Meet the Coaches

Meet the Team

Mikayla started GC Prep with the goal of battling genetic counseling applicant anxiety by consolidating comprehensive (and brutally honest) knowledge of the field and application guidance into a central location. Along the way, she partnered with Janelle to add experience and depth to the curriculum. Ultimately, their vision is to make GC Prep a resource for all participants in the field of genetic counseling, from applications to managing grad school, the board exam, job hunting, and professional development.

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Roles: Administration, Coaching

Special Interest Populations: All prospective GC students, Neurodivergent applicants

Biography: Mikayla (she/her) graduated in 2014 with a Masters of Genetic Counseling from the Icahn School of Medicine. Mikayla’s primary specialties are clinical prenatal counseling and patient-facing laboratory counseling, though her true professional love is teaching and mentoring others. Mikayla is passionate about the need for increased valuation of counselors and helping mentees find their voice while pursuing their goals. Mikayla has ADHD and feels strongly that the field of Genetic Counseling can benefit from the inclusion of more neurodiverse counselors. Mikayla lives in Colorado with her partner and two young children, and has a deep love of K-dramas and learning new skills.

Time Zone: Mountain Time

Mikayla Stoecker - Founder/Co-Owner GC Prep

Roles: Administration, Coaching

Special Interest Populations: BIPOC, Prospective GC students, current GC students

Biography: Janelle Villiers (she/her) is a former Assistant Program Director as well as an alumna of the Sarah Lawrence College Genetic Counseling Program. She received her BAS from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to coming to SLC, Janelle worked in the clinical setting as a clinical supervisor at Jacobi Medical Center. She later worked in the laboratory setting at the Mt. Sinai Genetics Testing Laboratory. She was a former site visitor volunteer for the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) and was also the former treasurer for the executive committee of the Association for Genetic Counseling Program Directors (AGCPD). In addition to teaching, Janelle oversaw the admissions and recruitment efforts for the Sarah Lawrence Program. Janelle is also on the faculty of New York Medical College where she is involved in the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) program.

Time Zone: Eastern Time

Janelle Villiers - Co-Owner GC Prep

Roles: Coaching, Mentorship

Special Interest Populations: First time and repeat applicants, international and nontraditional applicants, job seekers and life coaching

Biography: Jessica aka "Coach Jess" (she/her), is a genetic counselor, patient advocate, and certified professional life and career coach with over 10 years of experience in the genetics field. A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College’s Master’s program, she has worked in a wide range of roles including marketing, sales, leadership, patient advocacy, clinical counseling, and the nonprofit sector, with a special focus on rare diseases.

As a certified mentor and coach, Jessica blends her passions and expertise to support the personal and professional growth of aspiring genetic counselors, students, and practicing GCs. She specializes in guiding first-time applicants, reapplicants, international, and non-traditional candidates. Jessica’s coaching approach goes beyond surface-level guidance, focusing on exploring each individual’s values and strengths through tailored exercises and assessments. She helps clients integrate these strengths into their applications, interviews, and conversations, fostering confidence and highlighting the unique qualities that set them apart.

When she’s not inspiring others, Jessica enjoys crafting, cooking (#traderjoesaddict), hiking, and diving into psychoneuroimmunology. She’s a proud fan of New Girl (#justjess #spirithuman) and Brene Brown (#fangirl), and often runs to raise funds and awareness for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Time Zone: Arizona time (Pacific or Mountain depending on time of year)

Jessica Shiles - Coach

Roles: Coaching, Mentorship

Special Interest Populations: Current GC students, first-time and reapplicants, new graduates, Life Coaching

Biography: Jessa (she/her/them) is a genetic counselor with an infectious energy and passion for her work. She’s an alumna of the University of Minnesota, having earned her Masters in Genetic Counseling in 2017 and a Bachelor's in Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development in 2015. Professionally, Jessa has traversed the genetic counseling landscape, with a special focus on laboratory sciences. Since 2022, she's returned to direct patient care and is now a licensed telehealth genetic counselor in all required states.

Recognizing the need for improved support and resources in the field of genetic counseling, Jessa embarked on a transformative journey. Drawing from her personal encounters with pain points throughout her career, she took the initiative in 2021 to become a life and career coach. Dedicated to helping others avoid the obstacles she once faced, Jessa now expertly guides her clients towards a more fulfilling and supported professional path. Infusing positive energy, warmth, and objectivity into her client interactions, and instilling motivation in those applying to graduate studies in genetic counseling, those currently enrolled in their graduate studies to become a genetic counselor, and those already in the genetic counseling field, Jessa is on a mission to ensure that no need goes unmet for those she serves. With over a decade of mentoring experience in the science and healthcare field, Jessa believes that no two clients are the same, making her coaching methods encouraging and empowering, while remaining flexible to the needs of each individual client.

Jessa firmly believes in breaking down barriers, questioning the status quo, and seeking growth opportunities, while emphasizing the importance of protecting one's mental health. She remains deeply committed to empathetically guiding those navigating tough times and proactively supporting others. Residing in Georgia, Jessa shares her world with the delightful company of her adorable pup, Francis, and demonstrative but endearing kitty, Domino. Off the clock, she dives into a whirlwind of captivating hobbies including sewing, reading, Brazilian Zouk (dance), face and body painting, and an assortment of other miscellaneous hobbies.

Time Zone: Eastern Time

Jessa Humanski - Coach

Roles: Coaching

Special Interest Populations: Applicants/Reapplicants, Non-traditional/career-change applicants

Biography: Anna (she/her) loves getting to know people and helping them learn how to put their personality into their statements in a fun and deep-searching way. You never know what you will learn about yourself during this process. Anna is passionate about coaching clients who are pivoting to genetic counseling from non-science backgrounds—she also works well with clients right out of undergrad too! Anna helps her clients make their best possible statement by using a fun interview method, where through questions and getting to know her clients, she helps them distill the core reasons why they will make an amazing Genetic Counselor and brings that story to life on paper.

Anna received her BA from Barnard College in European History and Dance. Shortly after graduating, she had a career as a ballet and contemporary dancer in New York, predominantly performing with the Reggie Wilson/Fist & Heel Performance Group and The Metropolitan Opera Ballet Company. She is a recipient of a 2017 Bessie Award for sustained achievement in the works of Reggie Wilson.

In 2015, Anna decided to revisit another one of her passions - molecules- and took steps to pivot into the world of genetics. Upon completing her graduate studies at the Joan H. Marks program for Human Genetics at Sarah Lawrence College in 2018, Anna worked as a Genetic Counselor specializing in Oncology for two years in Phoenix, Arizona. She currently works for a startup, Variantyx, as a Clinical Genomic Scientist, doing variant interpretation in rare disease.

Anna is extremely passionate about coaching and connecting with people, especially aspiring Genetic Counselors. She lives in Jerusalem and has 4 young children.

Time Zone: 7 hours ahead of Eastern Time

Anna Schön Levy - Coach

Roles: Premium coaching, Boards Exam Prep

Special Interest Populations: All applicants, Students, Job seekers

Biography: Janice (she/her) is a licensed and board certified genetic counselor who has almost 30 years of clinical experience working with patients and their families, and since 2018, has been the director of the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Program at Bay Path University. As the director of the first online genetic counseling training program, she has expertise with online learning and mentoring students entering genetic counseling as second careers. Janice has written many lay and scholarly articles and book chapters on genetics topics and has volunteered extensively within her profession and her community. She has vast experience in writing and editing, and specializes in providing detailed and nuanced feedback to applicants on their essays, resumes, and interview prep. Janice is currently working on her third novel, her genetics fiction deriving from her expertise working with families facing the risk of disease, and the intensely personal and life-altering nature genetic illness can have on family relationships. Her two professional passions are normalizing and demystifying the journeys of those affected by hereditary illnesses, and mentoring applicants, students, and colleagues throughout their careers.

Time Zone: Eastern Time

Janice Berliner - Coach

Roles: Admin support, social media

Biography: Olivia is a senior majoring in Health Sciences at Ithaca College from Brooklyn, NY! On campus she works as a tour guide, tutor, and teaching assistant in biology and genetics. She has experience working in a rare genetic disease research lab in addition to the Donor Egg Clinic at Weill Cornell-NYP Hospital. She was also selected to intern at the Sarah Lawrence College Genetic Counseling program this last summer as part of the Warren Alpert Foundation to Increase Diversity in Genetic Counseling. She loves to combine her passions for science and the arts and is currently helping to illustrate an Anatomy and Physiology textbook! She is a proud first generation college student with aspirations of becoming a genetic counselor!

Olivia - Intern

Roles: Application coaching

Special Interest Populations: All applicants

Biography: Nira is a genetic counselor who graduated with her master’s degree from Brandeis University in 2013. With over a decade of experience, she has spent most of her career in Industry, focused in cancer and prenatal genetics, including more than seven years at Myriad Genetics. She also played a key role in opening a private practice genetic counseling clinic in Raleigh, NC. In addition to her counseling work, Nira is a medical graphic designer, creating brands and collateral for laboratories and medical providers. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her wonderful husband of 11 years, her two beautiful daughters (ages 5 and 8), and their lazy yet spunky 10-year-old English Bull Terrier, Lily. When she’s not reading or building Lego sets (Harry Potter ones are her favorite!), she loves soaking up quality time with her family.

Time Zone: Eastern Time