STEFANIE DUGAN

This Spotlight appeared in our May 2024 newsletter.

Where are you from? What do you most like and most dislike about where you live?

I am a certified and licensed genetic counselor from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee is a fantastic place to live, offering big city amenities (food, culture, education, entertainment, sports) with the humility and friendliness of a midwestern town. I love the four-season climate and the incredible natural resources Wisconsin offers: beautiful scenery and opportunities for almost any kind of outdoor activity you can imagine – skiing in the winter, summer vacations “up north” on one of the countless inland lakes or rivers… and Milwaukee is right on the shore of Lake Michigan, which looks like an ocean from shoreline and even draws freshwater surfers. The transition weeks of winter into spring can be gray and dreary, which is definitely one of my less favorite aspects of living here, but it makes us appreciate the sunshine and green even more when it comes.

How did you connect with the Foundation?

A fellow genetic counselor from another part of the country introduced me to the Foundation. She had a personal connection to bleeding disorders, VWD specifically, and had been involved in the Foundation in its earlier years. She knew that bleeding disorders had been part of my professional focus since the beginning of my genetic counseling career, and when her situation changed her ability to participate in the same way, she asked if she could share my name with Jeanette to discuss stepping in for the next patient conference.  

What does a day in your life as a genetic counselor look like?

I have a unique role as a genetic counselor, and no day is ever the same: I get to work directly with families with VWD and other bleeding disorders in the HTC clinic setting, and also work in the diagnostic laboratory where I provide clinical genetics support to my internal colleagues and to providers across the country regarding clinical genetic testing for patients and families with VWD and other inherited bleeding disorders.

What is your favorite part of your job?

My favorite part of the job is the variety it brings and the people it connects me to. Working at the intersection of two specialties, hematology and genetics, each continuing to evolve so rapidly in scientific knowledge and medical advances, I have the privilege to be part of incredible multidisciplinary teams in the clinic and the laboratory, working with wonderful people in new ways that keep me excited and engaged.