GENETIC COUNSELING PROGRAM FACULTY

Aida Metzenberg, M.A., Ph.D, C.G.C.
Professor of Biology, Director

Dr. Metzenberg received her master's degree in genetic counseling from the University of California, Irvine and is a diplomate of the American Board of Medical Genetics. She was employed as a genetic counselor at the University of Wisconsin, Madison while earning a Ph.D. in genetics. As a post-doctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco, she worked part-time in the UCSF prenatal clinic. She was a lecturer at the UCSF School of Medicine, before accepting the position of Director of the California State University, Northridge Genetic Counseling Program. She continues to conduct research on the molecular basis of human disease.

 

Linda Cowan, M.S., C.G.C., M.D.,
Medical Director

Dr. Linda Cowan is the new Medical Director of the genetic counseling program. Dr. Cowan received her M.D. degree from Hahnemann Medical College and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Loma Linda University. She completed fellowships in Maternal Fetal Medicine (Cedars Sinai Medical Center/Harbor UCLA Medical Center) and Clinical Genetics (Childrens Hospital Los Angeles). She is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Maternal Fetal Medicine, Clinical Genetics and Genetic Counseling. Dr. Cowan currently is in private practice in Clinical Genetics and Maternal Fetal Medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles.

 

Fiona M. Field, M.S., C.G.C.
Associate Director

Fiona Field is the Associate Director for the genetic counseling program. She received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Irvine and her graduate degree from Northwestern University. Ms. Field has been practicing genetic counseling for over thirteen years. The first half of her career was spent in prenatal genetics at University of Illinois and then as coordinator of genetic counseling services at Advocate-Illinois Masonic in Chicago. Ms. Field is a diplomate of the American Board of Genetic Counseling and currently serves on the Board of the National Society of Genetic Counselors as Region VI Representative. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in the training and development of graduate students in genetic counseling as well as undergraduate students interested in the profession.

 

Kathleen R. Blazer, MS, CGC,
Lecturer, Clinical Supevisor
Member of the Genetic Counseling Program Advisory Board

Kathleen Blazer, is a board-certified genetic counselor specializing in cancer risk assessment and cancer genetics education. As assistant director for the City of Hope Cancer Genetics Education Program, she coordinates curriculum development and administration and evaluation of a multifaceted cancer genetics education initiative that includes cancer genetics research and clinical training programs, a graduate course at California State University Northridge, and a number of CME educational projects, including an annual full-day Cancer Genetics Education Conference, an annual intensive Cancer Genetics Training Course for physicians, genetic counselors and advanced practice or doctoral-level nurses, and a project focused on the development of web-based CME-accredited cancer genetics education modules.  She is an alumnus of the California State University Genetic Counseling Program and she serves as adjunct faculty with the program. She is a member of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Society of Human Genetics, the American Association for Cancer Education, and the Editorial Board for the Cancer Genetics PDQ of the National Cancer Institute.

 

Stan Charnofsky, Ed.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Dr. Charnofsky is a professor of Educational Psychology and Counseling, and teaches cross cultural counseling to genetic counseling students as well as students in his own department. Dr. Charnofsky is highly accomplished both in family therapy and as a baseball player and coach, and he coached the CSUN baseball team for many years. His research interests include divorce issues, emotional trauma, recovery, re-marriage, fidelity, step-parenting, single living issues, widows, bachelors, life-style choices, cross-cultural counseling, powerlessness, ethnicity, ageism, sexism, marriage and family issues, relationship counseling, intact and blended families and child custody. Dr. Charnofsky has published numerous papers and monographs, and supervises thesis research in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. He was a founding member of the Genetic Counseling Program, and continues to be a significant leader in the organization of the Program.

 

Deborah Chen, Ph.D.
Department of Special Education

Dr. Deborah Chen, Professor received her Ph.D. in Special Education from the University of California, Berkeley-San Francisco State University Joint Doctoral Program in 1985. She teaches in the area of Early Childhood Special Education and has had extensive experience in the areas of early childhood special education and in severe and multiple disabilities as an early interventionist, classroom teacher, program administrator, researcher, and teacher trainer. Dr. Chen has authored and directed or co-directed several U.S.D.O.E. projects involving projects of national significance and model demonstration and research-to-practice projects. Her research and publications focus on working with families of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and early intervention with infants who have visual impairments or hearing loss and additional disabilities and their families. She has published numerous books and papers in her field of interest. She also teaches Atypical Development to students in her department and to genetic counseling students. Her expertise and support have been extremely beneficial to the Genetic Counseling Program.

 

Rheem D. Medh, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Ph.D., University of Texas Medical Branch

Dr. Medh conducts research on the molecular events associated with apoptosis of leukemic cells in response to therapeutic agents such as glucocorticoid hormones, immunosuppressants and anti-proliferative agents, in parallel models of glucocorticoid-sensitive and resistant human lymphoblastic cells.

 

Joyce L. Medley, L.M.F.T.
Instructor Educational Psychology and Counseling

Joyce received her Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at California State University Northridge in 1989. She has had extensive experience in crisis and long-term therapy, has served as a clinical supervisor for other therapists, and has considerable teaching experience. She has published in the areas of victim recovery and parenting of adolescents, and has performed extensive community service. She teaches a special section of the communication course (EPC 659A) for genetic counseling students.

 

Charite Ricker, M.S., C.G.C.
Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor

Charite Ricker earned her masters degree in genetic counseling at California State University, Northridge in 2002. She is currently a genetic counselor at the University of Southern California, where she performs cancer genetics counseling. She has particular interest in serving underserved populations, including clients in ethnic minorities and the Deaf. She teaches Genetic Counseling Skills in the Genetic Counseling Program at California State University, Northridge. She also teaches Supervisory Courses for the second year genetic counseling students. She has four peer reviewed publications in the field.

MEMBERS OF THE GENETIC COUNSELING ADVISORY BOARD

Jerry Stinner Ph.D.
Dean, College of Science and Mathematics
California State University, Northridge

Philip Rusche, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Education
California State University, Northridge

Beverly Cabello, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling
California State University, Northridge

Nancy Burstein, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Special Education
California State University, Northridge

Larry Allen, Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge

Kim Wendt, M.S., C.G.C.
Kaiser Permanente

Raluca Kurz, M.S., C.G.C.
Medical Genetics
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Kathleen Blazer, M.S., C.G.C.
Genetic Counselor
City of Hope

Zoey Trueblood, M.S.
Medical Genetics
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Linda Cowan, M.S., C.G.C., M.D
CSUN Genetic Counseling Program
Clinical Genetics
Good Samaritan Hospital

Stan Charnofsky, Ph.D.
Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling
California State University, Northridge

Joyce Medley, M.S., M.F.T.
Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling
California State University, Northridge

Deborah Chen, Ph.D.
Department of Special Education
California State University, Northridge

Mary Corcoran, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge

Joyce Linden, Ph.D.
Department of Special Education
California State University, Northridge

Joyce Maxwell, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge

Joseph Moore, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge

Rheem D. Medh, Ph.D.
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge

Betsy Simon
Community Representative

Fiona Field, M.S.
CSUN Genetic Counseling Program Associate Director
California State University, Northridge

Aida Metzenberg, M.A., C.G.C., Ph.D.
Department of Biology
California State University, Northridge