Speakers
The Community Oncology Conference is designed by actual community oncologists and practice administrators, with sessions specifically relevant to the clinical, operational, and business challenges facing community oncology practices.
Keynote Speakers
Aharon “Ronny” Gal, PhD, BSc
Ronny Gal is the Senior Analyst at Bernstein covering US Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology. Prior to joining Bernstein in 2004, Ronny spearheaded Canon’s business development in life sciences. He also spent six years with the Boston Consulting Group, advising clients in the pharmaceuticals and healthcare delivery industries. Ronny was awarded a PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds a BSc from Emory University.
Sean Swarner
His first goal was to crawl 8 feet from the hospital bed to the bathroom. He went on to Redefine Impossible by climbing 29,035 feet to the top of Mt. Everest with one lung! From there he stood atop the highest point on all 7 continents, skied to the South and North Poles, and completed the Hawaii Ironman.
The first cancer survivor to stand on the top of the world! With only one functioning lung, a prognosis of fourteen days to live, and being in a medically induced coma for a year, Sean Swarner is the first cancer survivor to stand on top of the world… Mt. Everest. Sean has broken through defined human limitation in order to redefine the way the world views success.
Sean was diagnosed with two deadly, different, and unrelated forms of cancer, once at the age of thirteen and again at the age of sixteen. After an incredibly poor prognosis, and being read his last rites, Sean astounded the medical community when he survived both these brutal diseases. He realized that after defeating cancer twice, no challenge would ever be too great, no peak too high.
Sean proved his theory when he crested the peak of Mt. Everest. As the first cancer survivor to do so, Sean decided to continue climbing and has since topped the highest peaks in Africa, Europe, South America, Australia, Antarctica, and North America, thus completing the “7-Summits”. Upon skiing to both the South and the North Poles, Sean completed the Explorer’s Grand Slam.
With the completion of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Sean is the only person in history to accomplish these inhuman feats.
As Sean continues to defy the odds, test his own endurance and inspire and motivate people around the world, he shares his message of healing, hope, and triumph with cancer patients worldwide. Sean also serves as a source of inspiration as the founder of the non-profit organization, The CancerClimber Association, as author of the book “Keep Climbing,” and as a motivational speaker to corporations, universities, and other organizations around the globe.
Speakers
Tony Abraham, DO, MPA
NY Imaging Specialists
Tony Abraham, DO, MPA
Dr. Tony Abraham, DO, MPA is a skilled and experienced Nuclear Medicine Physician. Before joining New York Imaging Specialists, Dr. Abraham was the Director of the Nuclear Medicine Residency Program at Montefiore Medical Center, as well as an Associate Professor of Radiology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. His clinical focus is to optimally use molecular imaging in staging and restaging of diseases and provide therapeutic therapies where appropriate. Dr. Abraham is fellowship trained in PET/CT and Nuclear Oncology at the world renowned Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from New York University, majoring in Health Policy and Management with a specialization in Health Finance.
He has investigated 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT and using Lu-177 therapy as part of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) for neuroendocrine cancers. He has multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals, has been involved in multiple imaging research trials, and he has been an invited presenter several times to the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Robert Baird, Jr., RN, MSN
National Cancer Treatment Alliance
Robert Baird, Jr., RN, MSA
Robert has extensive experience in healthcare management developing strategic plans and directing financial, operational and clinical initiatives. He is currently the President of the National Cancer Treatment Alliance (NCTA) positioning community oncology practices for success across the Nation in the changing health care environment. Prior to joining NCTA Robert was the CEO of Dayton Physicians, where he merged 3 independent Physician practices (Medical Oncology/Radiation Oncology/Urology) to create a large multi-specialty practice. He expanded the network from 2 locations to 6 comprehensive centers, 18 to over 40 Providers and generated over $170 million in annual revenues. Robert received his Master of Science in Hospital and Health Service Administration from Central Michigan University, a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University and a Nursing Degree from Excelsior College.
Johanna Bendell, MD
Sarah Cannon Research Institute
Johanna Bendell, MD
Dr. Bendell joined Sarah Cannon in 2008 and serves as Chief Development Officer. In her role, Dr. Bendell leads the development and expansion of physician, site and Pharma relationships across the Sarah Cannon network. Additionally, Dr. Bendell serves as Director of the GI Cancer Research Program, overseeing the clinical trial menu for GI cancers across the Sarah Cannon network. Her work in early drug development has helped guide first-in-man agents through proof-of-concept studies.
Dr. Bendell received her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Chicago in 1994 and 1998, respectively. She completed her internship and residency in the Department of Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, as well as a fellowship in adult oncology at Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is board certified in medical oncology. Additionally, she is an associate with Tennessee Oncology, PLLC.
Johnetta Blakely, MD
Tennessee Oncology
Johnetta Blakely, MD
Johnetta Blakely is the Executive Director of HEOR for Tennessee Oncology. She leads the Care Transformation team, including the development of workflows for integration of TCM and CCM. She chairs the Performance Improvement and Wellness committee and has an active Hematology-Oncology practice with an interest in breast and lung cancer.
She is certified in Medical Oncology within the American Board of Internal Medicine, participates in clinical research, and has published in leading medical journals. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American College of Physicians, Community Oncology Alliance, and Tennessee Medical Association.
She earned her medical degree at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, then completed Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Texas, Houston. She did Medical Oncology fellowship at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. She has a MS in Clinical Research from the UT Health Science Center in Houston and a Master of Management in Health Care (MMHC) from Vanderbilt University.
E. Randolph “Randy” Broun, MD
OHC (Oncology Hematology Care, Inc.)
E. Randolph Broun, MD
Randolph Broun, MD, is a medical oncologist and hematologist with OHC. Dr. Broun specializes in hematologic malignancies and bone marrow transplant.
Dr. Broun received his medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri and completed his residency at Indiana University Hospitals, Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. Broun completed a fellowship in medical oncology and hematology at the University of Texas Health Science Center and a fellowship in bone marrow transplant at Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Dr. Broun is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group.
Dr. Broun is a member of the board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Southwestern Ohio, and Adjunct Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Hematology/ Oncology, Cincinnati, Ohio. He has contributed to almost 100 abstracts, articles and book chapters.
Dr. Broun is actively involved in patient advocacy at the state and national level through his work with Community Oncology Alliance.
Roberta Buell, MBA
onPoint Oncology, Inc.
Roberta Buell, MBA
Roberta L. Buell is a Principal for Provider Services & Reimbursement Information for onPoint Oncology Inc., and a nationally recognized expert in Oncology Reimbursement. For the last 23 years, she has worked almost exclusively with access issues–billing, coding and reimbursement for drug therapies. Bobbi speaks to associations and groups nationwide about coding, regulatory, and reimbursement issues. She has presented over 600 cancer reimbursement management seminars since 1991. Currently, Bobbi is the content director for the products, focalPoint® and assistPoint®. Her newsletter, The E-Reimbursement News, is read by 4700 subscribers each month.
Until July 1, 2003, Bobbi was President & CEO of Documedics, which is now the San Francisco Office of the Lash Group Healthcare Consultants. Documedics had contracts to provide reimbursement services including hotlines, financial counseling, alternative reimbursement search, and consulting to over fifteen pharmaceutical and biotech companies in oncology and other specialty drugs.
Bobbi started her career in clinical administration at Barnes Hospital-Washington University School of Medicine, Massachusetts General hospital, and Stanford University Medical Center as well as having been a Senior Consultant for Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young.
Bobbi received her BA degree from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and her MBA degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Palo Alto, California.
Beth A. Curran
Orange County Public Schools
Beth A. Curran
Currently, Beth is the Senior Director, Risk Management for Orange County Public Schools, Orlando, Fl. Orange County Public Schools is the fourth largest school district in Florida and the eighth largest district in the US. The District serves over 215,000 students and 25,000 employees.
Under Beth’s leadership, the District’s Risk Management Department oversees the insurance benefits program, retirement, property and liability insurance coverage, employee wellness, and the workers’ compensation program.
Michael Diaz, MD
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Michael Diaz, MD
Dr. Michael Diaz joined Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) in 2011 and is currently the Assistant Managing Physician for the statewide practice. He serves on the FCS Executive Board and as Director of Patient Advocacy for the practice. In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Diaz provides leadership for a number of organizations, including serving as Chair of the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation Board of Directors, which offers non-medical financial assistance to qualified cancer patients in Florida.
He serves as the Director of Patient Advocacy and Federal Legislative Committee Chair for the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO), as well as being a Past President. Dr. Diaz advocates nationally for patients with cancer and is the Immediate-Past President of Community Oncology Alliance (COA) as well as the Co-Chair for the practices reform workgroup, which develops quality and value based alternative payments models.
He advocates for Florida Medicaid patients by serving on the Florida Medicaid Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committee to ensure access to state of the art, quality-based care, and advises the Florida Governor’s office and State Legislature by serving on the Florida Cancer Control & Research Advisory Council. Dr. Diaz is on the Board of Directors for the National Cancer Treatment Alliance, which works with regional/national employers as well as their health care coalitions to improve the understanding of quality and value-based cancer care and develop collaborative programs related to cancer care.
As a part of his philanthropic commitment, Dr. Diaz is dedicated to providing medical care to populations who are underserved and has participated in numerous medical missions to Kingston, Jamaica.
Martin Dietrich, MD, PhD
Florida Cancer Specialists & University of Central Florida
Martin Dietrich, MD, PhD
Martin F. Dietrich, MD, PhD is Board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. In his clinical practice, he addresses all aspects of hematologic and oncologic care, with a special research interest in the treatment of lung and breast cancer, and genetic evaluation and counseling of somatic and hereditary syndromes. He also holds a faculty appointment at the University of Central Florida in Orlando as an assistant professor of internal medicine.
Dr. Dietrich holds doctorates in cancer biology from the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany and in molecular genetics from the University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School. He completed his fellowships in Hematology/Oncology in the physician-scientist training track at the University of Texas Southwestern Track as a T32 scholar of the National Cancer Institute. His expertise in molecular genetics translates into a clinical philosophy of matching tailored therapies to each patient’s individual tumor biology.
A principal investigator in numerous precision medicine-based trials, Dr. Dietrich is focusing on the clinical development of novel anti-cancer agents. He also conducts clinical-translation research in genetic testing modalities, “liquid” biopsies and the optimization of diagnostic findings.
As a fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and a Board-certified internist, Dr. Dietrich believes in a comprehensive approach to his patients’ medical care.
He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Society of Hematology (ASH) and the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO).
He has authored numerous peer-reviewed articles published in Cancer Cell, Cancer Research, Blood, Oncogene, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, Journal of Oncology Practice and JAMA Oncology, as well as book chapters and abstracts. He has lectured extensively both nationally and internationally on the topics of molecular genetics, immunotherapies and thoracic malignancies.
Christian G. Downs, JD, MHA
Association of Community Cancer Centers
Christian G. Downs, JD, MHA
Christian G. Downs, JD, MHA, is the Executive Director of the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). In this capacity, he works with the ACCC Board and leadership on issues that affect providers and the delivery of quality cancer care in physician practices, hospital cancer programs, freestanding cancer centers, health systems, and other oncology care settings. In addition, he helps to further ACCC’s mission through coalition building with other oncology stakeholder organizations to ensure continued patient access to care.
ACCC is a multidisciplinary cancer organization representing more than 2,500 community-based cancer programs. The 24,000-plus membership includes physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, cancer program and practice administrators, patient navigators, financial advocates, coders and billers, and many other disciplines.
ACCC’s core purposes are advocacy and education. Over the past several years, ACCC has launched major education initiatives in areas such as cancer survivorship, patient navigation, molecular testing, immunotherapy, oral chemotherapy, adherence, chemotherapy scheduling strategies, financial advocacy, and the use of clinical practice guidelines. ACCC initiatives are tailored to the unique needs of community-based cancer care professionals and offer specific strategies and processes to help members implement change and performance improvement in their programs.
Rachel DuPré Brodie
Purchaser Business Group on Health
Rachel DuPré Brodie
Rachel Brodie, Senior Director, Measurement & Accountability, leads multi-stakeholder initiatives to advance healthcare quality and put performance information to use for payment and decision-making. She is leading an initiative to demonstrate the feasibility and impact of collecting and using outcome measures to support value-based contracting and payment and develop methods to address barriers to collecting patient-reported outcomes (PROs). She leads several measurement and reporting collaboratives, including the Patient Assessment Survey which measures patient-reported experience of medical groups. Rachel managed the California Joint Replacement Registry which reported results of hip and knee replacement surgeries, including PROs. She has served on several technical committees for CMS, NQF, AHRQ, ASCO and IHA. She received a BA from Princeton University.
Nicolas Ferreyros
Community Oncology Alliance
Nick Ferreyros
Nicolas Ferreyros is Director of Communications at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), the only national organization dedicated solely to preserving and protecting local, affordable, and accessible cancer care. He is responsible for all internal and external communications at COA, including media relations, policy communications, and digital strategy.
A seasoned advocacy and communications strategist with more than 15 years of experience in health care, Nick specializes in developing successful campaigns to address complex issues. He has a deep understanding of the people and processes that affect America’s health care system and has a knack for translating the “wonkery” of health policy into language and concepts that resonate with policymakers, providers, patients, and voters.
Nick has engaged in nearly every major recent health policy issue before Congress and regulatory agencies, including the Affordable Care Act, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Medicare reimbursement policy, and more. He has worked closely with policymakers on Capitol Hill, the White House, the Department of Health & Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institutes of Health. Nick’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CBS Evening News, National Public Radio, and other leading national news outlets.
Prior to joining COA, Nick was a Managing Supervisor at GYMR Public Relations, a boutique Washington, DC communications firm specializing in health care, science, and social issues. While there, he oversaw high-profile, award-winning campaigns for clients including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Board of Internal Medicine, Consumer Reports, and numerous federal agencies.
A native of Houston, Texas, Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He currently resides in New York City.
Bo Gamble
Community Oncology Alliance
Bo Gamble
Robert “Bo” Gamble joined the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) in May 2011 as the Director of Strategic Practice Initiatives. Mr. Gamble brings a diverse range of cancer practice expertise at the national and local levels. His extensive experience includes 13 years’ experience as administrator at a multi-physician, multi-location oncology practice, and medical IT consulting to Big Eight accounting firms. Prior to that, he served in various health care capacities as an independent consultant for hospital patient accounting and IT implementation projects, National Director of Client Support for a health care software company, and business office manager for a 300+ bed hospital. He got his beginning as a hospital orderly during his college years.
Bo has also served as the President and Legislative Chairperson for the North Carolina Oncology Practice Management Society, a member of the COA Board of Directors, and the co-chair of the national COA Administrators’ Network.
Bo holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a specialization in Health Care Management from Appalachian State University.
Stuart Genschaw, MHA, MBA
Cancer & Hematology Centers of Western Michigan
Stuart Genschaw, MHA, MBA
Stuart Genschaw is the Chief Executive Officer for Cancer & Hematology Centers of Western Michigan (CHCWM). The practice has numerous locations throughout West Michigan. He serves on many local, state and national boards, such as Community Oncology Alliance. He is an active consultant and advisor to physician practices and pharmaceutical companies. Stuart received his MHA from Western Michigan University and MBA for the University of Colorado.
Lucio Gordan, MD
Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute
Lucio Gordan, MD
Dr. Lucio Gordan earned his medical degree from the State University of Londrina College of Medicine in Londrina, Brazil, and later completed his internship and residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. After finishing his residency, Dr. Gordan was awarded a fellowship in Medical Oncology/Hematology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. He is Board-certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine.
Currently, Dr. Gordan serves as the president & managing physician of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) and practices at the FCS Gainesville Cancer Center. He also serves a member of the board of directors for Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and Florida Association of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO).
As a cancer researcher and the recipient of research grants, Dr. Lucio Gordan is actively engaged in clinical studies. His work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals. He serves in the editorial board of several oncology journals. In 2013, Dr. Gordan was awarded the prestigious FRIST Award from the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in recognition of his service in the Gainesville community and at North Florida Regional Medical Center. Frequently, he participates in national and international meetings as a speaker and key thought leader.
Married and the father of one child, Dr. Gordan enjoys traveling, reading, horseback riding and photography.
Bobby Green, MD
Flatiron Health
Bobby Green, MD
Bobby Green is Flatiron’s chief medical officer and a practicing medical oncologist. At Flatiron, Bobby oversees the team responsible for clinical development of OncoEMR®, the industry’s leading electronic medical record software for medical oncology, and Flatiron’s other provider-facing software products. The team is also responsible for all clinical content development and is supporting the development of Flatiron’s novel clinical trials offerings.
Prior to joining Flatiron Health, Bobby was a managing partner at Palm Beach Cancer Institute and helped lead its merger with Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) in 2013. Bobby continues to see patients in West Palm Beach Florida at FCS on a part time basis.
He served two years as Chief Medical Officer of Cancer Clinics of Excellence where he led initiatives in molecularly based clinical trials, integrating genomic testing into community practices, alternative payment models, and data analytics. Bobby currently serves on the board of the Community Oncology Alliance and is a former executive board member at FCS.
Bobby received his undergraduate and medical degrees at Duke University and a Masters of Science in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. He also completed his internship, residency, and fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Pennsylvania.
Rich Ingram, MD
Shenandoah Oncology
Rich Ingram, MD
Dr. Ingram received his MD from State University of New York at Syracuse and went on to complete his Internal Medicine residency, Chief Residency, and Fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Outside of direct patient care and patient advocacy he enjoys spending as much time as possible with his wife Annoica and two children (L.T. and Mia) as well as cheering on his Buffalo Bills (Ted I am sure that you are still thanking Scott Norwood for his “wide right” in Super Bowl XXV, I can get you his address if you want to send him a thank you card!)
Bret Jackson
Economic Alliance of Michigan
Bret Jackson
Bret Jackson is the president of the non-profit Economic Alliance for Michigan (EAM). Founded in 1982, the EAM is comprised of businesses and unions working together with one clear objective, the continued growth of Michigan’s economy by creating an atmosphere that inspires job growth and maintains Michigan’s competitiveness for attracting new companies and talent. EAM’s membership provides health benefits to an estimated 900,000 lives and seeks to use the collective voice of Michigan’s purchasers to serve as catalysts for change to ensure appropriate access to patient-centric, high-value healthcare.
Bret began working at the EAM in 2007 as legislative director. In 2010, he was elected vice president and became the organization’s third president in January 2011. Bret oversees all EAM activities including policy development, research, education, administration, membership, and advocacy. He developed and manages the EAM Health Purchaser Forums, Oncology Symposium, and other various health purchaser roundtables.
With the EAM as The Leapfrog Group’s Regional Leader for Michigan, Bret is a leader in advocating for patient safety in the State of Michigan and completed The Leapfrog Group’s Bruce Bradley Fellowship in 2017. He serves as chair of the Health Policy Affinity Group and on the Board of Governors for the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions. In 2020, Bret was appointed to the National Quality Forum Patient Safety Standing Committee.
Ben Jones
The US Oncology Network
Ben Jones
Ben Jones currently serves as Vice President of Government Relations & Public Policy for the McKesson specialty provider organization and The US Oncology Network. In this role, Ben leads the federal and state advocacy efforts around access to care in the community as well as adequate and fair physician reimbursement. Ben has been in this role for over 12 years and serves as the Executive Director of The US Oncology Network political action committee (PAC). Prior to joining McKesson, Ben spent many years in public policy at the state and federal level, including 5 years with the former U.S. House Majority Leader. Ben graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in political science and currently lives in The Woodlands, TX.
Deborah Kamin, RN, PhD
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Deborah Kamin, RN, PhD
Deborah Kamin, RN, PhD is the Vice President, Policy and Advocacy at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Dr. Kamin joined ASCO in 1998, leading the Society’s work on a wide range of issues of concern to oncology professionals in all practice settings. Prior to joining ASCO she directed health policy and benefit design for the Department of Defense civilian health insurance program, TRICARE, which covers more than 9 million beneficiaries worldwide. Dr. Kamin earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing at the Medical College of Georgia, a master’s degree in management science at the Naval Postgraduate School, and a PhD in health policy at the George Washington University.
Jonathan E. Levitt, Esq.
Frier Levitt, LLC
Jonathan E. Levitt, Esq.
Jonathan E. Levitt, Esq., co-founded the boutique Healthcare law firm of Frier Levitt, LLC in 2000. Frier Levitt enjoys a national foothold in Life Sciences and Healthcare. Beginning with a 2003 nationwide class action of independent pharmacies, Jonathan began his journey to both understand all aspects of the drug space and develop skills relevant to multiple stakeholders. Frier Levitt has grown to more than 35 Healthcare-focused attorneys, including clinician attorneys, with offices in New York City and Pine Book, New Jersey.
At Frier Levitt, Jonathan has dedicated his practice to representing pharmacies, physician-dispensers, national provider associations, manufacturers, wholesalers, and plan sponsors. He has an established track record of challenging abusive practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and speaks at Life Sciences conferences across the country in an effort to share his firm’s specialized knowledge. Jonathan is the author of the LinkedIn Group “Hot Topics in Pharmacy Law” and has been published in internationally circulated publications. He commits himself to pro bono and public service assignments.
For the last 13 years, Jonathan’s peers have elected him as a Super Lawyer. Jonathan is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. Jonathan has competed in triathlons, including the 2012 New York Ironman U.S. Championships, as well as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Edward Licitra, MD, PhD
Astera Health Partners
Edward Licitra, MD, PhD
Edward J. Licitra, MD, PhD received his PhD in Biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a National Cancer Institute Predoctoral Fellow. He is a graduate of the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and also served his internship and residency there. Dr. Licitra was the recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Research Award and was designated as the Medical School’s Department of Internal Medicine Outstanding Resident. He then completed a fellowship in Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey and was an attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Medical Oncology. Dr. Licitra has been chosen as a Top Doctor in Oncology & Hematology by New Jersey Monthly magazine. He will serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Astera Health Partners. He is on the Board of Directors of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and the ION Advisory Board.
Barbara L. McAneny, MD, FASCO, MACP
New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants, LTD.
Barbara McAneny, MD
Barbara L. McAneny, MD, a board-certified medical oncologist/hematologist from Albuquerque, N.M., became the 173rd president of the American Medical Association in June 2018. She has been a member of the AMA Board of Trustees since June 2010, serving as its chair in 2015–2016. Dr. McAneny is a fellow and former member of the board of directors of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), a master of the American College of Physicians, and a past president of the New Mexico Medical Society (NMMS), the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association and the New Mexico chapter of the American College of Physicians. In addition, she has served as a member of the Community Oncology Alliance Board of Trustees and on the board of directors of the Cancer Center Business Summit. She became the delegate to the AMA from ASCO in 2002 and was elected to the AMA Council on Medical Service in 2003, serving as its chair in 2009–2010. Dr. McAneny is one of the founders and current chair of the board of the National Cancer Care Alliance, a group of independent practices collaborating to use innovation to deliver high-quality, high-value cancer care and to develop new alternative payment models based on sound data-driven principles. Prior to this, she was a founding member of Oncology Circle, a group of oncology practices using data to promote best practices. Dr. McAneny’s interest in using data to improve practice sustainability began when she was appointed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service’s Practicing Physicians Advisory Council, where she served from 2002 to 2006. In 2012 Dr. McAneny received a $19.8 million grant from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation to demonstrate how oncology practices could use triage pathways to dramatically lower costs while improving outcomes. This award, named COME HOME (for Community Oncology Medical Home), later was incorporated into Medicare’s Oncology Care Model. Innovative Oncology Business Solutions Inc., the company she created to manage the award, is now assisting physician practices in developing the process changes needed for MACRA. Among other volunteer activities, she has served on the governor of New Mexico’s Task Force on Prenatal Care, the board of Planned Parenthood of New Mexico, and as chair of the joint task force of the NMMS and the New Mexico Bar Association on domestic violence. A recipient of a New Mexico Woman on the Move Award in 2005 and Woman of Influence Award in 2009, Dr. McAneny has been voted several times by her peers as Albuquerque The Magazine’s “Top Doc” in her specialty. Dr. McAneny also co-founded New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants Ltd. in 1987 with Clark Haskins, MD. A managing partner since 1999, she built New Mexico Cancer Center as the first physician-owned multi-disciplinary cancer center in the state with clinics in Albuquerque and Gallup. She also founded the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation, which provides grants to help patients with nonmedical expenses. Dr. McAneny graduated magna cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 1973 and with honors from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1977. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Iowa in 1980 and her fellowship in hematology/oncology at the University of New Mexico in 1983. She is married to Steven Kanig, MD, a nephrologist and chair of the New Mexico AMA delegation.
Rebecca McGrath
Cardinal Health
Rebecca McGrath
Rebecca Freedman McGrath is Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy at Cardinal Health. Prior to joining Cardinal in April 2016, Rebecca served as Vice President of the District Policy Group and a Government Relations Director with Drinker Biddle’s Lobbying & Advocacy team for seven years. Rebecca is an experienced government relations professional with proven ability to achieve federal legislative, programmatic, regulatory, and advocacy-related goals on behalf of biopharmaceutical companies, industry groups, and patient advocacy organizations. She has an extensive track record of success in securing passage of legislation and inclusion of direct appropriations and report language for client priorities, building consensus regarding policy change among industry and stakeholder partners, and maintaining long-standing bipartisan relationships.
Rebecca also worked for former Senator Dodd (D-CT) for several years and earned a B.A. from Skidmore College and J.D. from American University, Washington College of Law. She lives in Washington, DC with her husband, Chris and their 2 children.
Chris Murray, PhD
The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders
Chris Murray, PhD
Dr. Chris Murray, Ph.D. has a Master’s in Family and Marriage Counseling and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Counseling. Over the last fifteen years, he has practiced in multiple settings, including inpatient, intensive outpatient, medical practice, community mental health, and private practice, and taught as a university professor in psychology and counseling and counselor education and supervision. Dr. Murray has led a psychotherapy team at The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders for four years.
Marcus Neubauer, MD
The US Oncology Network
Marcus Neubauer, MD
Marcus Neubauer, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer for The US Oncology Network, one of the nation’s largest networks of integrated, community-based oncology practices supported by McKesson U.S. Pharmaceutical and Specialty Health. He has been with McKesson since March 2013. From June 2011 to March 2013 he practiced medical oncology as an associate professor at the University of Kansas. Prior to that, he was a medical oncologist at Kansas City Cancer Center for 18 years. He also practiced part-time at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance for 5 years (2014-2018).
Dr. Neubauer is a founding member and current Chair of The US Oncology Network Pathways Task Force, the committee responsible for developing and updating the industry-leading evidenced-based Level I Pathways. Dr. Neubauer leads the collaboration with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN) to build a premium set of guidelines and pathways that will assist the oncology community in driving value-based, high-quality cancer care. The combined product is called Value Pathways powered by NCCN®. His area of interest is the emergence of value-based care models and practice transformation to provide value-based care.
Dr. Neubauer received his BS at the University of Washington in 1984 and his medical degree at the University of Kansas in 1988. He completed his Oncology-Hematology fellowship at the University of Washington in 1993. He served on the editorial board for Journal of Oncology Practice for 8 years. He also served for 6 years as Co-Chair of the lung cancer committee for US Oncology Research from 2000-2006.
Dr. Neubauer offices in The Woodlands, TX.
Todd O’Connell
New York Cancer & Blood Specialists
Todd O'Connell
Todd O’Connell serves as Chief Operating Officer/Chief Financial Officer. Todd has more than 20 years of management experience in accounting and financial operations. Since 2016, he has been a significant contributor to the growth and success of NYCBS leading the practice in the areas of business negotiation, planning, and development. Todd executes organizational strategies, evaluates and revises processes and procedures, and serves as a business partner to the CEO. Todd is a 1999 graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a minor in communication studies. He is a 2008 graduate of Nebraska Methodist College-Omaha, earning a Master of Science degree in medical group administration. Todd also holds a certified medical practice executive (CMPE) designation through the Medical Group Management Association. Todd sits on the Board of Directors of Community Oncology Alliance, is a member of the International Oncology Network (ION) Advisory Council and is the Treasurer of the New York Cancer Foundation. Additionally, he served as Interim Chief Operating Officer for OneOncology. In his free time, he enjoys playing golf and spending time with his family.
Ted Okon, MBA
Community Oncology Alliance
Ted Okon, MBA
Ted Okon is a nationally recognized expert on the policy and politics of cancer care. He is quoted extensively in the press, including guest appearances on TV and radio news shows. Ted has testified before Congress on cancer issues and is frequently on Capitol Hill discussing the nation’s cancer care delivery system. Ted’s target areas of expertise include the cost of cancer treatment, health care reform, Medicare reimbursement, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), drug shortages, and the changing landscape of cancer care delivery in the United States.
Ted has dedicated his career to healthcare business and policy. He has worked for several pharmaceutical companies including Merck and Warner-Lambert, now part of Pfizer, and IMS Health. He co-founded and took public the health care information business Medical Marketing Group. He also founded two oncology companies (an oncology clinical research network and an information network) and has traveled extensively to China, India, Singapore, the U.K., and the Middle East, analyzing and discussing cancer care delivery.
As executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), Ted oversees the strategic direction of this non-profit organization dedicated to patients and providers in the community cancer care setting, under the direction of a dedicated board of oncologists and practice administrators. Ted also travels the country speaking to state oncology societies, professional organizations, and companies about the challenges facing the nation’s cancer care delivery system. He has authored numerous articles and studies relating to cancer care policy and politics, reimbursement, and clinical issues.
Ted holds a BS degree from Fairfield University and an MBA from the Carnegie-Mellon University Tepper School of Business. His wife, Susan, practiced as a certified oncology nurse.
Ruth Opdycke, PharmD, MS
Confidio
Ruth Opdycke, PharmD, MS
In her consulting role, Ruth brings more than 25 years of experience to employer groups, brokers, BCBS organizations and regional health plans with deep expertise across the healthcare landscape. Her primary focus is guiding clients on specialty pharmacy strategy across the pharmacy and medical benefit. She is passionate about developing solutions that improve quality, affordability, client, provider and patient satisfaction.
Before joining Confidio, Ruth was the Director of Pharmacy Strategy at Cigna. She was a key member of the team leading Cigna’s approach to integrating pharmacy into the accountable care and oncology population health models. Her provider facing experience and technology skills were vital in the successful deployment and provider uptake of Real Time Prescription Benefit messaging.
Ruth received her Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Science at the University of Michigan College of Pharmacy.
Joyce A. O’Shaughnessy, MD
Texas Oncology, The US Oncology Network
Joyce A. O'Shaughnessy, MD
Celebrating Women Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
Baylor Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Texas Oncology, Dallas Texas
Joyce A. O’Shaughnessy, M.D. specializes in medical oncology with board certification in both internal medicine as well as medical oncology. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine with subspecialty certification in medical oncology. Dr. O’Shaughnessy focuses on her practice and clinical research on breast cancer treatment. She is Director of Breast Cancer Research and at Baylor-Sammons Cancer Center and chair of Breast Cancer Research for The US Oncology Network.
Background / Education:
Dr. O’Shaughnessy received her M.D. from Yale University Medical School. Her internship and residency in internal medicine were completed at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1985. She concluded a fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute in 1987 and was a Senior Investigator there until 1995.
Memberships:
Member: American Association for Cancer Research; American Society of Clinical Oncology; American College of Physicians; and Women in Cancer Research. Associate Editor: Clinical Breast Cancer Journal. Founder: The School of Breast Oncology
Honors/Awards:
Giants of Cancer Care: Community Outreach/Education Award; Baylor University Medical Center: Staff Chief’s award; Holy Cross College: Santae Crucis Award (Distinguished Alumni Award): Public Health Service Special Service: Development of the Consensus Statement on
Cancer Drug Approval Endpoints Award; Yale Medical School: Francis Parker Award (Faculty Choice for Most Promising Clinician)
Research Interests: Genotype-Phenotype correlations for high risk breast cancers and immunotherapy for triple negative breast cancer.
Sonia Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA
Cardinal Health
Sonia Oskouei
Sonia T. Oskouei, PharmD, BCMAS, DPLA serves as Vice President of Biosimilars for Cardinal Health, where she is charged with leading the national biosimilars strategy across the organization. In her role, she leverages an enterprise perspective to maximize the value of biosimilars to enhance patient access to critical therapies and improve outcomes, while lowering the costs of high-quality care. Prior to Cardinal Health, Sonia served as the Vice President of Innovation and Digital Health at Premier Inc. Within the provider-led organization, she led Premier’s national biosimilars strategy on behalf of 4,000 hospitals and 175,000 other provider types. Sonia is an established thought leader with numerous publications, experience engaging with the FDA and participation in industry organizations such as the Center for Biosimilars, where she is currently serving on the Board of Advisors. Prior to her work at Premier, Sonia oversaw pharmacy purchasing and procurement for Novant Health, a four-state Integrated Delivery Network, where she optimized medication management across the enterprise. Sonia received her Doctor of Pharmacy from Belmont University. In addition to her training as a PharmD, Sonia completed post-graduate residencies in Clinical Pharmacy and Health System Pharmacy Administration, is a Board-Certified Medical Affairs Specialist, and a Diplomate of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Leadership Academy.
Kathy Oubre, MS
Pontchartrain Cancer Center
Kathy Oubre, MS
Kathy Oubre has been the Chief Operating Officer for Pontchartrain Cancer Center since September 2005. In this role, she provides non-clinical leadership for all aspects of the practice, including financial counseling, policy/procedure development, billing, nutrition programs and survivorship care. Kathy is currently overseeing the newest addition to PCC – the integration of clinical trials for individuals looking to receive access to new treatment options for cancer or blood disorders.
After graduating from Louisiana State University, Kathy received her Master of Science from Southeastern Louisiana University. She is the President of the Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices (CHOP), President-Elect of the Louisiana Medical Group Managers Association (MGMA) and President of MGMA Northlake Chapter. Kathy is also the Advisory Board President for You Night Empowering Events which is a year-round cancer survivorship program for women. Other memberships include the Association of Community Cancer Centers, Medical Group Managers Association, Community Oncology Alliance, and the Junior League of Greater Covington (past board member.) Kathy was also the co-chair for the 2015 Relay for Life in East St. Tammany.
Geoffrey R. Oxnard, MD
Liquid Portfolio at Foundation Medicine
Geoffrey R. Oxnard, MD
Dr. Geoff Oxnard is Vice President, Global Medical Lead, Liquid Porfolio at Foundation Medicine, where he advances the development of innovative studies demonstrating the clinical utility of the Liquid Franchise products.
Prior to joining Foundation Medicine, Dr. Oxnard was a thoracic oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He graduated with honors from the University of Chicago School of Medicine, received his medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital, and performed oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He was a clinic-based translational investigator whose research included studies of targeted therapies for genotype-defined NSCLC populations, noninvasive plasma genotyping technologies, and familial lung cancer due to germline EGFR mutations. He received grant funding from the National Cancer Institute, the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO, and the US Department of Defense. He has given oral presentations on his research at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, and the World Conference on Lung Cancer.
Sandeep Parsad, PharmD, MBA, BCOP
PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency Program & University of Chicago Medicine
Sandeep Parsad, PharmD, MBA, BCOP
Dr. Parsad is an Assistant Director of Pharmacy at The University of Chicago Medicine. She is Director of the PGY2 Oncology Pharmacy Residency Program, Co-Chair of the Oncology Drug Safety Committee and directs Investigational Drug and Hematology/Oncology pharmacy services. Dr. Parsad’s interests include stem cell transplantation, hematologic malignancies, value-based payment models, and oncology quality initiatives.
Kashyap Patel, MD
Carolina Blood & Cancer Care Associates & Community Oncology Alliance
Kashyap Patel, MD
Kashyap Patel, is the CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates. Dr. Patel is a full time practicing medical oncologist, board certified in Hematology, Oncology, and Internal Medicine. He is president for the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). He is also chairman of the newly formed Biosimilars committee for the COA. He is a chairman for the clinical affairs and trustee for the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). He is also a member of the CPC committee for the ASCO. He has been an advisor for the large payers including DHHS (SC), Palmetto GBA. He also serves on and advisory board for Medicaid HMOs. He has a special interest in health care policy and economics and the end of life care. He recently joined International oncology network as medical director. He has expertise in Value Based Care and has successfully led Oncology Care Model pilots with two payers including with CMMI (new division of CMS).
Dr. Patel is the Associate Editor in Chief for the AJMC and Evidence Based Oncology.
He is a certified trainer for physicians “Education in Palliative and End of life Care” and has been a speaker at several different CME events. He is involved in healthcare economics and is working with major commercial payer on AAPM. He is also contractor medical director for Palmetto GBA (consultant). He is past president of the South Carolina Oncology Society. He has been working directly with cancer patients for the last twenty years. He has served as chairman of several committees in numerous South Carolina hospitals. He has had extensive research experience in the field of oncology and have published and presented articles in journals (nationally and internationally) and has had research merit awards for research in cancer including ASCO merit awards during fellowship.
Dr. Patel has extensive legislative experience both at the local and national level. He has testified in state senate as well as has carried out capitol hill briefing on precision medicine. He has also carried out senate and congressional staff briefing on multiple issues.
James Perry, MD
Alliance Cancer Specialists
James Perry, MD
James J. Perry M.D. completed his fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC. He received his medical degree at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia, PA and was awarded the Magna Cum Laude distinction at La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA in his undergraduate studies. Dr. Perry completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency at Letterman Army Medical Center in San Francisco, CA. He was on the Hematology-Oncology Staff at Walter Reed Army Medical Center following his fellowship completion.
Dr. Perry received specialized training in bone marrow transplantation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA and Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, MD, after which he was able to establish an autologous bone marrow transplant program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
Dr. Perry completed 10 years of service in the United States Army Medical Corps in 1991 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.
Dr. Perry was an Assistant Professor in the Division of Hematology-Oncology at the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, NC from 1992 to 1998, where his focus was in blood stem cell and bone marrow transplantation and the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma.
Dr. Perry returned to the Philadelphia area in 1999, joining the Greater Philadelphia Cancer and Hematology Specialists private practice in Community Oncology. In 2012, the practice merged with three other Southeastern Pennsylvania Community Oncology practices to form Alliance Cancer Specialists. Dr. Perry served on the Board of Directors of Alliance Cancer Specialists after its inception. Since 2019, Dr. Perry has been the Chief Medical Officer for Alliance Cancer Specialists, which comprises 4 Hematology-Oncology practices with 21 Physicians and 8 Advanced Practice Providers, 10 office locations and 11 area hospital affiliations.
In each of his varied Hematology-Oncology practice settings (Military, Academic, and Community), Dr. Perry has been extensively involved in the clinical training of Medical Students, Advanced Practice Providers, Residents, and Fellows. He has also chaired and served on numerous hospital and medical center committees, notably Institutional Review Boards and Pharmacy and Therapeutics committees.
Dr. Perry was honored to join the Board of Directors of the Community Oncology Alliance in 2020. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Medical Honor Society, the American College of Physicians (ACP), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society of Hematology (ASH), and the Pennsylvania Medical Society.
Jennifer Pichoske, MS, AOCNP, FNP
Hematology-Oncology Associates of Central New York
Jennifer Pichoske, MS, AOCNP, FNP
With 30 years of oncology-care experience, Jennifer (Jen) Pichoske, MS, AOCNP, FNP is the Chief Clinical Officer for Hematology-Oncology Associates of CNY (HOACNY) in Syracuse, New York. Prior to this role, she served as the organization’s Director of Nursing and a practicing NP, with certifications in oncology and family practice. Jen received her Master of Science in Nursing from the State University of New York at Buffalo, her hometown. She began her nursing career just outside of Buffalo on the GYN/Oncology unit at Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital.
A natural born leader, Jen was instrumental in breaking ground in the Buffalo area’s outpatient oncology NP role and worked as a clinical nursing instructor. Jen later became a full-time faculty member at Crouse Hospital’s College of Nursing in Syracuse, NY, where she currently serves on the Executive Advisory Board. Her success as an instructor and passion for clinical excellence, earns Jen many requests for presentations to providers, students and patients.
Married with two sons, Jen enjoys watching youth hockey, cooking and yoga. She also is a dog lover. Because she cannot adopt every dog who needs a home, Jen supports Helping Hounds Dog Rescue as secretary of its board of directors and member of their fund development committee. Jen also sits on the Community Oncology Alliance board where she enjoys sharing her endless passion for cancer care.
Tomi Ramey
CPAN Advocate/Survivor
Tomi Ramey
Tomi Ramey is an 11-year Cancer Survivor and Patient Advocate. After her diagnosis and treatment in 2009-2010 at The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Ft Worth, Texas, she became involved with volunteer opportunities and advocacy events for The Center. She attended the 2017 COA Conference in Washington, D.C., and participated in discussions with legislators at Capitol Hill regarding cancer patient issues. The conference inspired her to become more involved in advocacy work for COA, and with other advocates, she helped initiate the first CPAN Chapter in Texas in 2017. At the 2018 CPAN Conference, she participated on a panel to discuss the importance of Community Oncology Clinics versus large hospitals. Also, in 2018, she spoke on a patient panel at the TxSCO Annual Conference. She attended the 2019 COA Annual Conference; and volunteered in the COA booth at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. In 2020, she joined the COA CPAN Advisory Board as a patient advocate. She participates in various community Advocacy events and her personal experience as a cancer survivor motivates her to be a voice for all cancer patients/survivors for better cancer care, both at the local and national level.
Morvarid “Mo” Rezaie, DO, HMDC, FACOI
The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders
Morvarid “Mo” Rezaie, DO, HMDC, FACOI
Dr. Morvarid “Mo” Rezaie graduated medical school in 2006 from the University of North Texas Health Science Center-Texas College Of Osteopathic Medicine. In 2009, she completed her Internal Medicine residency at Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth (now Medical City Fort Worth) and served as Chief Resident during her final year. She is also board certified in hospice/palliative medicine as of 2013 and became a certified hospice medical director in November 2020. She serves as the palliative care physician at The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. Dr. Rezaie is also the Chair-elect for the Cancer Special Interest Group for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Outside of her medical career, she loves spending time with her husband and 2 children as well as playing tennis and cooking.
Candace Shaffer, MS, CWPM
Purdue University
Candace Shaffer, MS, CWPM
Candace Shaffer earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Purdue. Now, she is the senior director of benefits in Human Resources, responsible for overseeing and planning the realm of benefits for Purdue employees. In this role, Shaffer manages the strategic planning and customer service of a strong benefits plan for the employees and their families. This includes medical and dental benefits, as well as retirement, leave, worker compensation, families and the systems and processes in place to help employees engage in those programs.
With her education and previous work experience being child development and family studies, her first introduction to benefits from an employer’s perspective was when she came to work at Purdue in 2014 as the worksite health and childcare specialist. She was impressed to learn Purdue had developed a position within the benefits department that focused on family-friendly initiatives, such as on-site childcare options, lactation support and family-friendly practices and guidelines. Once she joined the team, she got more involved in benefit projects. In mid-2016, she was offered the opportunity to serve as interim associate director, which opened more opportunities and ultimately to her position as senior director of benefits. Awarded with Employee Benefits News ‘Benefits Leadership in Healthcare’ in 2018, Candace’s focus on overall employee wellness – physical, mental, behavioral, financial – continues to bring new opportunities to the table, not only to the employee population but also the university.
Jeff Sharman, MD
Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center & The US Oncology Network
Jeff Sharman, MD
Jeff Sharman M.D. is a medical oncologist in private practice with the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute and Research Center in Eugene Oregon. Dr. Sharman serves as the medical director of hematology research for US Oncology with a research focus on Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. As a fellow, he developed the initial pre-clinical evidence for using BCR signal inhibitors in lymphoid malignancies leading to the first in human studies of ibrutinib and other agents. He has served as primary investigator on multiple phase II/III studies contributing to the development of ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, idelalisib, umbralisib, obinutuzumab, venetoclax, lenalidomide, biosimilar rituximab, and polatuzumab.
Anthony “Nino” Sireci, MD
Loxo Oncology
Anthony “Nino” Sireci, MD
Anthony “Nino” Sireci, MD is the Vice President, Diagnostics Development and Medical Affairs at Loxo Oncology at Lilly. Dr. Sireci is a board-certified Clinical Pathologist and a practicing molecular pathologist. Prior to joining Loxo, he was an Assistant Professor of Pathology and Cell Biology at Columbia University and a medical director in the Laboratory of Personalized Genomic Medicine at Columbia Medical Center. He is an active member of the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) where he serves on the organizations’ Strategy Committee and was the former vice chair for new codes and pricing on the Economic Affairs Committee. He is also a member of the Pathology Coding Caucus in the College of American Pathologists (CAP) and the Molecular Pathology Advisory Group in the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. Sireci received a B.A in chemistry from New York University, an MD from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a Masters in Biostatistics from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. He completed his residency training in Clinical Pathology in the New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia, where he also served as chief resident.
David Spigel, MD
Sarah Cannon Research Institute & Tennessee Oncology
David Spigel, MD
Spigel joined Sarah Cannon in 2003 and as chief scientific officer, he oversees all scientific aspects of Sarah Cannon’s clinical trial program, working with the research physician leaders to ensure the best new agents and studies are available to our patients. He serves as a primary contact for the Pharma and biotech partners as well as the strategic site physicians with whom Sarah Cannon conducts cancer research.
Spigel received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans in 1992, and medical degree from The University of Tennessee in Memphis in 1996. After completing an internal medicine and chief residency at Indiana University Medical Center, he completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He is board certified in medical oncology. Additionally, he is a partner with Tennessee Oncology, PLLC.
Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, FACP
Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute, US Oncology Research & Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, FACP
Dr. Alex Spira earned his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine. He then went on to complete his internship and residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and his medical oncology fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital. During his training, Dr. Spira was granted many awards and honors, and he completed several specialized fellowship programs. Among these honors were the National Institutes of Health Medical Scientist Training Program Fellowship (1990-1997), Merck Corporation Scholarship (1995-1995), Pediatric AIDS Foundation Fellowship (1993- 1995) and Harvard University Scholarship (1987-1990). Dr. Spira has also received his PhD from the New York School of Arts and Sciences.
As Director of the Virginia Cancer Specialists (VCS) Research Institute and the Phase I Trial Program, Dr. Spira is actively involved in advancing medicine and offering targeted treatment options for patients. Although his research interests are numerous, Dr. Spira particularly enjoys studying immunotherapy, personalized medicine, GI, thoracic and lung cancer and sarcomas. Dr. Spira is also Co-Chair of the USOncology Thoracic Oncology Committee, Chair of the USOncology Research Executive Committee, and member of the USOncology National Policy Board Executive Committee. Dr. Spira is a faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and serves as Assistant Professor of Oncology.
Throughout his career, Dr. Spira has been recognized as a Top Doctor in Northern Virginia Magazine and Washingtonian magazine for multiple years. In 2014, he received the prestigious “Castle Connolly America’s Top Doctor” award. In his spare time, Dr. Spira enjoys spending time with his family, coaching children’s sports, cycling, and cheering on his favorite New York sports teams.
Brad Tallamy
AmerisourceBergen
Brad Tallamy
Brad Tallamy is Senior Director of Government Affairs at AmerisourceBergen, where he is responsible for monitoring and analyzing emerging legislative and regulatory issues affecting AmerisourceBergen’s customers and the patients we serve. Brad routinely interacts with policymakers in Congress and regulatory authorities on issues such as drug pricing, reimbursement and controlled substance abuse, and strategizes on policy-forward approaches in healthcare’s evolving marketplace. Prior to his role at AmerisourceBergen, Brad was a Vice President at Venn Strategies, where he established the Patient Access to Community Treatment (PACT) coalition, comprised of over 20 patient, caregiver, nursing, and provider organizations committed to ensuring patients have access to quality, affordable, community-based care. Brad also served as Director of Federal Government Relations at the National Patient Advocate Foundation, where he championed patient access issues, specializing in legislative and regulatory analysis and coalition management. He also served as a data analyst at Columbia University Medical Center, where his work, in collaboration with internationally recognized researchers, was published in more than 20 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Brad earned his B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University in Maryland.
Lalan Wilfong, MD
Texas Oncology
Lalan Wilfong, MD
Dr. Wilfong is a medical oncologist/hematologist with Texas Oncology, PA. In addition to patient care, he serves as the Executive Vice President for quality programs and value-based care for Texas Oncology and as a physician liaison for value-based care for McKesson Specialty Health.
Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD
Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance & Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center
Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD
Dr. Karen Winkfield is a radiation oncologist specializing in the treatment of hematologic and breast malignancies. She is an implementation scientist focused on improving health outcomes for underserved populations through community-engaged research and community-based initiatives designed to improve access to healthcare including clinical trials. Her leadership roles have focused on developing bi-directional communication between researchers and community to ensure equitable access to care regardless of race/ethnicity, geographic location or socioeconomic states. She also espouses workforce diversity as a means to improve health equity Dr. Winkfield served as Chair of ASCO’s Health Equity Committee from 2016-2017 and now serves as Chair of the ASCO’s Workforce Diversity Task Force. She was recently named Executive Director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance.
Byeong Yoon
Amgen
Byeong Yoon
Byeong Yoon, PhD is an Executive Director within the Oncology Global Medical Affairs team at Amgen. In his role, Byeong oversees the team responsible for leading the medical affairs strategy and plan for Amgen’s oncology supportive care portfolio, biosimilars and diagnostics/biomarkers. Byeong has held multiple leadership positions at Amgen over the past 13 years and has been in the pharmaceutical industry for over 15 years. During that time, he has had the privilege of launching seven new drugs/indications and helping bring new therapeutic options for patients. Byeong received his undergraduate and doctorate degrees in Molecular, Cell, & Development Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles and is a proud Bruin.
Conference Co-Chairs
Stephen “Fred” Divers, MD
Genesis Cancer Center & American Oncology Network
Stephen “Fred” Divers, MD
Dr. Divers received his medical degree from Louisiana State University where he was a selected as a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During his tenure there, he was named the Outstanding Resident all three years and received the Chairman’s award for his performance in medicine. He completed a dual fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at University of Alabama, where he conducted clinical trials in combined modality therapy for lung cancer and translational research with gene arrays and immune checkpoint therapy. He was honored as the Outstanding Clinical Fellow and Outstanding Research Fellow while in Alabama. Following completion of his training, he joined Genesis Cancer Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas in 2004 as a practicing physician. Locally, he served as Chief of Staff for CHI ST Vincent hospital and Chairman of the Cancer committee. He was instrumental in founding the CPAN chapter for patient advocacy in in Arkansas. He has continued clinical research in the private setting, publishing data from multiple trials involved with cell free DNA sequencing and therapeutics. He continues to serve as a member of the ION advisory panel and on the Community Oncology Alliance as an active board member and Co-Chair for the annual conference. He and his partners joined American Oncology Network in 2018 with a group from Louisiana as the founding practices. He is currently Chairman of the Advisory board for AON, and remains passionate about the success of community oncology.
Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA
Texas Oncology & The US Oncology Network
Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA
Dr. Debra Patt is a practicing oncologist and breast cancer specialist in Austin, Texas, and an executive vice president of Texas Oncology with responsibilities in healthcare policy and strategic initiatives. She is an active leader in breast cancer and research in healthcare informatics.
Dr. Patt has responsibility for breast cancer research in Austin and leads our multidisciplinary tumor boards for breast cancer.
As an expert in healthcare policy, she has testified before Congress to protect access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. She chairs the Council on Legislation for the Texas Medical Association and works to formulate responsible healthcare policy that improves the health of Texans. She serves as the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Clinical Oncology Clinical Cancer Informatics, and drives engagement in clinical informatics solutions to enhance healthcare. Her research is in clinical decision support, predictive analytics, telemedicine, HEOR, tools for patient symptom management and quality improvement.
Within Texas Oncology, she serves on the payer relations, marketing, telemedicine, strategy, policy, management executive, marketing, and revenue cycle committees.
She is the past-chair of ASCO’s clinical practice committee and served on ASCO’s nominating committee for the ASCO Board and the Conquer Cancer Foundation as well as the health IT work group, EHR, technology, and data requirements workgroup, and guidelines committees.
Dr. Patt serves as the President of the Texas Society of Clinical Oncology, the Secretary for the Community Oncology Alliance and serves locally on the Austin Healthcare Council, Shivers Board, and formerly on the board of Komen and the Breast Cancer Resource Center.
She lectures medical students and is a clinical Professor at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.
Jeffrey M. Patton, MD
Tennessee Oncology & OneOncology
Jeffrey M. Patton, MD
Jeffrey Patton, M.D. serves as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for Nashville-based Tennessee Oncology, one of the largest community oncology practices in the U.S.
He is nationally recognized in the oncology community for his extensive clinical trial research and scholarly publications on advancing cancer treatment and bringing exceptional care to the communities where patients live. Dr. Patton has published eight manuscripts and nearly 20 clinical trial abstracts on cancer treatment research. He specializes in all adult malignancies and holds memberships in the Tennessee Oncology Practice Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology, where he serves on the ASCO Physician Workforce Advisory Board.
Dr. Patton, a graduate of Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, completed his residency and fellowship at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., where he served as Chief Resident. He is on the board of directors for the Tennessee Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Sarah Cannon Research Institute.
Alti Rahman, MHA, MBA, CSSBB
Oncology Consultants
Alti Rahman, MHA, MBA, CSSBB
Alti Rahman is the Practice Administrator for Oncology Consultants in Houston, Texas. He holds a dual Masters degree in Healthcare and Business Administration from the University of Houston and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB).
Oncology Consultants has 17 physicians, 4 advanced practitioners operating out of 9 full-service Medical Oncology offices including a large International Cancer Center located in the Texas Medical Center. Ancillary services include 2 Radiation Oncology office, 2 Diagnostic Imaging centers, 3 Retail Pharmacy’s, and Clinical Research programs all supported by a central administrative office.
Alti’s business strategies focus on continuous quality and risk assessment of the patient/physician relationship and the advancement of value-based payment models to align quality and economic objectives. Alti holds additional supplementary roles including Six Sigma course instructor for Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), Steering Committee Member for McKesson Specialty Health, Treasurer for the National Cancer Care Alliance (NCCA), Board Member of the Oncology Circle Advisory, Board Member of Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices (CHOP), and Co-Chair of COA (Community Oncology Alliance)-Administrator Network.
Barry Russo, MBA
The Center for Cancer & Blood Disorders & OneOncology
Barry Russo, MBA
Barry Russo, CEO, has been with The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, a private community practice based in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2002. Barry has over 30 years of healthcare experience – he has worked in academic and community practices as well as academic and community hospitals. The Center has over 30 providers & 200+ employees at 9 facilities in the DFW area. The Center offers medical oncology, radiation oncology, hematology, gynecologic oncology, breast oncology surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, integrative medicine, imaging, laboratory services and retail pharmacy.
Barry is a current board member of COA and Advisory Board for the Cancer Center Business Summit (CCBS) and current member of ACCC, ASCO and TXMGMA.
Barry has an MBA from the University of Dallas and resides in Colleyville, Texas.
Jeffrey Vacirca, MD, FACP
New York Cancer & Blood Specialists & OneOncology
Jeffrey Vacirca, MD, FACP
Dr. Vacirca is the founder and chairman of the New York Cancer Foundation, which provides financial assistance to patients undergoing cancer treatment. He is also co-founder and former vice-chairman of Odonate Therapeutics, and director and chair of the Compensation Committee of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Vacirca is the co-founder and president of the National Translational Research group and holds a position for Caris Life Sciences as a Scientific Advisory Board Member. Additionally, he serves as a medical board advisor for Flatiron Health, located in New York City.
Dr. Vacirca has received numerous awards and accolades for his efforts in providing outstanding patient care including Humanitarian of the Year by the American Red Cross, the Theodore Roosevelt Award for outstanding dedication to patient care, and being named in Newsday’s Top Doctors. Additionally, he was honored for his role in enabling I-IAAC staff to bring state of the art HIV testing to New York.