Advisory Committee

Keri R. Maher, DO, MS is an associate professor of medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center. She specializes in acute leukemia both clinically and academically and is the director of the Acute Leukemia Program and associate member of the Developmental Therapeutics team at Massey Cancer Center. She is also the Early Phase Disease Working Group Faculty Leader for Hematology. She is passionate about health disparities research in acute leukemias, where she focuses her research on relapse prevention strategies. She is a proud recipient of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Award.

Dr. Maher is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology. She completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She also received additional training in cellular therapy and hematopoietic transplant at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington.

David Sallman, MD is an associate member in the Department of Malignant Hematology at Moffitt Cancer Center and assistant professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida, both in Tampa, Florida. He is also the myeloid section head of the Malignant Hematology Department. Dr Sallman’s clinical interests are myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and myeloproliferative neoplasms. His research interests focus on the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies (phase 1 and 2 clinical trials) for patients with MDS and AML, based on the underlying mutational drivers of each disease. Specifically, he studies the genetic drivers of myeloid diseases to improve prognostication for patients and to allow for more personalized treatment and has published significantly on this topic.

Dr. Sallman is the principal investigator for multiple ongoing studies focused on higher-risk MDS, including his recent work on TP53-mutant MDS, and he has been the lead principal investigator for phase 1-3 trials TP53-mutant MDS and AML patients. Additionally, he serves as lead PI for multiple cellular therapy trials including CAR-T and TCR therapies. Dr. Sallman has authored or coauthored numerous articles, books, book chapters, and abstracts and serves as reviewer for multiple journals. He received the Young Investigator Grant from the MDS Foundation in 2017 and the Dresner Foundation Career Development award in 2018.

Dr. Sallman earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital before completing a hematology/oncology fellowship at Moffitt Cancer Center. He is board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine.

Sarah Villani, MSN, FNP-C is an oncology nurse practitioner with 10 years of experience caring for patients with hematologic malignancies. Her areas of clinical interest include hematopoietic stem cell transplant as well as community management of chronic myeloid neoplasms, such as myeloproliferative disorders and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Villani is a certified family nurse practitioner and an active member of the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology. She completed her master’s degree in nursing at Mercer University in Georgia and her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of Florida.

Alice Mims, MD, MSCR is a hematologist/medical oncologist who specializes in treating patients suffering from acute leukemias and myeloid malignancies, particularly acute myeloid leukemia. She currently serves as an associate professor in the Division of Hematology and is the Acute Leukemia/Myeloid Malignancies Section Head at The Ohio State University. She also serves as a senior medical director on the national, multi-center study investigating novel treatment in older patients with acute myeloid leukemia through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Beat AML Master Trial. Her research training and efforts have been supported through the American Society of Hematology’s Clinical Research Training Institute and her accolades include an ASH Clinical Scholar Award, ASCO Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award, and current R01 funding investigating new treatment options for patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

Dr. Mims has several publications related to these research projects and clinical trials in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Medicine, Cancer Discovery, and Lancet Haematology. Her goal is to continue collaborative efforts to improve treatment option and outcomes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia through the development of novel therapeutics through translational research and clinical trials.

Dr. Mims completed her medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina and completed her residency in internal medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. She completed her medical oncology/T32 research fellowship at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – the James.

Kelly Fields Owens is an oncology social worker in the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She supports the stem cell transplantation department and is a support group facilitator for caregivers of oncology patients.

Owens has presented for several organizations, including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society Committee on Oral Parity Law, and the International Myeloma Foundation. She is a member of several organizations, including the Department of Health Tennessee Cancer Coalition’s Comprehensive Cancer Control Program.

She earned her master’s degree in social work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and her bachelor’s degree from Harding University in Arkansas.

Linda Hayward is a patient financial advocate at the University of Maryland Kaufman Cancer Center at Upper Chesapeake Health. With over a decade in the medical field, including 4 years focused on oncology, she believes that every patient deserves affordable treatment and is dedicated to lightening their financial load. In her role as a patient financial advocate, Hayward guides patients through the process of applying for assistance programs to ensure their treatment is within reach. Last year alone, her efforts translated into a savings of over $1.8 million for patients.

Hayward leads the Uncompensated Care Team, actively participates in tumor boards, and is a member of ACCC. She also volunteers for programs that raise funds to support Cancer LifeNet services at Upper Chesapeake.