department of Mathematics (WISDOM) mentoring club and volunteered on the Sexual Assault Centre London (SACL) crisis hotline. Melissa completed an internship with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada as well as two summer projects at the Great Lakes Institute of Environmental Research. She is originally from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. When she's not commuting to Detroit, Melissa enjoys cooking, spending time with her family and her fiance DarryI, and playing with her cat and two lizards.

Veronica Kokavec graduated from the University of Windsor in 2006 with a BSc degree in Behavior, Cognition and Neuroscience. She later went on to receive a Master's degree in Basic Medical Science at Wayne State University. Given an opportunity to shadow various genetics clinics as a student at Wayne State University ignited her passion for and interest in genetic counseling. Her advocacy experience includes volunteering with Malden Park Continuing Care Center and Save the Children, Canada. Her research experience involves exploring the development of an assessment tool for traumatic brain injuries with a prominent Neurosurgeon-Epidemiologist currently practicing in Windsor, Ontario. On a personal note, she was born in Bratislava, Slovakia and was raised in LaSalle Ontario where in her spare time she enjoys reading, dancing, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

Stephanie Percich graduated summa cum laude from St. Louis University in 2008 with a BA in Biology. As an undergraduate, Stephanie volunteered at the St. Louis Crisis Nursery where she worked with underprivileged children and families. She also spent one semester working as a teaching assistant in the embryology lab. Prior to beginning the genetic counseling program, Stephanie worked as a medical scribe in the emergency department at a local hospital near her home in Centennial, CO. In her free time, Stephanie enjoys skiing, watching sports, and spending time with her friends and family.