Kelsey Krumanocker grew up in Hickory, NC, and attended college at Lenoir-Rhyne University where she graduated with a B.S. in Biology in May 2021. During her time as an undergraduate, she competed on the women's swim team, served on the executive council for Lineberger Fellows (a professional development organization), and volunteered with the local Special Olympics swim team. She also completed an undergraduate thesis exploring the role of programmed cell death in cotton development which she presented at the North Carolina Academy of Science meeting in 2021.
Kelsey's interest in science education and affinity for connecting with others led her to research careers in healthcare, where she came across genetic counseling. After conducting several informational interviews with genetic counselors across the state of North Carolina, she discovered that the field was not only a crossroads of her interests, but a place she could authentically live her purpose. After graduation, Kelsey moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, to work as a genetic counseling assistant in the Precision Medicine Department at The Christ Hospital. During this time, she gained exposure to cancer, cardiovascular, and prenatal genetic counseling.
In her free time, Kelsey enjoys going to coffee shops, thrifting, playing pickleball, and curating new Spotify playlists. She is very excited to be a part of Emory's program and would love to chat with prospective students if they have questions about the application process.