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Updated: May 3, 2022

Hello SCGC Members! Starting this year, the Board will be periodically updating you on what we’re working on. Here’s what SCGC has in store for 2022:


Lauren Gima (Community Outreach Chair) & Nydia Santiago Neal (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chair) have been working for the past 6 months with the Genetic Counseling Student Prospective Student Network (GCPSN) to connect with local area community college clubs and career advisors to organize "Intro to Genetic Counseling" presentations. Our goal is to increase awareness of the genetic counseling career path to underrepresented student populations. Please reach out to us if you are interested in hosting a talk!


Rebecca Leshay joins the Board of Directors in the new position of Education Chair! We have sent out a needs assessment to better understand how to focus our efforts, and hope to have at least one event later this year. We are forming the Education Committee to help plan these activities, so please reach out if you are interested in volunteering and being considered!



The Annual Education Conference is right around the corner – Friday, May 13! Attend in person or virtually. Check out the preliminary program.

Naomi Wagner

Here’s a sneak peek from Naomi Wagner’s presentation on emerging gene-based therapies: “My talk will review the status of gene-based treatments for inherited conditions and will also discuss some important counseling considerations to help genetic counselors answer questions like, ‘If the COVID-19 vaccine was developed so quickly, why can't we have an RNA treatment for my condition?’”

Conference Co-Chairs: Annie Baxter & Taylor Berninger; Program Committee Co-Chairs: Hilary Kershberg & Emily Parkhurst


Our Board of Directors Officers, Stacey Wong (President), Michelle Fox (Past-President), Bill Herbert (Treasurer), and Lauren Siems (Secretary), have all been hard at work setting the foundation and infrastructure to set our future SCGC leadership up for success. From creating the next Nomination Committee for 2022 elections, to facilitating goal setting for the BOD Committees, to organizing finances vital for the AEC and SCGC operations, the executive board is enthusiastic for this year!


By early 2022, SCGC organized membership through our website so that members can connect with one another and update their own contact information. We are proud of our 170 Full Members, 29 Student Members, and 12 Associate Members who have created profiles at socalgc.org, and we’re looking to grow! Anyone who is interested in becoming a member of SCGC can create a member profile here. Members get access to Forum posts about job openings and community resources, with more perks coming in the future! Contact Membership Chair Ariela Emery with any questions via chat at socalgc.org.



We would like to highlight these great resources compiled by the Minority Genetics Professionals Network (MGPN) Hispanic/Latinx Subgroup and the Mountain States Regional Genetics Network. We encourage our members to utilize these and other resources to enhance their counseling and provide in language resources to the diverse population within Southern California.






Updated: Nov 9, 2021

Xenophobic rhetoric during the pandemic has caused a rise in hate crimes and harassment against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Our hearts go out to the victims and loved ones of these horrendous attacks, many of which have occurred in our own state. Southern California Genetic Counselors (SCGC) stands in solidarity with the AAPI community. We echo NSGC in bringing awareness to this injustice and are committed to creating and supporting a more diverse and inclusive profession for our members and the communities we serve.


We must all do our part to stand up against hate in its many forms. As we have previously created a list of some resources to assist with your anti-racism work highlighting the experiences of the African American community, we have also created a (non-exhaustive) list of resources that focus on the Asian American experience and ways you can help.


Resources & Organizations

Get Involved & Donate

History

Books

Media, Film, & Television Series

Podcasts

  • Podcast Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective

  • Asian American History 101: a podcast co-hosted by Gen and Ted Lai, a daughter and father team. The podcast will entertain and educate people as Gen and Ted dive into the vast history of Asian Americans from their contributions to their struggles to their triumphs.

  • AsianBossGirl: Episode 108: Women Who Inspire Us & What It's Like to be an Asian Woman in Today's World

  • At the Moment: An Asian American news podcast

  • Dear Asian Americans: a podcast for and by Asian Americans, focusing on authentic storytelling rooted in origin, identity, and legacy.

  • Self Evident where we tell Asian America’s stories, to explore what it really means to claim America today

Diversify your feed (social media accounts that amplify and highlight the Asian/Asian American experience)


© 2019 Southern California Genetic Counselors 

501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

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