Just after joining the faculty at UCLA in 1996, a child with idic15 was assigned to her clinic (by chance), which set into motion a 17 year long research and clinical career on Dup15 syndrome. Her earliest ventures could never have gotten off the ground without IDEAS (now the Alliance) and the commitment of the parents and families. As a clinical geneticist, her interests have focused on understanding how the duplications affect outcome for individuals with duplications. She has always been motivated by “her kids” and the goal of finding strategies through research or clinical approaches to reduce the impact that the syndrome has on the quality of their lives. Though she is not currently not actively involved in research or patient care, Dr. Schanen brings expertise in molecular and clinical genetics to the PAB.