Leadership

Amanda Bergner headshot

Program Director

Amanda Bergner, MS, LCGC
Professor of Genetic Counseling, Departments of Genetics & Development and Neurology

Course Director: Introduction to Genetic Counseling; Foundations of Human Development; Therapeutic Genetic Counseling 1; Applied Genetic Counseling
Fieldwork Supervisor: Neurogenetics

Research Supervisor

I am an ABGC board-certified genetic counselor with over 22 years of experience in clinical care, education, industry work, and research. I believe strongly in the therapeutic potential of genetic counseling and the capacity of our profession to support people engaging with questions about how genetic and genomic medicine impact them as individuals, families, communities, and society. I am originally from Virginia and completed my education in genetic counseling at the University of California, Berkeley where my capstone work addressed the relational impact of infertility on couples. I have worked in clinical practice at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center and Johns Hopkins Hospital, providing inpatient and outpatient genetic counseling services for clients affected by or at risk for a broad range of genetic disorders. I have also worked for several years in advocacy at the National Fragile X Foundation and industry at Ambry Genetics. My research has focused on the process of consent for exome sequencing, health-related quality of life, and the use of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical trials. I have been a faculty member of several genetic counseling graduate programs and have held a variety of leadership positions within NSGC, ABGC, and ACGC. I am currently the Secretary/Treasurer for the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD) and a member of the Education Committee of the New York State Genetics Task Force. I am also a founding member of the InterProgram Antiracism Dialogue Series (IPADS) and, with my collaborators, a 2021 recipient of the Audrey Heimler Special Project Award from the NSGC for the IntraProfessional Antiracism Dialogue Series being offered nationally for practicing genetic counselors. I joined Columbia University in 2017 as the inaugural program director for the Genetic Counseling Graduate Program.

 

Michelle Florido headshot

Assistant Program Director

Michelle Florido, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor of Genetic Counseling, Department of Genetics and Development

Course Director: Cancer Genetics; Advanced Counseling Skills; Process Group; Applied Genetic Counseling
Fieldwork Supervisor: Cancer Genetics

I am an ABGC board-certified genetic counselor with over 10 years of experience in clinical care, research, and translational genomics. My experience has allowed me to develop a nuanced understanding of both the challenges and successes of genomic medicine and to better appreciate the interface between clinical care and research in genetics and genomics. I am originally from New York and completed my genetic counseling graduate education at the University of Michigan where my research focused on the lived experience of rare disease, particularly around the process and emotional effect of disclosing a diagnosis to peers during adolescence and young adulthood. I have worked in clinical practice at Yale University and Yale-New Haven Hospital, serving as a clinical supervisor and rotation coordinator for genetic counseling students and contributing to programmatic development of the clinical cancer genetics service. I have also worked for several years at the Institute for Genomic Medicine (IGM) at Columbia University Medical Center, where I have focused on the utilization of research whole exome sequencing toward the goal of therapeutic precision medicine in epilepsy. I joined the Columbia University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in 2018 as the inaugural assistant program director. 

 

Priyanka Ahimaz headshot

Student Research Director

Priyanka Ahimaz, MS, CGC
Assistant Professor of Genetic Counseling, Department of Pediatrics

Course Director: Foundations of Research; Scholarly Project
Fieldwork Supervisor: Cardiogenetics

Research Supervisor

I am an ABGC board-certified genetic counselor with over 13 years of experience in both clinical care and research. Through my clinical practice, I have worked with in prenatal, pediatric, cancer, and cardiac genetics. I have also been involved in multiple clinical research projects and I am the lead coordinator of the Congenital Anomalies Research Exploration (CARE) investigating genomic factors that contribute to the formation of various birth defects, currently focusing on tracheoesophageal defects. My other research projects have focused on patient-centered impact and communication of genetic test results, genomics education of providers in different specialties, and assessing the clinical needs of patients with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. I completed my genetic counseling graduate education at Arcadia University and my Master's thesis explored the utility of genetic counseling for family caregivers of patients with Parkinson Disease. I am passionate about expanding genomics education have served as a clinical supervisor, course director and research mentor to several genetic counseling students over the years. I hold leadership roles in various national professional organizations including NSGC, and am a current member of the Board of Directors for the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) as well as the Chair of the Education Committee for the New York State Genetics Task Force. I joined the Columbia University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in 2021 as the inaugural student research director. 

 

Nina Harkavy headshot

Student Fieldwork Director

Nina Harkavy, ScM, CGC
Assistant Professor of Genetic Counseling, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Course Director: Clinical Encounters; Applied Genetic Counseling
Fieldwork Supervisor: Reproductive Genetics

I am an ABGC board-certified genetic counselor with over eight years of experience. I completed my genetic counseling graduate education at Johns Hopkins University/NHGRI and currently provide genetic counseling in the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, specializing in both preconception/ART and prenatal reproductive genetics. Through my clinical work, I contribute to ongoing research to better understand the utility of whole genome sequencing for pregnancies with fetal structural anomalies. I am deeply committed to reproductive justice and dedicated to helping my patients understand their reproductive options so that they can make decisions consistent with their personal values and beliefs. As well, I am passionate about improving quality of care for patients with limited English proficiency and support Spanish-language acquisition for genetic counselors and students working with these populations. I joined the Columbia University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in 2022 as the student fieldwork director. 

 

Sriya Bhattacharyya headshot

Diversity Director

Sriya Bhattacharyya, PhD
Instructor in Clinical Medical Psychology​, Department of Psychiatry

Course Director: Foundations of Counseling Skills; Community, Identity, and Engagement; Therapeutic Genetic Counseling 2

I am a psychologist working at the intersection of social transformation and creative healing, and works extensively with racially and socially marginalized groups. I completed my PhD and MA in Counseling Psychology at Boston College, alongside a certificate in Human Rights and International Justice from Boston College and an Apprenticeship in College Teaching. I hold a certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies from the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute. My current research focuses on Muslim activists’ liberation, asylum advocates experiences, Asian American mental health and mobilization, art-based methods, and frontline worker emotional support during COVID19. I am deeply guided by anti-oppression, community collaboration, creative healing, and social liberation in all of my work. I joined the Columbia University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program in 2022 as the inaugural diversity director.