Tiffani DeMarco, MS, LCGC
Director, Cancer Genetics Program
Tiffani is a certified and licensed genetic counselor and director of genetic counseling Inova Schar Cancer Institute. She joined Inova in April 2014 and brings with her over 20 years of clinical experience counseling patients and their families at risk for hereditary cancer.
Tiffani’s areas of research have focused on alternative models of delivery of genetic counseling and family communication of BRCA1/2 genetic test results to adolescent children. She has published extensively on these topics in peer-reviewed journals and has given numerous lectures as an expert in the field of cancer genetic counseling. She also has almost ten years of experience facilitating a support group for BRCA1/2 carriers which provided long-term psychological and educational follow-up for patients. She currently also provides mentorship to genetic counseling students and medical genetics fellows as part of their educational training.
Tiffani is currently serving a 3-year term as a member of the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC). The ACGC advances quality in genetic counseling education by developing standards, and by evaluating and accrediting programs.
Tiffani’s genetic counseling philosophy is patient centered and focuses on helping patients make informed choices about options for genetic testing, cancer screening and medical management, and family communication through the process of facilitated decision making. She uses her prior psychoeducational experience to provide support for patients’ decisions based on their genetic testing outcomes.
Tiffani believes her prior experience will aid in the expansion of current projects and the development of new opportunities as part of the exciting genomics research team at Inova Schar Cancer Institute. This process currently involves providing support for patients and follow-up assistance to local physicians involved in the ongoing care of both Inova’s research participants and clinical cancer genetics patients.
Tiffani currently resides in Northern Virginia with her husband and enjoys distance running and yoga.
Blog Posts
Genetic Counseling and Cancer: Now and in the Future (May 19, 2017)
Ahead of the Curve: Inova’s Commitment to Genetic Counseling (January 5, 2017)