Our Genetic Counselors
Annina Cooper, MS, LCGC
My Background
I was born and raised in Long Beach, California. I moved to San Diego in 2013 for school and fell in love with the city. I have always loved science, genetics, and to understand the “why” of all things. When I learned about genetic counseling, I knew it was exactly what I was meant to do. After my undergraduate studies, I moved to South Dakota for a year for my graduate program and ended up moving back to San Diego for my second year of graduate studies and my genetic counseling career.
Education & Experience
My undergraduate degree was from San Diego State University in Cell and Molecular Biology. During a molecular evolution class, the professor described genetic counseling and I was intrigued. I first decided to study abroad for a semester in Australia but came back home and volunteered at Rady’ Children’s hospital to learn more about the profession and gain some experience. I went to Augustana University in South Dakota where I obtained my master’s degree in Genetic Counseling. This program allowed me to do my second year of clinical rotations in San Diego gaining so much experience with this community.
My employment history has been diverse from gymnastics coach, tumbling and acrobatics coach, clinical lab technician, customer service representative, to now, genetic counselor. I began my genetic counseling career in 2020 here at the Kaiser Permanent Genetics Lab and transitioned to a clinical counselor in 2021. I am so happy to be a part of such a wonderful genetics team here in Southern California and provide the best care to our patients.
About My Practice
I work mainly in the pediatric specialty with kiddos that have developmental or intellectual differences as well as known genetic conditions. However, I also work with adults with different kinds of genetic conditions or hereditary cancer risks. I am a true believer in shared decision making and providing patients with all the information to make the best decisions for themselves and their family. My approach is with empathy, compassion, and understanding. I hope to always be a resource for all patients now and in the future
How I Thrive
I thrive by keeping healthy both mentally and physically. I like to be outdoors, by the beach, snowboarding, travelling, taking my puppy for walks… you name it. I also enjoy yoga, line dancing, and trying to do one thing a day just for me. Something that makes me happy to keep my mental health just as strong as my physical health.