Melanie Hardy (she/her) is the director of research and advocacy for the jscreen program. She has been active within professional organizations including NSGC and ABGC, currently serving on the ABGC board of directors and as president-elect. Her professional interests include leadership and management, student supervision, education and mentorship, research, provision of telehealth and licensure and enhancement of the health care experience. She works in telehealth from her home in Midland, Michigan.
Read this ABGC spotlight with Melanie Hardy, MS, CGC, to learn about her leadership in telehealth, passion for mentorship and vision for the future of genetic counseling.
ABGC: Your career bridges clinical operations, research and leadership. What initially drew you to the field of genetic counseling, and how did you find your niche in program development and advocacy?
Melanie Hardy, MS, CGC: Prior to my career as a genetic counselor, I was a high school science teacher. I went through a professional development program for teachers at the Greenwood Genetic Center, where I learned about and fell in love with genetic counseling. I loved learning, working with people, teaching and diving into genetics and other science topics, so I knew that once I was ready for a career change, genetic counseling would be the next path for me. A few years later, I made that into a reality by going back to school.
After graduation from UNCG's genetic counseling program, I was the first genetic counselor hired at an MFM practice in Richmond. Another new GC and I developed their genetic counseling program with help from the MFMs and other providers. When I moved to jscreen a few years later, I steadily added on job responsibilities from clinical genetic counselor, to training new hires, to leading the genetic counseling program. My job has branched out in many directions over the years to include education, leadership and management, research, advocacy and program development with a public health lens. I enjoy the constantly changing nature of the work I do. I find that it keeps me learning and growing, and it's more fun when no two days are exactly the same!
ABGC: In your role at jscreen, how do you approach delivering high-quality genetic counseling services in a fully remote model?
MH: Telehealth has been a passion of mine ever since I started at jscreen. I tend to deep-dive into new fields, learning as much and as fast as I can, and prior to jscreen I hadn't worked in telehealth at all. I spent a lot of time learning from telehealth resource centers, patients and other providers to design and improve our telehealth services, including ways to ensure that patients had a high-quality, supportive experience through phone and video. I was fortunate to have the knowledge and skills to share with others as they navigated the pandemic, and teaching others helped me continue learning. In addition, I sought techniques for leading a genetic counseling team remotely, which was its own challenge. As with many things, I find that some of the keys to doing something well involve listening, staying open-minded and learning from mistakes and successes, and acting on new information to maintain a state of continual improvement. Telehealth makes genetic testing and counseling much more accessible, and we owe it to patients and the teams we lead to deliver the best service possible.
ABGC: You’ve contributed to research and publication in the field. What are some emerging areas in genetics that excite you right now?
MH: The research I do for my work is focused on our patient population and the testing we perform. I love to conduct studies that have a direct impact on those we serve. In addition, I try to keep my ears open for other projects that GCs are working on in various professional groups I'm part of. I've had some of the most incredible experiences helping further the work of those asking research questions I never thought to ask. It's one reason why I enjoy working with students. They are particularly good at seeing issues from a different standpoint, which makes the research process even more exciting.
ABGC: As someone who supervises students and teaches within a genetic counseling program, what is a trend you’re seeing with students that will shape the future of the profession?
MH: I absolutely love working with students and enjoy all that they teach me when I do so. We all have so much to learn from students, who often approach challenges with unique perspective and energy. One of the ways the newest generations of genetic counselors can teach us is how to incorporate technology further into genetic counseling practice. I'm excited to see where our profession may go, and the ways that we can extend our expertise into untapped areas, through the utilization of technology in new and varied ways.
ABGC: As a member of the ABGC board of directors, what have you enjoyed most about this role? Can you share any goals for the rest of your tenure?
MH: I have truly enjoyed working with ABGC for many years as a volunteer. I found that each job I took on was a new and exciting challenge, and the people I worked with were such dynamic, amazing individuals. Every role I had was an enjoyable experience, so moving into a board position felt like a natural next step. On the BOD, I have continued to learn about leadership and management. There are many important working parts that make up the whole, and I've been learning to find a balance between the small details that move projects forward and the big picture oversight of an organization with such awesome responsibility. I feel incredibly fortunate to work alongside talented, intelligent, caring individuals to further the strategic vision of ABGC.
In my coming years on the BOD, I am hopeful that we can further our collaborations and communications with other organizations to address the issues that affect our profession. The ABGC BOD has been working for many years to improve the operation of ABGC and the board exam, and we still have many questions to answer. I'm excited about the many efforts already underway to solve those issues, and I hope to continue improving our communication with diplomates to help them understand the awesome work that the BOD achieves each year.
ABGC: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
MH: I enjoy exploring the great state of Michigan! I recently moved back to Michigan after many years away, and I love to find festivals, shows, gardens, beaches, lakes and other one-of-a-kind things to do in my beautiful state. My husband and I run a lot of races throughout the year, and I'm going to try my first triathlon in August. Otherwise, I enjoy reading, making desserts, painting and spending time with our dogs.