My name is Dr. Max Muenke and I am the Chief Executive Officer of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. Diversity, equity and inclusion is close to my professional heart. Since diversity is written all over our genomes, I want the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics to be the medical professional organization leading DEI efforts in medical genetics and genomics to benefit our patients, our members and society at large. On a personal note, growing up in a small farming community in northern Germany in the 1960s, I experienced diversity and inclusion when I was in a classroom of combined first and second graders with a surprisingly high number of classmates with physical and or intellectual disabilities. During my fellowship in clinical genetics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, it became clear to me that virtually all medical genetics textbooks and atlases had photos of patients who were all white or of northern European descent. I learned that in the U.S. and internationally, individuals from diverse backgrounds who had malformation syndromes were under-recognized, i.e. either diagnosed later or not at all. While at NIH, my colleagues and I created an electronic atlas of malformation syndromes in diverse populations. This is available at www.genome.gov backslash atlas. In short, I encourage all of you to be champions for change that fosters diversity, equity and inclusion in all of our actions. Thank you. Hi, I'm Cynthia Zepeda, and I'm the current Vice Chair for ACMG's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Not long ago, I asked my wife who her favorite Disney princess was, and her reply was Sleeping Beauty. Personally, I think that Sleeping Beauty tends to be on the more boring side of the Disney princess universe. So when I asked her why she liked her, she replied, well, because when I was a child, I thought that Sleeping Beauty looked like me, and that's why I like her. So this is an example of the impact that race, ethnicity, and culture has on children and young adults, not only in choosing a Disney princess, but also in life choices like career selection. And that's why DI is critical in medical genetics and the STEM field. If someone else has a cool job, and that individual looks like me, speaks my language, and shares all my culture, then I can do the job as well. So by pushing DI in our field, not only do we increase the diversity of our community and the cultural richness that it brings, but we'll be able to better serve our patients by interpreting their tests in the context of their unique genetic differences and backgrounds, and also reduce the disparities in access to genetics providers from underrepresented populations. Hello, everyone. My name is Alka Chaubey, and I'm the Chief Medical Officer of Bionanogenomics. I am also dual board certified in clinical psychogenetics and genomics and clinical molecular genetics and genomics by the American Board of Medical Genetics and Genomics, and I'm currently a member of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics. I'm also one of the committee members for the ACMG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. The DEI is extremely critical for the practice of medical genetics and genomics for a number of reasons, including the inherent biases in genetic testing or any other biases that impact human health and wellness. I'm extremely proud of this initiative by the ACMG leadership to promote diversity, equity and inclusion for all. Hello, my name is Notario Couser, and I'm a member of the ACMG DEI Committee. I'm a pediatric ophthalmologist and clinical geneticist currently on faculty at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia. History has shown us that the process of overcoming barriers to inclusion within systems is unlikely to happen spontaneously or naturally with the simple passage of time, but requires active participation and sustained efforts by individuals from all walks of life. Diversifying the medical genetics workforce is critical for improving patient outcomes and access and reducing healthcare disparities. So I want to encourage everyone to be active participants in promoting positive change. It will benefit our patients, their families, and us as providers as well. Hi, everyone. I'm Alessandra Seguranes, a clinical geneticist here at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. I have been involved in diversity, equity and inclusion or DEI efforts throughout my training, and it is something I continue to take very seriously and work on to this day. Genetics is similar to all other medical specialties in that it is important to have a diverse representation throughout the field. This leads to broader perspectives in the workplace and allows for greater innovation and a deeper trust from those we serve. Genetics is unique in that we all work hard to build, interpret, and use certain resources, such as data and technology, to help others. It is vital to ensure that these resources provide equitable care and do not only benefit a certain group of people or population. This is one of the many reasons why I continue to work hard on DEI efforts to this day.

diversity

equity

inclusion

medical genetics

genomics