Class of 2026 Member

Zala is originally from Slovenia but moved to the US to attend college in 2017. She graduated from Macalester College, MN, in 2021 with a B.A in biology and minors in religious studies, philosophy, and computer science. During college, she interned at a horticultural science laboratory at the University of Minnesota, studying how soil-plant interactions influence the nutrient cycle in organic cropping systems. After college, she started working as a medical writer at PreventionGenetics, a genetic testing laboratory in Marshfield, Wisconsin, to learn more about genetic testing and gain exposure to genetic counseling. When not working, Zala volunteered at the Special Olympics, the Trevor Project crisis text line, and the Marshfield Clinic Pediatrics Department. Zala chose Rutgers because of the warm and welcoming faculty and students, its 12 weeks long summer rotations, and ample resources to help her grow into a successful genetic counselor.