I am grateful and honored to be nominated to serve on the NNECOS Board of Directors. After moving to the New England area I knew I wanted to get involved in a professional organization focused on the specific needs of patients in our area. NNECOS is that and so much more. The quality of the annual meetings, educational opportunities it provides, and involvement from all disciplines that provide care for our patients is seen in all facets of the organization. Over time I found myself getting more involved with the organization, moving from being an Annual Meeting attendee to a member of NAHPAC (Nursing and Allied Health Professional Advisory Committee).

After graduating from pharmacy school from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, I moved to Maine where I began work at Eastern Maine Medical Center as an inpatient pharmacist. An opportunity opened up shortly after that to move into outpatient oncology, where my passions lied. From there I was granted with amazing mentors and the ability to lead and grow a small pharmacy department into a department that is fully specialized in providing oncology pharmacy services to the largest geographic footprint in Maine. Over the last five plus years the oncology pharmacy has become a leader in ensuring optimal care for our patients as they navigate the financial, geographic, and medical challenges that are present for our rural community. I continue to serve as the Pharmacy Manager over the infusion and oral chemotherapy pharmacy’s at Lafayette Family Cancer Institute.

While I am active member of several pharmacy organizations and involved with pushing oncology pharmacy forward nationally, the opportunity to work directly on impacting the care of our region’s patients is where my passion lies. Coming out of the Covid-19 Pandemic, I believe we have all seen that both the patient’s needs have shifted and the healthcare worker’s priorities/needs have shifted as well. Serving on the Board of Directors would allow the opportunity to continue to push forward this society’s ability to impact, innovate, and educate while ensuring high-value care for our communities.

I am grateful for this nomination to apply for the NNECOS Board of Directors.  I am a practicing medical oncologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.

I was born and raised in Massachusetts and completed my undergraduate training at Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. I attended medical school at the Larner College of Medicine at UVM and completed my internal medicine residency and hematology & oncology fellowship at UVM MC. I happily stayed at UVM MC to start my faculty position in cancer genetics and breast oncology. I am also co-director of the Cancer Genetics and Prevention program.

My involvement in NNECOS began as an internal medicine resident and continues today. As a resident, I was honored to receive a NNECOS research grant. My experiences through this project helped shape many of clinical and research interests today, which focus on improving care for patients with hereditary cancer syndromes. As a hematology and oncology fellow, I served as the NNECOS Fellow Board liaison. In my current faculty position, I am a member of the NNECOS Member Engagement/ Relationships Task Force as well as the Student and Trainee Project Grant Review committee. I was also recently selected to lead the Fellows and Trainees Task Force.

I would be honored to serve on the NNECOS board, and I believe that my experiences as a trainee and now junior faculty would position me well to fulfill the NNECOS mission of providing the highest quality care for oncology patients through professional collaboration, education, and research.  Thank you for your consideration.

Kathleen McBeth is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, with a focus on health psychology, adjustment to illness, and psychosocial oncology.

Kathleen has been working with oncology patients and their caregivers since 2006 for the University of Vermont Cancer Center. Kathleen is a current Board member of NNECOS and an active member of the Nursing and Allied Health Professional Advisory Committee (NAHPAC).   She enjoys NNECOS task force participation and serves on the Annual Meeting, Advocacy, Education Program Grant, Programs and Services Steering Committee and the current chair of the Philanthropy Task force.  She is a member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society, and on the steering committee for Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer.

She has presented at the University of Vermont Women’s Cancer Conference, the Dartmouth Lymphoma Symposium, the Norris Cotton Center Survivorship Meeting, the Stowe Weekend of Hope, and at the Northern New England Oncology Society annual conference to name a few.

Kathleen’s focus is on the psychological impact of the cancer diagnosis and how understanding the emotional response can help to facilitate treatment and communication within the oncology team.

Julia Moukharskya, MD, PhD

Carl J. Nelson, MD

Sheila Pascual, MD

I greatly appreciate being considered for a position on the Board of NNECOS. I joined NNECOS in 2012 as a fellow, at which time NNECOS provided me with the opportunity to present my research at several annual meetings.

I graduated from Belarusian State Medical University in 1998 and worked as a hospitalist until 2006. While in Belarus, I also earned my PhD degree. In 2006, I immigrated to Canada and later, to the US, where I confirmed my medical degree, repeated my Internal Medicine Residency, and completed a Hematology/Oncology Fellowship at the University of Vermont. I fell in love with Northern New England on the day I attended my fellowship interview at the UVM. After graduating from UVM, I joined the team at MaineGeneral Hospital, where I worked as a medical oncologist and hematologist. At that time, I also led the MaineGeneral Cancer Center Research Department. While I had to leave Maine for three years to work in Washington State, I was fortunate to return to my favorite state in 2022 to join New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) as a general medical oncologist. Over the years, I became increasingly passionate about community oncology, as it allows us to bring quality cancer care to patients often living in remote, underserved communities. The close affiliation of NECS with Dana Farber further enables us to offer the highest standard of care to the patients of Maine.

If elected, I will strive to maintain the inclusive and supportive culture of NNECOS. I would also like to strengthen the role of community oncology in Northern New England by providing medical oncologists with educational and networking opportunities.

I am a radiation oncologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center and Central Vermont Medical Center, and Associate Professor at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont. My clinical focus includes the treatment of breast cancer, head and neck cancer, and cancers of the central nervous system. Additionally, my research interests include patient quality of life, healthcare policy, and quality improvement and safety initiatives. As a radiation oncologist, I believe I can add to the diverse perspective on issues affecting cancer care in Northern New England. Collaboration with Medical Oncologists and Allied Health Professionals is paramount to the health and success of our patients and is a cornerstone of NNECOS. This collaborative approach is vital to supporting the oncology care providers in our region as well.

Since joining the NNECOS Board of Directors in 2014, I have served on the Education, Finance, and Annual Meeting Planning Committees and as NNECOS Treasurer. I am currently President-Elect and Chair of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. I am honored to serve on the board of NNECOS and to contribute to the success of this great organization. NNECOS offers a unique and positive framework for collaboration between oncology care providers in our region. I hope to continue to serve as a board member and support the excellent work and oncology care our colleagues are providing in Northern New England.

I am living my best life in Maine!  Originally from the Philippines, I have relocated to Providence Rhode Island fresh out of medical school young, single, and eager to start my career in medicine.  I completed my Internal medicine residency at Roger Williams Medical Center then subsequently my Hematology-Oncology fellowship at Brown University.  Almost immediately my world transformed.  I was fortunate to have wonderful mentors who took me under their wing and introduced me to both clinical and bench research.  This helped foster my desire for continued learning and building of relationships.

After living in Rhode Island for 6 years I knew I wanted to settle in New England.  I started my first job, 1​3 years ago as a certified hematologist-oncologist at Northern Light  Lafayette Family Cancer Institute and never looked back.  I am proud to be part of this Cancer Center.  It has allowed me to provide meaningful service to the community, it has given me the opportunity to meet a multitude of inspiring individuals.  I am the designated physician for the Genitourinary Multidisciplinary group.  I am part of the steering committee for our clinical practice.   I also am part of the Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center Medical group Nominations Committee.​ I have been a member of the NNECOS Board of Directors since 2019, and currently serve as the chair of the Member Engagement and Relationships Task Force. 

Serving as part of the NNECOS board has been a wonderful experience.  I am very excited because it bridges the gap between the oncologic community, which in turn can provide better care and access for our patients, educational, and research opportunities for the young and old Hematologist and Oncologist.

I am an avid runner, mother of 3.  Living in New England has made me a decent skier, a novice sailor, nature lover, Patriots fan!

Yoni Resnick, PharmD

Clinical Health Psychologist, Dartmouth Cancer Center; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College

I'm enthusiastic and grateful of the nomination for the NNECOS Board of Directors position. I currently work as a medical oncologist specializing in thoracic, soft tissue/bone, and cutaneous oncology at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Additionally, I hold the role of Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine. I originally hail from Pakistan and obtained my medical education at King Edward Medical University. Subsequently, I came to US and trained in internal medicine residency in Maryland. I interviewed for hematology oncology fellowship at UVM and knew immediately that UVMMC (then Fletcher Allen) VT was the perfect place to train and begin my family. Thus staying on as faculty after completing my training was an easy decision. We put down roots here and now have the pleasure of parenting two young Vermonters.

My involvement at the University of Vermont extends across several domains. I'm an active clinician, clinical researcher, and medical educator. Presently, I serve as the vice chair of the protocol review and monitoring committee (PRMC) and chair of the pharmacy and therapeutics subcommittee for hematology and oncology. My work involves close collaboration with colleagues spanning surgical oncology, radiation oncology, pathology, pulmonology, dermatology, neuro-oncology, and palliative care. This collaborative approach allows us to provide comprehensive care to patients with thoracic, cutaneous, soft tissue, and bone tumors within our catchment area.

My research pursuits revolve around two key areas: first, comprehending the mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis to develop strategies for inhibiting pathogenic pathways; second, enhancing the quality of life and functional status of my patients. I'm honored to have received a NNECOS grant to implement a supervised exercise program in management of advanced stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. I was fortunate to be the inaugural fellow liaison for NNECOS, an experience that provided valuable insights. Currently, I'm also a member of the NNECOS education committee. Furthermore, I'm involved as a mentor for a NNECOS grant concerning the neuro-cognitive effects of immunotherapy, in collaboration with Dr. Thomas. My engagement extends to cooperative group clinical trials (Alliance, ECOG-ACRIN) and industry studies aligned with my expertise. A strong dedication to medical education is evident in my role as core faculty for the hematology oncology fellowship program. Here, I oversee research and scholarly activities for our fellows.

I consider it a privilege to potentially serve on the NNECOS board. Such a position could serve as a conduit for my ongoing commitment to patient care, clinical research, and education. My experiences position me well to contribute towards fulfilling NNECOS's mission of delivering top-tier patient care through professional networking, education, and research. Thank you for your consideration.

I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to be considered for a position on the Board of Directors for the Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society.  After graduating from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 2008, I practiced inpatient general medicine pharmacy in Boston for several years before our life brought us to the Portland, Maine area.  After spending nearly 10 years on the inpatient hematology/oncology teaching service at Maine Medical Center, I decided to make a leap into the community oncology setting.  For the past 5 years, I have worked at New England Cancer Specialists (NECS) in the capacity of Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services.  My passion and focus in my current role is centered on providing the highest quality, safest, most evidence-driven treatment for our patients.  Through EMR optimizations, quality improvement projects, implementation of supportive care advances, staff education, and the drug-related questions that arise from providers on a minute-to-minute basis, my role gives me endless gratification on the role that a pharmacist can play on the interdisciplinary cancer care team. 

During my time at NECS, I have had the chance to learn so much about the importance of collaboration in the success of an oncology practice.  My active participation in national community oncology groups such as the Community Oncology Alliance (COA), National Cancer Care Alliance (NCCA), and the National Community Oncology Dispensing Association (NCODA) have leant incredible perspective on the importance of sharing of ideas.  On the local level, NNECOS represents a dedicated and diverse group of oncology professionals who serve the all-important mission of caring for the patients who seek their cancer care under the roofs of our practices.  

The multidisciplinary makeup of NNECOS represents the importance of continuity and continuum in cancer treatment.   We all learn so much from one another in our different roles and practice settings.  In fact, at my first NNECOS conference, prior to Covid, I met several members of the team from the University of Vermont, and ever since we have been working in collaboration on anticoagulation projects that work to bring VTE risk assessment to the community setting.  I was fortunate enough to be able to present this groundbreaking research as a podium presentation at the 2021 NNECOS annual meeting.  This kind of collaboration would likely not have happened if not for a group such as NNECOS. 

I look forward to my future involvement and participation with NNECOS.  I strongly believe that the voices of both pharmacists, as well as community oncology practitioners, are crucial in a regional oncology group like NNECOS.  I hope to lend both of those perspectives, along with a continued emphasis on innovative patient care and quality improvement, if I am fortunate enough to be elected to the Board of Directors.  Thank you very much for your consideration. 

Dr. Sivan Rotenberg is a practicing clinical health psychologist at the Dartmouth Cancer Center and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College. She is currently the Director of Embedded Psychiatry Services and the team leader for the Psycho-Oncology Program. Dr. Rotenberg is a trained clinical psychologist completing her PhD at Concordia University (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) and her post-doctoral internship and fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center (Danville, Pennsylvania). She has 10 years’ work experience in oncology, focusing her career on improving the wellbeing of patients with cancer and their care partners. Dr. Rotenberg also serves on the Dartmouth Cancer Center’s Commission on Cancer Committee, and is an active member of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Dr. Rotenberg has also been involved in many research projects over the years, focusing on addressing the psycho-social needs of patients with cancer. She is currently a co-investigator on a National Cancer Institute award to develop a novel online pathway from screening to treatment of depression for patients receiving treatment for cancer. Her clinical, research, and administrative work highlights her commitment to provide her clinical expertise in a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach that improves the well-being of her patients, their families, and the medical teams with whom she works. the NNECOS Board. 

Dr. Rotenberg currently serves on the NNECOS Philanthropy Task Force.