Speakers

Katie Alexander is an adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner specializing in the care of adult oncology patients in the Columbus, Ohio and surrounding region. Katie began her career in 2002 in the surgical intensive care as a staff nurse. She then worked over a decade in the care of the post trauma and post surgical patients. She graduated from Mount Carmel College of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio in 2014 with a Masters in Nursing with a focus in Adult Gerontology Acute Care. She began working exclusively in oncology in 2016 at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center-James Cancer. In 2019, she joined the community oncology realm, moving to the Mark H Zangmeister Cancer Center and American Oncology Network.

Working with 10 physicians and 6 other Advanced Practice Providers, Katie has found her true home in community oncology care. Her passion for compassionate, evidenced based care has been truly recognized while at the Zangmeister Center. Katie’s work includes education for medical marijuana patients; intimacy issues in the hematological/oncology patients and care of the LGBTQAI population. Katie also functions as the Regional Advanced Practice Provider Coordinator for American Oncology Network (AON); providing onboarding support, education and development of Advanced Practice Providers throughout the entire AON network.  

When not working, Katie enjoys spending time on her mini farm with her husband and children; reading; gardening and baking.

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) a national network of community oncology practices whose focus is to contract directly through value-based agreements with health care purchasers for oncology services.  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.  

Robert received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University, Master of Science in Hospital and Health Service Administration from Central Michigan University, and a Nursing Degree from Excelsior College.

Robert is married with three children and enjoys travelling, hiking, and spending time with family and friends. 

Dr. Katherine Baker is a practicing medical oncologist and Medical Director of Value-Based Care at Tennessee Oncology. In this role, she leads some of the many care innovation efforts of the practice to provide high quality, patient-centered care. As a Georgia native, she received her undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia and her medical doctorate at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. She completed her internship and residency training in Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. In June 2024, she completed fellowship training at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, during which time she served as chief fellow for two consecutive years. She also received a Master of Management in Healthcare from the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management.  In addition to her role at Tennessee Oncology, Dr. Baker is an active board member of the Tennessee Oncology Practice Society and the Community Oncology Alliance Fellows Board.

Dr. Balch has more than 22 years of executive leadership in the non-profit sector spanning multiple advocacy areas including access and affordability, health equity, prevention and early detection, and cancer research. He became CEO of both PAF and NPAF in 2013 and has served as a member of both Boards of Directors since 2007. From 2006-2013, he served as Vice President of the Preventive Health Partnership -- a national health promotion collaboration between the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, and American Heart Association. Dr. Balch currently serves on dozens of selective boards, steering committees, and councils for an array of institutions. Most recently, Dr. Balch was selected as the Chair of the Global Patient Council for the American Patient Representatives Roundtable for the Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) after serving as the Co-Chair of the North American Patient Representatives Roundtable.

Dr. Balch recently stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Clinical Pathways. He has served on the editorial board and as a contributing editor for many years and on the advisory board for the Journal of Oncology Navigation and Survivorship. He is frequently invited to peer review article submissions to various publications including the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, Journal of Clinical Oncology, American Journal of Preventive Medicine, and the American Journal of Public Health.

He earned his PhD  from the University of California Santa Cruz, his master’s degree from the University of Texas San Antonio; and his bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in San Antonio.

Dr. Sibel Blau is a Hematologist and Oncologist with special interest and expertise in breast cancer, multiple myeloma, and cell therapy.

She is the President/Executive Chair of the board at Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC, where she also runs the clinical research and Precision Medicine program. 

She is one of the founding members and the President/CEO and Co-Chair of ONCare Alliance, LLC that is a national organization with a focus of value-based care, education, and research, as well as Exigent Research, an innovative research network of independent practices throughout the US to provide high quality, accelerated and accessible research to the communities where patients are treated.  She is a board member and the current President of Washington State Medical Oncology Society (WSMOS). She is involved in multiple committees at national organizations like ASCO, COA, ACCC.

She is also a member of All4cure, which provides a transparent platform for oncologists with comprehensive displays of their patients’ data, cutting-edge analytic tools, and a real-time learning environment to empower the delivery of expert level myeloma care via clinical pathways that open a door to cooperative learning and new paradigms for curing myeloma.

She is the founder and president of the Journey Fund which is a community-based, not-for-profit organization committed to cancer patients facing barriers that affect their treatment with donations and community resources that make it possible for us to assist cancer patients facing social, financial, or emotional obstacles, toward a courageous journey, with dignity.

Ralph V. Boccia, MD, FACP:  Dr Boccia is Medical Director for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders in Bethesda, Maryland, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University in Washington, DC. He is also Chief Medical Officer for the International Oncology Network (ION), and serves as chairman for ION’s Medical Advisory Panel. He is a member of the American Oncology Network and its Advisory Board and is the Medical Director for its clinical research program (AOR). Dr Boccia completed training in internal medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)– affiliated hospitals. His hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplant fellowships were completed at the combined UCLA-VA Program and the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology.  He is a member of the American College of Physicians, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the American Society of Hematology. With his vast experience and research, Dr Boccia has published more than 200 articles in journal such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, New England Journal of Medicine, Cancer, Blood, Annals of Internal Medicine, Lancet, and Oncology amongst others. He is listed in Who’s Who in America and has been voted into Washingtonian’s Best Physicians in Washington and Consumers’ Checkbook’s Guide to Top Doctors in Washington, DC every year since 1992.

Shannon Brown serves as the Helpline Manager and Lead Navigator at the Cancer Support Community. With more than 15 years of oncology and pediatric social work experience, she is passionate about providing psychosocial support and developing innovative programs that improve access to care and health outcomes.

Driven by her lived experience as a cancer survivor, Shannon is committed to serving the cancer community and considers it an honor to walk alongside people on their journeys. Her prior work experience includes roles at the American Cancer Society, Dell Children’s Blood and Cancer Center, and Duke Children’s Hospital and Health Center. Most recently, as Director of Family Programs at Children’s Cancer Partners, she oversaw the delivery of high-impact services for thousands of families across the Carolinas.

Shannon resides in South Carolina with her family and dog, Harvey. Always up for an adventure, she loves to travel, collect hobbies, and attend as many concerts as possible.

Dr. Michael Byrne joined Tennessee Oncology in 2022 where he led the successful launch of the Tennessee Oncology Cellular Therapy Program – one of the first community oncology-based programs.  In July 2025, he was named the Medical Director of Cellular Therapy for One Oncology, a managed services organization, with over 30 hematology/oncology practices in the United States.  

Outside of cell therapy, Dr. Byrne oversees the practice’s malignant hematology tumor board and is the lymphoma research lead in the Tennessee Oncology Greco-Hainsworth Centers for Research. He received his medical degree from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (Erie, PA).  He went on to complete an internal medicine residency at Cleveland Clinic Foundation (Cleveland, OH), fellowship at the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), and advanced fellowship in blood and marrow transplantation at the University of California San Francisco (San Francisco, CA).

Jim Chen, MD, is a medical oncologist at the Cancer and Blood Institute, part of the American Oncology Network (AON). He serves as Co-Chair of Technology and Innovations for AON, where he helps lead initiatives focused on integrating digital tools, artificial intelligence, and workflow optimization into community oncology practice.

Dr. Chen is also a data scientist for Meaningful Insight for Biotech Analytics (MiBA), an AI-driven company dedicated to improving cancer care through advanced analytics, clinical data integration, and intelligent decision support systems.

As a general hematologist-oncologist, Dr. Chen treats a broad spectrum of hematologic and solid malignancies. He practices in Little Rock, Conway, and Russellville with aims to deliver comprehensive cancer care while actively working to modernize and enhance oncology delivery through technology and data science.

Dr. Casey Chollet-Lipscomb is a practicing radiation oncologist in Nashville, TN. She trained at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago and now specializes in both breast and gynecologic malignancies. In addition to her clinical work, she serves as the Executive Vice President for Physician Services at Tennessee Oncology, leading medical oncology, radiation oncology, diagnostic imaging, and supportive services development. She very smartly married a medical physicist so that her 2 young kids are guaranteed boring dinner conversation for life.

Scott Degenhardt, NMAA, brings over two decades of experience in Nuclear Medicine and Theranostics to the evolving landscape of community oncology. As Director of Radiology and Theranostics at Nebraska Cancer Specialists, he oversees imaging and therapeutic nuclear medicine services, with a focus on integrating theranostics into a comprehensive, community-based cancer care model.

Previously serving as Director of Research, Scott has played a key role in advancing clinical innovation and expanding access to emerging radiopharmaceutical therapies. He is passionate about developing operationally sound, scalable theranostics programs that allow patients to receive advanced, personalized cancer treatment close to home.

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.

George Eastwood is the Executive Director of the Emily Whitehead Foundation, an organization created by the Whitehead family after their daughter Emily became the first pediatric patient to receive CAR-T cell therapy. Under his leadership, the foundation is focused on expanding access to advanced therapies, influencing policy to remove barriers to care, and supporting patients and families throughout their treatment journey, work that builds on its original mission of funding groundbreaking research for less-toxic cancer treatments.

A mission-driven innovator in cell and gene therapy, George has spent much of his career creating products, tools, and services to accelerate the development and delivery of cell-based therapeutics. As an early employee at HemaCare, he partnered with pioneering CAR-T companies like Kite and Novartis to help bring their therapies from development to commercialization. He later held leadership roles in the start-up space, including Vice President of Business Development and Partnerships at Kytopen and co-founder of Excellos, a cell and gene therapy company spun out of the San Diego Blood Bank.

In addition to his role at the Emily Whitehead Foundation, George serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine, where he works alongside global leaders to advance policies, standards, and innovations that ensure more patients can benefit from next-generation therapies.

John has practiced law for 34 years, exclusively for health care clients since 2001.  He advises health care systems/hospitals, physician practices, individual physicians, suppliers, and other health care providers/businesses.  He has advised hundreds of graduating fellows, residents, and experienced physicians regarding their employment arrangements.  He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Indiana University Bloomington’s Mauer School of Law.  Prior to forming his own firm, he worked as United States District Court law clerk, Trail Attorney in the United States Department of Justice, for a national wholesaler, for Cardinal Health, and for three different law firms.  He is a husband, father of three, and shares a home office with two joyful Golden Retrievers.

Nicolas Ferreyros is Managing Director of Policy, Advocacy, and 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.

Dr. Fugere is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist. She earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in Little Rock, where she also completed her internal medicine residency and hematology-oncology fellowship. She now practices at Genesis Cancer and Blood Institute at their Benton, AR (her hometown) and Little Rock, AR locations.

Dr. Garmezy joined Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI) in 2021 and serves as the Associate Director of Genitourinary (GU) Research. In his role, Dr. Garmezy oversees investigational therapy trials, as well as standard of care treatments, for GU cancers, including prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancers. He focuses on caring for patients at SCRI Oncology Partners in Nashville, TN and also leads the operations for GU clinical trials for SCRI’s national network. Dr. Garmezy received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his Doctorate of Medicine from Baylor College of Medicine. Prior to joining SCRI, he completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Michigan and his fellowship in hematology/oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Rose Gerber is a nationally recognized cancer advocate and cancer survivor. Her experience includes appearing on national television (MSNBC) to speak about cancer care, meeting with legislators in Washington, D.C. on cancer policy issues, and developing cancer programs. Rose was brought to the COA team to develop its patient advocacy program. One of her first accomplishments was to add an advocacy track to the annual conference, making the meeting one of the few that brings together physicians, administrators, and advocates. She serves as an invited member on national patient advocate panels, steering committees, and cancer coalitions. Rose has also served as a consumer reviewer on the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs – Department of Defense Breast Cancer research panels.

Rose has been a featured cancer survivor for various cancer organizations’ media campaigns, including the national About Clinical Trials initiative. She has appeared on the cover of the national publication, Breast Cancer Wellness magazine, and was honored as the National Breast Cancer Leader of the Year. In addition, she has been a guest speaker for CURE magazine’s podcast in the episode titled, From Cancer to Capitol Hill. She has been the keynote speaker at multiple national and state conferences. Rose served for five years as a grant reviewer, speaker, and educator for Susan G. Komen and co-founded and managed a breast cancer-mentoring program for Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology in Connecticut. Collaborating with community health workers and nurses, Rose also gained an understanding of disparities in health care. Rose taught breast health education to diverse populations including Muslims, Haitians, Asians, Hispanics, African Americans, and young mothers.

Rose has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership and two bachelor’s degrees. Rose is also a graduate of the National Breast Cancer Coalition’s esteemed Project Lead programs: Clinical Trials, Science Institute, and Quality Care. Prior to her advocacy work, Rose worked for NBC-TV in Los Angeles, California. A mother with young children when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she is now a long-term survivor and applies her personal experience as a cancer survivor with her advocacy knowledge to educate and train cancer patients and cancer survivors on how various national cancer policy issues impact their local patient care. 

James Gilmore, PharmD is the Chief Pharmacy and Clinical Services Officer with American Oncology Network. Dr. Gilmore’s responsibilities include overseeing all pharmacy, procurement, research, lab and pathology functions for the network.  After earning his PharmD degree from Mercer University Southern School of Pharmacy, Dr. Gilmore received advanced clinical training from Georgia Baptist Medical Center in Atlanta. Dr. Gilmore is a member of many national professional organizations and has co-authored over 65 published articles, abstracts and book chapters.

MaryLou Eyester Gonzalez is a retired Registered Nurse and six-year survivor of Stage IIB triple-positive breast cancer. Her life has been shaped by compassion, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to family, community, and cancer care.

Over her 34-year nursing career, she served in oncology and homecare, supporting patients and families through their most vulnerable moments. Cancer care was not only her profession, but deeply personal. In 2002, her husband Jack was diagnosed with Stage II Hodgkin’s Lymphoma while they were raising their young children. His strength and optimism during treatment became a lasting source of inspiration for their family.

In January 2019, MaryLou was diagnosed with Stage IIB triple-positive breast cancer. She faced extensive treatment—including chemotherapy, radiation, targeted therapy, and multiple surgeries—with courage and determination. Just one month after completing chemotherapy, she celebrated her daughter Brielle’s wedding on July 7, 2019, and underwent her bilateral mastectomy the very next morning, continuing her fight with remarkable resolve.

Today, MaryLou’s journey reflects a lifetime devoted to healing—as a nurse, caregiver, and survivor. Her story is a testament to faith, family, resilience, and the power of compassionate cancer care.

Dr. Gordan is a medical oncologist and hematologist with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute in Gainesville, FL. Currently, currently serving his second term as president & managing physician of the statewide practice. He drives precision oncology efforts through analysis of real-world data, innovative technology and research and serves as Chair of the Executive Board, Disciplinary & Ethics Committee Chair and is a member of the Compliance and Finance & Compensation committees.

As a cancer researcher, Dr. Gordan is engaged in clinical trials, has published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, and he serves on several oncology editorial boards. He helped establish real-world evidence and precision oncology programs at FCS and oversees therapeutics decisions. A frequent national and international speaker, he is recognized as a key thought leader.

Dr. Gordan has received numerous honors, including the 2013 HCA FRIST Award and the 2022 FCS Humanitarian Award. He serves on NCODA’s Board of Directors and Executive Council and is Co-Chair of Humanitarian Initiatives at COA, while also serving on its drug policy & regulatory committee.

Dr. 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.

As CEO of Highlands of Oncology in NW Arkansas, Jeff Hunnicutt has demonstrated a passion for creating a work environment where people are engaged and energized to provide outstanding patient care. Specializing in comparative analytics in oncology, Jeff has helped drive the success of his practice by providing an in-depth look into the underlying data that helps give direction to operational decisions. Jeff has been distinguished for his efforts by serving as a board member with the Community Oncology Alliance, COA Administrator Network, Board of Trustees Fellow for ACCC, serving as ACS Chair in NW Arkansas,  as well as in his previous role as Executive Director of the Quality Cancer Care Alliance (QCCA). Jeff also serves on the Red River Region for Blood Cancer United and as the chair for Oncology Supportive Services in NW Arkansas.

In his personal life, Jeff is married with 4 children, living in Bentonville, AR. He and his family are deeply involved in projects to bring quality education to the remote areas of Senegal, Africa, and toward raising awareness for the foster system in their state. 

Ben Jones currently serves as Senior Vice President of Government Relations & Marketing for the McKesson Oncology & Multispecialty organization, supporting The US Oncology Network.  In this role, Ben leads the marketing function along with all legislative efforts around access to care in the community setting. Ben has been in some capacity of this role for over 19 years and concurrently 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.

Abra Kelson is a dedicated oncology social worker and healthcare leader with nearly a decade of experience advancing health equity and psychosocial care. She currently serves as Director of Quality & Value-Based Care at Northwest Medical Specialties (NWMS), where she leads program development, strategic planning, and multidisciplinary initiatives to improve patient outcomes across the oncology continuum.

At NWMS, Abra’s clinical and leadership work have driven successful funding efforts, securing critical resources to implement the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM) and food provision programming. She previously served as Program Director for the Cancer Support Community at NWMS, overseeing educational, wellness, and psychosocial support programs and services.

Chelsea is a registered nurse with over 12 years of experience, including 10 years in oncology. She is an Oncology Certified Nurse and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology. Chelsea is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing. She has served as the local CPAN Chapter Advocacy Leader since 2018, where she is passionate about promoting community oncology and inspiring others to engage in advocacy efforts.

Jonathan Levitt co-founded Frier Levitt, a national healthcare law firm, in 2000. He began his work in the drug supply chain in 2003 when he filed a successful class action lawsuit against a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM). Jonathan is a leading advocate for transparency and fairness in pharmacy benefits and a prolific trial attorney.

He represents pharmacies, physician-dispensers, provider associations, hospital systems, manufacturers, wholesalers, and plan sponsors. He prosecutes claims against PBMs for fair reimbursement and the recovery of hidden fees. He also advises self-funded plans on pharmacy benefit design and supports state Medicaid audits of PBMs.

As a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, Jonathan is admitted in multiple states and remains dedicated to fairness in the drug supply chain. His settlements and verdicts over the past several years exceed $100 million.

Angelina Lorello began her journey with New York Cancer & Blood Specialists long before she ever worked there. Before Angelina was born, her father was diagnosed on his 30th birthday with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. A tumor was wrapped around his heart, and he was given just three days to live. He was treated in a community oncology setting at NYCBS, where he underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiation. He was cured—but told he would never be able to conceive.

Against all odds, Angelina’s parents later returned to the same office with life-changing news: they were pregnant. Angelina became the miracle baby of NYCBS and her family.

Now, with nine years at NYCBS, Angelina considers her work a full-circle purpose. As a young girl, she was given life because of community oncology, and today she gives back through advocacy and storytelling. She has found her passion in sharing what community oncology truly means to patients and families. In her current role in Patient Experience, Angelina advocates daily for patients and their voices. She serves as a CPAN leader and is the leader of the Patient and Family Council.

Angelina continues to honor her story by advocating for patients and championing the importance of community oncology—because for her, it is not just a career, but a legacy.

“When you have passion within you, the fire never burns out.”

Aaron Lyss is Senior Director of Payment and Policy Innovation for OneOncology, a national partnership of independent community oncology practices. Aaron’s role at OneOncology includes implementation of policy and advocacy strategies, and the development of value-based care and risk-sharing payment models. He also leads initiatives related to community oncology-based CAR-T service line enablement and partnership strategies. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Patient Advocate Foundation. 

Prior to this role with OneOncology, Aaron was the Director of Strategy and Business Development for Tennessee Oncology, and prior to that served as healthcare policy specialist for the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies.

Aaron earned his Master of Business Administration at the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management, and his Bachelor of Arts degree at Washington University in St. Louis.

Sunshine Maracle is a stage IV metastatic breast cancer survivor who has been living with her diagnosis for nearly a decade, reaching her 10-year milestone in October. Her journey has shaped both her personal life and her professional mission, grounding her work in empathy, resilience, and hope.

She is the proud mother of two children, ages 12 and 10, who inspire her daily and remain the driving force behind her strength and perseverance.

Professionally, Sunshine works with Hope Cancer Care of Nevada in partnership with American Oncology Network (AON), where she is deeply committed to patient advocacy, community oncology, and improving access to compassionate, high-quality cancer care. Her role allows her to bridge the patient and provider experience, ensuring that education, support, and connection remain at the center of care delivery.

As both a survivor and a healthcare professional, Sunshine brings a unique and authentic perspective to her work, one rooted in lived experience, gratitude, and an unwavering belief in the power of community. She is passionate about empowering patients and families, fostering meaningful connections, and reminding others that even in the most difficult moments, hope endures.

Jerrica Mathis leads the federal Government Relations team as Cardinal Health’s VP, Federal Government Relations. Prior to joining Cardinal Health, Jerrica was a director in Crowell & Moring's Government Affairs Group. Based in their Washington, D.C. office, she assisted corporate, trade association, and individual clients with legislative and regulatory advocacy and strategies before Congress and federal agencies. 

Prior to joining Crowell & Moring, Jerrica served as a senior government relations manager at a boutique lobbying shop, where she provided government relations support to health care

clients, including global health, non-profit patient advocacy, and health professional organizations. She has also served as a project director at the Society for Public Health Education and as a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Health Policy Fellow. During her time as a fellow, Jerrica worked on policy issues related to improving the health of racial and ethnic minorities, as well as labor and employer issues, on the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee on Education and Labor and with the office of Representative Donna L. Christensen. Before coming to Washington, D.C., she served in the role of providing technical assistance to state health department chronic disease programs with the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors in Atlanta, GA.

Jerrica holds an M.S. in education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and a B.S. in public health from Georgia Southern University.

Dr. McAneny is a board-certified medical oncologist/hematologist based in Albuquerque, New Mexico and the co-founder and CEO of New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants. She was the 173rd president of the American Medical Association and used that position to encourage the AMA to file its successful lawsuits blocking the consolidation of large insurance companies and protecting Title 10 funding. Prior to her Presidency, Dr McAneny served for 10 years on the AMA Board of Trustees, including as Chair. As the Delegate from ASCO, prior to her election to the Board, she served 8 years and chaired the AMA policy committee, the Council on Medical Service. Dr. McAneny is a fellow and former member of the ASCO Board of Directors, a past president of the New Mexico Medical Society (NMMS), the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association and the New Mexico Society of Clinical Oncology.  In 2012, Dr McAneny received a $19.8 M award from CMMI to create COME HOME, Community Oncology Medical Home, which was the precursor to the Oncology Care Model and many other value-based care processes for oncology. Dr. McAneny is the co-chair of the board and one of the Founders of the ONCare Alliance, a network of independent oncology practices across the United States, organized to provide collaborative, cutting-edge oncology care, to bring clinical trials to community practices, to develop new alternative payment models based on sound data-driven principles and teach young and mid-career oncologists how to manage a successful practice. Prior to this, she was a founding member of Oncology Circle, a group of oncology practices using data to promote best practices and contribute data to ASCO’s Practice Net. As an early advocate of managing the social determinants of health, she founded New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation which helps cancer patients overcome barriers to care by providing grants to pay for their non-medical expenses. Now she is developing the Cancer Safety Net Foundation to help ONCare Alliance practices address patients with their non-medical needs so patients can focus on getting their care. Currently she is President of New Mexico Independent Doctors, a clinically integrated network of practices committed to improving care in New Mexico.

Dr. Alexa Meara earned her medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2008. She completed her internal medicine residency at East Carolina University (ECU) and Vidant Medical Center from 2008 to 2011, serving as Chief Resident in Internal Medicine from 2011 to 2012. Following her chief year, she was appointed Associate Program Director for Internal Medicine at ECU (2012–2013).

Dr. Meara pursued fellowship training in Rheumatology at The Ohio State University (OSU) from 2013 to 2015 and subsequently completed two additional years of research fellowship, earning a Master of Medical Science degree (2015–2017). She is currently an Associate Professor in the Division of Oncology The James Cancer Hospital at OSU Wexner Medical Center..

Her clinical practice includes directing a specialized Immunotherapy Management Clinic, focused on managing autoimmune complications arising from cancer immunotherapy. Her research centers on understanding immune-related adverse events (irAEs), with the goal of classifying and treating these autoimmune sequelae while preserving the antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy.

Through this work, Dr. Meara co-founded the Alliance for Support and Prevention of Immune-Related Adverse Events (ASPirE), a collaborative network of academic physicians dedicated to education and evidence generation in this emerging field. She also established The Foundation for Autoimmune Cancer Support, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that amplifies the patient voice and fosters community at the intersection of autoimmune disease and cancer—redefining survivorship as thrivorship.

In addition to her clinical and research roles, Dr. Meara teaches pre-clinical learners the fundamentals of history-taking and physical examination and serves as a Success Coach for residents and fellows through the Graduate Medical Education office.

Guy Messer leads American Oncology Network (AON’s) radiation and radiology services which includes its Radiopharmaceutical Therapy services. With more than 30 years’ experience Guy has served in a variety of roles gaining a deep understanding of how today’s healthcare is delivered particularly within the diagnostic imaging space.

Prior to joining AON Guy served as Chief Executive Officer of Trident Medical Imaging, a multi-modality diagnostic imaging organization with a primary focus on PET/CT and oncologic imaging. During his tenure at Trident, Guy also served as Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Sales. In addition, Guy served on the Technical Assessment Committee for Georgia’s Department of Community Health tasked with developing the state’s Certificate of Need Rules for PET/CT scanners and volunteered his services as Chief Financial Officer for the non-profit Outpatient Imaging Coalition.

Guy has been instrumental in developing imaging centers throughout the U.S and his career includes sales management positions with CTI, Siemens, and CYTOGEN. He has served as Director of Nuclear Medicine with a multi-specialty facility and has been published as principal author of peer-reviewed journal articles. He also served as Adjunct Faculty with George Washington University’s Nuclear Medicine Technology program while simultaneously teaching at the US Navy’s Clinical Nuclear Medicine School as Senior Instructor.

Guy received his MBA from Georgia State University and his Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management from Southern Illinois University.

Jenn Misora is a healthcare technology executive with more than 20 years of experience leading customer strategy, service line growth, and operations across the healthcare ecosystem. As Senior Vice President of Customer Success at Turquoise, she is responsible for ensuring customers realize measurable value from the company’s products and for shaping the company’s long-term customer engagement strategy.

Turquoise is building the operating system for healthcare contracts and payments, connecting pricing data, contract intelligence, and revenue cycle workflows in one unified system so providers, payers, employers, and life sciences organizations can move from administrative complexity to clear, actionable transactions. As a member of the Turquoise executive team, Jenn works closely with leadership stakeholders across the industry to help organizations move beyond regulatory compliance toward the strategic use of transparency data to inform contracting strategy, benchmarking, and market positioning.

Jenn previously held leadership roles at companies such as HCA Healthcare and Healthgrades, where she led initiatives spanning service line strategy, consumer research, patient experience, and growth operations. Her experience across provider systems and digital health platforms gives her a broad perspective on the evolving dynamics between providers, payers, and health technology organizations.

Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Jenn is a lead volunteer with her local municipal animal shelter, where she fosters kittens and helps educate families and volunteers caring for vulnerable animals.

Jeff Mortier brings over a decade of public policy expertise in the healthcare, energy, telecommunications, privacy, and data security arenas and is widely regarded as a trusted voice on Capitol Hill.

Jeff has extensive experience in providing strategic advice and lobbying and policy expertise to executives of fortune 500 companies, industry associations, and non-profit organizations.

Jeff also serves as the Executive Director of the 21st Century Privacy Coalition, where he represents major telecommunications and cable companies.

Prior to co-founding Farragut Partners, Jeff served as a Professional Staff Member on the House Energy & Commerce Committee under Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). In that role, he helped organize the committee’s policy agenda and promoted the Chairman’s legislative priorities including work on online privacy and data security issues. He also served as a liaison to Republican Member offices on the committee and worked directly with Members and senior staff to help them further their policy goals.

Before serving on the Energy & Commerce Committee, Jeff spent five years working with senior Member of Congress Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) where he handled the Congressman’s most important legislative priorities, including health care policy, and served as Rep. Whitfield’s top policy advisor. During his time with Rep. Whitfield, Jeff worked on a number of significant bills including the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 and the Food Safety and Modernization Act.

Working with his founding partners, Jeff MacKinnon and Joe Vasapoli, Jeff has built Farragut Partners into a premier DC lobbying firm. A Louisiana native, Jeff resides in Washington, DC with his wife Nicole.

Shelly oversees Cencora’s federal government relations function by the strategic development and implementation of federal advocacy strategy and activities to support business objectives of the company.  Shelly represents Cencora at industry and political events, industry briefings, trade association and coalition meetings.  She also leads the company’s engagement with federal government officials and influencers.  Furthermore, she leads the federal advocacy center of excellence and closely collaborate with public policy and state government affairs colleagues to ensure a unified federal advocacy approach.

Prior to joining Cencora, she was at Novartis and BIO leading tax policy for over 15 years.  Shelly is a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, Syracuse University College of Law and Georgetown University College of Law. 

Meagan O’Neill serves as Executive Director of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC), a national organization advancing advocacy, education, and operational excellence across the multidisciplinary cancer care community. An oncology advocacy leader and former healthcare business consultant, she brings more than 15 years of experience supporting hospital systems and cancer programs nationwide. In her role, Meagan collaborates with oncology leaders, policymakers, and industry partners to strengthen cancer care delivery across community-based and academic settings, informed by both her professional background and personal experience as a cancer caregiver.

Rebekah Ormond is the Director of Volunteer Programs at Clearview Cancer Institute, where she has overseen all Volunteer Programs since 2021. The Volunteer Programs at Clearview Cancer Institute offer a wide range of patient and caregiver support through their Hospitality Volunteers, Ambassador of Hope, Clerical Volunteers, Hooks for Hope, Musicians with a Mission, Confidence with a Clear View, Peer-to-Peer, and Patient Family Advisory Council serving all twelve cancer sites in North Alabama.  Her passion is to connect with others and help her community gain access to compassionate, individualized care, while receiving encouragement and support throughout treatment.

When she is not working, you can find her exploring the North Alabama area with her husband and three young children!

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 driving digital healthcare tool adoption in clinical practice to improve the patient journey. 

She is the managing partner for the central Texas, Gulf, and Rio Grande Valley regions in Texas Oncology since 2023.

 Dr. Patt is the medical director for public policy for The US Oncology Network and has testified before the US Congress and Senate to protect access to care for cancer patients. She has chaired the council on legislation and the cancer committee for the Texas Medical Association. 

Dr. Patt serves as the current vice president of the Community Oncology Alliance and on the ASCO Board of Directors. She also chairs the Artificial Intelligence Task Force for ASCO and is the liaison for the clinical innovation committee. 

She lectures medical students and is a professor at Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin.

Allison B. Pearson, JD, MPH, is a Senior Health Policy Specialist at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), where she analyzes and advances federal and state policies impacting cancer care delivery, access, and clinical research. A regulatory policy expert with over 15 years of experience, she has spent her career navigating the complexities of pharmaceuticals, Medicaid managed care, and health tech to improve patient access. Prior to joining ASCO, she served as Director of Global Regulatory Policy at Flatiron Health and held regulatory policy roles at Eli Lilly and Company and Indiana Medicaid. Allison has led policy initiatives on drug pricing, real-world evidence, decentralized clinical trials, digital health, and health equity, and regularly engages with federal agencies, and stakeholder coalitions to help shape evidence-based oncology policy. She is also a published author in Health Affairs on Medicare drug price negotiation in oncology. 

She holds a JD from Indiana University McKinney School of Law and an MPH from Florida A&M University. Allison resides in Indianapolis with her husband and three children.

Dr. Julio A. Peguero is a distinguished oncologist with an impressive track record in cancer research and treatment. As the Medical Director of Research at Oncology Consultants in Houston, Texas, he stands at the forefront of innovative developments in the field. Beyond his clinic work, Dr. Peguero maintains affiliations with several Houston-area hospitals, including the Memorial Hermann Health System Hospitals. His expertise and leadership make him an asset to both patients and colleagues in the medical community.

Dr. Julio A. Peguero began his academic journey at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico, where he earned his medical degree. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Dell Medical School. Furthering his training, he served as the Chief Fellow at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston where he completed his fellowship in Medical Oncology in 2013 in a combined program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with exposure in Breast Medical Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant and Phase I training. 

During his fellowship, he also participated in an externship with Dr. Luis T. Campos, President of Oncology Consultants where he cultivated his passion for early phase research, moved to Houston and participated in collaborations with the MD Anderson’s Phase I department. 

Dr. Peguero holds board certifications in both medical oncology and internal medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine.

In July 2013, Dr. Peguero joined Oncology Consultants, the largest private practice for cancer care in Houston, Texas. He was appointed as the Director of Research, where he spearheaded a competitive clinical research program that gained credibility with pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and other organizations within the oncology healthcare industry.

Dr. Peguero has been a principal investigator in over 200 clinical trials including first-in-human designed. His research contributions have been presented and published at prestigious conferences such as ASCO, ESMO, ASH, AACR, STIC and TxSCO. His work has appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, The Lancet Oncology, and Blood. 

As an early adopter of next-generation sequencing (NGS), Dr. Peguero recognizes its transformative impact on biological sciences. The capacity for massive parallel sequencing offered by NGS opens new avenues for personalized precision medicine.

In addition to his work in Houston, Dr. Peguero is the owner and founder of Zogen, which is the largest distributor bringing innovative next-generation sequencing tests to Mexico and owner of Oncología Consultores en Oncología in Guadalajara, Mexico, which includes a clinical and data research program, recently adding clinics in Queretaro and Tijuana, Mexico.

His professional affiliations include membership in various medical associations, such as the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Harris County Medical Society, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Texas Society of Medical Oncology, and the American Society of Hematology, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Who’s Who in America.

Additionally, Dr. Julio Peguero serves as President and Executive Chairman of P1 Pratia Oncology, a U.S.-based, community-focused early-phase oncology clinical research network. P1 Pratia Oncology operates within Pratia, a global clinical research organization dedicated to early-phase drug development, and is part of the Humaneva Group. Together, they support an integrated early-phase oncology research ecosystem connecting North America and Europe.

As an oncologist, Dr. Peguero specializes in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. He leads a cancer treatment team comprising various healthcare professionals, coordinates treatment plans, and prescribes various types of treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy and clinical research.  His commitment extends to mentoring and training International Medical Graduates (IMGs), offering them valuable hands-on experience in U.S. healthcare as the Director of the Oncology Consultants Academic Program.

Dr. Peguero’s dedication and expertise have earned him recognition from his peers at national and international levels and was recently appointed to the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) Steering Group at ASCO.

Christine Pfaff, MBA, RPh, is the Director of Clinical Initiatives at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). As director of clinical initiatives, she uses her background in community oncology clinic and pharmacy operations to support independent practices that are navigating an increasingly complex health care landscape. She guides COA’s industry-leading peer-to-peer network for medically integrated pharmacy teams in independent community oncology and urology practices across the country, the Community Oncology Pharmacy Association (COPA). In addition, Christine supports COA’s work on payment reform, educational initiatives, and employer engagement through the National Cancer Treatment Alliance (NCTA).

Prior to joining COA, Christine practiced as a licensed pharmacist and health care executive for over 15 years, leading community oncology operations and pharmacy services across a multi-state region. In her previous role as Senior Regional Director of Operations for the American Oncology Network, she oversaw clinical and business operations across Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.

Christine’s career spans leadership roles in clinical pharmacy, practice operations, and strategic development, with a strong track record in expanding services, enhancing patient outcomes through value-based care programs, and spearheading cross-functional collaboration. Her expertise includes pharmaceutical contracting, budget management, referral development, and compliance with USP and NCCN standards.

A respected voice in oncology care innovation, Christine serves on the Ohio Board of Pharmacy and the Pharmacy Times Oncology Editorial Board. She previously was a member of the COPA board. She holds an MBA from Franklin University and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from The Ohio State University. Christine currently resides in Columbus, Ohio.

Alti Rahman is the Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer at American Oncology Network. He holds a dual Masters degree in Business and Healthcare Administration and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt. 

His career in healthcare started as a mental health case worker. Those powerful experiences shaped his pursuit of a career in healthcare administration where he felt there was a tremendous gap in medical interventions and pursuit of public health goals.

Prior to joining AON, Alti spent 15 years at Oncology Consultants, a successful community oncology practice in Houston, TX, pursuing value-based care and continuous innovations around operational, cost and quality improvements. 

Alti holds additional supplementary roles including: Board Member of COA (Community Oncology Alliance) and Chair of the Patient Centered Innovation Committee for COA.

Alti believes that the future of healthcare involves a multidisciplinary and unapologetically collaborative approach keeping the patient at the center of all decisions. 

Brian Reid has nearly three decades of experience in health care journalism, public affairs and public relations with a specialty in explaining the economics of the health care system. 

He is the founder of Reid Strategic, a communications consultancy and a senior fellow at the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health (CEVR) at Tufts Medical Center.

Brian also publishes the daily Cost Curve newsletter on pharma pricing and policy.

He is a graduate of Emory University and the Columbia University School of Journalism. 

Justin Rousek serves as Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Partners of Nebraska, where he oversees overall management, operations, and financial strategy. He works closely with physicians and leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centered cancer care and to strengthen the sustainability of independent community oncology.

Prior to joining Cancer Partners, Justin held a healthcare leadership role within a large hospital system, where he focused on improving healthcare delivery, operational performance, and system-wide efficiencies. He is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB) and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Justin earned his PhD in Biomedical Engineering and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, as well as a Master of Public Health in Healthcare Administration from the University of Nebraska Medical Center. His technical and healthcare leadership background has helped position Cancer Partners as one of the most comprehensive community oncology practices in the region.

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 60 providers & 400+ employees at 20 facilities in the DFW area.  The Center offers medical oncology, radiation oncology, hematology, gynecologic oncology, breast oncology surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, integrative medicine, palliative care, imaging, laboratory services and retail pharmacy.

Barry is a current board member of COA and Advisory Board of Cancer Care Business Exchange (CBEX) and current member of ACCC, ASCO and TXMGMA.

Barry has an MBA from the University of Dallas and resides in Southlake, Texas.

As Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at Cancer Support Community, she leads and advances initiatives that ensure that patients, caregivers, and survivors impacted by cancer shape policymaking. Prior to joining CSC, Daneen was the staff lead for the MultiCancer Early Detection (MCED) Consortium’s Health Equity Workgroup and led the Policy and Advocacy team for the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness, where she provided strategic direction and policy analysis on issues including mental health, caregivers, and social connection. She also served as Director of Health Care Reform Policy at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, where her efforts led to patients receiving in every health insurance plan’s Summary of Benefits & Coverage the details of what services are covered and how many are covered. In addition, Daneen advocated for the availability of language assistance services and/or auxiliary aids and services for limited English proficiency individuals and individuals with disabilities. 

Dr. Gary Simmons received his medical degree from University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine, completed his residency in Internal Medicine as well as his subspeciality training in Hematology/Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia. His clinical interest includes malignant hematology (leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma), stem cell transplant, CAR T-cell, and cellular therapies to treat malignancies. 

During his residency and fellowship, he won numerous awards including the Nationally recognized Arnold P. Gold Humanism and Excellence in Teaching in 2011 and again 2013. He was named Resident of the year in 2012 and won excellence in Teaching in 2013. During residency and fellowship, he received numerous awards for excellence in scholarship and during his fellowship he was selected as chief fellow. 

He joined the Massey Cancer Center Stem Cell Transplant Program at VCU in 2016 and during this time he continued to receive awards for excellence in Teaching and served as a researcher, administrator and clinician in the cellular immunotherapies and transplant department. He was promoted to medical director of the ambulatory clinics in cellular therapy in 2020 and helped establish new care delivery models that improved patient safety in quality outcomes in the program. In 2022, he was promoted to associate professor.  

He is well known for being a leader in the development and excellence of CAR T-cell treatments and program building. He serves as the Medical Director for McKesson Cell and Gene Therapy program and has been instrumental in bringing CAR T cells to the community in Hampton Roads. VOA is one of the first stand-alone community CAR T cell programs in the country under his leadership performing all CAR T Cells in the clinic along with several other cellular therapies to treat cancer. 

Dr. Simmons as a leader in CAR T-cell research served as a principal investigator on many cellular therapy trials and has an extensive publication record of abstracts and papers and has presented his work at American Society of Transplant Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and American Society of Hematology (2019, 2020). 

He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and oncology and is an active member of American Society of Hematology (ASH), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and American Society of Transplant Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). 

Dr. Simmons has seen the transformational opportunity of cellular therapy and is passionate about access to this therapy for all that need it. He also has a master’s in health care administration (MSHA) at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) which he uses to better the lives of patients with cancer focusing on therapy delivery, safety, and quality outcomes.   

In his spare time, he enjoys being a father to his five children and running ultra-marathons. He has completed several 100-mile runs and once ran 100 miles on a treadmill in 27 hours. 

Living with stage IV metastatic breast cancer, I am a survivor and CPAN advocate committed to service, education, and faith in action.  As a Master of Social Work Candidate I also hold a bachelor’s degree in Community and Human Services and an associate degree in Executive Administration. I work full time as a Community Health Worker and volunteer as Co-Chair of the Patient Experience Committee at HOA of CNY, ensuring patients and caregivers are represented in improving care delivery. I travel to our nation’s Capitol to share my story with lawmakers to support patients in cancer care centers. I am the facilitator of The Sabbath Retreat™, a women’s empowerment event centered on faith, healing, and growth. I have lost my father, mother, grandmother, sister, and brother to cancer, though I do not carry the gene. Married 33 years, I am a mother of four and grandmother of ten. I am also an inspirational writer, and co-author of the BIPOC story, Forever I Do: A Battle Worth Winning. 

Megan Underwood, PharmD, BCOP, serves as Director of Pharmacy at Illinois CancerCare in Peoria, Illinois, where she leads oncology pharmacy services across multiple clinic sites. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Southern Illinois University in 2019 and has since focused her career on advancing clinical excellence and operational innovation in oncology pharmacy practice.

Megan specializes in optimizing medication utilization, implementing biosimilar and cost-effective treatment strategies, and aligning pharmacy services with value-based oncology care. She has led numerous initiatives to enhance workflow efficiency, strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration, and improve access to high-quality treatment for patients with cancer.

A dedicated leader and advocate for the evolving role of pharmacy in oncology, Megan is passionate about developing high-performing teams and advancing patient-centered cancer care.

Mark has spent 10 years in healthcare services, focused on scaling organizations that provide an alternative to high-cost health systems. At Vantris, he focuses on building products that enable employers to partner with community practices that deliver high-quality care to patients in a more convenient setting at significantly lower cost than the consolidated hospital systems. In addition to Vantris, Mark is the Director of Development at Astera Cancer Care in New Jersey.

Prior to Vantris, Mark led operational and growth teams across outpatient radiology, musculoskeletal care, and specialty veterinary medicine.

Mark holds a BA from Vanderbilt University.

Christine Verini is the Chief Executive Officer of CancerCare, a national nonprofit organization providing free professional support services to people affected by cancer. With more than 25 years of oncology and healthcare leadership experience, Ms. Verini brings strategic vision and expertise to the 80+ year-old organization. 

Ms. Verini transitioned to CancerCare's senior leadership team in 2015 before becoming CEO in 2023. In her leadership roles, she has expanded CancerCare’s programs and strengthened partnerships to improve access to care.

She previously held the position of Vice President of Corporate Communications and Advocacy at Eisai and accumulated extensive experience in marketing and medical roles at Sanofi. Additionally, she has served as Co-Chair of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance’s Awareness Task Force and has undertaken leadership roles with HealthyWomen.

Ms. Verini's leadership has been widely recognized, including being named one of Cancer Health Magazine’s 25: People Who Power Clinical Trials and PharmaVOICE’s 100 Most Inspiring People. These recognitions reflect her impact as a nonprofit leader advancing innovative solutions, compassionate care, and collaborative approaches for the cancer community.

Harsha Vyas, MD, FACP is the President and Founding Physician of Cancer Center of Middle Georgia, an independent community oncology practice providing comprehensive hematology and oncology care across rural Central Georgia. His mission is to ensure that high-quality, compassionate, and affordable cancer care remains accessible close to home for underserved rural populations.

Dr. Vyas completed his Hematology and Medical Oncology fellowship at the Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He completed his Internal Medicine residency at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center at East Tennessee State University, where he served as Chief Medical Resident. He earned his medical degree from Kasturba Medical College in Manipal, India. He is board certified in Hematology and Medical Oncology.

A nationally recognized advocate for community oncology, particularly rural cancer care, Dr. Vyas serves as National CPAN Co-Medical Director for the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and was named an Advocacy Champion by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for advancing rural healthcare policy. He regularly engages state and federal lawmakers on issues affecting independent oncology practices and patient access to care.

Dr. Vyas is published in peer-reviewed journals and actively involved in clinical research. He established the clinical research division at Cancer Center of Middle Georgia, expanding access to emerging therapies for underserved and underrepresented rural patients. He also lectures widely on cancer awareness and serves on advisory panels focused on community-based oncology care.

In 2022, he founded Athena Oncology, LLC, a multi-state network of 32 independent community oncology practices designed to strengthen purchasing power, leverage data analytics, and advance sustainable aggregation models that preserve physician-led care and practice autonomy. He currently serves as CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of Athena Oncology.

He also founded the Cancer Foundation of Middle Georgia, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting indigent cancer patients in his region.

Dr. Vyas lives in Dublin, Georgia, with his family and remains deeply committed to strengthening community-based cancer care nationwide.

Dr. Wade is a proud Virginian, and proud to be a board-certified oncologist with the Virginia Cancer Institute. He advocates our unique mix of cutting-edge research and compassionate care that make VCI a celebrated institution 
in Central Virginia. His clinical and research interests are pancreatic, lung and colon malignancies.

Dr. Wade is a Richmond native and received his medical training entirely in and around the Central Virginia area. Beginning with a BA from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA in 1995, he returned to Richmond to earn his MD from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in 2001. He then remained at VCU Medical Center to complete both a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in hematology/oncology. He is board-certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and is a member of the Medical Society of Virginia, the Richmond Academy of Medicine and the American Association of Clinical Oncology. He has been a physician with the Virginia Cancer Institute since 2007. He sees patients at our Mechanicsville location.

Outside the office, Dr. Wade enjoys spending time with his family at their Richmond home. Staying in shape is important to him. You’re likely to find him rooting for his alma mater—UVA—courtside, at the stadium or on television. He’d like to assure his Hokie-fan patients that there are no teams when it comes to cancer treatment. He treats all his patients like family—even Virginia Tech fans.

Dr. Wade’s Patient Care Philosophy:

“It makes me proud that the Virginia Cancer Institute can offer our patients state-of-the-art, cutting-edge, new treatment and still treat every patient like a family member.”

EDUCATION

•BA, 1995, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

•MD, 2001, VCU School of Medicine, Richmond, VA

RESIDENCY

•Internal Medicine, VCU Medical Center, Richmond, VA, 2001—2004

FELLOWSHIP

•Hematology/Oncology, VCU Medical Center, Richmond, VA, 2005—2007

BOARD CERTIFICATIONS

•Virginia Board of Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine, and ABIM Medical Oncology

Sarah Walter has spent the last 20 years working on a variety of issues across the health care spectrum.

From 1994 to 2003, Ms. Walter worked in the Washington office of United States Senator John Breaux (D-LA). Ms. Walter handled a broad range of issues, with a focus on health care policy, while serving as the Senator’s Legislative Director and Chief Counsel beginning in 1999.

In her role as Chief Counsel, Ms. Walter advised Senator Breaux in his capacity as Chief Deputy Whip and as a member of three influential Senate committees (Finance; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Rules). She served as Senator Breaux’s principal advisor in his role as the Chairman of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare and played a key role in the passage of the landmark Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act of 2003.

Ms. Walter was also involved in passage of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, the Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999, and the Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000. Ms. Walter advised Senator Breaux on several other critical pieces of legislation including the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act of 2001, the Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2002, and the Homeland Security Act of 2002.

As the key Democratic staffer for the Senate Centrist Coalition, co-chaired by Senator Breaux and Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, Ms. Walter has built a strong network of associates and policymakers on both sides of the political aisle. In 2007, Ms. Walter was named by National Journal as one of the top Democratic health care lobbyists in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Walter joined Senator Breaux’s office after earning her Masters Degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas and working at an Austin-based public affairs firm, Public Strategies, Inc. She worked in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office for a year and a half before becoming projects correspondent in Senator Breaux’s D.C. office in 1994. In 1999, she earned her J.D. with honors from the George Washington University School of Law while working for Senator Breaux.

Ms. Walter joined the firm as a Partner in 2016. She received a B.A. in Communications from Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida. She lives in McLean, Virginia with her husband and three children.

Dr. Wilfong is Senior Vice President of Value-Based Care at Thyme Care, the leading value-based care enabler, collaborating with payers and providers to transform the experience and outcomes for individuals living with cancer. He is also a practicing medical oncologist/hematologist, at Texas Oncology in Dallas, Texas. Prior to his role at Thyme Care, he served as Senior Vice President of Payer and Care Transformation at The US Oncology Network and as Vice President of Value-Based Care and Quality programs at Texas Oncology.   

A committed advocate for community oncology, Dr. Wilfong’s mission is to transform cancer care to deliver better outcomes by aligning patient goals and values with treatment options and payment models. In his role at Thyme Care, he is helping define the future of value-based care payment reform, improving care-team coordination, optimizing actionable analytics and improving the quality of patient care. 

While at The US Oncology Network, Dr. Wilfong was instrumental in implementing both the Oncology Care Model and the Enhancing Oncology Model while driving performance in multiple commercial value-based care contracts. He previously led the Value-Based Physician Champion task force for The US Oncology Network and chaired the US Oncology Pathways Task Force. Dr. Wilfong currently co-chairs the Community Oncology Alliance Payer Reform Committee and serves on the ASCO drug shortages committee. He formerly volunteered on the ASCO quality measures task force and the ASCO guidelines committee.  While at Texas Oncology, Dr. Wilfong served as medical director of the COVID-19 Task Force and was the physician lead for their electronic medical record conversion. He has received various teaching and community service awards and has published over 50 papers and abstracts.

In 2003, Dr. Wilfong completed a fellowship at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas in hematology and medical oncology. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the same school in 2000, as well as earned his M.D. from there in 1997. He earned a B.S. degree in mathematics at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, in 1993.

Glenn joined RMCC in 2014 with over 25 years of experience in oncology practice operations and management. He is involved at local, state, and national levels in regards to presenting his knowledge and insight at industry meetings, as well as working with congressional representatives on cancer-related issues. His commitment to making cancer care better at RMCC is demonstrated through his ability to identify, and find solutions to, complex problems. He believes that everyone is an important part of the team at RMCC, and each team member has an equally important role in helping patients through their healthcare journey. Outside of work, he enjoys running, cycling, and skiing and is very proud of the accomplishments of his wife and his two adult children.

Johnetta Blakely is a medical oncologist and hematologist practicing at Tennessee Oncology the largest provider of oncology care in Tennessee.  In April 2024, Dr. Blakely was appointed Executive Vice President of Quality and Clinic Operations, where she oversees clinical programs across over 40 sites, focusing on delivering high-quality, innovative, and patient-centered care. In this leadership role, she also spearheads value-based care initiatives and drives quality improvement efforts throughout the practice. 

Dr. Blakely has been a dedicated member of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) for years and serves on its Government Affairs Committee, actively contributing to advocacy efforts that shape oncology care policy. Alongside her executive responsibilities, she has maintained a thriving Hematology-Oncology practice for over two decades, with a clinical focus on breast and lung cancers.

She earned her medical degree from the University of Tennessee in Memphis, completed her Internal Medicine residency at the University of Texas in Houston, and pursued a fellowship in Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Blakely also holds a Master of Science in Clinical Research from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and a Master of Management in Healthcare from Vanderbilt University.

Dr. Chasky is a physician specializing in Hematology and Medical Oncology. He is a partner at the largest community oncology practice in the greater Philadelphia area and serves on the Board of Directors. He completed a fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center in 2008. He is board certified in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology. Dr. Chasky is the Chair of the Clinical Practice Committee at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the current president of the Pennsylvania Society of Oncology and Hematology. He serves on the Board of Directors of Community Oncology Alliance. Previously, Dr. Chasky served as president of Lower Merion Synagogue in his community from 2020 through 2022.

Dr. Richard McDonough is a board-certified oncologist and hematologist with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, where he practices near Tampa, Florida. He earned his medical degree from the University of Miami and completed his residency in internal medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital. He went on to complete a fellowship in hematology and oncology at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

With a strong background in clinical research, Dr. McDonough has authored several book chapters, published in numerous peer-reviewed journals, and presented his work at prominent national and international medical meetings.

As Director of Legislative Affairs and Advocacy for Florida Cancer Specialists, Dr. McDonough has become a leading advocate for cancer patients and community oncology. He works tirelessly to ensure that all patients have access to high-quality, affordable cancer care. He previously served as President of the Florida Society of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO) from 2017 to 2019 and as Treasurer from 2014 to 2017.

At the national level, Dr. McDonough actively engages in shaping oncology policy through his work with the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). He serves on multiple COA committees, including as Co-Chair of the Drug Policy Committee. He regularly engages with members of Congress, federal agencies, and industry partners to advance policies that support community oncology practices and protect patient access to care.

Over the past several years, Dr. McDonough has represented his group and colleagues at both the state and national levels, participating in advocacy meetings, legislative summits, and policy retreats. His leadership extends through his service as Chair of the FLASCO Fellows Committee and Nominating Committee and as a member of the FLASCO Executive Committee.

Through his ongoing advocacy and leadership, Dr. McDonough remains deeply committed to strengthening the future of community oncology and the health policy landscape that supports it.

Outside of his professional responsibilities, Dr. McDonough is married and the proud father of three children. He enjoys traveling and is an avid fan of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Gator basketball.

Kathy is a board member of the Community Oncology Alliance, co-chairs the Drug Policy and Regulatory Affairs committee, and serves on their Government Affairs committee. She also serves on the Strategic Advisory Committee and Leadership Council for Flatiron Health and is on the Executive Board for Athena Oncology. Kathy is also a co-chair of the Association of Value-Based Cancer Care and the NCODA Oncology Institute. She is the Associate Editor of Evidence-Based Oncology. Kathy is also a member of ACCC and serves on their Oral Oncolytics Advisory and Government Affairs committees. Additionally, Kathy serves on the editorial boards for The Center for Biosimilars and the Journal of Evidence-Based Managed Care.

Dr. Emily Touloukian is a medical oncologist and hematologist practicing at Coastal Cancer Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. A native of Bloomington, Indiana; she received her undergraduate degree from Pepperdine University and her medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine. She completed her Internship and Residency at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois and subsequently her Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan. Dr. Touloukian is Board Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in Medical Oncology, Hematology and Internal Medicine.

In addition to serving as President and CEO of her practice, she is a past President of the South Carolina Oncology Society and the immediate past President of the Medical Society of Horry County. Dr Touloukian is on the Board of Directors on the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and is the medical co-chair for the COA Patient Advocacy Network. She is on the Board of Directors of OneOncology where she is active in the leadership of the organization. Additionally, she is the immediate past Chair of the ASCO State Affiliate Council and serves as the President of the Board of Directors of the Carolina Cancer Foundation.