Riyana Babul-Hirji

Riyana Babul-Hirji completed her MSc in Genetic Counselling at McGill University. She was a member of the founding faculty of the MSc program in Genetic Counselling at the University of Toronto and since 1999, has been involved in teaching. Riyana is an Associate Professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, Assistant Program Director of the MSc program in Genetic Counselling and a genetic counsellor at The Hospital for Sick Children.

Riyana is a member of the Professional Standards in Mentorship and Education Committee in the Department of Molecular Genetics, dedicated to fostering a culture of EDI and accessibility within our academic community. She is also a member of the inaugural DEIJ Committee of the Genetic Counselor Educators Association. The aim of this committee is to build a supportive genetic counselor teaching community that fosters inclusive education, recruitment, mentorship, and leadership development.

Riyana was one of nine Genetic Counsellors selected, and the only Canadian, to participate in the Master Genetic Counsellor Series – digital recordings of simulated patient sessions for teaching purposes. In addition, she was a two-time recipient of the Cheryl T. Shuman Interprofessional Teaching Award from the Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics at The Hospital for Sick Children.