Three Genetic Counseling Students Receive Inaugural Deanna Cross Memorial Strategic Fund Awards

Three members of Bay Path University’s Master of Science in Genetic Counseling Class of 2027, Lex Edgins, Amanda Safer Walker, and Anna Valentine, are the inaugural recipients of awards from the Deanna Cross Memorial Strategic Fund.

The endowed fund honors the life and work of Dr. Deanna Cross G'19, a graduate of Bay Path’s first genetic counseling class. Throughout her career, Dr. Cross worked to make genetic medicine more accessible. She focused on addressing healthcare disparities and developing family health history tools to help bring complex genetic research into compassionate patient care, particularly for diverse and underrepresented communities.

Dr. Cross passed away in 2024. The fund established in her memory supports genetic counseling students as they pursue experiential learning, research, and leadership in the field. As its first recipients, Edgins, Safer Walker, and Valentine carry forward a commitment to the work that mattered deeply to her.