Week 1 2022

LAUREN GIMA, MS, CGC is a board-certified, licensed genetic counselor at City of Hope in Duarte, CA, where she specializes in clinical cancer genomics. She earned her MS degree in Genetic Counseling from Northwestern University and BS degree in Human Biology from University of California San Diego. Her primary clinical responsibilities include providing cancer genetic counseling services for City of Hope’s patient population. Ms. Gima is also a faculty member of the City of Hope Intensive Course and Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice, and an adjunct faculty member for the Keck Graduate Institute Genetic Counseling and Genomic Data Analytics masters’ programs. She is also a clinical rotation supervisor for students of the Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) Genetic Counseling program, the University of California Irvine Genetic Counseling program, and the University of California Los Angeles Genetic Counseling program, and she serves as a community mentor for the KGI Genetic Counseling program, providing ongoing support and guidance for new genetic counseling students. Lauren is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancers, the Southern California Genetic Counselors, and the Minority Genetics Professionals Network.

SUSAN SHEHAYEB, MS, CGC, is a licensed board-certified genetic counselor specializing in cancer genetics with the Division of Clinical Cancer Genomics at City of Hope National Medical Center. She is fluent in Arabic and has competency in Spanish. She has a Master of Science degree in genetic counseling from University of California Irvine. Ms. Shehayeb's clinical role has centered on widening patient access to genetic counseling and testing throughout the City of Hope network and on genetics representation and expertise in the setting of gynecologic oncology. Her past research has focused on lifestyle choices in the context of hereditary cancer testing, hereditary causes of multiple breast cancers, and hereditary gynecologic cancers. Her special interests include hereditary gynecologic cancers and hereditary genodermatoses, furthering education of providers in the setting of genomic cancer risk assessment, and advocacy for diversity and equity in the field of cancer genetics. She is a faculty member of the City of Hope Intensive Course in Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment, and a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the Southern California Genetic Counselors.

Jeffrey N. Weitzel, MD, is board Certified in Medical Oncology and Clinical Genetics, and founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community Research Network. He co-founded the Clinical Cancer Genomics Community of Practice with Dr. Blazer. A Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scholar and an honorary Professor of Oncology for the Latin American School of Oncology, he is also the ASCO Conquer Cancer Research Professor in Breast Cancer Disparities. At the vanguard of precision prevention, Dr. Weitzel’s multidisciplinary clinical, research, and training experience emphasize translational research in cancer disparities, genomic cancer risk assessment, chemoprevention, targeted therapy, clinical and psychosocial outcomes, genetic epidemiology and health services research, with a focus on underserved populations. Dr. Weitzel received the American Society of Human Genetics Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education.