About speaker

Dr. Atkins earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Hampton University, Hampton, VA and her Doctor of Medicine from Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA. She completed her Residency in Internal Medicine (1993) and her Fellowship in Hematology/Oncology (1996) at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX. While serving in the Army, she attained the rank of Major. Dr. Atkins worked at Texas Oncology for two years prior to moving to Augusta, GA. She joined, Augusta Oncology, the only privately-owned Oncology practice in the Augusta, GA area in 2000. She is board certified in Medical Oncology.

Dr. Atkins is the Associate Medical Director for Pruitt Hospice, Assistant Clinical Professor for the American University of Antigua and the University of Medicine and Health Sciences in St. Kitts. She holds leadership positions at the hospitals in Augusta, GA. Dr. Atkins is the Vice President of the Medical Executive Committee at University Hospital and the former chairperson of the Credentials Committee for University HealthLink. She is a member of the Cancer Committee at Doctors Hospital and University Hospital.

Dr. Atkins has been an active member of the Community Oncology Alliance since its inception. She is currently the CPAN Medical Co-chair and the Secretary of the organization.

In her spare time, Dr. Atkins enjoys traveling and competitive Ballroom Dancing.

About speaker

A 30-year communications industry veteran, Aaron is a go-to health and science media relations strategist who has lived and breathed healthcare PR for close to 15 years. Aaron is valued for his contacts, and his ability to turn complex information into media coverage for a wide range of clients across the healthcare industry.

What gets Aaron up in the morning is turning creative ideas into agenda-setting media coverage for clients such as the Community Oncology Alliance; the American Board of Internal Medicine and The Optical Society’s journal Optica.

Aaron has extensive experience in the mental health and addictions world with Zero to Three’s HealthySteps, the National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council for Mental Wellbeing) and the American Psychological Association; notable work for the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology; Lilly Diabetes; The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care; the Premier healthcare alliance; and the Harvard doctor and author Angelo Volandes.

Aaron’s clients benefit from his extensive network of health media contacts at leading broadcast, print and native digital outlets. Aaron refreshes his contacts constantly in his regular duties, as a member of the National Press Club and as an attendee of the annual Association of Health Care Journalists conference.

Aaron’s work has garnered six awards from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). As a member of the Professional Development Committee for the 1400-member PRSA—National Capital Chapter, Aaron regularly hosted media relations and social media workshops for Washington-area communicators.

After graduating from Towson State University, Aaron launched a successful business, freelancing radio stories for CBS Radio, Monitorradio and many others from Capitol Hill, The White House and the US Supreme Court.

He covered the Persian Gulf and Kosovo wars, the impeachment trial of President Clinton, and the 1994-1995 Major League Baseball strike.

About speaker

Drew Lovejoy is the Senior Communications Manager at the Community Oncology Alliance. With a background in health policy, Mr. Lovejoy supports all of COA’s communications activities, including media relations, member news, social media, and advocacy outreach.

Prior to joining COA, Mr. Lovejoy worked at the National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council for Mental Wellbeing), a national advocacy organization for behavioral health providers, and Finn Partners, an international public affairs firm. He received a Master’s in Public Relations from Syracuse University, and a B.A. in English and B.A. in Sociology from West Virginia University.

About speaker

Ricky Newton, CPA has over 23 years of experience in the health care industry. As a Chief Financial and Operating Officer, he provides guidance and support for COA practices in the critical areas of administration, purchasing, billing, and practice management. The ability to benchmark operations and finances is a critical part of the payment reform models proposed by COA and which many practices are adopting.

Ricky is the Director of Cancer Specialists of Tidewater, Ltd (CST). Prior to joining the practice he was a CPA with the public accounting firm of Failes & Associates, where he spent many years helping physicians negotiate compensation contracts, benchmarking financial data, and using that data to help practices become more efficient.

Mr. Newton also created the AnalyzeIt software that breaks down costs from a practice’s income statement into the costs per CPT code. This allows practices to look at the cost of treating patients in various regimens verses what would be reimbursed for all services including the drugs, labs, and services.

Ricky has presented and consulted at over 350 conferences and practices in 46 states on topics such as financial and practice management issues in medical practices, contracting with insurers, pharmacy management including managing pharmaceutical contracts, and compensation models. His audiences have included physicians, administrators, clinical and administrative staff, and pharmaceutical executives.

Currently, Ricky serves as Treasurer of the Virginia Association of Hematology and Oncology Managers (VAHOM), Virginia Association of Hematologists and Oncologists (VAHO), Southeastern Coalition of Oncology Practitioner (SCOOP) and Community Oncology Alliance (COA).

Ricky graduated with honors in 1990 from Old Dominion University with majors in Accounting and Finance.

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About speaker

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 Master’s 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.

About speaker

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.

About speaker

Nicolas Ferreyros is Director of Communications at the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), the only national organization dedicated solely to preserving and protecting local, affordable, and accessible cancer care. He is responsible for all internal and external communications at COA, including media relations, policy communications, and digital strategy.

A seasoned advocacy and communications strategist with more than 15 years of experience in health care, Nick specializes in developing successful campaigns to address complex issues. He has a deep understanding of the people and processes that affect America’s health care system and has a knack for translating the “wonkery” of health policy into language and concepts that resonate with policymakers, providers, patients, and voters.

Nick has engaged in nearly every major recent health policy issue before Congress and regulatory agencies, including the Affordable Care Act, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, Medicare reimbursement policy, and more. He has worked closely with policymakers on Capitol Hill, the White House, the Department of Health & Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, and National Institutes of Health. Nick’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CBS Evening News, National Public Radio, and other leading national news outlets.

Prior to joining COA, Nick was a Managing Supervisor at GYMR Public Relations, a boutique Washington, DC communications firm specializing in health care, science, and social issues. While there, he oversaw high-profile, award-winning campaigns for clients including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Board of Internal Medicine, Consumer Reports, and numerous federal agencies.

A native of Houston, Texas, Nick earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. He currently resides in New York City.

About speaker

As a nonprofit executive, thought leader, and author, Kim Thiboldeaux continues to make her mark on the global stage by ensuring that the patient’s voice is at the center of every conversation about cancer.

As CEO of CSC, Thiboldeaux leads a global nonprofit network that operates at 175 locations, including CSC and Gilda’s Club centers, and in multiple hospitals and cancer clinics. Combined with a toll-free Helpline, educational materials, and digital platforms, this network of professionally-led services provides more than $50 million each year in free support and navigation services to patients and families.

In 2019, Dr. Francis S. Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, appointed Thiboldeaux to the Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee. This panel is focused on providing advice and serving as a transparent forum for discussion of the scientific, safety, and ethical issues associated with emerging biotechnologies.

In June 2017, former Vice President Joe Biden appointed Thiboldeaux to serve on the Biden Cancer Initiative’s (BCI) Board of Directors. Thiboldeaux’s service on BCI’s board facilitated CSC’s ground-breaking partnership with Airbnb. To date, as a result of grants from Airbnb’s Open Homes Initiative, CSC has secured free housing valued at nearly two million dollars for thousands of individuals in financial need who must travel for cancer treatment.

As part of Thiboldeaux’s commitment to reach underserved communities, in May 2019, she joined Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, Dr. Jill Biden, and leaders of the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corporation in Arizona to mark the opening of the first-ever full-time cancer care and support center on an American Indian Reservation. After securing a generous gift from the Barbara Bradley Baekgaard Family Foundation, Thiboldeaux helped convene key Navajo Nation leaders, private sector supporters, and other officials to establish this culturally-adapted program located in an area larger than the state of West Virginia.

Recently, Stand Up To Cancer appointed Thiboldeaux to its Health Equity Breakthrough Research Team, focusing on cancers affecting underrepresented populations. In 2019, the International Psycho-Oncology Society presented her with its President’s Community Award for Distinguished Contributions at its global Congress in Canada.

Thiboldeaux’s insights are highly sought after, with interviews including the Wall Street Journal, PBS, Philadelphia Inquirer, WebMD, and speaking engagements, including a TEDx Talk and White House convenings. She is the author of Reclaiming Your Life After Diagnosis. Her writing is featured on Medium and also in the Huffington Post.

A native of Philadelphia, Thiboldeaux grew up in a close-knit family of five children. Two years ago, Thiboldeaux drove her father, a retired Philadelphia city bus driver and lifelong Eagles fan, to Minneapolis where, together, they watched their beloved home team win its first Super Bowl title.

Thiboldeaux graduated from American University with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a minor in Spanish. While at American, Thiboldeaux studied abroad in London and Buenos Aires, experiences that spurred her lifelong zest for travel. She has visited all seven continents, all 50 states, and 50-plus countries around the world, and has no intention of slowing down her exploration of new countries and cultures.

About speaker

Dr. Anthony Scalzo is the president of Hematology Oncology Associates of Central New York. He received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his medical degree from Upstate Medical University. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship training in Hematology and Oncology at Upstate Medical University. His areas of clinical interest include malignancies of the breast, prostate, and colon.

Dr. Scalzo previously served as the Chief of Medicine at Crouse Hospital. During his tenure, he was a member of various committees focusing on clinical quality and research. Dr. Scalzo was also a member of the board of Hospice of Central New York. He is the physician spearheading the development of the local COA Patient Advocacy Program at HOACNY.

About speaker

Barry Russo, MBA, has been with The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, a private community practice based in Fort Worth, Texas, since 2002. Barry has over 25 years of healthcare experience – he has worked in academic and community practices as well as academic and community hospitals. The Center has 30 providers & over 200 employees at 11 facilities in the DFW area. The Center offers medical oncology, radiation oncology, hematology, gynecologic oncology, breast oncology surgery, stereotactic radiosurgery, integrative medicine, imaging, laboratory services and retail pharmacy.

Barry is a current board member of QCCA & Advisory Board for the Cancer Center Business Summit (CCBS) and current member of ACCC, current member and past board member of COA and TXMGMA.

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

About speaker

Alti Rahman is the Practice Administrator for Oncology Consultants in Houston, Texas. He holds a dual Masters degree in Healthcare and Business Administration from the University of Houston and is a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB).

Oncology Consultants has 17 physicians, 4 advanced practitioners operating out of 9 full-service Medical Oncology offices including a large International Cancer Center located in the Texas Medical Center. Ancillary services include 2 Radiation Oncology office, 2 Diagnostic Imaging centers, 3 Retail Pharmacy’s, and Clinical Research programs all supported by a central administrative office.

Alti’s business strategies focus on continuous quality and risk assessment of the patient/physician relationship and the advancement of value-based payment models to align quality and economic objectives. Alti holds additional supplementary roles including Six Sigma course instructor for Medical Group Management Association (MGMA), Steering Committee Member for McKesson Specialty Health, Treasurer for the National Cancer Care Alliance (NCCA), Board Member of the Oncology Circle Advisory, Board Member of Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices (CHOP), and Co-Chair of COA (Community Oncology Alliance)-Administrator Network.

About speaker

Dr. Debra Patt is a practicing oncologist and breast cancer specialist in Austin, Texas, and a vice president of Texas Oncology with responsibilities in healthcare policy and strategic initiatives. She is an active leader in breast cancer research, serves on the US Oncology Research breast cancer committee, and chairs the breast cancer subsection of the pathways task force for The US Oncology Network as well as the leader locally for breast cancer research. She has expertise in healthcare policy and has testified before Congress to protect access to care for Medicare beneficiaries. She is a leader in clinical cancer informatics, and is involved in system innovations to enhance care delivery. She is the Editor In Chief of the Journal of Clinical Oncology- Clinical Cancer Informatics.

She led healthcare informatics for The US Oncology Network from 2008-2015 and continues to lead analytics as a medical director for McKesson Specialty Health. In addition to a substantial background in informatics and health economics and outcomes research, she directs public policy for Texas Oncology. Nationally, she is the past-chair of ASCO’s clinical practice committee and serves on ASCO’s nominating committee as well as the health IT work group and guidelines committees.

Dr. Patt serves on the national board for the Community Oncology Alliance and local board of The Shivers Cancer Foundation. She serves on the Texas Medical Association’s Council on Legislation and frequently speaks on healthcare policy at the state and federal level. She is a past chair for the Texas Medical Association’s committee on cancer and has served on the council on science and public health. She is a former board member of Komen Austin and the breast cancer resource center. Dr. Patt is a nationally recognized leader in cancer research, has published many articles, and leads the service line for breast health services for the Dell Medical School in addition to leading multidisciplinary breast cancer conferences and directing breast cancer services for the Seton Family of Hospitals.

Dr. Patt completed her training in hematology and medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, in July 2006. She completed her masters of public health at The University of Texas Health Science Center’s School of Public Health in Houston, Texas, in May 2006, where she focused on cancer health policy. She completed the Cancer Prevention Program as well at the National Cancer Institute in August 2005.

She received her medical degree in May 1999 from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. She completed her residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, in July 2003. She completed her bachelor of science in zoology in May 1995 at The University of Texas in Austin where she graduated with special honors in the Plan I honors program. She also received her MBA from The University of Texas in Austin, Texas, in 2014. She is completing her PhD in health economics and health services research at The University of Texas School of Public Health.

Dr. Patt is married to Hanoch Patt, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist in Austin. They have three children.

About speaker

Ted Okon is a nationally recognized expert on the policy and politics of cancer care. He is quoted extensively in the press, including guest appearances on TV and radio news shows. Ted has testified before Congress on cancer issues and is frequently on Capitol Hill discussing the nation’s cancer care delivery system. Ted’s target areas of expertise include the cost of cancer treatment, health care reform, Medicare reimbursement, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), drug shortages, and the changing landscape of cancer care delivery in the United States.

Ted has dedicated his career to healthcare business and policy. He has worked for several pharmaceutical companies including Merck and Warner-Lambert, now part of Pfizer, and IMS Health. He co-founded and took public the health care information business Medical Marketing Group. He also founded two oncology companies (an oncology clinical research network and an information network) and has traveled extensively to China, India, Singapore, the U.K., and the Middle East, analyzing and discussing cancer care delivery.

As executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), Ted oversees the strategic direction of this non-profit organization dedicated to patients and providers in the community cancer care setting, under the direction of a dedicated board of oncologists and practice administrators. Ted also travels the country speaking to state oncology societies, professional organizations, and companies about the challenges facing the nation’s cancer care delivery system. He has authored numerous articles and studies relating to cancer care policy and politics, reimbursement, and clinical issues.

Ted holds a BS degree from Fairfield University and an MBA from the Carnegie-Mellon University Tepper School of Business. His wife, Susan, practiced as a certified oncology nurse.

About speaker

Amy Niles is Executive Vice President at the Patient Access Network (PAN) Foundation. The PAN Foundation is a national nonprofit that helps under-insured people with life-threatening, chronic and rare diseases get the medications and treatment they need by paying for their out-of-pocket costs and advocating for improved access and affordability. Amy leads PAN’s advocacy, policy and government relations initiatives, forges alliances with patient groups, and enjoys bringing the patient voice to meetings and conferences convened by other organizations.

Prior to joining PAN, Amy led outreach programs for Together Rx Access, a prescription savings program for the uninsured. Prior to Together Rx Access, Amy was President and CEO of the National Women’s Health Resource Center (NWHRC), now known as HealthyWomen, for well over a decade. Serving as an independent clearinghouse for women’s health information, Amy grew the organization from an idea to a national resource.

Amy began her career in health care administration in hospitals in New York and Washington, DC. She holds a master’s degree in business administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. She graduated the University of Rochester with an undergraduate degree in biology.

About speaker

Bobby Green is Flatiron’s chief medical officer and a practicing medical oncologist. At Flatiron, Bobby oversees the team responsible for clinical development of OncoEMR®, the industry’s leading electronic medical record software for medical oncology, and Flatiron’s other provider-facing software products. The team is also responsible for all clinical content development and is supporting the development of Flatiron’s novel clinical trials offerings.

Prior to joining Flatiron Health, Bobby was a managing partner at Palm Beach Cancer Institute and helped lead its merger with Florida Cancer Specialists (FCS) in 2013. Bobby continues to see patients in West Palm Beach Florida at FCS on a part time basis.

He served two years as Chief Medical Officer of Cancer Clinics of Excellence where he led initiatives in molecularly based clinical trials, integrating genomic testing into community practices, alternative payment models, and data analytics. Bobby currently serves on the board of the Community Oncology Alliance and is a former executive board member at FCS.

Bobby received his undergraduate and medical degrees at Duke University and a Masters of Science in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Pennsylvania. He also completed his internship, residency, and fellowship in medical oncology at the University of Pennsylvania.

About speaker

Dr. Lucio Gordan earned his medical degree from the State University of Londrina College of Medicine in Londrina, Brazil, and later completed his internship and residency at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. After finishing his residency, Dr. Gordan was awarded a fellowship in Medical Oncology/Hematology at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. He is Board-certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine.

Currently, Dr. Gordan serves as the president & managing physician of Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute (FCS) and practices at the FCS Gainesville Cancer Center. He also serves a member of the board of directors for Community Oncology Alliance (COA) and Florida Association of Clinical Oncology (FLASCO).

As a cancer researcher and the recipient of research grants, Dr. Lucio Gordan is actively engaged in clinical studies. His work has been published in several peer-reviewed journals. He serves in the editorial board of several oncology journals. In 2013, Dr. Gordan was awarded the prestigious FRIST Award from the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) in recognition of his service in the Gainesville community and at North Florida Regional Medical Center. Frequently, he participates in national and international meetings as a speaker and key thought leader.

Married and the father of one child, Dr. Gordan enjoys traveling, reading, horseback riding and photography.

About speaker

Patricia J. Goldsmith joined CancerCare in 2014 as Chief Executive Officer, overseeing the vision and direction of the organization. Ms. Goldsmith brings more than 20 years of nonprofit management and strategic planning experience to the role, and has a proven track record of success in hospital and physician academic organizations, as well as nongovernmental health care organizations.

She previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). In this role, Ms. Goldsmith was responsible for the overall operations of NCCN. She reported directly to the Chief Executive Officer and provided oversight of the functions of NCCN Oncology Outcomes Database, NCCN Oncology Research Program, Finance, U.S. & Global Business Development, Marketing and Communications, Public Affairs, Professional Publications, Best Practices, Analytics, Research & Consulting, Conferences and Meeting Planning, Media Programs, Continuing Medical Education and Grants and Information Technology. In addition, she was responsible for public policy initiatives at the Federal level and national initiatives related to payors and employers including the education related to these constituencies. Ms. Goldsmith was also responsible for the NCCN Foundation, established as the philanthropic affiliate of NCCN to embrace the NCCN mission of improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer.

Ms. Goldsmith formerly served as Vice President for Institutional Development, Public Affairs and Marketing at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida – an NCCN Member Institution. There she oversaw the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Foundation, Public Relations, Marketing, and Business Development functions in addition to fundraising initiatives. Before joining Moffitt, she developed and directed all managed care activities for the University of South Florida College of Medicine.

A frequent speaker at national meetings and symposia, Ms. Goldsmith was chosen by U.S. Representative Bill McCollum (R-Fl.) in 2003 to join a panel of 100 thought leaders representing every stakeholder interest in health care. This unique effort focused on building consensus about what structural changes could be made in our nation’s health care delivery system to assure quality health care for future generations. Recently, Ms. Goldsmith participated as a faculty panel member at Bristol-Myers Squibb’s 2015 Market Access Summit focusing on the patient experience from diagnosis, through treatment, and beyond, and at the Fifth Annual Association for Value Based Cancer Care (AVBCC) Conference where her session focused on patient engagement and patient assistance. Prior to these conferences, Ms. Goldsmith participated as a speaker at the 16th Annual Patient Assistance & Access Programs (PAP) Meeting, her session entitled, “Cross-Functional Strategies for Advocacy Relationship Development,” and as a panel participant at the Turning the Tide Against Cancer Through Sustained Medical Innovation Conference, her session entitled, “Addressing the Value and Cost of Cancer Care.”

Ms. Goldsmith has studied at the Pennsylvania State University, the University of Missouri Bloch School of Business and the Harvard School of Public Health. She was a winner of the 1999 Distinguished Women in Business Award sponsored by the Business Journal of Tampa Bay and also was named the 1999 Leukemia Society Woman of the Year, an award based on her philanthropic efforts on behalf of the Leukemia Society.

About speaker

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, DC 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 2015 About Clinical Trials initiative. She was recently featured on the cover of the national publication, Breast Cancer Wellness magazine, and honored as the National Breast Cancer Leader of the Year. In addition, she was a guest speaker for CURE magazine’s September 2018 podcast in the episode titled From Cancer to Capitol Hill. She has been the keynote speaker at multiple national conferences including the National Women’s Survivors Convention. Rose served for five years as a grant reviewer, speaker, and educator for Susan G. Komen and also co-founded and managed a breast cancer-mentoring program for Eastern Connecticut Hematology & Oncology in Connecticut. Working alongside 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.

In addition to college degrees in advertising/public relations and psychology, Rose is 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, CA.

Rose now applies her personal experience as a cancer survivor and three-time clinical trial participant, 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.

About speaker

Dr. Balch has over twenty years of executive leadership in the non-profit sector with an emphasis on consensus-building and collaboration. He has led numerous federal advocacy efforts on a range of issues both at the legislative and regulatory level. He became the CEO of both PAF and NPAF in 2013. 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. Prior to his work with the Preventive Health Partnership, Dr. Balch was the Executive Director of Friends of Cancer Research.

Dr. Balch has served on the Executive Board of Patient Advocate Foundation and National Patient Advocate Foundation since 2007. He also serves as a board member for Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), Innovation and Value Initiative (IVI), Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA), Specialty Pharmacy Certification Board (SPCB), and Council for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC). In recognition of his long-term contribution to Fight Colorectal Cancer, Alan Balch was made an emeritus member of Fight CRC’s board when he stepped down in September 2016. Dr. Balch also serves on numerous advisory boards and committees including the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Consumer Advisory Council, Duke-Margolis Value-Based Payment Advisory Board, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Quality and Outcomes Committee, Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR) Advisory Board, Core Quality Measure Collaborative (CQMC) Steering Committee, Journal of Clinical Pathways Editorial Advisory Board and contributing editor. Dr. Balch also serves on the Finance Committee and the Membership Committee for the National Health Council (NHC) in Washington, DC and is a Core member of the International Headache Society (IHS) Global Patient Advocacy Coalition.

He earned his PhD in 2003 from the University of California, Santa Cruz; his master’s degree in 1997 from the University of Texas, San Antonio; and his bachelor’s degree (cum laude) in 1994 from Trinity University in San Antonio.

About speaker

Dr. Aggarwal is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and oncology with particular focus on breast and gynecological malignancies. Currently, she is one of the physician leaders for our practice spearheading our efforts in the Oncology Care Model (OCM) with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. She has been a guiding force thru this value-based care model towards high quality care while attempting to lower the overall cost of care. Dr. Aggarwal served her residency through the Medical Center of Central Massachusetts and her fellowship at Brown University School of Medicine. She has been with Fort Wayne Medical Oncology and Hematology for over 20 years and also serves on the board for Community Oncology Alliance (COA). Her passion for her patients has fostered the start of Indiana’s first COA Patient Advocacy Network chapter which recently launched in July of 2018.