Robin

Bennett

MS

CGC

Biography

Robin Bennett, Professor of Medicine, brings over 35 years of experience in genetic counseling to the UW Genetic Counseling Graduate Program. Over the span of her career, she has cared for more than 25,000 patients in the Genetic Medicine Clinic at the UW Medical Center and helped train future genetic counselors and medical geneticists.  

Globally recognized as a leader in genetics education, Robin has lectured and consulted in Australia, Saudi Arabia and China. At the GCGP, she is the primary instructor for Cancer Genetics and Genomics, Professional Issues in Genetic Counseling, and co-instructor for the three-quarter Genetic Counseling Theory and Practice series. 

Robin has made significant contributions to the body of knowledge of genetic counseling and is most known for her work in pedigree nomenclature, consanguinity, presymptomatic testing for Huntington disease and other neurogenetic disorders, recurrent miscarriage, fragile X syndrome, Fabry disease, cancer genetics, and the National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Code of Ethics. She’s also helped develop NSGC’s original protocol for the creation of practice guidelines and is the author of “The Practical Guide to the Genetic Family History.” The National Human Genome Research Institute noted her team’s recent publication, “Practice resource-focused revision: Standardized pedigree nomenclature update centered on sex and gender inclusivity: A practice resource of the National Society of Genetics Counselors,” as an accomplishment in genomic medicine. 

As a prominent leader in medical genetics and genetic counseling, Robin served as president of the NSGC, on the board of directors of the American Board of Genetic Counseling, and as a founding board member and past president of the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling. She was on the board of directors of the American Society of Human Genetics and currently serves on the Awards Committee and the DEIA (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Anti-Racism) Committee. Robin is the recipient of multiple honors, including the NSGC Natalie Weissberger Paul National Achievement Award and as a distinguished lecturer in the Janus Series. She received the Art of Listening Award from the Genetic Alliance, and the Pathfinder Alumni Award from the Mercer Island School District. At the UW she has been recognized with the Distinguished Staff Award, the Department of Medicine Distinguished Faculty Award, and as one of 75 Changemakers over 75 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Kenyon College, which later awarded her an honorary scientific doctorate. Robin is a graduate of the Human Genetics Program at Sarah Lawrence College.