The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+) Announces Changes to Its Leadership Council

Press Releases published on January 17, 2023

CRANBURY, NJ (Jan. 16, 2022)—The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators’ (AONN+) Leadership Council serves to elevate the navigation profession and represent the interest and views of its practitioners. Each year, the council strives to bring novel ideas and perspectives to the table through the addition of new members. As we celebrate the start of 2023, please join us in welcoming our newest Leadership Council member, Robert Winn, MD.

In his role as Director of the VCU Massey Cancer Center—a National Cancer Institute–designated organization—Dr. Winn oversees all aspects of clinical care, research, education and training, and community engagement. 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.

“Dr Winn will bring to the table valuable considerations on community engagement, equity for oncology navigation practices, and insight to move best practices to navigators nationally with a vision for global impact,” says AONN+ Program Director Sharon Gentry, MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, AOCN, CBCN. “Additionally, he will add support on clinical trials, especially in the efforts to increase diversity among participants.”

As a pulmonologist, Dr. Winn is committed to community-engaged research centered on eliminating health disparities. He is a principal investigator on several community-based projects funded by the NIH and National Cancer Institute, including the All of Us Research Program, an NIH precision medicine initiative.

Dr. Winn’s current research, which has been supported by multiple National Institutes of Health and Veterans Affairs Merit awards, focuses on the molecular mechanisms and novel therapeutic approaches for human models of lung cancer.

Leadership Council Departures

With the completion of her term, Linda Fleisher, PhD, MPH, has stepped down from the Leadership Council. She has been a voice on the Council for over 10 years.

“Linda has been invaluable with her insights on clinical trials and treatment decision making and will serve as a bridge to sustainability as AONN+ continues to work with the National Navigation Roundtable on strategic planning and connection to advance the future of oncology patient navigation,” says Gentry.

Dr. Fleisher has been a key leader in the CAPE Lung initiative and will continue to promote and support AONN+ through a project exploring integration of digital health tools into patient care—particularly supporting navigation. She will also continue to serve on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Navigation and Survivorship.

Due to other pressing obligations, Mandi Pratt Chapman, MA, PhD, HON-OPN-CG, and Christian Downs, MHA, JD, also resigned from the Leadership Council at the end of 2022.

“Mandi has consistently been a voice in the patient oncology navigation landscape since the inception of AONN+,” says Gentry. “Her insights, advocacy drive, and professional education contributions have shaped the foundation of navigation.

“Christian worked with this group for three years during the Covid pandemic and was key in the creation of AONN+’s statement The Critical Need for a Complete Cancer Team While Transitioning out of the Pandemic,” she adds.

About the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+)
The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators, Inc. (AONN+), is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators. The organization, which has more than 9,000 members, was founded in 2009 to provide a network for all professionals involved and interested in patient navigation and survivorship care services in order to better manage the complexities of the cancer treatment process. www.aonnonline.org

For Immediate Release
Gwen Coverdale, 267-884-6328
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