Sarah Lawrence College

About the Assistant Director

Master’s & Dual Degrees
MS Human Genetics Alumni
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Meet Zara Brown, Assistant Program Director, Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics

"Anyone who partners with us, knows that there is always an open space for discussion and someone there when they need them. Our community is making sure no one feels alone."
Smiling person wearing teal blouse and earrings, with dark hair, standing in front of a brick building and metal railing.

Background

Education
Zara earned her Bachelors of Art in Business Administration and Management from Berkeley College in 2017 after transferring from the University of West Indies Mona in Kingston, Jamaica. She went on to earn her Masters of Science in International Business from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom in 2020. 

Experience
Prior to working at Sarah Lawrence, Zara has worked in a variety of educational settings and has spent time tutoring students of all ages. Her journey into the field of education started with her role as a staff development assistant at Berkeley College where she helped train and provide guidance to campus visit coordinators at the college. She went on to become an office manager at the C2 Education Center in Yonkers, NY where she coordinated the day to day operations. In her role, she worked with teachers and tutors to create a warm and welcoming environment for students of all ages. During this time she started tutoring younger students and providing guidance to older students doing SAT/ACT prep through personal and academic struggles. After leaving C2, she went to Success Academy in the Bronx where she was an operations associate. In this role she also coordinated with students, teachers, parents and other members of staff to create a cohesive, fun and safe learning environment for elementary students from diverse backgrounds. Throughout her journey, she has been passionate about helping students and hopes to inspire them to achieve their academic and personal goals. 

Teaching & Focus
At Sarah Lawrence, Zara engages in student support, academic guidance, and administrative coordination for graduate students pursuing careers as genetic counselors. She also teaches the Genetic Counseling Seminar course to help genetic counseling students prepare to go out into the field and practice. The course is meant to serve as a springboard for their current and ongoing professional development journey making students better prepared to navigate the complexities of their future careers and contribute meaningfully to the field of genetic counseling.

Interests

Professional Interests
Personal Development, Equity, Networking and Administration.

Personal Interests
Reading, Cooking, Cleaning and doing Artwork!

Zara Answers Your Questions

What brought you to Sarah Lawrence’s Human Genetics program?
The pandemic. After the COVID-19, the world felt very different and I was in the process of looking for new opportunities as everything was trying to go back to normal. I was hired in September 2021 to be the Genetics Coordinator for the program. 

Tell us about the role you play in the admission process.
I oversee the entire process. I coordinate the scheduling, the people involved and everything related to the process including all aspects of communication. I also chat with prospective students to give them perspective, feedback on their applications so they can reapply and reassurance throughout the entire process if they need that. 

What advice can you give to someone who is considering applying to the Human Genetics program at Sarah Lawrence?
Talk to me! My advice would be to contact me so we can schedule a time to meet to go over things in detail. I would also highly encourage you to reach out to other genetic counselors to chat with them about the field and the program. Genetic counselors are always willing to chat about what they do and help in any way they can. 

Students often talk about the close community they enjoy within the Human Genetics program. What does community mean to you?
Community is that warm fuzzy feeling you get whenever you go to a particular place. You don't know everyone present, but with each greeting, you feel more and more like you're at home. The genetic counseling program at SLC is a huge community of people who have a long standing sense of togetherness. Due to the expansive alumni network with people from diverse backgrounds, the community and program continues to thrive. Anyone who partners with us, knows that there is always an open space for discussion and someone there when they need them. Our community is making sure no one feels alone.

What do you like best about the work you do in the program?
The structure. I really enjoy that I get to create my own journey knowing the destination. I like creating schedules and sending calendar invites which is mostly all the boring stuff other people would prefer to not have to do. The organizational piece is really a driving factor for me so I really enjoy having everything clear and laid out in a way that is easy for people to follow and understand.