Meet Eleanor Griffith: Founder and Genetic Counselor of Grey Genetics

By Grey Genetics · Mar 2018

We sat down with Eleanor to ask a few questions about her background, what drives her work, and where she sees Grey Genetics going.

What is your academic background?

I was an English major at a private liberal arts school — St. Olaf College. I dabbled in French and Spanish, then stumbled across genetic counseling and loved the idea of working with patients one-on-one in a field that was constantly growing and changing. I graduated from Sarah Lawrence College in 2011 with an M.S. in Human Genetics and an Advanced Certificate in Public Health Genetics/Genomics.

Why are you passionate about genetic counseling?

I love that genetic counseling is so personal and that it acknowledges that every case is different, every perspective is different — and valid. It's a patient-centered profession. There's no "right answer" in genetic counseling when it comes to a patient's decisions.

What is one thing you wish people knew about genetic counseling?

That genetic counseling isn't all about testing. It's about learning what your options are — how genetic testing may be useful to you, and how it may not be. For some people, the psychosocial support is the most critical piece. Every patient comes in with different concerns, priorities, and levels of understanding. Genetic counseling is tailored to a patient's specific situation.

What are Grey Genetics' main objectives?

My near-term objectives start with building a private practice telegenetics company — working directly with patients but also with physicians who want to order genetic testing for their patients. Longer term, my goal is for Grey Genetics to become a platform where genetic counselors can offer independent genetic counseling services to patients and provider offices. Telehealth makes certain efficiencies possible that simply aren't achievable in a hospital setting. It also allows a genetic counselor with great expertise in a particular area to consult with patients who may not live near where she works.