The third Connecticut Genetic Counselors' Association (CTGCA) Annual Educational Conference was held last Friday (September 25th, 2025) at the gorgeous Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington, Connecticut.
Our host Kira Dineen resides in Connecticut and has been lucky enough to present every year. This time moderating a panel about the economics of genetic counseling, which is now shared as this podcast episode.
This panel conversation explores the economics of genetic counseling, focusing on the current financial climate, the role of genetic counselors in healthcare, and the importance of adaptability and networking for career development. The discussion explores challenges faced by students and professionals in the field, the need for expanded roles, and the significance of engaging with industry and policy to secure the future of genetic counseling.
The Connecticut Genetic Counselors' Association (CTGCA) is a not-for-profit statewide genetic counselors' association with a mission to foster, support, and strengthen the community of genetic professionals, in the common pursuit of improving clinical genetics and genomics care, within the state of CT. If you are a genetic counselor who lives in Connecticut become a member for free here.
The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine focuses on research in human genomics, complementing their long history of mammalian genetics expertise. JAX Genomic Medicine, which opened in 2014 next to the UConn Health campus, facilitates clinical collaboration with Connecticut’s many universities and hospitals. Kira Dineen also attended the grand opening back in 2014 and recapped it on all the way back on Episode #6 of DNA Today.
The Panel:
Ellen Matloff, MS, CGC is the President and CEO of My Gene Counsel. Ellen is the founder and former director of the Cancer Genetic Counseling Program at Yale School of Medicine.
Ellen has authored more than 50 scientific publications in the field; is an established educator, lecturer, and media spokesperson; and has received national awards for her ongoing patient advocacy efforts. She is an outspoken patient advocate in many areas, most notably as a plaintiff in the 2013 BRCA gene patent case that went before the Supreme Court in 2013. This decision led to drastically lower prices of genetic testing, making it possible for more patients to afford this technology. As genetic testing became more common and also more complex, she served as the senior author on several publications documenting national errors in the misinterpretation of genetic test results. From these experiences, Ellen created My Gene Counsel and its associated digital tools that can be used in parallel with genetic testing to help ensure that results are used accurately and effectively.
Maria Gyure, MS, CGC currently serves as the Program Director for the University of Connecticut’s Genetic Counseling Professional Science Master’s Degree Program. Her passion for education in clinical genetics led her to design and lead two online graduate certificate programs for UConn. Her expertise in online learning has been recognized nationally and she continues to champion for the benefits of quality and accessible learning. An alumna, she attended UConn on a 4-year Academic Leadership Scholarship where earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Diagnostic Genetic Sciences and a minor in Molecular and Cell Biology. Maria subsequently matriculated into the Genetic Counseling Program at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA, where she earned a Master’s of Science in Genetic Counseling and completed the VA Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (Va-LEND) program. Maria served as a clinical genetic counselor and later combined genetic counseling with research and served as the research coordinator for multiple federally funded research grants on both family communication about cancer and interventions for young children at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders. Maria has several publications in her specialty in addition to invited presentations and service on graduate advisory committees. She maintains her clinical skills by counseling pediatric genetics patients at UConn Health and is a true voice for underserved populations.
Samantha Baxter, MS, CGC is the associate director, genetic and genomic data sharing, and a genetic counselor in the Program in Medical and Population Genetics Translational Genomics Group at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. She is the operations manager and council member for gnomAD, she co-chairs the policy working group for the GREGoR Consortium, and she leads the TGG’s variant curation team. Baxter began her tenure at the Broad Institute in 2016 as a clinical project manager and genetic counselor. In 2018, she became a senior clinical genomics specialist and founded the Genetic Counselor Affinity Group. She also took an appointment as an adjunct associate professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2019. In 2020 she started her current position. She is an active member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and has served on the board of directors. Prior to joining the Broad Institute, Baxter was director of VariantWire, a real-time genomic data-sharing network based on the GeneInsight platform that grew out of her previous work as an application specialist for the Partners Healthcare Business Development Team. In 2012 she was awarded the National Society of Genetic Counselors New Leader Award. Baxter obtained her M.S. in genetic counseling from the Boston University School of Medicine and holds a B.S. in behavioral neuroscience from Lehigh University. She is certified as a genetic counselor through the American Board of Genetic Counseling and is a licensed genetic counselor in the state of Massachusetts.
The Moderator
Kira Dineen, MS, LCGC, CG(ASCP)CM (she/her), has over a decade of podcast experience fueled by a passion for science communication. She has hosted and/or produced 10+ podcasts, many of which are in her science podcast network: Gene Pool Media. In 2012, she launched her flagship show, DNA Today, which dives into the world of genetics through interviews about genetic technology, disorders, and ethics. “DNA Today” has won the Best 2020-2022 Science and Medicine People’s Choice Podcast Award. The show has surpassed 350 episodes supported by over 80 sponsors. Kira received her Bachelor’s of Science in Diagnostic Genetics from the University of Connecticut and earned her certification as a Cytogenetic Technologist. She received her Master’s of Science in Human Genetics at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. She is a licensed certified genetic counselor at a high risk prenatal private practice.
She was accepted into The Podcast Academy and previously served on NSGC’s Digital Ambassador program. Kira serves as an adjunct faculty member at Bay Path University teaching Ethics and Reproductive Genetics. She also serves on the Dean’s Advisory Committee at the University of Connecticut’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources.
Takeaways
Relevant DNA Today Podcast Episodes
#211 Jorge Contreras on The Genome Defense (Gene Patent Supreme Court Case)
#91 Ellen Matloff on Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Testing
#69 Jackson Lab's Forum on Healthcare Innovation
#42 Women In Bioscience: Let There Be No Limit
#25 Interview with Cancer Hereditary Experts
#6 Jackson Laboratories for Genomic Medicine Opening
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