During the recent call for applicants for the NSGC Task Force on Reproductive Freedom, Access and Justice, we had a strong response from our members, with 44 NSGC members applying to be part of the Task Force. It was truly energizing to review the applications and see the broad range of knowledge, experience and interest expressed by the applicants. As the Task Force work moves forward (see Task Force Charter), we hope to engage individuals who were not selected in developing resources or in collaborations with other organizations.
The selection workgroup, comprised of NSGC President Sara Riordan, President-Elect Heather Zierhut, Task Force Board liaison Shivani Nazareth, NSGC Prenatal SIG representative Beatrix Wong, NSGC Public Policy Committee representative Susheela Jayaraman, and Task Force Chair Jen Hoskovec, selected six individuals to join representatives from the PPC, Prenatal SIG and Advocacy Coordinating Committee on the Task Force.
We are pleased to introduce the members of the Task Force on Reproductive Freedom, Access and Justice to the NSGC membership. Please read below to learn more about what each Task Force member brings to the work of the Task Force.
NSGC Task Force on Reproductive Access, Freedom and Justice Members
Jen Hoskovec, Task Force Chair, is the director of medical affairs at BillionToOne based in Austin, Texas. Prior to her current role, she spent 17 years as a prenatal genetic counselor at UTHealth in Houston. Jen is also a past-president of NSGC (2014).
Jordan Brown, Public Policy Committee Representative, is a genetic counselor and assistant professor in both the Division of Human Genetics and the Division of Bioethics at The Ohio State University. In addition to seeing patients in gynecologic oncology, Jordan is the Assistant Director of the OSU Genetic Counseling Graduate Program.
Gillian Hooker, Advocacy Coordinating Committee Representative, is the immediate past-president of NSGC. She is the chief scientific officer of Concert Genetics and is an adjunct associate professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Shelby Koenig, Prenatal SIG Representative, is a prenatal and laboratory genetic counselor based in Chicago. She is active in research regarding the impact of abortion restrictions on genetic counselors and their patients.
Brittany Bowman is a prenatal and cancer genetic counselor in Omaha, Nebraska. She is passionate about reproductive equity and LGBTQIA+ advocacy, and is continuously learning about local policy action.
Caitlin Lavin is a pediatric, adult, and prenatal genetic counselor at a non-profit clinic in south central Pennsylvania. She earned dual masters in genetic counseling and public health genetics and has a particular interest in increasing access for rural and medically underserved populations.
Michelle McGowan is a bioethicist and research associate professor in the Ethics Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and the Departments of Pediatrics and Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies at the University of Cincinnati. She has served as an ethics consultant for the Ethics Committee of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
Carla McGruder is a senior clinical genetic counselor at Color Health, where she provides leadership on the All of Us research program. Carla also provides genetic services in nontraditional ways through Good Genes Genetic Counseling Services, LLC.
Ashley Svenson is a medical policy manager with Myriad Genetics based in Austin, Texas. With laboratory, clinical, and industry experience, her current focus is partnering with state Medicaid programs to achieve more equitable access to genetic testing and services.
Bridget Winchester is a prenatal genetic counselor at Minnesota Perinatal Physicians with Allina Health. She is involved in the disability community as an MN LEND fellow (2020) and sibling to an adult with Down syndrome.
Shivani Nazareth, Board liaison, is a Director-at-Large on the NSGC Board. Her 20+ years in clinical genetics and genomic startups has focused on expanding access so that patients can make decisions that align with their personal values.
NSGC Headquarters promotes the professional interests of genetic counselors and provides a network for professional communications. Access to continuing education opportunities, professional resources, advocacy and the discussion of all issues relevant to human genetics and the genetic counseling profession are an integral part of belonging to the NSGC.