Meet the MCGI team

A collage of the JAX MCGI team members in 2023.Clockwise from top left: Petra Helbig, Jens Rueter, Johannes Fischer, Kathy Malatesta, Sheila Bourgeois, Jennifer Bourne, Margaret Chavaree, Leah Graham (seated on mountain), Susan Halverson (seated with red necklace), Lory Gaitor (standing in window)

Meet the MCGI team!

  • Jens Rueter, M.D. is the Chief Medical Director of The Jackson Laboratory, Medical Director of MCGI and Associate Director of Translational Education at the JAX Cancer Center. He has been with JAX for 6 years, is originally from Germany, and enjoys skiing, hiking, and piano playing.
  • Leah Graham, Ph.D. is the Associate Director of MCGI. She has been with JAX for almost ten years, is originally from New Hampshire, and enjoys hiking, swimming, and canoeing.
  • Jennifer Bourne, M.S. is the Program Manager of MCGI. She has been with JAX for 9 years, is originally from Connecticut, and enjoys gardening.
  • Petra Helbig, CCRP is the Clinical Research Manager of MCGI. She has been with JAX for 5 years, is originally from Heidelberg, Germany, and enjoys gardening and spending time with her family and critters.
  • Lindsey Kelley, M.P.H., M.S., CGC is the Genomic Navigator of MCGI. She has been with JAX for 1.5 years, is originally from Connecticut, and enjoys traveling, cooking, and spending time with her two dogs.
  • Johannes Fischer, MBA is the Genomic Tumor Board Manager of MCGI. He has been with JAX for 1 year, is originally from Brühl, Germany, and enjoys hiking and spending time with his children.
  • Susan Halverson, B.A., is the Genomic Tumor Board Coordinator of MCGI. She has been with JAX for a little under a year, is originally from Chicago Suburbs, but claims Milwaukee, WI as home, and enjoys exploring the Maine outdoors on foot in summer, and on skis and snowshoes in winter. Even better when her three dogs can come along for the adventure!
  • Lory Gaitor, B.S., CCRC is the Clinical Research Coordinator of MCGI. She has been with JAX for 3 years...officially, is originally from Northern Maine, and enjoys listening to music, driving fast cars, and spending time with family and friends.
  • Kathy Malatesta, R.N., OCN-Emeritus, CCRC is the MCGI Monitor. She has been with JAX for 4 years, is originally from New Jersey, and enjoys quilting, reading, and hiking.
  • Sheila Bourgeois is the Research Administrative Assistant to Jens Rueter, M.D. She has been with JAX for 6 years, is originally from Connecticut, and enjoys cooking, baking, gardening, and playing with her black lab ‘Dakota’.
  • Margaret Chavaree, B.A., CTR is the Clinical Research and Data Coordinator of MCGI. She has been with JAX for 8 years, is originally from Alaska, but spent 40 years in Maine, and enjoys walking along the ocean, quilting, and knitting.