Sara Ahmadi, MD, is an associate physician in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Hypertension at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School  in Cambridge, Massachusettes. Her area of excellence is Clinical Expertise in thyroid disease, with her remaining time devoted to teaching, clinical research, and peer review. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke University and a member of the Duke Endocrine Neoplasia team and the Duke Cancer Institute from 2016 to 2019. Her main area of research interest is thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, and she has worked on different research projects with the BWH thyroid team since joining BWH/HMS in September 2019. She has served on several committees and task forces at the American Thyroid Association and Endocrine Society. 

Christopher D. Raeburn, MD, is a surgeon at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Raeburn treats patients at both the University of Colorado and the Denver VA Medical Center. His main clinical interest is Endocrine Surgery including the surgical treatment of thyroid nodules/cancer, adrenal tumors, pheochromocytoma, parathyroid problems, and pancreatic endocrine tumors. He also performs robotic surgery, primarily for thyroid, parathyroid, and adrenal disorders. Dr. Raeburn is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He completed his internship, residency, and fellowship at the University of Colorado University Hospital.

Carlos S. Duque, MD, is a head and neck surgeon trained at the University of Miami, Department of Otolaryngology. He works at the Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe and Clínica las Américas in Medellin, Colombia. Dr. Duque specializes in the treatment and management of thyroid cancer. He has published numerous articles on this topic, as well as a book entitled ¡Uuuyyy, TENGO CANCER DE TIROIDES! Entendiendo la enfermedad y la glandula which is also available in English (Oh no, I HAVE THYROID CANCER!). He has led sessions in both English and Spanish at numerous past ThyCa conferences.

Nicole Jolicoeur, Esq, is a cancer rights attorney at Triage Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a juris doctor from New York Law School. Nicole has a passion for assisting those diagnosed with cancer. She appreciates and shares Triage Cancer’s mission to provide education on the practical and legal issues that those diagnosed with cancer may experience. Prior to joining Triage Cancer, Nicole was an excelsior fellow at the New York State Office of Mental Health in Counsel’s Office.

Trevor E. Angell, MD, is an endocrinologist and assistant professor of Clinical Medicine in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Angell is board certified in internal medicine and diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism and his clinical and research interests are related to the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases. He has published articles in JAMA Surgery, Thyroid, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Current Opinion in Endocrinology and Diabetes, including original research and invited reviews. Dr. Angell is recognized for clinical expertise in thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, thyroid hormone dysfunction, and thyroid disorders during pregnancy.

Allen S. Ho, MD, Surgeon, is director of the head and neck cancer program and co-director of the thyroid cancer program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of UCLA School of Medicine. He completed residency at Stanford University School of Medicine and fellowships at the National Institutes of Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His research interests include cancer proteomics, HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer pathogenesis, and thyroid cancer molecular assays. Dr. Ho is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications.

Trevor E. Angell, MD, is an endocrinologist and assistant professor of Clinical Medicine in the Department of Medicine’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Angell is board certified in internal medicine and diabetes, endocrinology and metabolism and his clinical and research interests are related to the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases. He has published articles in JAMA Surgery, Thyroid, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Current Opinion in Endocrinology and Diabetes, including original research and invited reviews. Dr. Angell is recognized for clinical expertise in thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, thyroid hormone dysfunction, and thyroid disorders during pregnancy.

Sana Ghaznavi, MD, is an endocrinologist and neuroendocrine tumor team lead at Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Dr. Ghaznavi is an academic endocrinologist at the University of Calgary, Canada. She graduated from the University of Alberta medical school, completed internal medicine and endocrinology residency at the University of Calgary, and completed an interdisciplinary thyroid cancer fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY. Her practice focuses on the management of thyroid cancer patients. Her research interests include active surveillance of papillary microcarcinomas, re-sensitization therapy for radioiodine refractory thyroid cancer, and personalization of thyroid hormone replacement therapy

Allen S. Ho, MD, Surgeon, is director of the head and neck cancer program and co-director of the thyroid cancer program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of UCLA School of Medicine. He completed residency at Stanford University School of Medicine and fellowships at the National Institutes of Health and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. His research interests include cancer proteomics, HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer pathogenesis, and thyroid cancer molecular assays. Dr. Ho is the author of numerous peer-reviewed publications.

Bhavana Konda, MD, MPH, is a medical oncologist at The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio specializing in thyroid, adrenocortical and neuroendocrine tumors. She earned her medical degree from the NTR University of Health Sciences, Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad, India, and her master’s in public health from the University of Texas. As a member of the Translational Therapeutics Program at the OSUCCC, Dr. Konda focuses her research on providing better treatment options to patients with endocrine-related cancers through clinical trials. She is the study chair of two multicenter, investigator-initiated trials for thyroid cancer patients sponsored by the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, one of which she designed from its inception. She has also served as the institutional principal investigator on several cooperative group and industry-sponsored studies, and is working with the ALLIANCE team to design a multicenter, investigator-initiated trial in adrenocortical cancer.

Antonio Bianco, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Chicago Department of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Bianco received his MD from Santa Casa Medical School and a PhD in human physiology at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1998, he was recruited to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a physician scientist and associate professor of medicine, where he later became chief of the thyroid section. In 2008, he went on to become chief of the Division of Endocrinology at the University of Miami. Dr. Bianco’s work focuses on iodothyronine deiodinases, which play a key role in thyroid hormone metabolism and action. Over 35 years, his continued work on these enzymes has increased understanding of their molecular and cellular biology and provided mechanistic insight into the variable responses to hormone replacement therapy. He is the author of Rethinking Hypothyroidism, Why Treatment Must Change and What Patients Can Do.

Nikita Pozdeyev, MD, PhD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Pozdeyev earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemestry and his medical degree from Saint Petersburg Pavlov State Medical University. His research focuses on developing tools for the diagnosis and treatment of endocrine cancers and hormone-dependent cancers. Dr. Pozdeyev;s team is working on finding better ways to treat hypothyroidism, understanding genetic risk of developing thyroid cancer, and the use of artificial intelligence for thyroid cancer diagnosis.

James Wu, MD, is a board-certified endocrine surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. After completing general surgery residency at UCLA, he pursued advanced training in Complex Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Wu is devoted to caring for patients with thyroid cancer, parathyroid disease, and adrenal tumors. He has expertise in complex neck disease and advanced laparoscopy.

Elizabeth G. Grubbs, MD, is a surgeon and associate professor in the Department of Surgical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She earned her medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, followed by postgraduate training at Duke and at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is author of numerous peer-reviewed original research articles, as well as book chapters. Dr. Grubbs has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Grubbs is a 2014 ThyCa research grant recipient. She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Ruth A. Aponte-Wesson, DDS, MS, FACP, FAAMP, is a professor in the Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics section at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Aponte Wesson earned her MS degree in Clinical Dentistry from the University of Alabama School of Dentristy and completed her post graduate residencys in Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Advanced Prosthodonics at the University of Alabama. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, she helps prevent and manage multiple oral morbidities related the various lines of cancer treatments, particularly those related to head and neck cancers. Her main area of interest has been oral morbidities from novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Another of her passions focusses on the prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient after head and neck cancer treatment. In this arena she has studied different materials used in the rehabilitation of intra oral defects. 

Mark S. Chambers, DMD, MS, is chief of the section of Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He is the vice chair of Research Compliance and Regulatory Affairs. His clinical research efforts include studying the effects of stimulants, antibiotics, and enhancing the body’s immune system to manage dry mouth and injuries to the mouth caused by radiation and/or chemotherapy. Dr. Chambers earned his DMD and an MS in Biological Sciences at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Dr. Chambers is a ThyCa medical advisor.

Aime T. Franco, PhD, is an assistant professor and investigator with the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Franco directs the newly established Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Translational Research Laboratory. She earned her PhD in Cancer Biology from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee and conducted her postdoctoral fellowship in genetics of thyroid cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Her research interests include the molecular biology and genetics of thyroid cancer and improving quality of life and survivorship outcomes for thyroid cancer. Dr. Franco is a 2012 recipient of a ThyCa thyroid cancer research grant and has spoken at many ThyCa conferences.

Priyanka C. Iyer, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist and assistant professor, Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders, Division of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.She received her medical degree from Armed Forces Medical college, Pune, India, and completed her residency at Johns Hopkins University.

Alan L. Ho, MD, is a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) in New York City, New York. He specializes in the treatment of head and neck malignancies, specifically cancers of the salivary glands and thyroid. Dr. Ho earned his medical degree at Stanford University where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa. He did his residency at Weill Cornell-NY Presbyterian and Fellowship at MSKCC. He specializes in the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, thyroid cancers, salivary cancers, and non-melanoma skin cancers. His research is focused upon the translational science of developing novel therapeutics for these malignancies. He is the Principal Investigator of two NIH R01s and a co-PI in the MSKCC Thyroid Cancer Spore program. His research interest lies in translating emerging scientific knowledge of these diseases into new drug therapies

Ruth A. Aponte-Wesson, DDS, MS, FACP, FAAMP, is a professor in the Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics section at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Aponte Wesson earned her MS degree in Clinical Dentistry from the University of Alabama School of Dentristy and completed her post graduate residencys in Maxillofacial Prosthetics and Advanced Prosthodonics at the University of Alabama. At MD Anderson Cancer Center, she helps prevent and manage multiple oral morbidities related the various lines of cancer treatments, particularly those related to head and neck cancers. Her main area of interest has been oral morbidities from novel targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Another of her passions focusses on the prosthetic rehabilitation of the patient after head and neck cancer treatment. In this arena she has studied different materials used in the rehabilitation of intra oral defects. 

Mark S. Chambers, DMD, MS, is chief of the section of Oral Oncology and Maxillofacial Prosthodontics in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He is the vice chair of Research Compliance and Regulatory Affairs. His clinical research efforts include studying the effects of stimulants, antibiotics, and enhancing the body’s immune system to manage dry mouth and injuries to the mouth caused by radiation and/or chemotherapy. Dr. Chambers earned his DMD and an MS in Biological Sciences at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Dr. Chambers is a ThyCa medical advisor.

Elaine Brock is an elementary public-school teacher and resides in Chattanooga, Tennessee with her husband and two young children. Elaine was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) in February 2023. She received radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in June 2023. Elaine holds a BS in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University and an MEd in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. Elaine has a special interest in raising awareness about minimally invasive treatment options for PTC. 

Juan C. Camacho, MD, is a practicing interventional radiologist at Radiology Associates of Florida/Sarasota Memorial Healthcare System in Sarasota, Florida. He trained at Emory University and has worked in renowned academic institutions for the last 10 years. Dr. Camacho has a clinical and research focus in locoregional therapies for the treatment of benign and malignant tumors and has developed the IR ENT service line in collaboration with Endocrinology and Surgical services. During his prior appointment at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he designed a translational model to ablate thyroid microcarcinomas and was part of the first ablate/resect trial on the subject in the US.

Jennifer Holkem, Save Your Thyroid, in Madison, Alabama. She is a thyroid patient advocate, educator, and founder of "Save Your Thyroid," a non-profit organization for patients pursuing nonsurgical treatment options for thyroid nodules. In 2019 she was searching for an alternative to surgery for her own thyroid nodules and discovered radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Due to a severe lack of patient-oriented resources on this and other thermal ablation procedures, she created her YouTube channel, "It’s me Jen again," where she shares her own experience and creates educational video content on this topic. She is a passionate educator and advocates for patients and doctors to save the thyroid whenever possible.

Dr. Shahzad Ahmad, MD, is a founding member of the North American Society of Interventional Endocrinology (NASOIE) and current Treasurer. He has performed more RFA procedures than any endocrinologist in the US. He also performed the first successful RFA procedures on a parathyroid tumor, on a medullary thyroid cancer recurrence, and the first RFA on a toxic thyroid nodule (hyperfunctioning) in the United States. Dr. Ahmad completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in Englewood, New Jersey and then went on to an Endocrinology fellowship at Harbour-UCLA. His special focus is the diagnosis, and medical treatment of thyroid dysfunction, nodules, and cancer. He was also an Assistant Professor at the University of San Francisco School of Medicine. Dr. Ahmad Is ECNU certified, a certification awarded to Endocrinologists who have expertise in thyroid ultrasounds, and procedures. He has now successfully ablated over 500 nodules/goiters and over 30 malignant lymph nodes without complications.

Jessica Alexiou  was working as a professional dancer and fitness coach when she started to experience rapid weight gain, hair loss, joint pain, ear ringing and debilitating fatigue. For 4 years her doctors incorrectly diagnosed that she had acid reflux. In 2021, she learned that she had elevated thyroid antibodies and a cancerous thyroid nodule all along. Jessica demanded a neck ultrasound that showed a nodule pressing on her carotid artery and trachea. She discovered Save Your Thyroid and learned about RFA. In November 2021, Dr. Sean Nikravan, one of the only doctors in America who takes on suspected and verified cancerous cases, performed the RFA. Since having RFA, every symptom has resolved. She will be participating in a session titled, Nonsurgical treatment options for primary PTC: Patients share their experience with thermal ablation

Jeff Bertsch retired as an executive after working for 40 years for the home furniture manufacturer, Flexsteel Industries Inc. He has been married to Diane Bird for 40 years, and together they have 3 grown, married sons (Brandon, Blaine, and Brooks), as well as 4 grandchildren (ages 1 to 4). Jeff and Diane split their retirement life between Scottsdale, AZ (7 months per year) and Dubuque, IA resident (5 months per year). He will be participating in a session titled, Nonsurgical treatment options for primary PTC: Patients share their experience with thermal ablation.

Nicole Jolicoeur, Esq, is a cancer rights attorney at Triage Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a juris doctor from New York Law School. Nicole has a passion for assisting those diagnosed with cancer. She appreciates and shares Triage Cancer’s mission to provide education on the practical and legal issues that those diagnosed with cancer may experience. Prior to joining Triage Cancer, Nicole was an excelsior fellow at the New York State Office of Mental Health in Counsel’s Office.

Matti Gild, BSc, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, is an endocrinologist at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia. Dr Gild's interests are in signaling pathways in RET mutant thyroid cancer. Her PhD was completed through both Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the laboratory of Prof. James Fagin and the Cancer Genetics Lab at the Kolling Institute. Her clinical research is focused on optimizing patient outcomes in thyroid cancer and she maintains her basic science platform investigating genetics of thyroid cancer. She works clinically at Royal North Shore Hospital as a Staff Specialist in Endocrinology and is a Senior Lecturer in Medicine at the Northern Clinical School.

Bruce Robinson, MD, is an endocrinologist and professor at the University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. He has been the head of the Cancer Genetics Unit at the Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Royal North Shore Hospital, since 1989. He has been chairman Hoc Mai Foundation, a major program in medical and health education and exchange with Vietnam since 2001. In 2015 Dr. Robinson was appointed as chair of Australia’s peak advisory and funding body for medical research, National Health, and Medical Research Council. His research has focused on identifying genetic changes which either predispose or directly cause endocrine tumors, and among other highlights has been the formation of an international consortium of families from around the world to study medullary thyroid carcinoma and phaeochromocytoma.

Yuri Nikiforov, MD, PhD, is vice-chair for molecular pathology and director of the Division of Molecular and Genomic Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dr. Nikiforov oversees the operations of the molecular and genomic pathology laboratory in the Clinical Lab Building. He also serves as co-director of the Multidisciplinary Thyroid Center at UPMC. His clinical expertise is in surgical pathology of the thyroid gland and in molecular testing of thyroid tumors. His research is focused on thyroid cancer genetics and mechanisms of chromosomal rearrangements and other mutations induced by ionizing radiation in thyroid cells and other cell types. Dr. Nikiforov is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Valentina D. Tarasova, MD, is an endocrinologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Tarasova received her MD at Kubansky State Medical University. She completed an internal medicine residency at Yale New Haven Hospital, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT and an endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism fellowship at the University of Omaha, NE. Most recently, Dr. Tarasova completed a thyroid cancer fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Tarasova’s clinical interests include thyroid neoplasm, particularly diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of thyroid carcinoma (from low risk to advanced progressive forms of thyroid cancer). Her research interests include the role of molecular markers in diagnosing and determining the prognosis of thyroid neoplasm, risk stratification of patients with thyroid cancer and developing tools to estimate the prognosis and determine the management of patients with thyroid cancer.

James Wu, MD, is a board-certified endocrine surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. After completing general surgery residency at UCLA, he pursued advanced training in Complex Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Wu is devoted to caring for patients with thyroid cancer, parathyroid disease, and adrenal tumors. He has expertise in complex neck disease and advanced laparoscopy.

Jennifer A. Sipos, MD, is an endocrinologist at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio. Dr. Sipos treats patients with thyroid cancer and thyroid nodules. She is a professor in the Division of Endocrinology. Her research interests include management of iodine-refractory thyroid cancer and salivary damage after radioiodine therapy. She is proficient in speaking medical Spanish. She was named to the Castle Connolly list of “Regional Top Doctors” from 2015-2018, as well as being rated in the top 10 percent of physicians in the nation for patient satisfaction in 2017. Dr. Sipos is involved in several research projects and clinical trials, serving as principal investigator on three studies. She has been published in a variety of peer-reviewed medical journals and has presented her findings around the United States and in numerous other countries. She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Daniel Bowles, MD, is a medical oncologist at the University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado and Associate Professor and Director of Cancer Research at the Denver VA Medical Center. Dr. Bowles is a graduate of the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He did his internal medicine residency and hematology/oncology fellowship at the University of Colorado, where he was selected to be a Chief Resident and the Chief Fellow. Dr. Bowles has a particular interest in HPV+ HNSCC, salivary gland cancers, and aggressive thyroid cancers, and has published articles on new treatments for radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer and anaplastic thyroid cancer.

Mabel Ryder, MD, is an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She earned her medical degree from the University of Texas and completed her fellowship and residency at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Dr. Ryder specializes in head and neck cancer and nuclear medicine therapy. She has contributed to many publications on thyroid cancer. Dr. Ryder is a 2007 ThyCa research grant recipient.

Mark E. Zafereo, MD, is a head and neck surgeon and associate professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. He is section chief of head and neck endocrine surgery and associate medical director of the Endocrine Center. He holds national committee appointments for professional associations and is past president of the Houston Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. His clinical practice focuses on patients with thyroid cancer and parathyroid neoplasms. Dr. Zafereo is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Bryan R. Haugen, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Haugen is professor of medicine and pathology, as well as head, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, and chair of Endocrine Neoplasms Research. Dr. Haugen’s clinical and research interests focus on thyroid cancer, including molecular therapeutic targets. Specific areas of research include nuclear hormone receptors (RXR, TR, PPAR) and kinase signaling pathways as therapeutic targets in thyroid cancer, as well as proteomic approaches to molecular markers in thyroid neoplasms. He has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Haugen is a past president of the American Thyroid Association and a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Carlos S. Duque, MD, is a head and neck surgeon trained at the University of Miami, Department of Otolaryngology. He works at the Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe and Clínica las Américas in Medellin, Colombia. Dr. Duque specializes in the treatment and management of thyroid cancer. He has published numerous articles on this topic, as well as a book entitled ¡Uuuyyy, TENGO CANCER DE TIROIDES! Entendiendo la enfermedad y la glandula which is also available in English (Oh no, I HAVE THYROID CANCER!). He has led sessions in both English and Spanish at numerous past ThyCa conferences.

Danica M. Vodopivec, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism in Birmingham, Alabama. After obtaining her medical degree at Universidad de Guayaquil in Ecuador, she completed an Internal Medicine residency at Lahey Clinic/Tufts University in Burlington, MA. She did her Endocrinology fellowship at Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, MA followed by an oncologic endocrinology specialty fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Throughout her training years she has participated in clinical and bench research dedicated to parathyroid neoplasia, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors resistance mechanisms in thyroid cancer. Her scholarly activities have resulted in several peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and quality improvement projects dedicated to better serve the community of patients presenting with various types of endocrine neoplasia, in particular advanced thyroid cancer.

Maria Albuja-Cruz, MD, is an endocrine surgeon at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. She graduated with highest honors from medical school at the Universidad Catholica del Ecuador, and completed her surgical internship and General Surgery residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Board-certified in Surgery, she is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of GI, Tumor and Endocrine Surgery. Among her repertoire of specialty procedures, Dr. Albuja-Cruz is well-versed in minimally invasive parathyroidectomy using intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring, total thyroidectomy with central and modified radical neck dissection, and laparoscopic (anterior and retroperitoneal) adrenalectomy.

Bryan R. Haugen, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Haugen is professor of medicine and pathology, as well as head, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, and chair of Endocrine Neoplasms Research. Dr. Haugen’s clinical and research interests focus on thyroid cancer, including molecular therapeutic targets. Specific areas of research include nuclear hormone receptors (RXR, TR, PPAR) and kinase signaling pathways as therapeutic targets in thyroid cancer, as well as proteomic approaches to molecular markers in thyroid neoplasms. He has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Haugen is a past president of the American Thyroid Association and a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

David Myssiorek, MD, FACS, is an ENT-Otolaryngologist at Bronxcare Health System, Bronx, NY. A graduate of New York University School of Medicine, Dr. Myssiorek did his internship at Lenox Hill Hospital and was Chief Resident at New York University/Bellevue. He is the author of numerous articles on thyroid cancer surgery and other head and neck surgery. He has conducted numerous surveys of our population to learn more from us, with his survey on patients’ voice issues receiving more than 6,000 responses. At ThyCa conferences Dr. Myssiorek has spoken about general surgical issues and issues related to having additional neck surgeries, as well as on the causes, prevention, and solutions for voice issues. Dr. Myssiorek is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Holly Reckers, BM, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist at Columbia University Center for Voice and Swallowing as well as an adjunct professor at Teacher’s College Columbia University in New York City, New York. She specializes in voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders. She has worked with professional voice users who perform on Broadway, The Metropolitan Opera, tv/film, and national/international tours. She has presented and published on the topics of vocal hygiene and training of collegiate and professional singers, effects of thyroid cancer treatment on voice and swallowing, and the effect of COVID-19 on professional voice users. Holly holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in voice performance/opera and her Master of Arts from the University of Cincinnati. She completed her voice fellowship at Lakeshore Ear, Nose, and Throat Professional Voice Center in St. Clair Shores, Michigan

Danica M. Vodopivec, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism in Birmingham, Alabama. After obtaining her medical degree at Universidad de Guayaquil in Ecuador, she completed an Internal Medicine residency at Lahey Clinic/Tufts University in Burlington, MA. She did her Endocrinology fellowship at Boston Medical Center/Boston University School of Medicine in Boston, MA followed by an oncologic endocrinology specialty fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX. Throughout her training years she has participated in clinical and bench research dedicated to parathyroid neoplasia, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors resistance mechanisms in thyroid cancer. Her scholarly activities have resulted in several peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and quality improvement projects dedicated to better serve the community of patients presenting with various types of endocrine neoplasia, in particular advanced thyroid cancer.

Maria E. Cabanillas, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist, professor, and the faculty director of clinical research in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. As a clinician and clinical researcher, Dr. Cabanillas treats both early and advanced thyroid cancers, including medullary, differentiated, and anaplastic. Her research focus is in advanced and aggressive thyroid cancer and molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapy. She is a principal investigator on several clinical trials for treating advanced disease and has been a member of and currently serves on the board of directors of the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG). She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Susan Spinosa is the founder and president of NTRKers.org. Susan is a thyroid cancer survivor since 2004. In 2018, Susan was diagnosed with NTRK gene fusion positive thyroid cancer. Her main focus has been education and connecting patients, family, and care partners for those affected by any NTRK positive cancer. She feels it is also important to advance medical community education and the importance of biomarker tumor testing. In addition, Susan is a volunteer with the ThyCa: Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association, Inc., Cancer Hope Network and the Biomarker Collaborative. 

Maria Albuja-Cruz, MD, is an endocrine surgeon at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. She graduated with highest honors from medical school at the Universidad Catholica del Ecuador, and completed her surgical internship and General Surgery residency at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Board-certified in Surgery, she is an Assistant Professor of Surgery in the Division of GI, Tumor and Endocrine Surgery. Among her repertoire of specialty procedures, Dr. Albuja-Cruz is well-versed in minimally invasive parathyroidectomy using intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring, total thyroidectomy with central and modified radical neck dissection, and laparoscopic (anterior and retroperitoneal) adrenalectomy.

Fabian Pitoia, MD, is an endocrinologist and chief of the thyroid section of the Division of Endocrinology at Universidad de Buenos Aires Hospital de Clínicas,  Buenos Aires.  He is the current President-Elect of the Latin American Thyroid Society. He is a professor of Internal Medicine and Assistant Director of the Career of medical specialists in Endocrinology at the University of Buenos Aires. Dr. Pitoia is mainly dedicated to clinical investigation of thyroid cancer. He is also associate editor of Endocrine and an editorial board member of Endocrine Related Cancer and the Journal of the Endocrine Society. He has more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and had given more than 300 lectures around the world. 

Theodora Pappa, MD, PhD, is an onco-endocrinologist and physician scientist committed to precision medicine in thyroid cancer. Her clinical practice at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is thyroid focused and she conducts translational research on thyroid cancer genomics collaborating with colleagues from Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute. The focus of her research activities is to chart the tumor ecosystem in thyroid cancer and leverage the advances of next generation sequencing and novel computational approaches in order to dissect and clinically interpret thyroid cancer genome, and eventually develop novel prognostic biomarkers to help advance thyroid cancer care.  Dr. Pappa is a 2022 ThyCa research grant recipient.

Kaniksha Desai, MD, ECNU, is an endocrinologist and clinical assistant professor of endocrinology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. She completed her endocrinology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, with an emphasis on the management of patients with thyroid cancer. Dr. Desai’s clinical practice, located in the Endocrinology Clinic Hoover Pavilion, Palo Alto, California, focuses on the management of patients with thyroid diseases, including thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers, and the management of patients with pituitary disorders. She also maintains board certification in neck ultrasonography and internal medicine.

Caroline Nguyen, MD, is an endocrinologist and an assistant professor of clinical medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Keck Medical Center of USC in Los Angeles, California. Her clinical and research interests are related to the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disease with a special focus on thyroid disorders in pregnancy including hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, subclinical thyroid disease, thyroid cancer, Hashimoto’s, and postpartum thyroiditis. She has published articles in Thyroid, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Clinical Diabetes and Endocrinology.

Naifa L. Busaidy, MD, is an endocrinologist and associate professor in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Busaidy, the director of the Thyroid Nodule Clinic, specializes in thyroid cancer and has authored numerous peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. Dr. Busaidy has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Busaidy is a 2011 ThyCa research grant recipient. She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor

Bryan R. Haugen, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Colorado Denver in Aurora, Colorado. Dr. Haugen is professor of medicine and pathology, as well as head, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, and chair of Endocrine Neoplasms Research. Dr. Haugen’s clinical and research interests focus on thyroid cancer, including molecular therapeutic targets. Specific areas of research include nuclear hormone receptors (RXR, TR, PPAR) and kinase signaling pathways as therapeutic targets in thyroid cancer, as well as proteomic approaches to molecular markers in thyroid neoplasms. He has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Haugen is a past president of the American Thyroid Association and a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Agustin A. Andrade, MD, ECNU, is an interventional thyroidologist at the thyroid center in Miami, Florida. Dr. Andrade is a renowned pioneer of Radio Frequency Ablation of the Thyroid (RFA) and Laser Ablation of the Thyroid (PLA) with expertise in large thyroid nodules. In the United States, he is the first physician to perform PLA and one of the first three physicians to perform RFA in the Country. He established his private practice at Mount Sinai Medical Center (MSMC) in 1997. In 2009, he became the Founder and President of The Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Pituitary Center for Miami. Dr. Andrade is also one of a handful of physicians in the country who performs Percutaneous Alcohol Injection (PEI) for thyroid cysts and thyroglossal cysts. Dr. Andrade has dedicated part of his practice to education by leading conferences and symposiums from MSMC to Europe

Giovanni Mauri, MD, is an interventional radiologist at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy. His clinical practice is primarily image-guided mimimally invasive treatments in oncologic patients. Dr. Mauri graduated with a board certification in radiology at the University of Milan, and completed his fellowship in interventional radiology at St. George’s Hospital, and his research fellowship in interventional radiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massacusettes.. He is the chairperson of the European Society of Interventional Radiology (ESIR) task force on thyroid thermal ablation. In addition, he is the author of 170 scientific articles and presented at more than 200 national and international congresses.

Ralph P. Tufano, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., Dr. Tufano was the Charles W. Cummings MD Endowed Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine from 2012-2021. He has authored over 260 peer-reviewed papers, and more than 40 textbook chapters related to thyroid and parathyroid diseases. He has also edited two textbooks in the field. His research interests include novel directed therapies for the treatment of thyroid and parathyroid diseases, clinical outcomes research including transoral thyroid and parathyroid surgery, and determining the value propositions for thyroid and parathyroid surgical care episodes. Dr. Tufano joined the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in 2021 to direct the First Physicians Group Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Endocrine Center that consists of a dedicated Thyroid and Parathyroid Center and Head and Neck Cancer Center. He is now a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Florida State University College of Medicine. Dr. Tufano is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Jennifer Holkem, Save Your Thyroid, in Madison, Alabama. She is a thyroid patient advocate, educator, and founder of "Save Your Thyroid," a non-profit organization for patients pursuing nonsurgical treatment options for thyroid nodules. In 2019 she was searching for an alternative to surgery for her own thyroid nodules and discovered radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Due to a severe lack of patient-oriented resources on this and other thermal ablation procedures, she created her YouTube channel, "It’s me Jen again," where she shares her own experience and creates educational video content on this topic. She is a passionate educator and advocates for patients and doctors to save the thyroid whenever possible.

Sarah Hamidi, MD, FRCPC, is a board-certified endocrinologist currently completing a two-year oncologic endocrine fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Her main interests are advanced differentiated thyroid cancers and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Cabanillas, she is participating in various research projects with the aim to improve the treatment and outcomes of this rare, yet very aggressive disease.

Naifa L. Busaidy, MD, is an endocrinologist and associate professor in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Busaidy, the director of the Thyroid Nodule Clinic, specializes in thyroid cancer and has authored numerous peer-reviewed research articles and book chapters. Dr. Busaidy has spoken at many ThyCa conferences. Dr. Busaidy is a 2011 ThyCa research grant recipient. She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor

Sarah C. Oltmann, MD, is an endocrine surgeon and the Associate Program Chief of Quality and Best Practice, Medical Director of the General Surgery Clinics, and Director of Endocrine Surgery for Parkland Health and Hospital Systems in Dallas, Texas. She attended Baylor University, graduating cum laude for her undergraduate degree. She went on to earn her medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, graduating Alpha Omega Alpha. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She pursued endocrine surgery fellowship training at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. Her research interests include management and clinical outcomes in endocrine surgery. She is a previous recipient of the ATA/ThyCa Research Grant for her work on cancer progression and therapeutic response in a mouse model of Medullary Thyroid Cancer. 

Erik Blomain, MD, PhD, is a radiation oncologist at Stanford University in San Mateo, California. Dr. Blomain earned his undergraduate degrees at Cornell University majoring in both Biology and Classic Civilizations. He completed the MD/PhD Program and completed his medical internship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His focus is on translational cancer research as well as patient-centered care, advocacy, and survivorship for cancer patients. 

Julia E. Noel, MD, is an endocrine surgeon and assistant professor of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery at Stanford University, Stanford, California. Dr. Noel completed her undergraduate work in biochemistry/cell biology and economics at the University of California in San Diego. She remained at UCSD for medical school, then relocated to Stanford University, where she completed her residency in Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery. She then pursued a fellowship in Endocrine Head & Neck Surgery at Stanford. She specializes in surgery of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, lymph node dissections, and has additional expertise and interest in advanced and recurrent thyroid cancer, minimally invasive approaches, and ultrasound guided techniques. Her research interests include Perioperative Oral Steroids for Chronic Rhinosinusitis Without Polyps (CRSsNP).

Kaniksha Desai, MD, ECNU, is an endocrinologist and clinical assistant professor of endocrinology at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. She completed her endocrinology fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, with an emphasis on the management of patients with thyroid cancer. Dr. Desai’s clinical practice, located in the Endocrinology Clinic Hoover Pavilion, Palo Alto, California, focuses on the management of patients with thyroid diseases, including thyroid nodules and thyroid cancers, and the management of patients with pituitary disorders. She also maintains board certification in neck ultrasonography and internal medicine.

Sarimar N. Agosto Salgado, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Agosto Salgado‘s clinical interest centers on the management of thyroid nodules and all stages and types of thyroid cancer, including administration of systemic therapies for aggressive tumors. She is also interested in the management of hereditary endocrine neoplasia disorders, pituitary tumors, adrenal tumors, adrenocortical carcinoma and pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma tumors. Her research interest focuses on intermediate-high risk thyroid cancers in terms of management, surveillance protocols, targeted therapies and potential redifferentiation of tumors resistant to radioactive iodine. 

Jena D. French, PhD, is an immunologist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in Aurora, Colorado. She obtained her training at Mayo Clinic and National Jewish Hospital. Her research has focused on defining the immune response in both follicular-derived and medullary thyroid cancers using patient tissues and preclinical models. She a co-investigator in current clinical trial testing the efficacy of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) in RAIR DTC and serves as a member of the International Thyroid Oncology Group, leading the Immune Therapy Task Force. Her current interests include defining T cell antigen specificity in patients with thyroid cancer and designing novel combination therapies to improve the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with progressive disease.

John A. Copland, III, PhD, is a biologist at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Dr. Copland leads the Cancer Biology and Translational Research Laboratory at Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida. Research in the lab is aimed at better understanding the mechanisms and pathways of carcinogenesis and tumor progression in order to develop novel, synergistic cancer therapies. Dr. Copland and his colleagues develop live cells in culture from patient tumor tissues as well as patient-derived xenograft models. These patient-derived models can be used for drug screening to discover new, patient-specific combination therapies. He earned his PhD from the Department of Physiology and Endocrinology at the Medical College of Georgia and fulfilled post doctoral fellowships at the University of Texas Endocrinology Division and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Maria E. Cabanillas, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist, professor, and the faculty director of clinical research in the Department of Endocrine Neoplasia at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. As a clinician and clinical researcher, Dr. Cabanillas treats both early and advanced thyroid cancers, including medullary, differentiated, and anaplastic. Her research focus is in advanced and aggressive thyroid cancer and molecular targeted therapies and immunotherapy. She is a principal investigator on several clinical trials for treating advanced disease and has been a member of and currently serves on the board of directors of the International Thyroid Oncology Group (ITOG). She is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Roger B. Cohen, MD, is a medical oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and completed internal medicine and hematology training at Mount Sinai Hospital (NY) followed by research fellowships at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and National Institutes of Health and a medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. He was a medical officer at the FDA Center for Biologics from 1989-1994 and was Deputy Director, Division of Monoclonal Antibodies. Prior to his arrival at Penn, Dr. Cohen was Director of the Cancer Center Clinical Trials Office at the University of Virginia Cancer Center in Charlottesville and then Director of the Phase 1 Program at the Fox Chase Cancer Center. He is an active investigator on several first-in-humans clinical trials with research interests that focus on evaluation of novel therapies, including monoclonal antibodies, immune therapies, and small molecule cell-signaling pathway inhibitors. He primarily sees patients with lung and head and neck cancer.

Douglas Van Nostrand, MD, is Director, Nuclear Medicine Research at MedStar Research Institute and MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. He is also a professor of medicine at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Van Nostrand completed his postgraduate training in internal medicine at Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, and his nuclear medicine training at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. He has an MD degree from Emory University School of Medicine and a BS from Duke University. He has held numerous leadership positions, has received numerous awards, and has authored or coauthored more than 100 abstracts, articles, and chapters. He also has edited and co-edited seven medical books for professionals and patients including the patients’ reference Thyroid Cancer: A Guide for Patients, and the medical textbook co-authored with Dr. Leonard Wartofsky, Thyroid Cancer: A Comprehensive Guide to Clinical Management. Dr. Van Nostrand is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Rolf Stavig, LCSW,  is an Oncology Social Worker at the University of Colorado Cancer Center in Aurora, CO. Rolf has worked in this role at UC Health for ten years. Rolf also worked as a Social Worker for 10 years at Denver Health in the ID Clinic, MICU and Inpatient General Medicine services. Rolf is an MSW graduate of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus. Since 2019, Rolf has partnered with UC Health and the Lighthouse Writer’s Workshop to provide a “Writing with Cancer” support group.  The group has met continuously twice monthly, initially in person and currently online, to provide writing opportunities and support for cancer patients. 

R. Michael Tuttle, MD, is an endocrinologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York. Dr. Tuttle is also a professor of medicine at the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University. Dr. Tuttle’s research projects in radiation-induced thyroid cancer have taken him from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands to the Hanford Nuclear power-plant in Washington State to regions in Russia that were exposed to fallout from the Chernobyl accident. He served on the American Thyroid Association committee that produced the current guidelines for the management of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. He also chaired the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Thyroid Cancer panel and served on the Endocrinologic and Metabolic Drugs advisory committee of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Tuttle is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Jennifer R. Wang, MD, PhD, ScM, FRCSC, is an assistant professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She is a surgeon scientist with a clinical practice focused on the treatment of patients with thyroid cancers.  Dr. Wang received her undergraduate degree in health sciences from McMaster University and her medical degree from University of Toronto. Dr. Wang also has a PhD in genetic epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is member of the FAST team at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Facilitating Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Specialized Treatment Team, dedicated to providing rapid diagnosis and treatment for patients with anaplastic thyroid cancer.  Her laboratory is focused on studying genetic changes that are found in patients with thyroid cancers that can help to predict disease behavior and treatment response.

Sarimar N. Agosto Salgado, MD, is an oncologic endocrinologist at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Agosto Salgado‘s clinical interest centers on the management of thyroid nodules and all stages and types of thyroid cancer, including administration of systemic therapies for aggressive tumors. She is also interested in the management of hereditary endocrine neoplasia disorders, pituitary tumors, adrenal tumors, adrenocortical carcinoma and pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma tumors. Her research interest focuses on intermediate-high risk thyroid cancers in terms of management, surveillance protocols, targeted therapies and potential redifferentiation of tumors resistant to radioactive iodine. 

Jochen H. Lorch, MD, MSc, is a medical oncologist and professor of medicine and medical director of the Head and Neck and Thyroid Programs Northwestern Medical Group in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the University of Regensburg in Germany in 1993 and completed his internship and residency at the University of Pennsylvania/Presbyterian Medical Center in 1999. He was awarded a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Northwestern University in Chicago. In 2002, he returned to Germany to complete his German Board Certification in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology. He returned to the US in 2005 to take a faculty position at Boston University in Boston, MA and started as a faculty member at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA in 2008. He became the inaugural director of the Thyroid Center at Dana Farber. In 2021 he left Dana Farber as Associate Professor of Medicine to join the faculty at Northwestern University. Dr. Lorch is a ThyCa Medical Advisor.

Sarah Hamidi, MD, FRCPC, is a board-certified endocrinologist currently completing a two-year oncologic endocrine fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Her main interests are advanced differentiated thyroid cancers and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Under the mentorship of Dr. Maria Cabanillas, she is participating in various research projects with the aim to improve the treatment and outcomes of this rare, yet very aggressive disease.

Naveen Chaubal, is a film producer in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he was awarded the Thomas Bush Scholarship in Cinematography. Currently, he not only enjoys exploring the field of cinematography, but also photography through short films, music videos, art films and commercials. He looks forward to working as much as possible and traveling to all parts of the world. 

Bryn Silverman is a filmmaker and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. She is an Associate Programmer for the Tribeca Film Festival. Her work examines myth making in American history. She was a story producer for Netflix's documentary series Amend: The Fight for America and an editor of the critically acclaimed documentary film Roll Red Roll. She is currently producing a film that follows her experience with papillary thyroid cancer.

Vicki Mackie, is the Founder and Executive Director of Sites and Insights®, an international 501(c)3  nonprofit. Sites and Insights® provides free Mindful Therapeutics Through Art workshops, programs,  and retreats for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and clinical caregivers. Vicki is a cancer survivor,  caregiver, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Vicki has continued her education with certifications in  Healing Arts, Energy Healing, Palliative Care Healing Art, Aroma Therapy, Laughing Yoga, and  various complementary therapies. Through research and innovation, she developed an award winning, copyrighted curriculum proven to help heal the emotional trauma that comes with a cancer diagnosis.

Naveen Chaubal, is a film producer in Louisville, Kentucky. He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts where he was awarded the Thomas Bush Scholarship in Cinematography. Currently, he not only enjoys exploring the field of cinematography, but also photography through short films, music videos, art films and commercials. He looks forward to working as much as possible and traveling to all parts of the world. 

Bryn Silverman is a filmmaker and graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. She is an Associate Programmer for the Tribeca Film Festival. Her work examines myth making in American history. She was a story producer for Netflix's documentary series Amend: The Fight for America and an editor of the critically acclaimed documentary film Roll Red Roll. She is currently producing a film that follows her experience with papillary thyroid cancer.

Erik Blomain, MD, PhD, is a radiation oncologist at Stanford University in San Mateo, California. Dr. Blomain earned his undergraduate degrees at Cornell University majoring in both Biology and Classic Civilizations. He completed the MD/PhD Program and completed his medical internship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His focus is on translational cancer research as well as patient-centered care, advocacy, and survivorship for cancer patients. 

Megan E. Rau, MD, MPH, FACP, is a geriatrics and palliative care physician at NYU Langone Health and assistant professor at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City, New York. She is the Section Chief of Geriatrics at Tisch Hospital/Kimmel Pavilion, a member of the Ethics Committee, and Graduate Medical Education Committee. Dr. Rau received her Bachelor of Science, Master of Public Health, and Doctor of Medicine from the University of Missouri – Columbia. She then completed her Internal Medicine residency at Wake Forest and fellowship training in Geriatrics and Hospice-Palliative Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Dr. Rau has a passion for medical education teaching medical students, residents, and fellows and is the Associate Program Director for the NYU Geriatric and Palliative Care fellowships. Dr. Rau is the current facilitator of the ThyCa Manhattan Support Group.

Ryan Lanning, MD, PhD, is a radiation oncologist at UC Health in Denver, Colorado.  He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 2011, and completed his residency at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He specializes in head and neck cancer, melanoma, radiation therapy, sarcoma, and skin cancer.

Sarah C. Oltmann, MD, is an endocrine surgeon and the Associate Program Chief of Quality and Best Practice, Medical Director of the General Surgery Clinics, and Director of Endocrine Surgery for Parkland Health and Hospital Systems in Dallas, Texas. She attended Baylor University, graduating cum laude for her undergraduate degree. She went on to earn her medical degree at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, graduating Alpha Omega Alpha. She completed her general surgery residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She pursued endocrine surgery fellowship training at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, WI. Her research interests include management and clinical outcomes in endocrine surgery. She is a previous recipient of the ATA/ThyCa Research Grant for her work on cancer progression and therapeutic response in a mouse model of Medullary Thyroid Cancer. 

James Wu, MD, is a board-certified endocrine surgeon and assistant professor of surgery at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. After completing general surgery residency at UCLA, he pursued advanced training in Complex Head and Neck Oncologic Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Wu is devoted to caring for patients with thyroid cancer, parathyroid disease, and adrenal tumors. He has expertise in complex neck disease and advanced laparoscopy.

Anupam Kotwal, MD, is an endocrinologist and assistant professor in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He received endocrinology training at Mayo Clinic Rochester. His clinical focus is on endocrinopathies from cancer therapies, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, and adrenal cancer. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer which has provided him with a different outlook toward caring and empathizing with his patients. Dr. Kotwal's research aims to identify immune biomarkers for thyroid cancer and to characterize immunotherapy-induced endocrinopathies.

Dr. Vanderveen received her medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL; and her surgical residency training at UC-Davis in Sacramento, CA. During her residency, she also obtained a Master’s Degree (MAS) in Clinical Research and was actively involved in cancer research and education. Dr. Vanderveen subsequently completed a fellowship in Endocrine Surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She holds Board Certification in General Surgery. She is an expert in both medical and surgical aspects of endocrine diseases, specializing in surgery for diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal glands. She is adept at minimally invasive techniques and advanced imaging, including new “scarless” transoral techniques.

 

Aime T. Franco, PhD, is an assistant professor and investigator with the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dr. Franco directs the newly established Pediatric Thyroid Cancer Translational Research Laboratory. She earned her PhD in Cancer Biology from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee and conducted her postdoctoral fellowship in genetics of thyroid cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York. Her research interests include the molecular biology and genetics of thyroid cancer and improving quality of life and survivorship outcomes for thyroid cancer. Dr. Franco is a 2012 recipient of a ThyCa thyroid cancer research grant and has spoken at many ThyCa conferences.

Brenna Newfell, MSN, FNP-BC, is a nurse practitioner at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.  She works in the division of Head and Neck Oncology with a population focus of advanced thyroid cancer.  Her clinical interests include symptom management and optimizing the integration of palliative care in her patient population through their continuum of care.

Vicki Mackie, is the Founder and Executive Director of Sites and Insights®, an international 501(c)3 nonprofit. Sites and Insights® provides free Mindful Therapeutics Through Art workshops, programs, and retreats for cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and clinical caregivers. Vicki is a cancer survivor, caregiver, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Vicki has continued her education with certifications in Healing Arts, Energy Healing, Palliative Care Healing Art, Aroma Therapy, Laughing Yoga, and various complementary therapies. Through research and innovation, she developed an award winning, copyrighted curriculum proven to help heal the emotional trauma that comes with a cancer diagnosis.

Megan R. Haymart, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Haymart's research focuses on variation in the management of thyroid cancer with an emphasis on the role of patients, providers, and health systems in thyroid cancer diagnosis and treatment. She also studies thyroid cancer outcomes and the rise in thyroid cancer incidence. She is principal investigator of the NCI-funded R01 grant “Treatment Decision Making in Low-Risk Thyroid Cancer” and the AHRQ-funded R01 grant “Imaging Practices and Overdiagnosis of Thyroid Cancer.” Dr. Haymart received her medical degree from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, completed internal medicine residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital, and completed a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Wisconsin. She participates in creating the National Comprehensive Cancer Network thyroid carcinoma guidelines. 

Jacqueline Jonklaas, MD, PhD, MPH, is an endocrinologist at MedStar Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Dr. Jonklaas obtained her MD, residency, and fellowship training at Georgetown University. Dr. Jonklaas is the program director of the Georgetown Clinical Research Unit and has published research regarding treatment and outcomes in patients with thyroid cancer. She is the chief operating officer of the American Thyroid Association.

Maria Papaleontiou, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her clinical interests include management of thyroid disease and cancer, especially in older adults. Her research, funded by the NIH and other grants, focuses on the impact of age and comorbidity on thyroid disease/cancer decision making, the overtreatment with and misuse of thyroid hormone in older adults, and the roles of the physician and patient in the management of thyroid disorders/cancer. In addition, Dr. Papaleontiou has a long-standing interest in elevating clinical endocrinology through contributions to both physician and patient education. She is active in the American Thyroid Association (ATA), currently serving as Chair for the Women in Thyroidology and Co-Chair for the ATA task force to revise the hypothyroidism guidelines.

Catalina Ovalle, BSND, is a passionate and experienced holistic nutritionist, 200hr yoga instructor, and wellness coach in London, England. She is a 7-year medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) survivor and has become her own biggest advocate in the doctor’s office, and in her everyday life. Catalina studied Nutrition & Dietetics at Arizona State University and has since, dived deeper into holistic nutrition and wellness. She is driven to help teach and guide others on how to nourish every part of you. The whole you. Mind, body, and spirit through wellness, nutrition, and yoga.

Luz E. Castellanos, MD,  is a board-certified pediatric endocrinologist and recent graduate of the Oncologic Endocrinology Fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She will be joining their Department of Endocrine Neoplasia and Hormonal Disorders as faculty this fall. After completing her MD at McGovern Medical School, she did her pediatric residency at University of Texas at Austin Dell Children’s and pediatric endocrinology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. After fellowship, she coupled her clinical practice with clinical trial research on artificial pancreas technologies for diabetes. Dr. Castellanos plans to pursue an academic career specializing in the care of children with cancer-related endocrinopathies and endocrine neoplasia.

Debbie W. Chen, MD, is an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dr. Chen received her medical degree from University of Rochester School of Medicine. Her prior research explored disparities in thyroid cancer care and, in particular, focused on Hispanic women with thyroid cancer which is an underrepresented and understudied patient population. Future research will focus on exploring disparities in thyroid cancer care related to language.

Amanda LaGreca, MD, is an endocrinologist and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora, Colorado. She received her medical degree from University of Buenos Aires and completed her residency at Yale-New Haven Medical Center in Connecticut.

Erik Blomain, MD, PhD, is a radiation oncologist at Stanford University in San Mateo, California. Dr. Blomain earned his undergraduate degrees at Cornell University majoring in both Biology and Classic Civilizations. He completed the MD/PhD Program and completed his medical internship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. His focus is on translational cancer research as well as patient-centered care, advocacy, and survivorship for cancer patients. 

Donna Sherman, MSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker and thyroid cancer survivor based out of Highland, New York, and New York City. Since 2008 she has been working as a behavioral health coach and consultant offering skills-based guidance and training that helps clients live and work well. In 2016 she created the therapeutic guided restorative recording titled “Yoga Nidra: Total Relaxation Practices for Adults & Teens”. Ms. Sherman currently hosts the Sparks In Action Podcast.

Anupam Kotwal, MD, is an endocrinologist and assistant professor in the Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology & Metabolism at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He received endocrinology training at Mayo Clinic Rochester. His clinical focus is on endocrinopathies from cancer therapies, thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, and adrenal cancer. He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer which has provided him with a different outlook toward caring and empathizing with his patients. Dr. Kotwal's research aims to identify immune biomarkers for thyroid cancer and to characterize immunotherapy-induced endocrinopathies.