Career Journey

Since 2010, I have dedicated my life to helping the Jefferson Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center become a force against cancer and achieve Comprehensive status, which was realized in 2023.  With some great leaders behind me, I succeeded in my time there (they will be named later).  I worked my way up from admin assistant to the Medical Oncology Chair Dr Neal Flomenberg (Amazing Leader and friend) for 2 years alongside Dawn Scardino the boss, on to the clinic for the next 5 years as the program manager for the Infusion Center working alogngside Deb Smyth, Andy Curran and Janene Palidora .  I loved the clinic, interacting daily with the patients and nurses I was truly blessed,  in a tough environment I learned to become an empathetic caring leader and a better person.  Then I took a contract position with a company to get international experience, which really opened my eyes to international healthcare.  When that was complete, I returned to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (SKCC) on the research side as an Executive to the Cancer Center Chair, who will remain nameless for several reasons (so many priceless unbelievable stories, including being threatened at gunpoint in the office).  When in January of 2016 my life changed with the appointment of Dr Karen Knudsen (my mentor) as SKCC Director under a revolutionary Hospital CEO Dr Stephen Klasko, and his Chief of Staff John Ekarius that's when the turnaround started so I will begin my journey there.    

Highlights

2016– 2020

  • 2016 Appointed Assistant Director of the SKCC Research Division by Dr Karen Knudsen
  • Oversaw SKCC annual strategic research retreats 2016-2024 
  • 2016 Elected to the Public Affairs and Marketing Network National Steering Committee, now called CMCA (About CMCA | Leading the Future of Cancer Marcom)
  • 2016 Partnering with the Philanthropy team of Johnathon Agree, Emma Laverty, Drew Flanagan, we raised a record 20M (non-Kimmel gift years) to help with patient support and cancer research efforts (some of the best people I ever worked with)
  • 2017 Named the Enterprise Associate Director for Administration for the SKCC
  • 2017 Began an intensive Cancer Administrator Training Program in Washington, DC, under Ellen McClaughin and Bev Ginsburg from Huron 
  • Met 2 cancer survivors, Lou Lanza (major advocate) and John Buehler and alongside Dr. K, we formed a bond called the A team.  Lou and John participated with me on important advocacy events I attended, including the Rally for Medical Research with AACR in Washington DC (2016-2024) 
  • 2017 brought iLab to the SKCC to centralize Shared Resource operations for usage, tracking and services  
  • 2017 Completed my MBA
  • 2017 Alongside Dr Knudsen developed the first ever strategic plan for the SKCC called IMPACT
  • 2017 Revamped a failing Clinical Trials office alongside Drs Knudsen and Kelly along with Huron and some other individuals to become a top cancer center clinical trials program nationally (23% of patients went on trial in 2017)
  • Hosted the inaugural Scramble for Research with AACR at Riverwinds Golf Course raised over 100k for Cancer Research 
  • 2017 Submitted my first CCSG with Dr Knudsen we had an 11 point turnaround one of the best in NCI history (Translational Research in Cancer)
  • Working with John Ekarius and Dr Knudsen I helped the SKCC become the 19th ranked cancer center in America by USNWR, we originally got the 9th ranking, but apparently after some centers arguing we dropped to 19 (previous ranking outside the top 50)
  • Continued to build the SKCC research division as we added new sites
  • Took over internal communications/marketing for the SKCC in my new AD Role and established inaugural SKCC Communication Office
  • Traveled and built relationships with Cancer professionals worldwide to build the SKCC brand and put SKCC on the map with Dr Knudsen
  • 2018 Was elected to the West Deptford School Board
  • 2019 Continued to hold strong in USNWR ranking 23, continuing to work with John Ekarius only behind Penn in Philadelphia
  • 2019 Appointed to the American Cancer Society as a National Stakeholder as a grant reviewer
  • 2020 Appointed to the ACS Coaches v Cancer Philadelphia Executive Board
  • 2020 Helped build the first ever SKCC Biorepository alongside Dr Kevin Kelly
  • 2020 Named to the Steering for all Cancer Administrators for the CCAF Cancer Center Administrators Forum now ACCA (About 3 — Association of Cancer Center Administrators)
  • 2020 Helped develop the first Community Outreach and Engagement program with Amy Leader for the SKCC
    • Including the first SKCC mobile screening unit
    • Developed community programs partnering with American Cancer Society around cancer screenings 
  • 2020 Wrote my first funded grant, although it had to be in the Directors name even though I wrote the entire grant ACSIRG 3years 360K
  • 2020 Alongside Dr Knudsen, I helped redefine the SKCC Research Program structure
  • 2020 Hosted the 2nd annual Scramble for Research at Atlantic City Country Club and Oceans Casino, featuring a dinner with David Feherty without AACR this time, and we cleared 75k for SKCC Research. (Feherty was expensive, but worth it)
  • 2020 Without a budget and me leading operational efforts, we were able to hold on to the 29th ranking in the USNWR cancer rankings.  I told leadership we needed to invest and make changes, or we'd drop out of the top 30.  

2021-2025

  • 2021 Earned my Doctoral Degree in business with a focus on psychosocial support for cancer patients during Covid, it was amazingly difficult and the hardest thing I have ever accomplished.  I had an amazing Chair and team to help me with my dissertation Dr. Ruth Norman and Dr Amy Danley.  And an amazing cohort of classmates that became true friends in Dave, Phil, Colleen, Kristi and Amy.  My dissertation was titled "Psychosocial Support Lacks in cancer patients treatment"
  • Developed online training modules and programs for staff and students during Covid for SKCC(some used and adopted nationally)
  •  2021 Jefferson stopped investing in USNWR program and we dropped to 35 so I did my best with no budget, trying to keep us top 30 in the nation
  • 2021 Named VP of the SKCC Research Administration for SKCC Enterprise
  • 2021-2024 Invited to speak and present at several major conferences
    • ACE 
    • AACI (served on the program committee 2022)
    • ASCO (served on a program sub committee 2022)
    • AACR (served on a program sub committee 2022)
    • CCAF (served on a program sub committee 2021-2023)
    • ACCA (served as Program Chair 2024)
    • PAMN (NOW CMCA) (served on the program committee 2016-2024)
    • IOLC
    • SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS AND CENTER TALKS/LECTURE
  • Started my first lab studying Social Determinants of Health and psychosocial support mechanisms in cancer patients
  • Alongside Amy Leader I helped develop the SKCC Community Outreach and Engagement initiatives for SKCC 
  • 2021 participated on my first joint publication Assessing the Coverage of U.S. Cancer Center Primary Catchment Areas
  • Integrated more sites into the SKCC as Jefferson Health continued to expand
  • I created the first SKCC Science Writers Program, which I led, hiring 2 PhD scientists as writers to assist SKCC members in grant and publication submissions
  • Alongside Dr Chris McNair I helped create the Office of Data Science for SKCC
  • Alongside Dr Felix Kim I helped create the Office of Education for SKCC
  • 2021 Dr Klasko and Dr Knudsen both left Jefferson and things started to change institutionally and for the SKCC 
  • 2021 Appointed to the SKCC Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC) 
  • 2021 Helped rebuild and strengthen the SKCC Consortium partnership with Drexel University under John Fry's leadership at Drexel
  • 2021 Helped restructure and create several new SKCC Shared Resources for the next SKCC CCSG Submission 
  • 2021 Invited to deliver a talk at IOLC Conference in Italy
  • 2022 Invited to deliver a talk at IOLC Conference in Vienna
  • 2022 Alongside Huron Consultants and Dr. Andrew Chapman I led the process to update the strategic plan now titled IMPACT 2.0 
  •  Oversaw and developed several key partnerships for the SKCC ; they will always hold a special place in my heart
  • These were already here but I became attached in their communities
  • Alongside Dr Ana Maria Lopez I helped establish the Office of DEI for the SKCC
  • 2022 Appointed to the University of Arizona Cancer Center External Advisory Board
  • 2022 Alongside Dr Amy Leader established the first SKCC Community Advisory Board (CAB)
  • 2022 Alongside Karl Smalley established the OCRA SMART System;  An Office of Cancer Research Administration data hub and tracking system
  • 2022 Had a banner year writing grants, I was awarded
    • ACS SDOH Grant 250K Housing
    • ACS SDOH Grant 125K Transportation
  • 2022 Integrated more sites into the SKCC as the Jefferson SKCC Research division
  • 2022 Submitted 2nd CCSG (2500 page grant) first without Dr Knudsen of which I oversaw the process and led the team administratively including the NCI site to follow in August which led to Comprehensive Status for the SKCC in 2023 (5 year $25.9million grant for the University largest ever received) (Translational Research in Cancer)
  • 2022 Delivered the first ever catchment area report for the SKCC alongside the COE team (2022-catchment-area-report.pdf)
  • 2022 Named President of the West Deptford Free Public Library Board
  • 2023 I led the first ACCA conference in Philadelphia (400 + attendees) as the first ACCA Emeritus President as I helped CCAF become a formal organization now known as the Association of Cancer Center Administrators ACCA
  • (Association of Cancer Center Administrators holds inaugural meeting in Philadelphia - The Cancer Letter) (Instagram)
  • 2023 Alongside Dr Wendy Ross I helped develop the first Neurodiversity in Cancer program/working group
  • 2023 Renewed the following grant Awards 
    • ACS SDOH Grant 250K Housing
    • ACS SDOH Grant 125K Transportation
    • ACS IRG 3 year 400K
  • 2024 Served as an NCI reviewer ad hoc for NCI site visits (in person)
  • Appointed as the SKCC research compliance officer and research integrity representative for the SKCC 
  • May 15 2024 alerted my boss that I was suffering BURNOUT which I later found out was several ministrokes and unfortunately received no support from leadership or my employer and made the decision to resign try an recover.  The stress was unbelievable and the workload never-ending all which I included in my resignation letter. 
  • Couldn't shake the burnout effect, and I suffered a major stroke Dec 8th 2024. LEADERSHIP MATTERS is all I can say legally
  • 2025 Joined the Patient Action for Cancer Research Board (PACR), serving as the treasurer (12) Patient Action for Cancer Research: Posts | LinkedIn
  • 2025 Got offered my first book deal to tell my story (private confidential details pending)
  • 2025 Opened back up my consulting firm, Fairway Strategies LLC, part-time and doing some freelance consulting for companies:

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