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Society of Gynecologic Oncology

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This activity is supported by AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.

Advisory Committee

Jing-Yi (Jeannie) Chern
Jing-Yi (Jeannie) Chern, MD, ScM
Gynecologic Oncologist
Moffit Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida

Jing-Yi (Jeannie) Chern, MD, ScM, is a Gynecologic Oncologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.  Dr. Chern serves as the Assistant Fellowship Program Director at the University of South Florida.

Dr. Chern’s research interest includes evaluating quality and safety measures to improve surgical outcomes in patients with malignancies.  In addition, her research is involved in understanding genetic factors associated with gynecologic malignancies to improve and guide patient care.

Dr. Chern earned her master’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Medical Degree at the University of South Florida College of Medicine in Tampa, Florida. She subsequently completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of South Florida and completed her Gynecologic Oncology Fellowship at New York University School of Medicine in New York City, New York.

Rachel Diaz
Rachel Dauer, JD
Director
Carol’s Wish Financial Navigation
Denver, CO

Rachel Dauer, JD, is a patient financial navigator specializing in generating creative, proactive solutions to minimize financial toxicity in patients with cancer. She developed and implemented the financial navigation program at Susan G. Komen Colorado and Carol’s Wish Financial Navigation—a program of the Colorado Ovarian Cancer Alliance—where she serves as director.

Dauer has presented on cancer-related financial toxicity and solutions through use of financial navigation at national and local conferences. She is a graduate of the Association of Cancer Care Centers Financial Advocacy Network boot camp levels one and two and the NaVectis Group financial navigator training. Additionally, Dauer brings analytical skills from her previous experience as an attorney to her current role.

John P. Diaz
John P. Diaz, MD, FACOG, FACS
Gynecologic Oncologist
Miami Cancer Institute
Miami, Florida

John P. Diaz, MD, FACOG, FACS, is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at Miami Cancer Institute in Miami, Florida. Dr. Diaz has extensive training and experience in robotic and minimally invasive surgery, which results in shorter hospital stays and faster recovery times for patients. He currently serves as an associate professor for the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Florida International University and is the Director of minimally invasive gynecologic surgery at the Miami Cancer Institute. 

Dr. Diaz leads Miami Cancer Institute’s gynecologic oncology research and clinical trials program. This program offers innovative treatments and advanced technologies to women in South Florida. His research interests include novel surgical techniques for ovarian cancer and innovative cancer therapies, including hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In 2019, Dr. Diaz was awarded a $1.8 million grant to investigate immunotherapy and PARP inhibitors for cervical cancer treatment. 

Dr. Diaz earned his medical degree from the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in biomedical and medical engineering from the University of Miami in Miami, Florida. He completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology from Memorial Sloan Ketter Cancer Center in New York, New York.

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Premal Thaker, MD, MSc
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Division of Gynecologic Oncology
Washington University School of Medicine
Saint Louis, MO

Premal H. Thaker, MD, MSc, is an Associate Professor in Gynecologic Oncology and Director of Gynecologic Oncology Clinical Research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Thaker is a member of the NRG Oncology’s Phase I committee and is the Chair of the Early Business Development Committee of the GOG Partners Investigator Council. She has been national PI of three GOG clinical trials as well as other national clinical trials. She served as a member of the grants and awards committee for the Foundation for Women’s Cancer. Additionally, she has served on the NRG Ovarian Cancer Committee, NCI Ovarian Task Force, NCI Gynecologic Task Force, and on the NCCN Task Force for genetics. She also serves on several Data Safety Monitoring Boards and is on the NCCN committee for Ovarian Cancer. She has published over 180 peer-reviewed publications as an author or co-author as well as 12 book chapters.

Dr. Thaker graduated from a six-year combined baccalaureate and medical degree program through Villanova University and Medical College of Pennsylvania. Subsequently she joined the obstetrics and gynecology residency program at the Hospital of University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She then went to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, to complete a master’s degree in Cancer Biology as well as her gynecologic oncology fellowship in 2006.

Patient Advocates

Sarah Handsman
Sarah Handsman, LCSW
Oncology Social Worker
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
New York, New York

Sarah Handsman, LCSW, is an Oncology Social Worker at the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance in New York City, New York. Sarah is a passionate clinician and fervent advocate for those affected by cancer. She is highly involved in all areas of patient support programming at OCRA, including the provision of psychosocial support and patient navigation through the Patient Support Line, oversight of the Woman-to-Woman Peer Mentor Program, facilitation of weekly support sessions for patients and loved ones, and more.

Prior to joining OCRA, Sarah gained several years’ experience as an outpatient oncology social worker within the Mount Sinai Health System in NYC and as a volunteer support group facilitator with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Sarah obtained her Master of Social Work degree from New York University’s Silver School of Social Work in New York City, New York and her Bachelor of Science degree in applied psychology from New York University’s Steinhardt School in New York City, New York. She was awarded the American Cancer Society’s Training Grant in Clinical Oncology Social Work and is a proud Fellow of the Zelda Foster Fellowship in Palliative and End-of-Life Care.

Tracy Moore
Tracy Moore, LCSW
Vice President, Support & Education
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA)

Tracy Moore, LCSW, is an oncology social worker, organizational leader, patient advocate, author, and speaker. She is currently a consultant for community and healthcare settings including the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, where she offers resource navigation and supportive counseling on their National Patient Support Line.

Ms. Moore has over 25 years' experience working with patients and families providing psycho-educational and supportive counseling from initial diagnosis through treatment, post-treatment, and end-of-life. She began her career as a pediatric oncology social worker at Schneider Children’s Hospital (now Cohen Children’s Medical Center) providing direct patient care within the hospital setting. She transitioned to director of support services at Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation (CBTF) in 2001 where she developed and implemented national programs—while maintaining a clinical practice—and was responsible for all program management, authored and edited patient educational materials, publications, and presentations. She also represented CBTF at the Alliance for Childhood Cancer meetings and Society for Neuro-Oncology.

Ms. Moore started a community healthcare consulting firm along with a private practice in 2017, where she provides resource and system navigation for individuals and families, healthcare program assessment, and guidance. Her main areas of focus are pediatric and adult oncology, end of life and bereavement, guardianship, and systems navigation.

In 2009, Ms. Moore moved to hospital administration at North Shore University Hospital where she was the director of social work for more than eight years, growing a dynamic and professional department from 13 to 38 FTE, ultimately managing a budget of $1.7M.

She is a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Society for Social Work Leadership in Health Care, the Association of Oncology Social Workers, and the Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers—where she previously served on the board as treasurer, secretary, and newsletter chair.