Center for Biotechnology, Genomics, and Health Research:
Community Health Support

The CBGHR offers extensive experience in community genetics education and clinical experience with genetic counseling within the context of community health care and clinical practice.  We are actively seeking partnerships and alliances focusing on the development of tools, operations, and procedures that facilitate the use of family history information for assessing personal disease risk, and identifying interventions and strategies for maintaining good health that reduce inherent and familial disease risks.  A listing of our personnel assets, relationships, and experiential skills are noted here.

 

Personnel Assets:

• Three clinical genetic counselors with extensive clinical and program experience:
• Karen Potter Powell, M.S:  Board-certified genetic counselor with 10 years clinical experience at The University of Michigan, The University of Missouri – Columbia, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Currently responsible for budget and operations management with Guilford Genomic Medicine Initiative (GGMI), including milestone management, coordination and prioritization, stakeholder relationships, IRB issues, and daily oversight of project’s education component.
• Carol Christianson, M.S:  Board-certified genetic counselor with 21 years of clinical experience in prenatal, pediatric and adult genetics clinics; including 8 years of experience as the state genetics coordinator for the South Dakota Department of Health; 8 years of experience in course development and graduate level of instruction; and 6 years of experience as the assistant director and clinical coordinator for the Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling at the University of Cincinnati.  Currently responsible for conducting educational needs assessments and producing 1) professional education modules for physicians covering genetic and familial aspects of common diseases, including breast/ovarian cancer, colon cancer, and thrombophilia; 2) web-based resources, and 3) low-literacy educational materials for patients and the lay public.
• Leslie Evans, M.S:  Genetic counselor with 7 years experience, with six years as director of  a community health program.  Responsible for development, funding acquisition, and management of the North Carolina Teratogen Information Service, a program dedicated to preventing birth defects caused by pregnancy exposures.  Also acquired funding and developed a strategic plan for North Carolina’s first fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) clinic, and was appointed the state liaison to a national coalition addressing FAS policy issues. Currently responsible for developing evaluation component of community and physician education programs and developing community initiatives and building stakeholder alliances.
• Vincent C Henrich, PhD: Director.  Experience with all aspects of Federal and other external grantsmanship pertaining to genetics/genomics including conceptualization, planning, supervision and strategy, forming and maintaining collaborations, budget formulation, projection, and management, personnel supervision, compliance, publication/presentation, and peer review. Extensive teaching experience with college-level students.  Involved in curriculum development, consultation and review of public school genetic education projects, end-of-year testing development, and presentations to K-12 teachers and students.
• Graduate students working in public health education, genetic counseling, nursing, biology, nutrition, education research measurement, fine arts, and family studies.
• Experienced administrative support for all aspects of grant management, bookkeeping, and compliance.

Key Relationships:

• Working collaborations with Dr. Debra Wallace (Nursing, UNCG) for developing GGMI and other community based initiatives, Dr. Richard Luecht (Educational Research Measurement, UNCG) for developing evaluation criteria and testing, Dr. Terrance McConnell (Philosophy, UNCG) for consideration of ethical, legal and social issues associated with family history and genetics, and Dr. Susan Letvak (Nursing, UNCG) for developing and analyzing focus group information.
• Working collaborations with the Center for Human Genetics at Duke University, the Miami Institute for Human Genetics at The University of Miami, Moses Cone Health System, and the Greensboro Area Hospital Education Center as part of the GGMI.
• Alliances with community health groups
• Alliances with State and local public health organizations

Skill Sets:

• All aspects of genetic counseling, including advising clients about all aspects of familial and/or genetic diagnosis, implications, and options.
• Familiarity with IRB approval process and HIPAA regulations.
• Relationship-building and maintenance with other health care groups and partners.
• Conducting and analyzing focus group data and community surveys.
• Producing educational materials and programs for community, patient, and professional audiences in areas relating to family-based and genetic disease risks.
• Developing objectives and establishing evaluation criteria for clinical and community health programs.
• Website development and maintenance (www.genomic-medicine.org, www.uncg.edu/bgh).

 

 

 

Center for Biotechnology, Genomics & Health Research 
Hall for Humanities & Research Administration
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
1111 Spring Garden Street, Room 3701
PO Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170 
Phone: (336) 334-4775 Fax: (336) 334-4794