Chauntiera Cook, MS

Chauntiera is a first generation college student from San Diego, CA. She graduated from UCLA in 2018 with her bachelor's degree in Biology with a minor in African American studies. While obtaining her undergraduate degree she sat on the board of the UCLA AVID Alumni Association, an organization that strives to create an alumni network for current college students while also preparing students from underrepresented communities for college. Chauntiera was introduced to the field of genetic counseling while working as an office assistant in the UCLA pediatrics genetics office. After graduating she began working at Invitae laboratory and held several different positions but her most meaningful experience was working as a genetic counseling assistant. I hope to contribute to the field of genetic counseling by encouraging open dialogue surrounding health equity and disparities in hopes of shedding light on the need for more BIPOC identifying individuals in healthcare. In my free time I enjoy rollerskating, reading, and spending time with friends and family.

Master's Research (Capstone) Project: Barriers and Interests of Underrepresented Students Considering Genetic Counseling as a Profession: A Systematic Review

Department: Human Genetics