STEPHANIE J. OFFORD

MSN, FNP-BC, AGN-BC
Chief Executive Officer

Stephanie Offord is a nurse practitioner and manager for the advanced practice providers in the division of pediatric genetics at the Medical College of Wisconsin and Children’s Wisconsin. She has a master’s degree in nursing from Pace University in New York City and spent time working in both pediatric oncology and cardiology before joining the genetics team in 2009. She focuses on metabolic conditions including lysosomal storage diseases and is also principal investigator on several clinical trials for PKU. In 2019 she started an annual national conference for advanced practice providers in clinical genetics called CGAPP. CGAPP became a national non-profit organization in 2024 empowering APPs in medical genetics. Stephanie serves on CGAPP’s executive board. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, eating cake, and taking naps.

GINA M. LEWIS

BSN, MSN, C-PNP
Chief Operating Officer

Gina Lewis is a dedicated Pediatric Nurse Practitioner at Children’s Wisconsin Genetics, where she has developed a deep passion for pediatric care. With extensive experience as a pediatric nurse and nurse practitioner, Gina has spent over a decade honing her expertise in the field. Her journey into genetics began over 10 years ago when she met Stephanie Offord at a birthing class, an encounter that set the stage for a rewarding career in genetics. For the past 9 years, Gina has thrived in the Genetics department, working with a diverse range of patients, including those with general genetic conditions, RASopathies, neurometabolic disorders, and metabolic conditions. Outside of her professional life, Gina cherishes quality time with her family. She is proud to be part of a dedicated and dynamic team of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) in clinical genetics, continually inspired by the impactful work they do together.

WESLEY G. PATTERSON

PhD, MSPA, PA-C, CAQ-Peds
Chief Medical Officer

Wesley Patterson is a PA at the Greenwood Genetic Center in Greenwood, South Carolina and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine–Columbia. He is passionate about the medical genetics field! Wesley sees patients in the general genetics clinic and is involved in the evaluation and treatment of genetic disorders in individuals of all ages. He has a special interest in dysmorphology and seeing patients with developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and multiple congenital anomalies. Wesley also has a special interest in genetics and genomics education for healthcare providers and genetics clinic workflows. He lectures and serves as a clinical preceptor for several PA and medical programs.

Wesley received his Bachelor of Science degree in Animal and Veterinary Sciences from Clemson University in 2009 and his Master of Science degree in Physician Assistant from Radford University (formerly Jefferson College of Health Sciences) in 2014. Between undergraduate and graduate school, he worked in the molecular diagnostic laboratory as a laboratory technologist at the Greenwood Genetic Center for two years. Wesley received his PhD in Healthcare Genetics from Clemson University in 2022, and his dissertation focused on genetics and genomics education for PAs.

BRITTANY E. HOYLE

MMS, PA-C
Director-At-Large

Brittany Hoyle is a Physician Assistant who has been practicing in Genetics and Metabolism for five years. She is a graduate from Wake Forest School of Medicine PA studies. She currently works at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the Metabolism department and specializes in inborn errors of metabolism.

ERIKA R. VUCKO

APRN-NP, FNP
President

Erika Vucko is a graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She is board certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and as an Advanced Genetics Nurse. She is appointed as Instructor level faculty at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. As an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) within the Division of Genetics, Genomics and Metabolism at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, Erika co-created the APP metabolic follow-up clinic managing various inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) and aided in the transition of an APP-run newborn screening program. She is the current Director of the PKU Clinic Program, managing over 300 patients with this rare IEM. Erika serves as the primary sub-investigator on a majority of the division’s clinical trials and is principal investigator on 6 research protocols, including interventional trials, for PKU. Erika is also the APP Manager of Consult Services overseeing all APPs within Genetics, Interventional Radiology, Infectious Disease, International Patient Services, and Palliative Care. Erika has served five-consecutive years on the board of the Illinois Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, as Treasurer, President-elect, and President, and currently serves as a medical advisor for the Illinois chapter of Make-A-Wish. She has been published in various professional journals and has given numerous disease education lectures to nursing professionals across the country.

LAURA D. BUCH

MSPAS, PA-C
President-Elect

Laura Buch has been a board-certified Physician Assistant with Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC) in Greenville, South Carolina since 2019. She completed a two-year biochemical genetics fellowship at GGC and now specializes in caring for patients with metabolic and lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). Her work centers around newborn screening, treatment of LSDs, and collaborating with peers across the globe to bring the best care to her patients. She serves as a sub-investigator for several natural history studies at GGC and has numerous peer-reviewed publications. Laura enjoys giving genetics lectures to medical and PA students and presenting at conferences. In her free time, she loves hiking and travelling with her husband and hosting craft-night dinner parties with her friends.

WILLOW A. SHEEHAN

DNP, FNP-C
Director-At-Large

Willow Sheehan is a Family Nurse Practitioner who received her Bachelor of Nursing practice from Montana Technological University in 2011. As a nurse, she enjoyed practicing in the emergency room, medical surgical unit, and interventional pain management. Looking toward advanced practice, Willow earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Montana State University in 2018. In 2019 she joined Shodair Genetics Clinic, as they were seeking to expand access to care in the great rural state of Montana, by adding APPs to their team. Willow has grown in her role as a genetic clinician through mentorship, on-the job training, continuing education, and post graduate certification in genomic counseling and variant interpretation through the University of British Columbia. As a Montana native she is committed to providing equal access to genetic care in rural communities and manages the general genetics needs of individuals and families throughout the state of Montana and across the lifespan. She has a special interest in rare metabolic conditions related to founder variants within the Hutterite community. Willow believes that APPs play an integral role in expanding access to genetics care throughout the United States and is honored to serve on this inaugural CGAPP Board of Directors.

EMILY J. BRANDL

RN, MSN, CPNP-PC
Secretary/Treasurer

Emily graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. Following her undergraduate studies, she went on to pursue a degree in nursing and obtained her MSN and nurse practitioner certification from Marquette University. She started her career as a nurse practitioner in the genetics clinic at MCW/Children’s Wisconsin in February 2021. Her areas of interest include general genetics and NF/RASopathies. Her passion for genetics was recognized early on in her education during a clinical rotation at the clinic in which she currently works. Emily serves on the CGAPP board of directors as the secretary/treasurer. When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and cheering on the Milwaukee Brewers.