, MACP, FCCP, FRCP (London), Director of the Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology, has been named Enterprise Vice President for Cancer Disparities at Jefferson Health’s 

 will be responsible for developing and coordinating operations for cancer care disparities across the Jefferson Enterprise, overseeing a team focused on the quality and cost effectiveness of cancer care, patient-oriented outcomes, as well as identifying and eliminating barriers to care, especially those related to racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities and the social determinants of health. 

Mitchell joined Jefferson in 1995, and has held numerous leadership positions, including SKCC’s Associate Director for Cancer Disparities and Program Leader of the Gastrointestinal Oncology Program. She also serves as SKCC’s Principal Investigator for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Lead Academic Participating Site (LAPS) Program, one of 32 program recipients throughout the United States. Throughout her career, she has prioritized individuals in medically underserved communities. Her research examines the ethnic, socioeconomic, and other factors affecting clinical trial participation and barriers to accrual among minorities, as well as novel drug evaluation, chemoradiation strategies, new therapeutic regimens, supportive care, and patient selection criteria for clinical trials in breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers, and other GI malignancies. In addition to her myriad contributions to medicine and health disparities research, Mitchell is a retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General – the first woman physician to attain the rank in history – and has been awarded more than 15 military service medals and ribbons, including the Legion of Merit, Air Force Achievement and Commendation Medals, and the Humanitarian Service Medal.

As Enterprise Vice President for Cancer Disparities, Mitchell will design an agenda for cancer disparities research that is aligned with SKCC and Jefferson goals for areas including screening, geriatric oncology, health economics, survivorship, and prevention and risk reduction, as well as participate in Jefferson-wide efforts to develop a data model and research platform supporting disparities research. Working with SKCC’s basic scientists, clinical and translational researchers, and population scientists, Mitchell will develop a strong portfolio of research trials, grants, and publications.

“Dr. Mitchell has had an extraordinary career dedicated to eliminating health disparities affecting too many individuals and communities in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Her work with community health providers has increased minority participation in clinical trials and she has brought cancer screening to neighborhoods lacking access to preventive care,” said 

, Director of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and EVP of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health. “Dr. Mitchell’s expertise and devotion to health equity is invaluable to the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center in our commitment to deliver high quality cancer care across the region.”

In addition to her leadership roles within SKCC and Jefferson, Mitchell served as the 116th President of the National Medical Association and was appointed member of the President’s Cancer Panel from 2019-2023. She was selected for the NCI’s Blue Ribbon Panel to advise the National Cancer Advisory Board on then-Vice President Joe Biden’s National Cancer Moonshot Initiative, and the NIH Council of Councils. Additionally, Mitchell has served on numerous committees for the NCI, ECOG-ACRIN, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), NRG Oncology, and the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

Throughout her career, Mitchell’s achievements have been recognized through many honors, including the AACR Jane Cooke Wright, MD Lectureship, ASCO’s Humanitarian Award, the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Control Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Jefferson’s 2018 Achievement Award in Medicine, the Octavius Valentine Catto Award for community service in the City of Philadelphia, and the 2016 Historically Black College Alumnus of the Year. She has been inducted into the National Historical Black College Hall of Fame and as an honorary member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

Mitchell received her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University in Nashville and attended medical school at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, during which time she entered the Air Force receiving a commission through the Health Professions Scholarship Program. She entered active duty following an internship and residency at Meharry Medical College in Nashville and a fellowship at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Articles

Edith P. Mitchell, MD, MACP, FCCP, FRCP, Director of the Center to Eliminate Cancer Disparities and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology, has been named Enterprise Vice President for Cancer Disparities at Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.

SKCC’s Dr. Edith Mitchell Named Enterprise Vice President for Cancer Disparities

Alessandro Fatatis, MD, PhD, has been named Associate Director for Basic Research at Jefferson Health’s 

 previously served as Co-leader for SKCC’s Translational and Cellular Oncology 

 and is Professor of Pharmacology and Physiology at Drexel University College of Medicine. SKCC is a National Cancer Research (NCI)-recognized consortium cancer center with Drexel University. 

As Associate Director for Basic Research, Fatatis will be responsible for coordinating all cancer-focused basic research at SKCC and aligning these efforts with strategic priorities. He will advance collaborative basic research across the cancer center’s Translational and Cellular Oncology, Immune Cell Regulation and Targeting, and Molecular Oncology Regulation and Approaches Research Programs and promote strong partnerships with the population science-oriented members in the Cancer Research and Control Program.

Additionally, he will work closely with Wm. Kevin Kelly, DO, Associate Director for Clinical Research, to link bench-to-bedside research through the multidisciplinary disease groups, and Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH, Associate Director for Community Integration, to develop research to address the health issues unique to the catchment area. Fatatis succeeds Andrew Aplin, PhD, who held the role until his appointment to SKCC Deputy Director last year.

“I am very excited to assume this role and continue my work with an exceptional team of scientists, clinicians, and healthcare providers,” Fatatis said. “I am also fully committed to join the efforts of SKCC leadership toward the eradication of cancer, focusing on the specific needs of our catchment area and in consultation with patient advocates and local community leaders.”

Fatatis is a recognized expert of metastasis and his research focuses on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the metastatic potential of solid tumors and identifying novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets to treat metastatic disease. He is currently PI of an NCI-funded R01 grant to study interleukin-1beta and AR-negative tumor cells in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, and Co-PI on a SKCC-Drexel Consortium Collaborative Grant that is examining the atomic structure of the small-molecule antagonist FX-68 bound to CX3CR1 reconstituted in lipid nanodiscs. He is also PI on an R01 multi-PI grant investigating the role of CX3CR1 in breast cancer metastasis.

“Dr. Fatatis is an impactful scientist and leader who will expertly guide basic scientific research efforts at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center and promote collaboration across our four research programs, which will enable us to translate our scientific discoveries to more effectively treat, detect, and prevent cancer in our communities,” said Andrew Chapman, DO, SKCC Director and EVP of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health.

Fatatis previously served as Co-director of the Prostate Cancer Working Group of Greater Philadelphia and is currently Chair of the admission and steering committee of the Diversity in Drug Discovery and Development Fellowship, in partnership with Janssen’s Oncology Discovery group. Additionally, he has served as a peer reviewer for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Defense.

His honors and awards include 2016 SKCC Director’s Award for Outstanding Member, the 2016 Mentoring Award from the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Professional Studies at Drexel University, the 2006 Young Scientist Award from Drexel University College of Medicine, and the 1999 Award 

 for Distinguished Pharmacological Research from the Italian Society of Pharmacology. He is also Chair of the Steering Committee for Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program Inter-Institutional Award at the Wistar Institute and the University of Pennsylvania 

Fatatis received his medical and doctoral degrees from the University of Naples in Italy, where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship, and was a Fogarty Fellow in the Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology in the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Prior to joining Drexel in 2000, he served as a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Physiology at the University of Chicago.

Alessandro Fatatis, MD, PhD, has been named Associate Director for Basic Research at Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center.

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Appoints Dr Alessandro Fatatis Associate Director for Basic Research

Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center

 welcomes transdisciplinary population health researcher 

, as Co-leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program.

Hyslop is returning to SKCC from the Duke Cancer Institute, where she served as Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics for the past eight years. Previously, she was Director of the Biostatistics Division at Jefferson.

“I am ecstatic that Dr. Terry Hyslop will rejoin the cancer center as the Co-Leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program. She is known for her expertise focused on disparities and health equity in cancer, which will enhance the depth and breadth of SKCC and create unique opportunities to strengthen our consortium relationship [with Drexel University] as well as broaden our mentorship capabilities,” said 

, SKCC Director and EVP of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health.

During her tenure at Duke, Hyslop led many projects and brings two new projects to SKCC. In the first project, Hyslop is partnering with Dr. Melissa Troester, Principal Investigator of the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, which is based at the University of North Carolina. They will develop a modeling framework that links immune signaling and social and environmental determinants of health in a study of metastatic breast cancer, which is funded by the Komen Foundation.

In a National Cancer Institute-funded study, Hyslop is working with Duke epidemiologist Dr. Meira Epplein to develop a “cells to society” model of disparities in gastric cancer and the role of H. pylori and other co-infections.

“The recruitment of Dr. Hyslop back to SKCC remarkably amplifies our already formidable strengths in cancer prevention and control in the Jefferson catchment area. Moreover, she brings the extra-added dimension of focusing on determinants of cancer disparities and their associated health equities, which are central to improving the lives of patients in our community,” said Scott Waldman, MD, PhD, Chair, Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Cancer Biology.

In addition to her role as Co-leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program, Hyslop will lead the newly formed SKCC Center for Health Equity.

“This center will look to address the needs of our catchment area and span the cancer continuum with a focus on prevention to survivorship, incorporating studies of obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic health, aging, smoking, and other risk behaviors, HPV prevention, and many others,” Hyslop said.

“In particular, we will focus on the structural inequities across the social, environmental, economic, and cultural determinants of health that lead to disparities in outcomes. This will bring together efforts across our consortium with Drexel University to make an impact on Philadelphia.”

Hyslop received her doctoral degree from Temple University. Among her awards and honors is a fellowship in the American Statistical Association.

Jefferson Health’s Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center welcomes transdisciplinary population health researcher Terry Hyslop, PhD, as Co-leader of the Cancer Risk and Control Program.

Dr. Terry Hyslop Joins SKCC as Cancer Risk and Control Program Co-leader and Center for Health Equity Director

Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health’s Board of Trustees have announced that Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, will join as the organization’s new CEO, effective September 6, 2022. Dr. Cacchione comes from Ascension, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the U.S., where he has served as an integral leader since 2017.

Most recently, Dr. Cacchione served as Executive Vice President, Clinical and Network Services (CNS) for Ascension, a $28B organization with 165,000 employees across 145 hospitals and 2,600+ care sites in 19 states and the District of Columbia. Before his current role, he served as CEO of Ascension Michigan with 15 hospitals and 22,000 employees.

Jefferson’s Board of Trustees’ Chair Patricia D. Wellenbach said: “Jefferson is a national leader in healthcare delivery and higher education. The Board was laser-focused on finding a leader who would be committed to our mission of ‘improving lives’ by prioritizing innovation, partnerships, and reducing racial, ethnic, health and socioeconomic disparities. With Dr. Cacchione, we’ve found the visionary and operational leader we need to reach new heights in healthcare, research and higher education. His experience successfully managing large, complex organizations while also demonstrating thoughtful, inclusive leadership, leaves no doubt in my mind that he is the best person to take Jefferson into the future.”

As a lifelong advocate for clinical quality and patient experience, Dr. Cacchione has an impressive record of identifying high-impact opportunities to best meet the needs of patients and communities, and designing strategies to provide better care while enabling growth consistent with an organization’s core mission. His detailed understanding of the delivery of clinical services has enabled him to collaborate and implement innovative approaches that improve efficiency with sensitivity to their impact on clinical quality, caregiver engagement and patient experience. The depth and breadth of Dr. Cacchione’s visionary leadership coupled with his vast experience in various markets and business conditions are key to the new CEO’s ability to take the Jefferson organization to new heights in reimagining health, education and discovery to create unparalleled value.

“I am honored to be the next CEO of Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University. Jefferson has long served as a national model for excellence in care delivery, higher education, discovery and innovation,” said Dr. Cacchione. “I look forward to working together with the dedicated Jefferson team to continue the remarkable work they have done around creating one of the nation’s most respected healthcare organizations and distinctive universities. I believe in organizations that make their communities better, and I can think of no better example than Jefferson.”

As Jefferson CEO, Dr. Cacchione will continue to advance the enterprise’s growth strategy. Dr. Cacchione will be working with his direct reports Jefferson Health President Bruce A. Meyer, MD, MBA, and Thomas Jefferson University President Mark L. Tykocinski, MD to further shape the future of healthcare, research and professions-focused education on a national and international stage.

Emeritus Board Trustee H. Richard Haverstick, Jr. has served as interim CEO and President of Thomas Jefferson University and interim CEO of Jefferson Health since January 1, 2022, while Jefferson’s Board embarked on a national search for a permanent CEO. Mr. Haverstick will work with Dr. Cacchione to ensure a smooth transition as he assumes his new role.

The search was led by Leslie J. McNamara, Vice Chair of the Jefferson Board of Trustees, and was guided by the important work the Board already had begun years ago around the ‘CEO of the Future.’

“The search committee was immediately struck by Dr. Cacchione’s ability to transform and manage complex organizations with a clear vision, while building diverse and high-performing teams to execute against a well-defined strategy. That approach will serve Jefferson well as we map out what’s next,” said McNamara.

Some of Dr. Cacchione’s recent accomplishments include:

Served as Executive Vice President of Enterprise-Wide Clinical Network Services at Ascension, a $28B organization with 165,000 employees across 145 hospitals and 2,600 care sites across 19 states.

Led Ascension Michigan’s multi-million-dollar statewide health system, including planning and directing a significant turnaround in one year through revenue growth and stewardship.

Played an instrumental role in creating a new strategic plan focused on moving the organization to a differentiated quality, value and consumer centricity.

Led Ascension’s enterprise initiative to centralize operations and unite stakeholders around a common purpose and vision, transforming the organization from disparate operating entities into one unified operating company.

Launched a proprietary ACA plan to address the needs of uninsured patients.

Developed and oversaw system-wide strategies to integrate NIH’s Equity consensus categories into Ascension’s culture and operations through successful internal initiatives, external affiliations and data applications.

Created a data-informed Community Impact Department combining mission and clinical perspectives on Social Determinants of Health and Health Equity.

Grew Ascension’s employed physician enterprise by 25% over four years, improved financial performance, and improved physician well-being index by 30%.

Maintains an extensive national network of industry, government and thought leaders.

Before his time at Ascension, Dr. Cacchione spent eight years at the Cleveland Clinic, a leading academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education, where he played a major enterprise role in business development while also serving as Chairman of Operations and Strategy for its Heart and Vascular Institute. Before that, he served as executive vice president and chief of quality and operations at Saint Vincent’s Health System in Erie, PA, where he oversaw the development of several service lines, including orthopedics, oncology, neuroscience and cardiovascular. Previously, he spent the first 20 years of his professional career as a private practice cardiologist and large private physician practice executive.

Dr. Cacchione earned his MD from Hahnemann University and his BS degree from Gannon University. Dr. Cacchione completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Case Western Reserve University. He also completed his residency in cardiology at the University of Rochester (Rochester, NY) and served as a Cardiac Research and Interventional Fellow at Case Western Reserve University. He is Board Certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology and has been recognized many times for his contributions to his field and the prestigious institutions he has served. He also has held numerous leadership roles on a national level and in Pennsylvania for the American College of Cardiology and has served on a number of national and community-based administrative health committees. He has authored and co-authored scholarly papers, and presented at national conferences and meetings on healthcare systems, new paradigms in healthcare, cardiology and cardiovascular disease and healthcare administration. He holds active medical licenses in Ohio, New York and Pennsylvania.

Dr. Cacchione Will Lead Jefferson in Shaping the Future of Healthcare, Higher Education and Discovery

Jefferson Names Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, New CEO of Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University

The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health (SKCC) has appointed 

, MACP, FRCP, as Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The new leadership role will facilitate and coordinate DEI efforts across the SKCC enterprise.

Dr. Lopez, who is Professor and Vice Chair of Medical Oncology and Chief of Cancer Services at SKCC – Jefferson Health New Jersey, is a board-certified medical oncologist and a health service researcher with a focus on health equity research who has been continuously extramurally funded since fellowship. Dr. Lopez’s health equity research portfolio includes holding simultaneous awards ($5M) as PI of both a Center of Excellence Grant (CoE, HRSA) and a Health Care Opportunities Program Grant (HCOP, HRSA). Lessons from these projects and other workforce development research will bring evidence to the SKCC perspective.

In this newly created role, Dr. Lopez will be responsible for enhancing infrastructure while utilizing institutional resources to expand the pipeline of members of diverse backgrounds. This will be accomplished through training or mentoring opportunities to encourage participation of students, postdoctoral researchers, and co-investigators from diverse backgrounds, including those groups shown to be nationally underrepresented in the research workforce.

She will work collaboratively with SKCC’s Edith P. Mitchell, MD, Associate Director for Diversity Affairs; Amy Leader, DrPH, MPH, Associate Director for Community Integration; Felix Kim, PhD, Associate Director for Education and Training Programs; Bernard Lopez, MD, Associate Provost, Diversity and Inclusion, and Associate Dean, Diversity and Community Engagement at Thomas Jefferson University; and Lisette Martinez, MBA, Jefferson’s EVP & Chief Diversity Officer, to facilitate SKCC learning, support best practices, and forge a path towards equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. These efforts will enhance diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging in the SKCC community, support recruitment and retention efforts at all levels at SKCC, and expand partnerships with local, national, and global communities.

When asked about the significance of this role, Dr. Lopez noted, “Given the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased data on the adverse impact of racism, ageism, sexism, and all the other -isms on health outcomes, the time is ripe for evolution. The opportunity that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging bring to science is transformative. It is a privilege to partner with colleagues and communities to advance opportunities for all.”

Dr. Lopez came to Jefferson from the University of Utah, where she served as Associate Vice President for Health Equity and Inclusion for University of Utah Health and held a similar role at the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Dr. Lopez currently serves on the Steering Committee of the Group on Women in Medicine and Science at the Association of American Medical Colleges and as Co-chair, Health Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Taskforce at the Society for Integrative Oncology. She recently served as Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Cancer Health Equity Committee, as a Steering Committee Member of the Group on Diversity and Inclusion at the Association of American Medical Colleges, and as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Hispanic Medical Association.

Dr. Lopez is a former member of the Advisory Committees on Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) (NIH/DHHS), the Executive Committee for the National Sex and Gender Education Summit (American Medical Women’s Association), and a member of the Inclusion Across the Lifespan Workshop (NIH).

“We are incredibly thankful that Dr. Lopez will be bringing her expertise and unique perspective to the role of Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” said Andrew Chapman, DO, Enterprise Director of SKCC and EVP of Oncology Services at Jefferson Health. “Throughout her career, Dr. Lopez has focused on health equity, garnering a national presence in the field. Her knowledge and deep understanding will guide DEI efforts that are already underway at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center, as well as expand our duty in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.”

The Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center– Jefferson Health has appointed Ana Maria Lopez, MD, MPH, MACP, FRCP, as Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.


Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health

Articles

SKCC’s Dr. Edith Mitchell Named Enterprise Vice President for Cancer Disparities

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center Appoints Dr Alessandro Fatatis Associate Director for Basic Research

Dr. Terry Hyslop Joins SKCC as Cancer Risk and Control Program Co-leader and Center for Health Equity Director

Jefferson Names Joseph G. Cacchione, MD, New CEO of Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University

Dr Ana Maria Lopez Named Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center– Jefferson Health