Our Genetic Counselors
Stephanie W. Morton, MS, LCGC
My Background
I am a Southern California native.
Education & Experience
I’ve always had an interest in science, and I found my passion for genetics in my high school biology class. My plan was to go into research, and I explored that career path while I was a student at the University of California San Diego. An internship at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla gave me an opportunity to work in the field, but I soon realized that I preferred a career that combined my interest in genetics with the opportunity to work with families in understanding genetic conditions.
Once I learned about the profession of genetic counseling, I scheduled a meeting with a genetic counselor to find out more. Coincidentally, that genetic counselor happened to work at Kaiser Permanente.
When I graduated from college in 1987, genetic counseling was a relatively small field with a handful of graduate programs. I decided to move to New York for graduate school and attended Sarah Lawrence College, where I received my master’s degree in genetic counseling. The New York winters were too cold for me, so I decided to return to Los Angeles and I joined Kaiser Permanente in 1989.
I am affiliated with the National Society of Genetic Counselors and the American Board of Genetic Counseling.
About My Practice
Although I work with patients of all ages, the majority of my practice is devoted to prenatal and cancer genetics. I am particularly interested in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, and helped to establish the Multidisciplinary High Risk Breast Clinic at the Los Angeles Medical Center. This is a specialty clinic for individuals who are affected by hereditary breast/ovarian cancer.
I enjoy each and every day at work. It is tremendously rewarding to work with individuals and families as I provide education and counseling about genetic conditions. I appreciate Kaiser Permanente’s multidisciplinary approach to care, and the collaboration that occurs among providers. As the genetic counseling supervisor for the Los Angeles and West Los Angeles Medical Centers, I work to ensure that we provide quality care for our members.
How I Thrive
I enjoy spending time with my family, hiking and occasionally zip-lining!