Researcher Wins Prestigious National Achievement Award
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Maureen Smith, MS, CGC, has been awarded the 2009 Natalie Weissberger Paul National Achievement Award, the most distinguished honor within the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC). The annual award honors “one outstanding member who has served NSGC with exemplary national achievement and volunteer activities on behalf of NSGC and the profession.”
Smith, described by her colleagues as strategic, articulate, intelligent, and focused, has been on the cutting edge of advances in genetic counseling throughout her career. She was a founding member of the Online Teratogen Information Service, she was one of the first cancer genetic counselors, and chair of the first cancer genetics short course. She was one of the first genetic counselors to promote high-quality genetic information on the Internet in her position as clinical director of Gene Sage and currently serves as clinical director of The NUgene Project at Feinberg.
Smith’s CV boasts a long list of publications and invited presentations, and she has won numerous research grants and contracts for her efforts.
Lauded for her role in expanding opportunities for genetic counselors nationwide, Smith has served as an American Board of Genetic Counseling site visitor since 2003. Within NSGC, she has dedicated time to the Education Committee, various education programs, a presidential rotation and numerous other committees and task forces. At Northwestern, she is an active mentor to students, colleagues, and other professionals.