Coe College announces 2026 Commencement speakers
A celebrated geneticist and Coe College alumnus, as well as an accomplished current student will address the Class of 2026 during Coe’s Commencement Sunday, May 10. Dr. Heather Hain '94, genetic counselor at Children's National Hospital, will address Kohawk graduates as Coe College's 2026 Commencement guest speaker. Kyra Phillips ’26 will address her classmates as the student speaker.
Commencement guest speaker
Heather Hain’s passion lies in helping families impacted by rare genetic conditions. As a genetic counselor, she guides patients and their families through the genetic background of their diagnosis and associated continued care options to achieve the best life possible.
After graduating from Coe with degrees in psychology, biology and general science, Hain went on to earn her Doctor of Philosophy in behavioral genetics and later her Master of Science in genetic counseling. Her background is centered on behavior genetics, neuroscience and drug discovery research. Hain's current interests are health care equity, patient access and precision medicine. She has been with Children's National Hospital since 2021 and is also involved with organizations such as the Virginia Association of Genetic Counselors, the Maryland and D.C. Society for Genetic Counselors and the National Society for Genetic Counselors.
Also an active volunteer, Hain has been involved with the Association for Women in Science and the Coe Alumni Council. She holds a United States patent for treating inflammatory conditions, weight loss and neurological conditions. Hain lives with her husband, Peter Lauritzen ’94, in Bethesda, Maryland.
Commencement student speaker
Several years ago Coe initiated an annual tradition of including a student speaker in the Commencement ceremony. In March, all interested seniors were invited to submit their proposed speeches to the President's Office.
A selection committee reviewed all submissions and chose Kyra Phillips ’26 as this year's senior Commencement speaker. She is from Washburn, Wisconsin and is majoring in psychology and social & criminal justice and will graduate summa cum laude.
As a Kohawk, Phillips has been a writing center consultant, a member of the women’s soccer team, involved with the Justice Learning Initiative, PsiChi and Strata honor societies, Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity and Cedar Rapids Dance Marathon.
Commencement details
Coe’s Commencement ceremony will be held Sunday, May 10, at 10 a.m. on the Stewart Memorial Library Quad.