Riconda was one of the original advocates of starting a genetic counseling program at UCF, especially after the College of Medicine took root in Lake Nona. He was a genetic counselor at Orlando Health for more than two decades. But late last year, he was recruited by Baylor College of Medicine to start its genetic counseling master's program. He said he is aware of nine prospective genetic counseling programs in other universities, and about half a dozen others, including UCF, are hoping to get their programs off the ground.