JGC Editorial Board

Editor in Chief
Allyn McConkie-Rosell, Ph.D., CGC, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
Dr. McConkie-Rosell is an Associate Research Professor in the Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center. Her research focuses on genetic testing of children and the psychosocial and family issues related to carrier testing in fragile X syndrome. In addition to her research, Dr. McConkie-Rosell provides services to families seen in the Medical Genetics Clinic and the Fragile X Clinic at Duke University Medical Center. Currently she is the program director for the Academia Sinica/Duke University Medical Center International Genetics Training Program.

Managing Editor
Jennifer A. Sullivan-Saarela, M.S., CGC, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
Ms. Sullivan-Saarela is a Senior Genetic counselors who has worked in the Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center since 1997. She presently coordinates the Metabolic Clinic, where she works with children and adults living with inborn errors of metabolism. Over her career, she has been genetic counselor, study coordinator, and team member of research teams studying Fragile X syndrome, Down syndrome, Pompe disease and other metabolic diseases.

Associate Editors

Pat McCarthy Veach, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Dr. McCarthy-Veach is a Professor of Educational Psychology, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, and Associate Member of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Minnesota. She is a member of the Academy of Distinguished Teaching Professors at the University of Minnesota. She teaches graduate students in Counseling Psychology and Genetic Counseling and conducts research on genetic counselor and mental health counselor training and supervision and on psychosocial aspects of genetic counseling practice.

Kristin Baker Niendorf, M.S., CGC, Humphrey Cancer Center, Robbinsdale, MN, USA
Ms. Niendorf has experience in the area of cancer genetics research and clinical care of patients at increased hereditary risk of cancer. Her past work included a focus on hereditary melanoma at Massachusetts General Hospital. She has participated in national genetic counseling issues as part of the NSGC Board of Directors.

Regional Editorial Advisors

Clara Gaff, Ph.D., Genetic Health Services Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Dr. Gaff has international experience in genetic counseling, having worked as a clinical genetic counselor in Melbourne, Australia and in a combined research-academic position in Cardiff, UK. She is a past chair of the Australasian Society of Genetic Counsellors and a former program director of the genetic counseling program at Cardiff University. She is currently professional lead and senior genetic counsellor at Genetic Health Services Victoria. Clara has research interests in family communication and cancer genetics and brings experience in the education of health professionals and health program evaluation.

Anna Middleton Ph.D., M.Sc, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
Consultant Research Genetic Counsellor from the UK, currently working at Cardiff University, UK. Dr. Middleton has been practicing as a genetic counselor since 1995 and most recently has focused full time on research; she is currently working as Chief/Principal Investigator on a Department of Health grant. She has a specialist interest in deafness, breast/ovarian cancer as well as counseling supervision and is currently the Vice-Chair of the UK Genetic Counselling Registration Board as well as Chair of the UK Reciprocity of Registration Working Group.

Editorial Board

Diane Bierke-Nelson, M.S. CGC, MSSW, St Mary’s Duluth Clinic, Duluth, MN, USA
Ms. Bierke Nelson is a certified genetic counselor with more than 25 years of clinical experience. She is a graduate of the University of Madison Genetic Counseling program. Ms. Bierke-Nelson has extensive clinical experience in general medical genetics including prenatal, pediatrics, presymptomatic testing, and cancer.

Susan Creighton, MS, CGC University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC CANADA
Ms. Creighton is a member of the JOGC board with extensive experience and expertise in the area of neurogenetic disorders, including Huntington Disease. She is a past president of the Canadian Association of Genetic Counsellors and a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia. Ms. Creighton has been a Genetic Counsellor in Vancouver since 1983. She also teaches and supervises graduate students at UBC.

Melanie F. Myers, MS, Ph.D, CGC, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
Dr. Myers joins the board with experience in the area of public health genomics. She previously worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Office of Genomics and Disease Prevention (now the National Office of Public Health Genomics) on public health initiatives. She is currently an Assistant Professor and Assistant Director of the Genetic Counseling Graduate Program at the University of Cincinnati.

Shoshana Shiloh, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Dr. Shiloh's research activities concern risk perceptions, cognitive and emotional illness representations, coping and decision making processes involved in genetic testing and counseling. Her studies have been published in numerous articles. She has served as an ad hoc reviewer for several Journals and granting agencies, and a consultant on national and international projects. Dr. Shiloh has been teaching health psychology and decision making in the Department of Psychology and Medical School, and has been supervising graduate students from the Departments of Psychology and of Human Genetics.

Susan Sobel, MSW, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
Assistant Professor, Director of Psychotherapy Training, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Dr. Sobel’s current activities include teaching residents in psychotherapy, teaching medical students about the ethical dilemmas physicians face as a consequence of the Genome Project. Clinical work includes working with families with hereditary illness, with families with members who have chronic and severe medical or psychiatric conditions, providing marital and couple therapy. Has research experience in the impact of pre-symptomatic testing for HD on the family as a system. Has published several papers on this topic and has written several chapters for books on the topic of hereditary illness. Ad hoc reviewer for several academic journals.

Vickie L. Venne, M.S., LGC, Huntsman Cancer Institute, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Ms. Venne currently works as an adult cancer counselor, but in her 30 year career, has also seen patients in pediatric and prenatal settings. She also worked as a client service and education director in two laboratories as they discovered molecular tests for genetic diseases. Vickie is also actively involved in teaching and mentoring students at the newly formed University of Utah Graduate Program for Genetic Counselors. She is a past president of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

Jon Weil, Ph.D., University of California - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
Dr. Weil is presently the director, PhD. Medical Genetics Fellowship Program, University of California, San Francisco; Retired Director, Program in Genetic Counseling, University of California, Berkeley (1989 - 2001). He is the author of Psychosocial Genetic Counseling (Oxford University Press, 2000) and many articles in bacteriophage genetics, human genetics and genetic counseling. He is currently active in teaching, supervision, writing, workshops, seminars and editorial review concerning the psychosocial components of genetic counseling.

Mary T. White, Ph.D., Wright State University School of Medicine, Dayton, OH, USA
Dr. White is an Associate Professor of medical ethics and Director of the Division of Medical Humanities at Wright State University School of Medicine. She has written extensively in the areas of genetic testing and counseling, research ethics, and decision-making.

Janet Williams, RN, PhD, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
Dr Williams is director of the Clinical Genetics Nursing Research Postdoctoral Fellowship program at the University of Iowa. Her research focuses on the psychosocial impact of genetic testing, and on family management of chronic genetic conditions. She is the past president of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics and is a consultant on national and international projects to promote education and practice of nurses regarding genetics.

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