Alliance for Genetic Counseling Fellowship

Gabriella Perry, Class of 2026 AGCF Fellow

Gabi is from Somerset, New Jersey. She graduated from Drexel University with a B.S. in Health Sciences and a minor in Public Health. During undergrad, Gabi was a member of the Honors College, participated in research on human evolution, and worked at the CDC International HIV Serology and Incidence Lab for 6 months. Post-graduation Gabi relocated to North Virginia and has been working as a GCA at Inova Health Systems, across multiple specialties. Gabi is interested in increasing accessibility, diversity, and genetic literacy for minority populations. In her free time, she enjoys cooking and baking, creative writing, and watching movies.

Marcely Ventura, Class of 2026 AGCF Fellow

Marcely, a native New Yorker of Dominican descent, earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Biology with minors in Sociology and Foreign Language from Hunter College. After graduation, she honed her passion for education as a high school college counselor at Bronx Prep High School. She transitioned to a Cancer GCA role at Columbia University Medical Center and solidified her commitment to community advocacy. Marcely is interested in increasing genetic counseling awareness among youth and improving accessibility to testing in underrepresented Hispanic communities. She looks forward to realizing these goals as a Warren Alpert Foundation scholar. Beyond her advocacy, she enjoys reading, quality time with loved ones, and culinary adventures.

Muhammed Bajo, Class of 2025 AGCF Fellow

Muhammed was born and raised in Keneba, a small rural village in The Gambia, West Africa. He graduated from Lehman College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology (biomedical science concentration) and a minor in psychology. During his undergraduate studies, he worked as a peer mentor for Pathway For Student Success in STEM on campus. He also worked as a full-time security guard at a homeless shelter and as a case manager with the same company after earning his bachelor's degree from Lehman College. He is interested in making genetic testing and counseling accessible to underrepresented communities and developing countries worldwide, especially in his home country, The Gambia. During his leisure time, he enjoys hanging out with friends and playing and watching soccer games—he supports one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world, Manchester United.

Ariel Modeste, Class of 2025 AGCF Fellow

Ariel was born in Hawaii and raised in central Florida. She graduated from LaGrange College with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She played varsity indoor and beach volleyball through college and worked as a tutor. Since graduating, Ariel has worked as a college math and science tutor and as a behavioral coach for VIBES Learning, a nonprofit organization focused on helping neurodivergent students build confidence and coping skills. In addition, she worked as a virtual intern for GOLDEN, where her passion for increasing the visibility of the genetic counseling field to her community was solidified.

Andy Peralta, Class of 2024 AGCF Fellow

Andy graduated summa cum laude from Lehman College with a dual bachelor’s degree in Anthropology/Biology/Chemistry and Philosophy. As an undergraduate student, Andy worked as a TA and tutored Genetics, Organic Chemistry and Physics. After graduation he found a love of teaching and became a lecturer, focusing on Genetics, Human Anatomy and Physiology.

Dessiah Phillips, Class of 2024 AGCF Fellow

Dessiah graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington where she received dual bachelor’s degrees in Biology and Psychology. She attended a summer undergraduate research program in genetics at Texas A & M. Since graduating, Dessiah has experience working as a behavioral therapist for children with developmental disorders. She has interests in patient advocacy and hopes to use bioethics to provide safe advancements in genetics.

We are proud to offer a summer internship for undergraduate students from underrepresented populations who are interested in the field of genetic counseling. During this 6 week, fully-paid experience, interns at each program in the consortium have the opportunity to shadow experienced genetic counselors, gain exposure to a broad range of clinical genetics specialties, attend seminars, conferences and case conferences, collaborate on a research project, have one-on-one interactions with genetic counselors and students, and network with fellow interns at other genetic counseling training programs.

Meet our Interns:

Chloe Gibson, 2025 Summer Intern

Chloe is from Atlanta, Georgia. She is a rising senior at Vanderbilt University, where she is majoring in both Psychology and Medicine, Health, and Society with a minor in Spanish for the Professions. She is passionate about helping underserved communities due to her background and hometown, and wants to help provide them access to better healthcare by becoming a genetic counselor. She is an involved member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. She is also a member of the Genetic Counseling Club and the vice president of Vanderbilt’s inaugural Black Homecoming Committee. In her free time, Chloe enjoys dancing, photography, and volunteering.

Maya Sankaran, 2025 Summer Intern

Maya was born and raised in the Bay Area and is currently an undergraduate at Sarah Lawrence College, focusing on Genetics. Maya is interested in genetic counseling because she wants to study the impactful genetic mechanisms and barriers that affect a person's access to and quality of healthcare and provide empowering care and education to neurodivergent, minority women like herself. Maya previously volunteered at her local Department of Veteran Affairs under their Morgue Department, and she also enjoys singing, playing the violin, and cooking. Maya is thrilled and grateful to work with the Warren Alpert Foundation.

Olivia Davir, 2024 Summer Intern

Olivia is a rising senior majoring in Health Sciences at Ithaca College from Brooklyn, NY! On campus, she works as a tour guide, tutor, and teaching assistant in biology and genetics. She is currently working in a rare genetic disease research lab and has previously interned in the Donor Egg Clinic at Weill Cornell-NYP Hospital. In her free time, she trains in aerial silks and lyra, makes music with friends, and loves to travel. She is a proud first-generation college student hoping to become a genetic counselor!

Julissa Frias, 2024 Summer Intern

Julissa is from New York City. She is currently attending Lehman College where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. Julissa is interested in genetic counseling because she is passionate about advocating for rare diseases and hopes to increase the awareness, education, and testing for genetic diseases in minority communities. She has volunteered with Next Step’s STRIVE, a program designed to help teens living with sickle cell disease. In her free time, Julissa enjoys traveling, going to the beach, and trying new foods.

Melody Lin, 2023 Summer Intern

Melody was born and raised in New York and is currently an undergraduate student at Stony Brook University, pursuing her Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Biology Minor. Her work as a research assistant focusing on the biomarkers of Autism Spectrum Disorder in children and training with the LEND fellowship under the Autism Initiative has made her passionate to pursue genetics through a psychosocial lens. In her free time, she loves making digital art and writing. She is incredibly excited and grateful to be able to work with the Warren-Alpert Foundation and Sarah Lawrence College.

Kaliah Davis, 2023 Summer Intern

Kaliah was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She is a rising senior at Xavier University of Louisiana where she majors in Biology and minors in Chemistry. Kaliah is a member of the Xavier chapter of the Alpha Epsilon Delta pre health professional honor society and Chi Alpha Christian organization. She will also serve as the Historian/Reporter for the Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society and she will work with the Pre Medical Office as a student pre med advisor during the upcoming Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 academic year. Kaliah enjoys dancing, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.