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The Sarah Lawrence community and the Joan H. Marks Graduate Program in Human Genetics mourn the loss of Dr. Jessica Davis, who passed away on February 19, 2026. Jessica helped develop the first master's level genetic counseling program at Sarah Lawrence College in 1969 and was instrumental in the creation of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.
Jessica graduated from Wellesley College and, after earning her medical degree from Columbia University, became a pioneering pediatric geneticist. A compassionate clinician for her patients with rare genetic disorders and a skilled and caring teacher who enjoyed collaborating with colleagues, she served as a tireless mentor to women scientists while working at Albert Einstein College of Medicine Hospital, North Shore University Hospital, and Weill Cornell Hospital. After Cornell founded its campus in Qatar, she brought her human genetics curriculum to the Middle East. Among many honors over her nearly 60-year career: the 2013 Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education from the American Society of Human Genetics and the Antoine Marfan Award from the National Marfan Foundation in 2005.