AONN+ Leadership Council

Ms. Andrea (Andi) Dwyer is the Director of the Colorado Cancer Screening Program (CCSP) at the University of Colorado Cancer Center and The Colorado School of Public Health and serves as a co-investigator on a number of dissemination and implementation science grants for lung, hereditary and colorectal cancer screening. Ms. Dwyer is on the Executive Committee of the Alliance of Community Health Workers, Patient Navigators and Promotores de Salud. Andrea is the Chair of the National Navigation Roundtable, supported by the American Cancer Society and helps lead the Community Outreach, Prevention and Early Detection subcommittee of AONN . Ms. Dwyer also advises Fight Colorectal, a national colorectal survivorship nonprofit, in their health promotion and research aims.

Candice Roth (Row-th) brings a strong professional portfolio and deep understanding for oncology nursing and the cancer care continuum to her role as AONN+’s Executive Director. In this position, she is responsible for the development and implementation of AONN+’s strategic vision and growth plan, as well as all operational, financial, and technical aspects of the association. She is accountable to the Board of Trustees providing regular updates on organizational performance, strategy, and key decisions, to ensure alignment with the board's objectives and governance policies.

Cheryl Bellomo is a multi–disease-site oncology nurse navigator for the Intermountain Healthcare system. She is a solo navigator serving in community-based care of oncology patients connected to Cedar City Hospital, radiation and medical oncology services, local surgical and primary care physician offices, and a variety of community resources in Cedar City and southwestern Utah. She received her degree in nursing at St. Vincent Charity School of Nursing in Cleveland, Ohio, and undergraduate bachelor of science degree in nursing and master’s degree in nursing education from Western Governors University.

Elizabeth Franklin, PhD, MSW, is an advocate for people impacted by cancer and is passionate about ensuring that patient voices are the north star in health care decision and policy making. Elizabeth has spent two decades as an oncology advocacy leader and has significant expertise in professional social work, research, and public policy. She currently serves as Head, U.S. Public Affairs and Patient Advocacy, Oncology with Sanofi. Elizabeth previously held positions as President of the Cancer Support Community (CSC), as well as the George Washington University Cancer Institute, Prevent Cancer Foundation, and National Association of Social Workers. She earned a doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Social Work, her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.

Jennifer Bires, LCSW, OSW-C, CST, is an innovative leader in the field of psychosocial oncology with over 15 years of experience building patient centered, supportive care programs for patients and families impacted by cancer. In her current role at Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Jennifer leads a team of oncology behavioral health therapists, social workers, nurse navigators and oncology dieticians, ensuring that patients and those who support them have access to psychosocial care and education, at no cost to them, to help cope with cancer and its impact on their well-being.

Jennifer Klemp is Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Clinical Oncology, Director of Cancer Survivorship, and Co-Program Leader for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship at the University of Kansas Cancer Center. Her clinical practice is focused on cancer genetics. She is the founder and CEO of Cancer Survivorship Training, Inc., an eLearning company supporting healthcare professionals, and is Principal of Cancer Resource Partners, LLC.

Mark Liu, MHA, is Senior Director of Oncology Strategy, Transformation and Analytics for the oncology service line at the Mount Sinai Health System, an integrated health system across the five boroughs of New York City that includes eight hospitals and multiple ambulatory sites. He works closely with senior leadership to develop long-term strategy and also collaborates on critical projects in clinical quality, alternative payment models, new technologies, and process improvement. Prior to joining Mount Sinai in 2015, Mark managed outpatient operations for solid and hematologic cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Rani Khetarpal is the CEO & Co-Founder of NavPoint Health, a healthcare organization dedicated to supporting navigators through NACI Care- a digital platform that incorporates standardized navigation metrics and enables navigators to maximize their time and resources while keeping their focus on their patients. Rani is also founding partner of Raviya Health Solutions, boutique consulting firm focused on healthcare and life sciences consulting & fractional leadership with an emphasis on 0-1 GTM strategy & Commercialization. Rani is also the founder of Global Transitional Care, the first Medicare-approved provider organization centered on clinical transitional care.

As director of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Robert A. Winn, M.D., oversees a cancer center designated by the National Cancer Institute that provides advanced cancer care, conducts groundbreaking research to discover new therapies for cancer, offers high-quality education and training, and engages with the community to make advancements in cancer treatment and prevention equally available to all. He is leading the nation in establishing a 21st-century model of equity for cancer science and care, in which the community is informing and partnering with Massey on its research to best address the cancer burden and disparities of those the cancer center serves, with a local focus but global impact.

Sharon Gentry is Editor in Chief, Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship® and CONQUER: the journey informed™. She obtained her nursing bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Greensboro, respectively. In the past she has served as a program director for the AONN+ organization, guiding and directing the organization based on agreed-upon strategic plans, goals and objectives that the organization.

Vikas Mehta, MD, MPH, FACS, is a Head and Neck Surgical Oncologist and an Associate Professor of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY. He also is the Quality Improvement Coordinator for the Montefiore Einstein Cancer Committee. As part of this role, he has been working on developing a robust navigation program utilizing EHR and other database tools to help address cancer-care disparities at Montefiore Health System; a system that consists of 10 hospitals and hundreds of various care sites serving one of the most socioeconomically disadvantaged and racially diverse populations in the United States. He is also the Coordinator for Research and Quality for the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery where he helps direct various quality care initiatives that leverage national registry data.

Zarek Mena, OPN-CG, has extensive experience in the field of patient navigation. She was instrumental in the creation, program implementation and accreditation of the breast center at Norwalk Hospital Nuvance Health, including its numerous support programs. She is now the Financial Patient Navigator at SHARE | Support for Women's Cancers, a national organization that offers free online and in-person programs, helplines and support groups for women and families affected by women's cancers.