Maya Brouette grew up in Orland Park, IL, and graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a minor in Disability and Human Development. She studied at the University of Tampa for the first half of her undergraduate career, where she was introduced to genetic counseling through a genetics course.
Shortly after discovering this career path, Maya began volunteering as a crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line. She spent time in Polson, MT between semesters and continued her work supporting individuals through crisis intervention. There, she also assisted many patients and healthcare professionals on the Flathead Reservation at the Polson Health and Rehabilitation Center as a Hospitality Aide.
She moved back to Illinois and was a part of several hereditary cancer research studies at the Mile Square Health Center, a federally qualified primary care clinic in Chicago, IL. Her duties involved screening patients for their hereditary cancer risk and communicating results to each patient. For a connected project, she engaged African American women in a study aimed at improving genetic counseling utilization for this patient population. Outside of research, Maya volunteered for The Disability Justice Mentoring Collective at Access Living as an advocate for youth with disabilities and is looking forward to supporting the disability community throughout her graduate and professional career.
As a first-generation college student, Maya is incredibly grateful to be a part of Emory's Genetic Counseling Training Program. In her free time, Maya loves spending time outdoors, playing with her dog, running, hiking, fishing, checking out fun shops, and eating good food. She is so excited to live in Georgia for the first time and to have so many amazing new experiences. Maya is also happy to answer any questions from prospective students!