Martha Dudek, MS, CGC, founding program director for the Master of Genetic Counseling at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, is the recipient of the Strategic Leader Award from the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC).
This award honors a genetic counselor who “advances genetic counseling as a vital part of health care through education, research or public policy, while demonstrating strategic leadership and significantly contributing to NSGC’s goals,” according to the NSGC.
“Martha’s vision and leadership have elevated genetic counseling at Vanderbilt and nationally,” said Alexander Bick, MD, PhD, holder of the Edward Claiborne Stahlman Chair and director of the Division of Genetic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology. “She has built programs that not only educate the next generation of genetic counselors but also expand the role of genetic counseling across all pillars of our academic mission. This very richly deserved recognition from NSGC is a testament to her impact on the field.”
The Strategic Leader Award is part of the NSGC’s 2025 Leadership Awards that honor those who move the genetic counseling profession forward. Dudek, associate professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, will be recognized at the annual conference in November for her work on Fellowship in Genomics Outcomes Research (FIGOR), a fellowship program that allows genetic counselors to conduct individualized research, and Advanced Research Training for Genetic Counselors (ART-GC), a graduate-level certificate program focused on developing research skills.
“Being recognized by NSGC and my peers is an incredible honor,” Dudek said. “I’m continually inspired by the creativity, compassion and commitment of my colleagues, and I share this recognition with all genetic counselors who broaden our work and strengthen the impact of our profession.”
The funding the program received from the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health to support the FIGOR program has provided salary support for five genetic counselors in the first three years of the grant. These scholars have been working with researchers across campus.
Under the mentorship of Doug Ruderfer, PhD, associate professor of Medicine, Lucas Richter, MS, assistant in Medicine, has published a study using electronic health records (EHR) to uncover more about genetic disease. Ruderfer holds the Directorship in Digital Genomic Health.
Toni Lewis, MS, has been mentored by Digna Velez Edwards, PhD, MS, professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and holder of the Lucius E. Burch Chair of Reproductive Physiology and Family Planning, and recently presented their work on building prediction models for fibroids using clinical and genetic features at the American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Boston.
These scholars are evidence of the ways genetic counselors contribute to translational research.
Two VUMC genetic counselors, Lianna Paul, MGC, CGC, and Cece Kessler, MGC, CGC, data scientist assistant, were selected to participate in both the ART-GC program and the FIGOR program as these trainings are complementary.
After completing the Warren Albert Foundation-sponsored Advanced Research Training for Genetic Counselors Certificate Program, they have built on research opportunities. Paul works in the Division of Genetic Medicine and Clinical Pharmacology and recently presented her work on “Defining Diagnostic Delay for Genetic Conditions and Automating Data Extraction from the EHR” at the 2025 Vanderbilt Genetic Counseling Research Symposium.
Kessler is the first research genetic counselor at the Vanderbilt Eye Institute and works with Milam Brantley, MD, PhD, associate professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, to better meet the needs of patients with rare disease in ocular genetics. She represented VUMC at the International Society for Genetic Eye Diseases and Retinoblastoma conference in Oslo, Norway, earlier this fall.
“The success of these genetic counselors speaks to the return on investing in advanced research training for genetic counselors,” Dudek said. “These grants have also had a positive impact on the Master of Genetic Counseling degree program by providing more faculty with passion for teaching and mentoring genetic counseling learners through course direction, mentoring and research advising.”
Dudek presented the benefits of these training opportunities at the recent American Society of Human Genetics meeting in Boston.
Multiple alumni of the VUSM Master of Genetic Counseling program have been selected to participate in the ART-GC or the FIGOR program. These alumni have subsequently served on research committees for professional degree students in the Master of Genetic Counseling training program, which has 33 alumni and 16 currently enrolled students.
“Through initiatives like FIGOR and ART-GC, Martha has created opportunities that empower genetic counselors to become leaders not only in clinical care but also in research and innovation,” Bick said. “The ripple effect of her work is seen in the success of our trainees and the advancement of making medicine personal at Vanderbilt and nationally.”
