About
Briana grew up in New York City and graduated from Brown University with a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. During her undergraduate career, she was able to explore her passion for genetics on multiple research projects. Outside of the lab, she became involved with initiatives on campus that aimed to promote and educate community members on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) topics.
After graduation, Briana worked at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) ERP, where she supported the ENCODE program. Here, she first saw and began to understand the clinical impact of genetics research and practice on a wide scale.
Following her tenure at NHGRI, Briana decided to move to Spain and explore life abroad. She spent 5 years living in Malaga, Granada and Madrid working in education with students as young as 3 up to adults. Teaching English and science sparked a newfound passion for education and support. She felt the joys of finding new ways to connect with students and strived to create a fun and safe learning environment. She recognized the importance of making a positive impact on students, and sought out opportunities to foster critical consciousness in her students through the exploration of JEDI topics.
Genetic Counseling excites Briana because she can blend her passions for science, education and justice. She looks forward to becoming a bilingual, Spanish-speaking counselor to better support historically underrepresented patient populations. Briana hopes to work towards increasing access to and awareness of genetics services through advocacy, outreach work and the creation of educational materials.
In her free time, Briana enjoys baking, playing pool and exploring cultural events across LA.