Advisory Committee

Stephanie Cohen, MS, CGC, LGC, is a board-certified and licensed genetic counselor in the Cancer Genetics Risk Assessment Program at Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis, Indiana. She earned her MS degree in Genetic Counseling at the University of Michigan. Ms. Cohen developed a stand-alone cancer genetics program that now includes three full-time genetic counselors and a genetic counseling assistant. She has been working to improve access to cancer genetic services by implementing a collaborative process, utilizing a network of genetic counselor extenders throughout the Ascension St. Vincent Health system across the state of Indiana.

She is active in training genetic counseling students by serving as a clinical supervisor and research advisor. She is chair of the Research, Quality and Outcomes Committee of the National Society of Genetic Counselors and is a Section Editor for the Journal of Genetic Counseling. She has multiple publications in the field of cancer genetics and genetic counseling service delivery.

Niharika Dixit, MD, is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) in the division of hematology/oncology and practices general oncology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG).

Dr. Dixit’s research focuses on cancer disparities, supportive care, and survivorship care. She is the Medical Director of the Avon Comprehensive Breast Cancer program at ZSFG and directs the Cancer Navigation and Survivorship program at ZSFG. She leads the San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SFCAN) breast cancer task force and serves as chairperson for the Cancer Committee at ZSFG.

Dr. Dixit holds a medical degree from the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, India. She completed an internship at the Command Hospital in Chandimandir, India, and residencies at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, India, as well as St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

Christopher S. Lathan, MD, MS, MPH, is the Chief Clinical Access and Equity Officer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Medical Director of Dana-Farber at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Associate Medical Director of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Network and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Lathan attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine and completed his postdoctoral training in internal medicine, medical oncology and cancer outcomes research at Boston Medical Center and the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. Dr. Lathan also holds a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a Master’s of Science degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Massachusetts.

Dr. Lathan’s primary research interests are centered on the effects of race, class, and access to care on cancer outcomes, including racial disparities in lung cancer treatment, differences in somatic mutations across racial groups, perceptions of genetic testing by race and social class, population differences in targetable mutations in non-small cell lung cancer, and factors influencing willingness to participate in bio-banking among black men with and at-risk for prostate cancer. He is a board member of the National African American Cancer Coalition and the Medical and Scientific Advisory Board for the Lung Cancer Alliance. He is a past board member of the Conquer Cancer Coalition, and Boston Healthcare for the Homeless. Dr. Lathan also serves on the Health Disparities, Cancer Education and Scientific Review committees for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Minorities in Cancer Research Council for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

Dr. Lathan aims to bridge the gap between research efforts in disparities and the realities of patient care by developing interventions to increase access to high level quality care, developed in part through a high level of community engagement. He is the founding Faculty Director of the Cancer Care Equity Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Director of Dana-Farber Community Cancer Care at Whittier Street Health Center in Roxbury, Massachusetts, a clinical outreach program that aids in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer for patients at a Federally Qualified Health Center, and integrates all three arms of clinical cancer care: prevention, diagnosis/treatment, and survivorship. This effort also provides an opportunity to improve clinical trial accrual among vulnerable populations.

Leeann Medina-Martinez, LCSW, is a bilingual licensed clinical social worker and patient assistance program manager at CancerCare in New York, New York. At CancerCare her role has been of providing practical and emotional support to cancer patients and their loved ones. In her role as the patient assistance program manager, she has been working on identifying and addressing barriers and gaps that are affecting people diagnosed with cancer. She has also been working on advocating for patients as well as providing education and resources to patients and their loved ones.

Leeann received her master’s degree concentrating on health and mental health from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in New York, New York.

Jessie Modlin, PharmD, BCOP, is a clinical oncology pharmacist in the Oncology Specialty Pharmacy at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute in Boise, Idaho. Dr. Modlin has worked in various areas of oncology, including outpatient infusion and clinical research. She also serves as affiliate faculty with Idaho State University and provides consultation services for ACT Genetics. Dr. Modin is a board member of the Idaho Society of Clinical Oncology. Her interests include symptom management, pharmacogenomics, and financial toxicity. Dr. Modin received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wyoming in Laramie, Wyoming. She completed her general pharmacy residency at Franciscan Health in Tacoma, Washington, and completed her oncology residency at St. Luke’s Cancer Institute in Boise, Idaho.

Amy Jo Pixley, MSN, RN, OCN, ONN-CG(T), has been a nurse for over 30 years and currently is an oncology nurse navigator in thoracic and melanoma at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  She has experience in pediatrics, adult and pediatric critical care and trauma, nursing administration, case management, and pediatric and adult oncology. She has served as adjunct faculty to the Lancaster General College and Health Sciences. 

Ms. Pixley speaks nationally on topics in thoracic oncology and other cancer-related topics for community and support groups such as awareness lectures and intimacy after treatment. She has presented educational sessions on establishing Nurse Navigation programs to organizations such as the Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium. She has published articles for patients and caregivers in Conquer Magazine related to immunotherapy and shared decision making, and co-authored articles for the Journal of Oncology Navigation and Survivorship.

She is currently a certified oncology nurse, certified nurse navigator generalist and thoracic specialty, and a member of both the Oncology Nursing Society and the Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators.  Ms. Pixley received her undergraduate degree from Bloomsburg University and a Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University.