Alex is a senior radiation therapist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He started his career as a diagnostic radiologic technologist and then attended Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York, where he graduated as a radiation therapist. After working in northern New York for almost five years, he pursued his professional aspiration to work at a large academic facility. He has been at Mount Sinai Hospital since 2018.
Providing Culturally Competent Care in Radiation Oncology to Deaf Patients for High-dose Breath Hold Using Visually Guided Respiratory Gating Treatment
Lisa is an associate professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. She has served as the director of the radiation therapy program since 2000 and the Charles R. O'Malley chair of the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic sciences department in 2020. Lisa's research interests include student success and belonging and patient education. She enjoys time with her three children and two grandbabies, Collins and Tatum.
Using Modern Educational Methods to Improve Patient Education and Satisfaction: A Process Improvement Study
Joe is a staff radiation therapist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Middletown, New Jersey. He is a student mentor and sits on the Social Butterflies committee at MSK, which aims to promote the individual and team successes of radiation therapists throughout MSK. He earned a certification in diagnostic radiology in 2016 and in radiation therapy in 2017. He has nearly nine years of experience in health care. Joe also presented at the 2022 ASRT RTC. Before entering health care, Joe managed a bookstore, did survey design and analytics for a market research company, and owned and operated a poker table in Montana. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife and two children.
Clarifying Myths and Misinformation About Medical Radiation for Patients
Taylor graduated from Lewis University in 2017 with a bachelor’s in radiation therapy. She completed her didactic and clinical studies at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, and on graduation, began working at NMH as a radiation therapist. In recent months, her work has been focused on aiding the development of the new magnetic resonance image-guided radiation therapy program at NMH.
Integration of an MR-Linac in Radiation Oncology: Strategies, Challenges, and Achievements
Kristin has been a radiation therapist for Loma Linda University Health for 12 years (incidentally, Kristin was born at Loma Linda Medical Center). Prior to working in radiation therapy, she worked as a traveling radiographer for emergency departments, operating rooms and vascular access for more than 10 years. Kristin comes from a family of medical professionals and loves being on the front lines with her patients in their fight against cancer.
A Confident Patient Is a Compliant Patient: How to Help Patients Understand Their Role in Radiation Treatment and Simulation
Kimberly is a clinical operations manager for Varian Medical Systems, working in strategic accounts. In this role she collaborates with diverse teams to provide custom training solutions. Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys spending time with her two boys and husband. Whether coloring in the living room with her children, hiking a long trail or cheering on her husband at an Ironman event, she’s always on an adventure. Kimberly also enjoys CrossFit, running a women’s clothing boutique and volunteering at the military base.
Performance Reviews, Feedback and Coaching
Andrea is lead radiation therapist at Mount Sinai West in New York. Andrea earned her Bachelor of Science from Saint Francis College in Brooklyn, New York in 2016 and her radiation therapy certificate from NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in August 2013. She started her career at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs as a staff therapist and has held progressive leadership roles ever since. Andrea has been in the radiation therapy profession for more than 10 years and cares for a diverse patient population in her department in midtown Manhattan. She is a member of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.
Strategies for Improving Employee Retention and Enhancing Satisfaction in Radiation Therapy
Chandler is a radiation therapist at MD Anderson Proton Therapy Center. He holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Houston and the University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions, where he also completed his master’s in radiologic sciences. He is currently using his background in education, process improvement and computer science to develop clinical training materials and standard operating procedures for MD Anderson’s upcoming Proton Therapy Center 2. In his free time, he also freelances as a digital artist for Hasbro’s Dungeons & Dragons.
AI 101: Ethics for Educators
Ron is the chairman and CEO of Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies and is a frequent speaker and author for nationally recognized professional organizations and publications. Ron directs several oncology-specific and broad health care consulting companies to facilitate clients reaching their desired goals. He also serves as a national government expert witness on oncology fraud and abuse of Medicare spending for the Department of Justice and Office of Inspector General in Washington D.C. and various state levels.
How Do the Economics of Health Care Affect Me as a Radiation Therapist?
Keith started his career in nuclear pharmacy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he later attended MSKCC School of Radiation Therapy. Keith has been with Mount Sinai Hospital Department of Radiation Oncology since May 2013, and he currently serves as the chief radiation therapist. As an agent of change, Keith leads the Equity and Inclusion Committee for the department of radiation oncology and also serves on MSH Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
Sally is all about cancer! She has held many roles in nationally recognized oncology consulting and billing entities during her career. Her dedication to the radiation oncology industry has evolved from being a radiation therapist, an assistant professor, and a billing and coding consultant to a principle of an oncology billing company. The time spent in these clinical and administrative settings has provided her with a diverse oncology expertise, which now includes being a certified cancer coach. Her most cherished accomplishment is being a triple negative breast cancer survivor.
Sally is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, College of Allied Health and a registered radiation therapist. She also holds a master’s in business administration from Oklahoma Christian University, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly of Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Scott has more than eight years of experience as a radiation therapist. He worked at the Texas Center for Proton Therapy and then became a lead therapist at the California Protons Cancer Therapy Center. Scott holds a bachelor's in exercise science. He pursued a career in professional baseball before going back to school for his radiation therapy degree. Scott joined Orfit's product specialist and training team in January of 2023. He provides product education and training, customer support, and sales support in the central Midwest and Western half of the United States.
Orfit Workshop: Improving Reproducibility in Extremities Immobilization
Orfit Workshop: Head and Neck Patient Immobilization for SRS
Jessica is a staff radiation therapist at Penn Medicine Radnor. After completing Crozer Hospital radiography program in 2001, she worked for one year in radiography before pursuing a career in radiation oncology. In 2003 she graduated from Cooper University Hospital radiation therapy program, and in 2006 joined the Penn Medicine team. During the past 20 years she has gained invaluable knowledge about radiation therapy, including proton therapy and brachytherapy. Jessica is married with two teenage sons and in her spare time she enjoys traveling and watching her boys play football, basketball, baseball and lacrosse.
DIBH: The Effective Use of SDX and ABC in Clinical Practice
Barbara has been a radiation therapist for 31 years, working full time in busy Philadelphia-area hospitals. She studied radiation therapy at Gwynedd Mercy University and graduated in 1992. Throughout her career, she has held many roles, from staff technologist to leadership positions. Her mission is to inspire her teams to collaborate and bring out the vocation that lives in them. She is passionate about helping her staff avoid burnout and fatigue that can be so prevalent in oncology work. Currently, she is participating in the Temple University Hospital mentor-mentee program, where she coaches employees looking to further their professional development and achieve harmony in their work and lives.
She was a speaker at the 2006 RTC and has given many radiation oncology lectures in the Philadelphia area. She has presented on topics such as computed tomography-on-rails, stereotactic body radiation therapy, B-mode acquisition and targeting ultrasound and its use in external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer, music therapy and the cancer patient. Last year she had the honor of speaking on an expert panel, titled Deciphering the Specialty of Radiation Oncology, at the Oncology Nursing Society Congress in Anaheim. In her free time, Barbara enjoys life with her four children and making music with friends.
Changing the Culture: Radiation Nurse-Radiation Therapist Communication Taskforce
Chris began his radiation oncology journey several years ago and has been part of the Varian Medical Systems’ team for more than four years. In his more than 20 years of clinical experience, he has observed and participated in incredible, challenging, and some not-so-memorable clinic moments, which has been a special privilege. Chris holds a bachelor’s in biology with an emphasis in mathematics. He also has certificates in radiography, radiation therapy and medical dosimetry. He values opportunities to encourage friends and colleagues in the profession to remember that the goal is to improve the lives of those in the greatest fight they may ever face.
Planning and Treatment Using an Adaptive Radiation Technique
Kylie is a radiation therapist for Hartford Hospital in Connecticut with 11 years of experience in daily simulation and treatment of patients. Kylie is very passionate about constantly improving and learning new things, so she is up to date on all the new technology and techniques for patient setups and treatments. After learning something new, Kylie writes up departmental procedures for documentation purposes and as guides for her co-workers, including simulation and treatment procedures for Fryberg Flap patients and simulation and treatment procedures for cardiac ablation stereotactic body radiation therapy patients. She supports students who rotate through the hospital and facilitates communication between the two entities. Kylie has a bachelor’s in health care administration and a certificate in radiation therapy. When not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and playing with her three-year-old daughter.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Cardiac Ablation in Patients With End-stage Treatment Refractory Ventricular Tachycardia
Sean is a senior clinical applications specialist with Vision RT. He completed his bachelor’s in health science at Oakland University. He has previously worked for Beaumont Hospital and Michigan Healthcare Professionals as a radiation therapist. He has more than 13 years of experience in radiation oncology. He is a proud husband and father of three beautiful children. Sean is also an avid sports fan, specifically football. GO BLUE!
VisionRT Workshop: A Study of Tattooless Treatments
Emily has been a radiation therapist since 1996. She graduated from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s and worked in Florida as a therapist for the first few years of her career. She then took the opportunity to travel as a locum, working in cancer centers across the country. Her experiences in a variety of radiation oncology treatment centers introduced her to multiple types of treatment machines, equipment and methods of delivering treatment. After a year of working as a locum at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, she was asked to become the chief therapist. Emily took this opportunity for career growth and decided to reside in the Philadelphia region. After 15 years of service as chief therapist, the hospital closed permanently. Emily now works at the University of Pennsylvania Health System as the lead therapist at one of the network locations. Emily places high value on teamwork and growth in the ever-changing radiation oncology profession.
Xavier graduated in 2013 from The University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions and has 10 years of experience as a radiation therapist at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has served as a mentor to radiation therapy students and resident physicians. He has more than five years of experience performing, critiquing and improving special procedures in the clinic such as total body irradiation and total skin electron beam radiation therapy. Xavier is a proud veteran and has served two tours of duty overseas with the United States Marine Corps.
Total Skin Electron Beam Radiation Therapy
Dr. Amy Hancock qualified as a therapeutic radiographer in 2006. She is a senior lecturer for the medical imaging team at the University of Exeter. Previously, Dr. Hancock was employed as the principal therapeutic radiographer for research and development at Weston Park Cancer Centre, and she also previously worked at Sheffield Hallam University as a senior lecturer for the radiotherapy and oncology programs.
Dr. Hancock is an associate editor for the journal Radiography, a scientific member on the National Cancer Research Institute’s Living With and Beyond Cancer, and chair of the Research and Clinical Trials Therapeutic Radiographers specialist interest group.
In 2017 Dr. Hancock was awarded the College of Radiographers Doctoral Fellowship, supporting her to complete her doctorate, which employed co-production to develop a shared definition of compassion and a conceptual framework of compassionate display in radiotherapy. She is passionate about research that improves care and services for patients and is an advocate for patient and public involvement in research.
Compassionate Communication: Keeping Patients at the Heart of Practice
Amanda completed her bachelor’s in medical imaging and radiation sciences–radiation therapy at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. She then completed her master’s in health care administration with an emphasis in leadership at Oklahoma State University. Amanda has worked for an outpatient clinic as a radiation therapist, specializing in stereotactic radiosurgery. She now serves as assistant professor and clinical coordinator for the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center radiation therapy program.
Imposter Syndrome in Health Care
Jeremy is an engineering leader in the medical device community with a quarter century of experience advocating for the end user’s sanity when using software. He has degrees in applied mathematics, computer science, and computational science and informatics, which he has used to incorporate machine learning and artificial intelligence into devices to make them more intuitive and efficient. His past experiences include gene discovery and protein expression as part of sequencing the human genome at Celera Genomics, Applied Biosystems and Life Technologies. He also has experience with in vivo imaging for clinical trials at Eli Lilly, novel multitarget in vitro diagnostics at Luminex, and experience across the treatment planning, treatment delivery, and adaptive radiotherapy workflows at Accuray.
Accuray Hour: Human Meets Machine: Submersive Experience in AI and Human Factors
Ray is the sales manager for the Midwest for Orfit. He provides product education and training, customer support, and sales support for the entirety of the Orfit product line. Ray has more than 20 years of experience in radiation therapy, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. When Ray isn't spending time with family, you can find him outdoors hiking and biking.
Ellen works for Northside Hospital Cancer Institute as a clinical operations coordinator, overseeing two clinic locations in Atlanta, Georgia. She has more than 15 years of experience in radiation oncology including senior therapist and staff therapist roles. Ellen advocates for all patients to receive the highest standard of care by staying current in new and developing technologies. She has co-authored a chapter in the first-ever book on surface guided radiation therapy. She has been recognized nationally and internationally in the SGRT community for treatment techniques and clinical procedures.
Maximizing the Potential of an SGRT System
Cheyenne has been a radiation therapist for seven years. She received a bachelor’s in radiation therapy and biology from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She began her career working for Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee and transferred after five years to Aspirus Regional Cancer Center in Wausau, Wisconsin, where she is currently employed. Throughout her career, she developed a passion for Varian products, specifically IDENTIFY; and has had the opportunity to become a super user and trainer of the product, create and present a webinar, and speak at RTC about the product. When not working, she enjoys time with her family; She is one of six children and has seven nephews and two nieces. She also enjoys traveling, socializing with friends, attending sporting events or concerts, do-it-yourself projects and playing recreational sports.
Varian Hour: IDENTIFY as a Radiation Therapist
Natosha is the assistant chief at Mount Sinai West, formerly Roosevelt Hospital, and part of Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Natosha has more than 20 years of experience in health care, and she accomplished a progressive career in radiation therapy. She completed her education at Montefiore Medical Center’s School for Radiation Therapy in 1998 and began her career at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. For the last 16 years, Natosha has held progressive management positions as assistant technical supervisor and technical supervisor in the Continuum Health Partners Network and now the Mount Sinai Health System, where she works closely with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses and physicists to provide the highest quality care possible to a unique and diverse patient population. She is a member of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists and holds her licensed practical nurse license.
James serves as senior vice president for American Medical Accounting & Consulting serving the community for 41 years. AMAC handles all issues regarding documentation, electronic health records, compliance, coding, reimbursement and provides full-service billing and claims processing services, practice management, training for clinical, administrative and coding staff, reporting for reimbursement projections to standard RoadMaps, auditing and consulting in radiation oncology.
As a resource for medical groups, vendors, investment bankers, facilities, universities, clinics, hospitals, freestanding centers and third-party payors, James and AMAC represent a client base of more than 1,000 health care organizations nationwide. James has cultivated relationships with medical directors, federal executives, regulators and administrators for a variety of local and national managed care organizations. He is highly regarded as a leading industry authority on reimbursement issues for radiation therapy. He has been professionally involved with billing and coding for radiation oncology for more than 34 years. He has published numerous articles and books concerning billing and coding and given hundreds of talks.
The EMR Documentation, Code Capture and Facts for 2023
Jessica started as a radiation therapist in 2014 after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She worked as a therapist for eight years before deciding to pursue medical dosimetry. In August of 2022, she graduated with her master’s in medical dosimetry from Grand Valley State University and has been at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics since 2016.
In her free time, Jessica enjoys being outdoors with her husband and dog, cooking, and having good conversations with dear friends. She and her husband welcomed a baby boy in April and were immediately enamored! Her family is in the Madison area which means they love good food, good beer, and of course, the Wisconsin Badgers.
Simultaneous Breast Boosts: Giving Patients More Bang for Their Buck (and Time!)
Tyson has been the lead radiation therapist at CAMC Cancer Center in partnership with Akumin & Alliance Oncology in Charleston, West Virginia for more than eight years. He manages a team of therapists to ensure compliance and the delivery of high-quality care, and he participates in a multitude of improvement committees. He is currently the chairperson of the West Virginia Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners. He enjoys spending his time away from work with his wife and two sons. He loves golf, music and all things West Virginia University.
Klarity Workshop: Stereotactic Brain Irradiation Start to Finish
Klarity Workshop: Patient Positioning for Specific and Unique Populations
Rex has worked in the medical profession for nearly a decade. He started his career as a radiation therapist for a reputable cancer group in Florida and later became a clinical coordinator and instructor for Cambridge College of Healthcare. Currently, Rex works for Dartmouth Cancer Center as a radiation therapist, policy writer, and the department clinical preceptor for all radiation therapy students from the University of Vermont and New Hampshire Technical Institute. In addition to his work with Dartmouth, he is an adjunct professor of radiation therapy physics. He has a strong passion for the arts and medical sciences and strives to be the best he can be in all his endeavors.
Addressing Burnout in Health Care Workers: From Pandemic to Endemic
Meghan serves as the quality and safety program manager for the department of radiation oncology for main campus locations at Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. She coordinates efforts related to quality improvement, including review and analysis of safety events and improvement initiatives set forth by the department, related institutions and relevant governing bodies. Meghan co-chairs the departmental Policy and Procedures Committee, is involved in multiple interdisciplinary working groups charged with change management and process improvement and is invested in collaborating on quality improvement research projects.
Meghan has more than 15 years of varied clinical and nonclinical experience in radiation oncology and considers her previous clinical experience as a radiation therapist as an important foundation for how she approaches her work. During the past few years, she has broadened her knowledge base for how to analyze reported events using tools such as safety barrier analysis, human factors, high reliability and leveraging data to support quality improvement and safety projects.
The Path to High Reliability: Implementation at the Department Level
Brian has been a radiation therapist at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 2011. He received a bachelor’s in biology at Bloomsburg University, a bachelor’s in radiologic sciences from Thomas Jefferson University and a master’s in health care innovation from Arizona State University. Brian has experience in proton and photon radiotherapies, simulation, pediatric radiotherapy and training radiation therapy students. Throughout his career, he’s been involved with many multidisciplinary research initiatives to improve workflows and patient experiences.
Radiation Therapist's Insights on Varian's HyperSight
Laura has been a radiation therapist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the Department of Radiation Oncology for 13 years, and for the past two years has served as radiation therapy manager. She has experience in proton therapy, linear accelerator treatments, and pediatric cases, and has created training videos on proton therapy for multiple vendors. Throughout her career, she has also worked for Oncolink as an education coordinator for Penn Medicine Global Education program. She completed her bachelor's in radiation therapy from Gwynedd-Mercy University and her master’s in health care administration from Saint Joseph's University.
John is a regional director of practice operations for SkinCure Oncology. He earned a bachelor’s in radiation therapy from the University of Oklahoma in 2009. He has enjoyed working in radiation therapy for the past 14 years, six of those years in a leadership role. His favorite part of being a radiation therapist is getting to develop lasting relationships with both patients and peers. John, who resides in Fort Worth, Texas, with his wife and two kids, enjoys spending time with his family and helping with the family farm in Oklahoma.
Delivering Quality Customer Care
Maya has been a Penn Medicine employee for more than 12 years at the Perelman Center of Advanced Medicine in Philadelphia. She received her bachelor’s in radiologic sciences from Thomas Jefferson University and her master’s from St. Joseph’s University. She has previously presented at conferences including the Qfix Patient Positioning Symposium and the ASRT Radiation Therapy Conference. Maya also created educational training videos and materials for the Varian Halcyon Machine. She has experience working in all areas of the radiation oncology department, including computed tomography simulation, photon and proton machines.
Radiotherapy Imaging Workflow Optimization
Tara serves as the quality and safety program manager for the department of radiation oncology across for main campus and satellite locations at Dana Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center. She coordinates efforts related to quality improvement, including review and analysis of safety events and improvement initiatives set forth by the department, related institutions and relevant governing bodies. Tara co-chairs the departmental Policy and Procedures Committee, is involved in multiple interdisciplinary working groups charged with change management and process improvement and is invested in collaborating on quality improvement research projects.
Tara has more than 15 years of varied clinical and nonclinical experience in radiation oncology and considers her previous clinical experience as a radiation therapist as an important foundation for how she approaches her work. During the past few years, she has broadened her knowledge base for how to analyze reported events using tools such as safety barrier analysis, human factors, high reliability and leveraging data to support quality improvement and safety projects.
Jana is the clinical education coordinator for the radiation therapy program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She enjoys student instruction in the classroom using Virtual Environment Radiation Therapy and in clinical settings. Her research interests are patient and student education, cancer prevention, treatment and survivorship.
Karla has been a radiation therapist since 1997. She attended school for radiologic technology in 1996 and then pursued radiation therapy. After nine years as a radiation therapist at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, she decided to study dosimetry. Karla completed on-the-job training for dosimetry and became certified in medical dosimetry in 2009. She continued to work at OSWMC and James Cancer Hospital until she relocated to the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center in 2011. SSCBC is unique due to being site specific, offering all outpatient services from diagnostic imaging to treatment of breast cancer. In 2014 she became the lead dosimetrist at SSCBC. Karla’s passion for breast planning and teaching breast planning continues to grow. She loves learning and sharing her knowledge.
She is married with two children, ages 21 and 19, and she has lots of furry babies — one dog, four cats and two chickens. She enjoys spending time with friends and family and traveling as much as she can. Karla has presented several times for American Association of Medical Dosimetrists, and she’s excited to present for ASRT for the first time.
A Brief History of Treatment Planning for Breast Cancer: A Journey from 2D to the Present Era — Improving Breast Setup and Treatment Delivery
Tricia has been a radiation therapist for more than 30 years. She loves the profession because it is always changing, and even though it can be challenging at times, it is also exciting. For Tricia, working with cancer patients is rewarding, humbling and a real honor. She loves teaching and has been a clinical preceptor for University of Vermont students for the past four years.
Using Ultrasound to Improve Bladder Filling and Decrease Imaging Dose to Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy
Kate has been a radiation therapist at the University of Vermont Cancer Center for more than 20 years. She loves working with cancer patients because they are inspiring and remind her not to take things for granted. In recent years, she’s taken on a leadership role with the UVM radiation therapy students in the clinic. That position, along with the quality improvement project that is the focus of the presentation, has kept her humble and learning. Kate is always pursuing ways to improve workflow, efficiency and accuracy in the field of radiation oncology.
Winnie has been an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s department of radiation oncology and a radiation therapist in the radiation medicine program at Princess Margaret since 2003. She is a graduate of the medical radiation sciences program offered jointly by the University of Toronto’s department of radiation oncology and the Michener Institute. She completed her master’s through the University of Toronto’s Institute of Medical Science in 2014, focused on planning target volume margin design. Winnie was appointed as a research radiation therapist in 2006, and her research interests include adaptive image-guided treatment delivery, clinical implementation, stereotactic radiotherapy, continuing staff education, and therapists-led online magnetic resonance-guided radiation therapy. She has published more than 35 peer-reviewed manuscripts and presented at various international conferences.
Advancing Practice Through Disruptive Technologies — The MR-Linac Case Study
Victor is a radiation therapist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He graduated from Northwestern Medicine School of Radiation Therapy in August 2021 with a bachelor’s in radiation therapy. He began his career by working as a per diem therapist at multiple hospitals in the Chicagoland area before joining Northwestern as a full-time therapist. Victor enjoys learning about new technologies and techniques in the profession, as well as teaching students. In his free time, Victor loves to spend time outdoors, rock climb, discover new music, and spend time with friends and family.
Considerations of Intrafractional Motion Management Methods for SBRT Treatments
Marissa is the radiation therapy program director for the University of Oklahoma. Marissa’s educational background includes a bachelor’s in radiation therapy from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s in radiologic sciences from Midwestern State University. She is registered in radiation therapy and has worked as a staff therapist, simulation therapist and in education as a program director and clinical coordinator. Marissa serves on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Radiologic Technologists. In addition, she has served on numerous committees for the ASRT, including the Practice Standards Council, Radiation Therapy Curriculum Workgroup, Radiation Oncology Safety Stakeholders Initiative, and she has served two terms as radiation therapy chapter delegate as chair and vice chair.
Adela graduated from The University of Texas MD Anderson in radiation therapy and has been a radiation therapist for 20 years. While dedicating herself to providing excellent patient care, she led MD Anderson teams in providing the most accurate and efficient patient cancer treatments. Throughout the years, Adela has provided educational lectures for students at The University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions. She also constructed lectures for alumni and for the doctors and professors. Adela was given the honor of being a part of clinical startups, such as the Mays Clinic. She has taught and coached fellow new therapists at The University of Texas MD Anderson to provide training in patient care, technology usage and scheduling.
Danielle is a doctoral candidate with 15 years of clinical experience that includes technical, management, research and education. She’s the clinical coordinator in research and therapy education, where she correlates clinical and didactic education for radiation therapy students, participates in didactic and clinical instruction, and supports the program director to ensure effective program operation and curriculum. Danielle is a prolific author who participates in radiation therapy research and assists other radiation therapists with their research initiatives. Her work has appeared in various publications, including ASRT’s. In addition, she frequently presents at the local and national levels, and volunteers in efforts related to the profession and that fulfill her passion for educating future health care professionals.
Advanced Practice Radiation Therapy — Updates on Implementing a Novel Care Pathway in the United States
Jasmine is a dynamic and self-driven clinical applications specialist with Vision RT. She supports and trains customers in New York State. She graduated from Sydney University, Australia, with a bachelor’s in applied sciences in radiotherapy. After a decade of experience as a radiation therapist in Australia and London, she and her family moved to New Jersey, and she landed a wonderful role with Vision RT. She is very passionate and motivated in the care of patients undergoing radiation therapy. With so many advancements in technology, Jasmine has gained in-depth knowledge and skills to maintain customer understanding of software and its implementation in the treatment room. She spends her free time with her husband and two adorable children.
Megan is a 2018 graduate of Misericordia University, where she earned a bachelor’s in medical imaging while playing varsity field hockey. In August of 2020 she graduated from Grady Memorial Hospital’s School of Radiation Therapy in Atlanta. In 2022 Megan earned her master’s in business administration while working full time at the University of Kansas Cancer Center’s new Proton Therapy Center. Currently, Megan is a radiation oncology administrator for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Personality and Emotional Intelligence in Health Care
Khatdija Meghjani is a storyteller with Dear World and has spoken to teams from companies such as Accenture, Avantor Sciences, Eppendorf and Walmart India. Before her time at Dear World, Khatdija was a management consultant at Boston Consulting Group and World 50 Group, and she is acutely aware of the business challenges that global organizations face today. Her greatest aspiration as a storyteller is to put the human back into human resources and create authentic spaces for sharing where everyone can flourish and thrive.
Dear World
Courtney is a radiation therapist at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in the Roberts Proton Therapy Center and a global education coordinator for OncoLink. She completed her bachelor’s in radiation therapy at Indiana University and received her master’s in public health from Benedictine University with concentrations in health management and policy and health education and promotion. Courtney has 17 years of experience in radiation therapy and expertise in proton therapy and pediatrics.
Using a Trauma-informed Lens to Address Radiation Treatment Anxiety
Ryan is a dosimetrist and clinical quality manager with Akumin and Alliance Oncology at the CAMC Cancer Center in Charleston, West Virginia. His duties include dosimetry planning, managing day-to-day operations, improving the overall quality of care, and maintaining department compliance and accreditation. In his free time, Ryan enjoys spending family time with his wife and two children and hunting and fishing. Ryan volunteers with the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists and currently serves on the board of directors as the treasurer.
Evaluation and Effectiveness of Using Rectal Spacers for Prostate Patients: A Comparison Study Between Barrigel and SpaceOAR
Cristina has more than 15 years of experience in usability and human factors engineering in the medical device field. After receiving her master's in human-computer interaction from the University of Michigan, she began working in radiation oncology and is now overseeing all user experience and user-centered design activities at Accuray Incorporated. Cristina has given invited talks at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine, speaking on safety and usability in radiation oncology. For the past ten years, she has held leadership positions within the Radiation Oncology Safety Stakeholders Initiative. During her tenure as industry co-chair, the RO-SSI Usability of Error Messages Working Group published a significant paper that was subsequently adapted into the International Electrotechnical Commission Technical Report 63183 ED1 - Guidance on Error and Warning Messages for Software Used in Radiotherapy. Cristina is also a member of the AAPM Task Group No. 314 - Guidance for Fault Recovery in Radiation Therapy.
Jonathan has been a radiation therapist for 14 years and has worked at large and small institutions. He is deeply passionate about sharing knowledge, improving the profession and shaping its future. He is a member of numerous committees to help develop best practices for his organization and was recently promoted to senior radiation therapist. He has a bachelor’s in allied health leadership and a master’s in health care management. At work, he is a student mentor and trains and onboards new staff. He has a passion for teaching and training future radiation therapy professionals.Î
Jonathan has presented to radiation therapy students on the topic of surface guided radiation therapy at several colleges. He believes that sharing clinical knowledge and relevant case studies and helping further the profession is important because radiation therapy practice and technology continue to evolve.
Pushing the Boundaries of SGRT: Unique Usage Cases
Hayley began her career as a radiation therapist and worked in proton and conventional therapy for five years. She started working for Vision RT in 2019 and spends most of her time training customers in the greater Southeast area. Sharing the cutting-edge technology of surface guided radiation therapy with customers has been very rewarding. She enjoys teaching customers how to improve their workflows in order to raise the standard of care for their patients. When she’s not working, Hayley enjoys personal travel and recently visited Greece. On her days off, she spends time at the beach playing volleyball.
Vision RT Presents: Expanding SGRT and Its Benefits Throughout the Radiation Therapy Workflow
Dr. Pham is an Australian-trained radiation therapist and dosimetrist. His career started in Australia and is now finding new ground in the United States. He has been fortunate to work with health care experts who have fostered his interest in clinical research. Throughout his career, Dr. Pham has helped roll out clinical trials nationally and internationally, led the implementation of new technologies within academic institutions, and helped develop and implement educational activities in the radiation oncology department. Dr. Pham is passionate about promoting research and educational activities for dosimetrists and therapists. His career objective is to foster collaboration between industry professionals locally and internationally and to push the boundaries of what the profession can achieve.
Biology-guided Radiotherapy Treatment: The Stanford Experience With the RefleXion X1 System
Justin is the product specialist for the Southeast United States for Orfit. He provides product education and training, customer support, and sales support for the entirety of the Orfit product line. Justin has more than 10 years of experience in radiation therapy with a focus on proton therapy. In his free time, Justin enjoys playing disc golf, traveling to cool places, working out and checking out live music.
Rebecca earned her bachelor’s in radiation therapy in 2016 from Texas State University in San Marcos. She began her career in proton therapy in Warrenville, Illinois, where she completed her proton therapy advanced certification through the College of DuPage and was a leader in organizing a St. Baldrick’s fundraising event for childhood cancer research. Rebecca gained further experience in conventional radiation therapy when she transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago. Outside of her work life, Rebecca enjoys creating art and seeking out adventures across the city.
Caring for Nonconformity: Radiation Oncology for All Genders
Travis Rougeau is a radiation therapist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He graduated in 2009 from The University of Texas MD Anderson School of Health Professions. Travis has worked on various treatment machines acquiring the skills necessary to be classified as an expert therapist at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He has spent the past six years leading one of the TrueBeam teams that specialize in total skin electron beam radiation therapy and total body irradiation treatments.
Katherine received her bachelor’s in radiation therapy from Texas State University. Upon graduation, she worked as a radiation therapist in Austin, Texas. She received her master’s in radiologic science from Midwestern State University, where she majored in radiologic science administration. In the spring of 2023, Katherine began teaching as an assistant professor in the radiation therapy program at Texas State University. She continues to work on a per diem basis as a radiation therapist. She is credentialed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Incorporating Low Stress Teaching Methodologies to Reduce Student Burnout
Katherine (she/her/hers) has worked as a staff radiation therapist for six years and is currently the senior radiation therapist for three GenesisCare USA clinics in the panhandle of Florida. Katherine has a background in radiation oncology, experience in radiography and computed tomography at a level I trauma center, and a Bachelor of Health Science. Katherine recently stepped into a leadership position. Her mission is not only radiation oncology but also empowering her team members and leading others in personal and professional development. Her engaging speaking style and her background make Katherine a trusted advisor to those around her. When Katherine isn’t working, you’ll find her on a boat or lying poolside in the Florida sunshine with her spouse and their child.
Leadership, Mentorship and Building the Team
Jason is a proton therapist working for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute Proton Center. Born and raised in a small town in east central Minnesota, Jason graduated from the University of Minnesota with a certificate in radiation therapy. As a radiation therapist for more than 20 years, Jason has had the opportunity to work with some of the most cutting-edge technology the profession offers. Jason is passionate about a patient’s overall satisfaction while delivering accurate and efficient treatments. Jason loves travel and has had many opportunities to travel overseas, including ten trips to Australia.
Advancements in Compact and Single Gantry Proton Treatment
Zack is a radiation therapist with more than 30 years of experience and is the director of radiation oncology and respiratory care at Baton Rouge General Pennington Cancer Center. He has worked at his facility for 25 years and has been director for the last 17.
Zack completed his radiation therapy training at MD Anderson in Houston and his Master of Business Administration at the University of Phoenix Campus in Baton Rouge. He has served as a board member for the local American Cancer Society and serves as the administrative liaison for his hospital's supportive and palliative care program. He was recognized in 2013 with a National Innovator Award from the Association of Community Cancer Centers for developing an emergency charting system for radiation oncology patients. His program was recognized with a second award in 2016 for using telemedicine in radiation oncology.
Zack has lectured at the local, state, national and international level, but he’s most proud of creating a pet therapy program for inpatient oncology as well as a food bank program to benefit cancer patients suffering from food insecurity. He earned a Lean Six Sigma green belt from GE HealthCare and has used the tools and techniques to reduce wasted effort, decrease treatment planning times and patient wait times, and increase employee and patient satisfaction.
Safety in Radiation Oncology
Clodagh is the advanced practitioner for the radiation oncology department at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, New York. Clodagh earned her bachelor’s in therapeutic radiography from the University of Ulster in Jordanstown, Ireland in 2002 and completed her master’s in advanced clinical practice in radiation oncology in 2022. She worked in Belfast as a therapeutic radiographer before moving to New York City and assuming her progressive role at Mount Sinai in 2005. Clodagh managed the radiation therapy department at MSH for 12 years before taking up her role as an advanced practice radiation therapist. In her previous manager role, she specialized in multidisciplinary collaborations. Her special projects include pioneering innovative treatment protocols specific to breath hold liver techniques and implementing sensitive practice into radiation therapy, both of which she has presented at the ASRT RTC. She has moved her focus to a team effort to bring advanced clinical practice to the U.S., and she is part of the national and international committees of advanced clinical practice for radiation therapists. Her work has been published in the Red Journal, tipsRO and Radiation Therapist.
Tamara is the executive director of oncology client services for Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies Inc. In her current position, Tamara manages oncology consultants and provides comprehensive consulting services to oncology practices nationwide, including large-scale projects involving electronic medical record conversions, as well as billing and documentation compliance. Tamara earned her bachelor's in radiation therapy from the University of Oklahoma. Prior to joining Revenue Cycle Coding Strategies Inc, she served in operational positions as dosimetrist, lead therapist and staff therapist. She has 26 years of experience in radiation oncology and actively participates in multiple organizations. She lectures at the local, state and national level for the ASRT, the Society for Radiation Oncology Administrators, the Association of Community Cancer Center and the American Association of Medical Dosimetrists.
Correct Coding and Documentation for Commonly Used Treatment Devices
Kamil is a radiation therapist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he has been working for the past four years. He has gained experience in a wide variety of treatment techniques and became a member of the department’s magnetic resonance-guided linear accelerator team after its installation last year. He has a passion for teaching and recently received a Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology award for outstanding performance as a clinical educator in radiologic sciences. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, hiking and spending time with friends.
Cameron is radiation therapist at MD Anderson Cancer Center and Master of Public Health student studying epidemiology at UTHealth Houston. He is interested in the social determinants surrounding cancer care in marginalized and minority populations. His research interests include cancer prevention, cancer epidemiology, access to care and narrative medicine.
The Story of Henrietta Lacks: A Lesson on Cancer Care Ethics
Dr. Trad is chair and tenured professor for the radiation therapy program at Texas State University. Dr. Trad received her master’s in radiologic science from Midwestern State University where she majored in radiologic science education. She received her doctorate in adult, community, and professional education from Texas State University in 2012. Her doctoral work focused on the use of engaged scholarship as a teaching methodology to better equip radiation therapists to enter the professional workforce. Since then, she has published extensively on the topic of engaged scholarship and other innovative teaching methodologies. She has also researched and identified deficits in learning among university-aged students on the topics of cancer prevention, detection and screening. Dr. Trad is credentialed by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Nora is the program coordinator for the radiation therapy program at Connecticut State Community College in Manchester. She is certified in radiography and radiation therapy and holds a master’s in education. Nora has been in education for more than 30 years. She enjoys being professionally involved with her state society, the Connecticut Society of Radiologic Technologists, and nationally with the ASRT. She serves as one of the ASRT Radiation Therapy Chapter delegates, on the Radiation Therapy Curriculum Committee and the Practice Standards Subcommittee, and she is a member of the Radiation Therapist Editorial Review Board. Her love for patient care, quality and safety, and education is the driving force that keeps her motivated to the share that passion with her students. It is an honor and a privilege for her to present with two of her former graduates at this year’s RTC.
Peer-to-Peer Publication: Cardiac Ablation Case Study, a Model for Publication
Radiation Oncology Gumbo: A Collaboration of Radiation Therapy and Medical Dosimetry Team Members
Brianna is a radiation therapist at Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka, California. Brianna completed her bachelor’s in heath science at Stony Brook University and received her radiation therapy credentials at the Mount Sinai Center for Radiation Sciences Education in New York. She is a member of the California Society of Radiologic Technologists and Radiation Therapy Association of New York State, a proud ASRT Directed Reading author, and is passionate about advocating for her autistic community.
Autism Explained: Providing Individualized Care in Radiation Oncology for Patients on the Spectrum
Morgan is a radiation therapist who has been in the profession for 10 years. She works for an acute teaching hospital in Hartford, Connecticut, where they perform many specialized procedures and treat pediatric and adult patients. Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing, advertising and communications and a certificate in radiation therapy. In addition to her recent work on the cardiac stereotactic body radiation therapy case, Morgan has been responsible for many projects in her department, including improvement of patient satisfaction, AlignRT training and TrueBeam training. Outside of work, Morgan runs a cake pop business.
Melissa has served as the radiation therapy program director at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse radiation program since 2007. She graduated from UW La Crosse in 2001 with a bachelor’s in radiation therapy and in 2006 with a certificate in medical dosimetry. She earned a master’s in education, with an online teaching concentration, from UW Stout in 2009. Throughout her career, she has given multiple local, state and national presentations, written various articles and book chapters, and provided professional service as a volunteer with the ASRT and American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Her professional interests relate to learning strategies and building resiliency in students. In her free time, Melissa enjoys being outdoors and hiking or walking with her dog, working out, reading, gardening, and spending time with her family and friends. She has been married to her college sweetheart, Matt, for 23 years and they have a son and daughter in their late teens.
Evidence-based Strategies to Boost Learning
Robin is professor and program director of the radiation therapy technology program at Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Her responsibilities include administration of a Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology accredited educational program for radiation therapy technology, coordination of didactic and clinical education, teaching courses in radiation therapy technology, directing student recruitment and selection, calling and presiding over advisory board meetings, along with orienting and overseeing adjunct faculty. Robin has also chaired the Special Needs and Health Services Committee at the college since 2011.
Robin is certified in radiography and radiation therapy by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and licensed in radiation therapy by the Louisiana State Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners. She earned a bachelor’s in radiologic technology from Loyola University of New Orleans in 1988 and a master’s in integrated science and technology from Southeastern Louisiana University in 2011. Robin has worked in radiation therapy since 1985, both treating patients and in education. She has worked with Virtual Environment Radiotherapy Training in the classroom since 2012 and initiated the Radiation Therapy Virtual Educational Leadership Group starting in 2017. Professionally, she is an active member of the ASRT, previously serving as Radiation Therapy Chapter delegate and chair. She is also a member of the Radiation Oncology Safety Stakeholders Initiative.
Razmig is the lead radiation therapist at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. With 17 years of hands-on experience at City of Hope, Razmig knows his patients and how to put them at ease during treatment. He monitors and positions patients, administers radiation therapy, observes patients during treatment, and discusses their treatment plans with them. In his spare time, he likes to spend time with family and enjoys outdoor activities such as tennis and golf.