Speakers Announced - Lafayette Lunch and Learn

The ThinkGenetic Foundation is very excited to announce the confirmed Speakers and Patient Panelists for the upcoming FREE Lunch and Learn:Closing the Genetics Gap: A Discussion on Increasing Education and Access to Genetics Services in Louisiana. Each individual will provide a unique perspective on the clues in family medical histories that could suggest an underlying genetic cause for a patients health issues, focusing on conditions more common in Acadiana.

Event Details

What: Closing the Genetics Gap: A Discussion on Increasing Education and Access to Genetics Services in Louisiana
When: Thursday, June 20, 2019 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM CDT Add to Calendar
Where: Petroleum Club of Lafayette, 111 Heymann Boulevard, Lafayette, LA 70503

Registration Required – Click Here to Register

Speakers

Carol Ogg: BS Pharm
Carol is a licensed clinical pharmacist whose direct patient care experience makes her a valuable advocate in educating the community. Carol has held leadership roles in the biotech industry and worked on meeting the unmet needs of patients around the globe living with rare genetic disorders. She has moderated patient advisory boards and continues to publish information for patients and industry professionals on rare genetic disorders.

Dawn Laney, MS, CGC Genetic Counselor
Dawn is a genetic counselor, assistant professor, clinical researcher, and director of the genetic clinical trials center in the Department of Human Genetics at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She is also a co-founder of ThinkGenetic, Inc. who’s mission is to empower patients seeking possible genetic causes for their medical issues or looking for real-life answers to their questions about the impact of living with a genetic disease.

Margaret Landry-Bearb
Margaret worked at the Lafayette Charity/University Medical Center for 30 years. In addition to her job as Admissions Supervisor she also worked as an assistant to administrative directors in Nursing and Administration. After retirement, she went to work as a Grant Assistant with the UL College of Nursing. A caregiver at heart, Margaret enjoys helping family, friends and the elderly with their medical dilemmas. She currently resides in Lafayette where she and her husband raised their 3 children, all UL Alumni.

Our Panelists

Annie Arabie, Patient Advocate
Annie is the second generation of a deafblind family in Lafeyette and was born with Usher Syndrome. Annie volunteers her time at Amelia Manor Nursing Home which is the nursing home of the largest population of the deaf and deafblind residents in Louisiana. She is the proud mother of two sons, is a graduate of Louisiana School for the Deaf in Baton Rouge and works at Marshalls.

Cynthia Bordelon Durham, Patient Advocate
Cynthia worked at East Jefferson Hospital and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in the Patrol Division before moving on to become a Detective in Personal Violence. After serving the community for many years she retired due to complications with Fabry disease, a rare genetic condition. She is a proud mother of two girls and two boys and has lost a daughter and son. She has been married for 19 years and is a grandmother of 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. In addition, Cynthia hold an AS and BA degree.

Dan Arabie, Patient Advocate
Dan was born with Usher Syndrome and is devoted to serving the deafblind and deaf communities as a leader and advocate. After retiring from the USPS, Dan has served in leadership positions for many important organizations including the Louisiana Association for the Deaf, Louisiana Acadiana Deaf Blind Citizens, and the American Association of the DeafBlind to name a few. He organized and lead a DeafBlind rally at the State Department of Social Service in Baton Rouge which was instrument in helping pass new SSP legislation. Dan is also the CEO of the Deaf Bayou e-News, one of the nation’s most popular publications geared toward the deaf and deafblind. Dan is also the proud father of four daughters and alumni of the Louisiana School for the Deaf. Proud alumni of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Matthew Lafleur, Patient Ambassador at FARA
Matthew is a native of Opelousas. He was diagnosed with Friedreich’s ataxia when he was ten and transitioned to using a wheelchair at age eighteen. He attended ULL and went on to earn a master’s degree from LSU. He works at raising awareness of his disorder as a patient advocate for FARA (the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance), is a weekly columnist at Friedreich’s Ataxia News, and is a moderator of the Friedreich’s Ataxia News Forums. He recently welcomed a new addition to his life: Zeego, the service dog.

Robin Richardson, Patient Advocate
Robin lives in Baton Rouge, and is the mother of three sons. She and one son are living with Fabry disease. Presently, she is on a patient advisory board, and promotes awareness through the Governor’s Proclamation for Fabry Disease.