Genetic Counseling Faculty and Staff
Jill M. Fischer, M.S., C.G.C.
(she/her/hers)
Director
Board certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling, Jill M. Fischer, M.S., C.G.C., received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. In 1993, she earned her M.S. in Genetic Counseling from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, where she was named "Most Outstanding Genetic Counselor." She was later honored as the 2002-2003 USC School of Medicine Distinguished Master’s Alum and was selected to give the first annual distinguished alumnus lecture. Her graduate thesis laid the groundwork for her to establish the role of the genetic counselor in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), specifically preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).
Fischer is the former Director of the Long Island University Genetic Counseling Graduate Program, where she oversaw the training of genetic counselors in traditional and expanded roles. Until 2014, she was the Director of Clinical Genetic Services for Reprogenetics, LLC., a PGT laboratory. There she oversaw clinical aspects of care for PGT patients including counseling of patients, orientation and education of associated IVF groups, supervision of the genetic counseling and molecular teams, as well as overall organization of PGT cases. Other experience in ART includes being the genetic counselor for the Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas Medical Center and the Jones Institute for Women’s Health. In addition to her work in ART and PGT, Fischer also has extensive experience in prenatal and pediatric genetics and is a co-founder of Recombine, a genetic testing company.
In 1996, Fischer founded and chaired the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Infertility Special Interest Group (SIG). She is a founding member and past chair of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) Genetic Counseling SIG. An international speaker, Fischer has chaired and presented numerous conference plenary talks, ASRM Post-Graduate Courses, NSGC Short Courses, NSGC Educational Breakout Sessions and American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics symposia. She also serves in various advisory roles including being a past member of the NSGC Board of Directors.
Laura A. Limone, M.S., C.G.C.
(she/her/hers)
Associate Director
Laura A. Limone, MS, CGC, received her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick, NJ. In 2001, she earned an M.S. in Human Genetics from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY. She is board certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and licensed by the State of New Jersey.
Limone’s career began at University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in Newark, NJ. Shortly thereafter, she joined the genetic counseling team at New Jersey Perinatal Associates (NJPA), a maternal fetal medicine practice with five locations and four hospital affiliations in northern New Jersey. In 2008, Limone was promoted to Director of Perinatal Genetics, an executive role, where she served as the genetics expert for the practice and managed the genetics department which grew to include multiple genetic counselors, assistants, and interns. In this role, Limone was responsible for the coordination and supervision of genetic counseling students, residents and medical students.
Limone’s expertise in reproductive genetics encompasses non-invasive and invasive prenatal testing, expanded carrier screening, fetal anomalies, and high-risk pregnancy management. She has served as a guest lecturer at several genetic counseling programs, including Sarah Lawrence College, Long Island University-Post, and Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey. In addition, Limone has presented at seminars and grand rounds, and has functioned as the Perinatal Genetics expert on a variety of panels and corporate advisory boards.
Helio Pedro, M.D.
(he/him/his)
Medical Director
Adjunct Professor
Helio Pedro, M.D., received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He went on to obtain his Medical Degree from St. George's University School of Medicine. He completed a Joint Residency Program at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and went on to work in private practice for 2 years. Afterwards, he returned to UMDNJ to pursue a fellowship in Clinical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics. Upon finishing his fellowship, Dr. Pedro remained at UMDNJ as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Genetics, and worked jointly with the Division of Genetics at Hackensack University Medical Center. He left UMDNJ in 2009, after being appointed Chief of the Division of Genetics at Hackensack University Medical Center. Dr. Pedro is the current Section Chief of Genetics and Genomics at Hackensack Meridian Health and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine with the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. He supervises medical residents, medical students and genetic counseling students in their clinical genetics training. He is board certified by the American Board of Medical Genetics in both Clinical Genetics and Clinical Biochemical Genetics. His research interests include clinical genetics, adult genetics and biochemical genetics.
Deneen Marshall-Mike, M.A.
(she/her/hers)
Managing Administrative Assistant
Deneen Marshall-Mike received her B.S in Management and M.A. in Communication Studies from Kean University. Marshall-Mike has been employed with Kean University since 2002, having experience in both the business and academic operations of the University at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. As an adjunct professor at Kean University, Marshall-Mike taught Business and Professional Communication as well as Creative, Rhythmic and Cultural Dance. She has served on various committees including the African American Heritage Graduation Organization Committee.
Marshall-Mike is also a quilt artist. One of her quilts was displayed at the National Site of Brown vs. Board of Education in Topeka, Kansas. To date she has over 15 completed works of quilt art. She has completed qualitative research on the use of quilts as a modality in learning about conflict resolution from both theoretical and practical approaches. Marshall-Mike has discussed this work at conferences for the National Communication Association, the New Jersey Eastern Pennsylvania Therapeutic Recreation Association, and the National African American Quilt Convention, and as a guest speaker for graduate courses at Kean University and Ryder University.
FACULTY
Salvatore Coniglio, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Chemical Biology
Coordinator, Biotechnology 5-year B.S./M.S. degree program
(he/him/his)
Ph.D. Anatomy and Structural Biology, 2008
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Co-Instructor: STME 5940 Cancer Genetics and Genetic Counseling
Rebekah Pender, Ph.D., L.P.C., N.C.C.
Acting Chair, Counselor Education Department
Clinical Coordinator, Counselor Education Department
(she/her/hers)
Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision, 2009
St. Mary’s University
Instructor: CED 5980 Practicum in Counseling
Rongsun Pu, Ph.D.
(she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Biology
Ph.D. Developmental Biology and Genetics, 1999
Purdue University
Instructor: STME 5912 Molecular Genetics and Laboratory Techniques
Brian Schoenfeld, M.S., C.G.C.
(he/him/his)
M.S. Genetic Counseling, 2015
Arcadia University
Co-Instructor: STME 5915 Human Cytogenetics
Instructor: STME 5970 Translational Medicine
Rachel A. Allen, M.S., C.G.C.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
(she/her/hers)
M.S. Human Genetics, 2003
Sarah Lawrence College
Instructor: STME 5919 Developmental Biology & Teratology
Co-instructor: STME 5903 Fundamentals of Genetic Counseling: Professional Development
Michele Bruno Horner, M.S., C.G.C.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
(she/her/hers)
M.S. Human Genetics, 1993
University of Pittsburgh
Co-Instructor: STME 5940 Cancer Genetics and Genetic Counseling
Erin Armenti, M.S., C.G.C.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
(she/her/hers)
M.S. Human Genetics, 2012
Sarah Lawrence College
Instructor: STME 5930 Ethical Perspectives in Genetics
Co-Instructor: STME 5901 Fundamentals of Genetic Counseling: Reproductive and Pediatric Care
Karen Valdez-Gonzalez, M.S., M.P.H., C.G.C.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
(she/her/hers)
M.P.H. Public Health (Health Policy and Administration), 2010
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
M.S. Genetic Counseling, 1999
Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University
Co-Instructor:
STME 5901 Fundamentals of Genetic Counseling: Reproductive and Pediatric Care
STME 5902 Fundamentals of Genetic Counseling: Further Roles and Skills
Eurica Pinthieve, Ph.D., L.P.C., N.C.C., A.C.S.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
Ph.D. Counseling and Supervision, 2022
Kean University
Instructor:
STME 5961 Research Methods in Genetic Counseling
STME 5962 Advanced Research Methods in Genetic Counseling
Sarah Toledo, M.A., L.A.C., N.C.C.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2015
Kean University
Instructor:
STME 5971 Genetic Counseling Thesis 1
STME 5972 Genetic Counseling Thesis 2
STME 5973 Genetic Counseling Thesis 3
Mansi Brat, Ph.D., L.P.C., L.M.H.C.
Assistant Professor
M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, 2012
Lindenwood University
Ph.D. Counselor Education and Supervision, 2017
University of Toledo
Instructor: CED 5910 Orientation to Professional Counseling
Yi-Ying Lin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
M.S. Mental Health Counseling, 2010
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Ph.D. Counseling and Counselor Education, 2017
University of Rochester
Instructor: CED 5950 Counseling Skills
Mousumi Chakrabarty, Ph.D.
GCGP Adjunct Faculty
Ph.D. Applied Computer Science, 2015
North Central University
Certificate - Genetics and Genomics, 2018
Stanford University
Ph.D. Big Data Science, Concentration in Bioinformatics, expected 2024
North Central University
Instructor: STME 5918 Bioinformatics and Clinical Applications