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EducateNext: Partnering for Our Patients: How Clinicians and Advocacy Organizations Support Each Other

Thursday, October 29, 2026
11:00 am PDT
1 hour
C.E.U.: 1 Category 1 Contact Hour
P.A.C.E.: 1 Unit

Level of Instruction: Basic

Patient advocacy organizations significantly improve patient outcomes, with the impact strongly driven by their robust collaboration with advocates, clinicians, researchers, public health experts, and industry partners. In this webinar, two genetic counselors working in advocacy nonprofits share how their organizations partner with healthcare providers and discuss ways for clinicians to get involved. They are joined by a physician with extensive experience partnering with nonprofits, who will explore his pathway to advocacy, the many opportunities for impact, and the professional rewards of establishing these cross-sector partnerships.

Three learning objectives: 

  1. Review key resources and support systems offered by patient advocacy organizations to enhance clinical care.
  2. Identify education, support, or outcome gaps for genetic conditions that can be addressed through partnerships with nonprofits.
  3. Examine how clinician-advocacy collaborations drive improved patient outcomes while fostering meaningful professional growth, learning, and career enrichment.

Review key resources and support systems offered by patient advocacy organizations to enhance clinical care. 

Ambry Genetics is an approved provider of continuing education by NSGC and ASCLS P.A.C.E ® Programs. 

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Heather Radtke, MS, CGC
Speaker
Heather is a certified genetic counselor with over 20 years of pediatric clinical experience at Children’s Wisconsin. She has worked as the Director of Clinical Programs at two non-profit organizations including the TSC Alliance and the Children’s Tumor Foundation. Through these positions, she has collaborated with a variety of stakeholders including clinicians, researchers, community members, and pharmaceutical companies to lead efforts to improve quality of care and advance research for individuals with rare diseases.
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Niki Armstrong, MS, CGC
Speaker
Niki Armstrong, MS, CGC is the Vice President of Genetic Services and Education at the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics. Niki is a board-certified genetic counselor, providing counseling to families, developing educational tools on genetics and clinical trials, and directing data strategy related to Angelman syndrome. Niki previously worked in the advancement of newborn screening for Duchenne and as a clinical genetic counselor in an academic children’s hospital. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota genetic counseling program.
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David Viskochil, MD
Speaker
Dr. Viskochil is Division Chief for Medical Genetics at the University of Utah. He is Medical Director for the University of Utah Genetics Counselor Training Program and Director of the Medical Genetics Training Program at the University of Utah. He serves as the Director of the NF Clinic, oversees care of MPS (mucopolysaccharidosis) Disorders at the University of Utah, and served on the International Board of Advisors for the MPS I Registry. His early career focus was devoted to NF1 (neurofibromatosis type 1) related issues, and he served as Chair of the Clinical Care Advisory Board for the Children’s Tumor Foundation for over a decade. His research focus has shifted to the implementation of clinical trials for rare disorders. He chairs the Utah Department of Health Newborn Screening Advisory Committee and he is a member of the Utah Rare Disease Advisory Council (Utah RDAC). Dr. Viskochil presently chairs the ACMG Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee. His purpose in volunteering to serve with members of this committee is to diminish the disparity in access to genetics services in our country.
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Jessica Scott, MS, CGC
Moderator
Jessica Scott, MGC, CGC is an oncology Genomic Science Liaison at Ambry Genetics. Jessica obtained her undergraduate degree in Biology from Radford University and graduated from the University of Maryland Master’s in Genetic Counseling (MGC) Training Program in 2005. She practiced clinically in the Baltimore area in various genetic counseling subspecialties for over fifteen years with a consistent focus on oncology genetics before joining Ambry. Jessica has an interest in the continued education of genetic counselors; she remains actively engaged in the University of Maryland genetic counseling training program and is a member and past chair of the Maryland and DC Society of Genetic Counselors’ (MDCGC) State Meeting and Education committee.