Meet Our Leaders

As chief executive officer (CEO) of SCRI, Dee Anna Smith leads the organization’s overall mission and vision to make a global impact on the next generation of cancer care.

Under her leadership, SCRI formed a joint venture with US Oncology Research in 2022, bringing together physicians who are actively accruing patients to clinical trials at more than 200 locations in 20 states across the U.S.

Prior to creating the SCRI joint venture, she served as CEO for Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare. During her tenure, the company experienced exponential growth across its care network, and conducted pivotal clinical research that led to the majority of newly approved cancer therapies now available to patients.

As an entrepreneur, Smith founded two companies focused on clinical trial services; the first startup, SiteWorks Solutions, was acquired by Oracle and the second, Summit Research Solutions, was acquired by HCA Healthcare to become a part of SCRI. Smith began her career as an auditor and Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with KPMG, after receiving a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Pepperdine University.

She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Society of Clinical Oncology. She is also the chair of the Pepperdine University Board of Regents.

Dr. Spigel serves as president and chief medical officer for SCRI. Since joining the organization in 2003, Dr. Spigel has been instrumental in shaping SCRI’s clinical research program, overseeing all aspects of SCRI’s trial menu and ensuring that the most promising new therapies are available to patients through strong collaboration with its physician leaders. Most recently, he served as chief scientific officer, overseeing all scientific aspects of SCRI’s clinical trial program.

A fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO®), Dr. Spigel also served as Chair of ASCO®’s 2018 Annual Meeting Education Committee. He has authored nearly 300 publications and has served as principal investigator on 300 studies and sub-investigator on more than 2,000.

Dr. Spigel received his bachelor’s degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and medical degree from The University of Tennessee in Memphis. After completing an internal medicine and chief residency at Indiana University Medical Center, he completed a fellowship in hematology and oncology at The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

He is board certified in medical oncology. Additionally, he is a founding partner and medical oncologist with SCRI Oncology Partners.

Dr. Johnson joined SCRI in 2014 and serves as chief scientific officer. In this role, she directs the strategic vision for SCRI’s research programs across its network, shaping scientific priorities and overseeing the development of site-specific research menus to ensure studies are scientifically rigorous and diverse. Dr. Johnson also guides research teams and fosters a culture of innovation that aligns with SCRI’s mission to advance cancer care through cutting-edge clinical research.

Dr. Johnson is also director of Lung Cancer Research, a role she assumed in 2021, where she supervises the lung cancer clinical trial portfolio across the SCRI network.

Dr. Johnson continues to work in early phase drug development and co-leads the immune effector cell therapies program in the drug development unit in Nashville.

Prior to joining SCRI, Dr. Johnson was an associate professor at Northwestern University and Feinberg School of Medicine. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill where she was a Morehead Scholar, and her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing her residency in internal medicine at New York Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, she did her fellowship training at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where she also served as chief fellow for one year.

Dr. Johnson is board certified in medical oncology. Additionally, she is a medical oncologist with SCRI Oncology Partners.

Dr. Hamilton serves as the chief development officer, Late Phase for SCRI. In this role, she serves as SCRI’s principal leader for late-phase oncology research and alsoand drives engagement with industry partners to further SCRI’s Accelero™ strategy, strengthening collaborations that accelerate innovation and patient access to trials. Dr. Hamilton also leads cross-functional teams to drive innovative trial designs and seamlessly integrate Personalized Medicine into clinical research.

In addition to chief development officer, Dr. Hamilton also serves as director of Breast Cancer Research. In this role, she provides oversight and develops strategy for the breast program across the SCRI sites.

Dr. Hamilton joined SCRI in 2013 as an investigator in drug development for women’s cancers and has served as director of Breast Cancer Research since 2015. Her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when Dr. Hamilton was in middle school, and thankfully is a survivor. Dr. Hamilton is passionate about personalized treatment, empowering her patients, and treating each person individually based on their goals and preferences.

Dr. Hamilton received her undergraduate degree from Washington and Lee University in Virginia and received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. She then completed her medical degree and residency from University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and fellowship training in hematology and oncology at Duke University. Dr. Hamilton was named to the Women to Watch Class of 2021 for Nashville Medical News. She was selected for the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO®) Leadership Development Class for 2021-2022 and was the past chair of ASCO’s Scientific Committee for Metastatic Breast Cancer for 2019-2020. She was ASCO® scientific chair for the 2025 ASCO® Annual Meeting, the 2023-2025 Scientific Committee co-chair of the ESMO Breast Cancer Meeting, was on ASCO®’s plenary committee in 2023, and currently has served on ASCO®'s Cancer Research Committee since 2024. She was elected to ASCO®'s Nomination Committee in 2024 and will serve a three-year term from 2025-2028. She is also the associate editor for Clinical Breast Cancer. Dr. Hamilton is board certified in oncology. Additionally, she is a medical oncologist with SCRI Oncology Partners.

Yazhene Krishnaraj joined SCRI in 2025 and serves as chief information and digital officer. In this role, she is focused on accelerating the company’s technology and digital transformation to enhance service delivery to sponsors and sites. Collaborating closely with SCRI's leadership, Yazhene ensures that the organization's technology strategies are intricately aligned with its critical business goals.

Before her tenure at SCRI, Yazhene demonstrated her expertise in various leadership roles across the U.S., UK, and India, focusing on delivering transformative digital solutions for Fortune 500 companies. Her strategic leadership at Citizens Financial Group was crucial in steering the digital transformation for the Risk Office, where she centralized risk monitoring through data and AI solutions. Most recently, she led the Decision Intelligence unit for US Pharmaceutical, Oncology & Specialty at McKesson, a role that underscored her ability to drive large-scale data and AI initiatives, resulting in significant business value.

Yazhene holds a Bachelor of Computer Engineering from Anna University in India, a Master of Computer Science from Wayne State University and an Executive Leadership Program at Harvard Business School.

Throughout her career, Yazhene has been recognized for her ability to forge strong partnerships between business and IT leadership, manage substantial budgets with a focus on value creation, and build high-performing technology organizations. Her contributions have been acknowledged by industry peers, including recognition in CDO Magazine’s Global Data Power Women list for two consecutive years. She is also a founding member of Women Leaders in Data and AI, advocating for diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.

Jill Anderson joined SCRI in 2024 and serves as managing principal counsel, overseeing all legal matters across the organization. Jill has more than 20 years of legal, transactional, and regulatory experience, with a particular focus on the oncology space and is nationally known as a legal expert and thought leader in clinical research.

Prior to joining SCRI, Jill served as chief legal officer for miR Scientific, where she oversaw global legal operations and advised leadership on a wide range of legal and business issues. Previously, Jill served as a partner at law firm Moses & Singer and held roles at both Partners Healthcare System and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Her strategic leadership and innovative thinking have been instrumental in creating groundbreaking data and IP revenue models, lobbying for updates to national cancer guidelines, and managing large-scale strategic transactions, among other accomplishments.

Jill received a Bachelor of Science in pre-medicine studies from Rutgers University and her Doctor of Law degree from Widener University School of Law.

Jennifer Cole is the senior vice president of Research Operations for SCRI. She has been in the research industry for more than 20 years, and with SCRI since 2005. Jennifer started her career as an intensive care nurse after graduating Summa Cum Laude from the Loewenberg School of Nursing at the University of Memphis in 1998. 

From the beginning of her professional career, Jennifer has been passionate about the ability to advance therapies for patients and help ensure they are receiving the best possible treatment options. With the transition from bedside nursing to research operations, Jennifer continues to influence and play a part in both. Not only does she have the joy of working with SCRI research sites, colleagues, and physicians who directly impact our patients, but she also oversees and leads the centralized services department as part of our Site Management Organization (SMO), who are critical in supporting SCRI sites, ensuring they have what they need to serve patients in clinical trials.

Marcy Vallone joined SCRI in 2011 and serves as the senior vice president of Development Innovations, SCRI’s full-service contract research organization (CRO). She also oversees business development for SCRI, including alliance and strategic partnerships and business development activities for the research institute.

Marcy has nearly 20 years in clinical research experience primarily focused in early phase oncology. Prior to joining SCRI, she conducted research for several pharmaceutical companies including Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Proteolix Inc., and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, an Amgen subsidiary where she served as a key member of the Kyprolis clinical development team. She graduated from Washington State University with a Bachelor of Science in microbiology and has been a co-author on seven publications and 29 abstracts.

Howard A "Skip" Burris, III, MD, serves as an advisor for SCRI, guiding key initiatives related to Accelero™ with the organization’s biopharma partners. After nearly three decades of transformational leadership and lasting impact, Dr. Burris retired from SCRI in 2025, where he most recently served as president and chief medical officer for the organization.

In addition to his clinical expertise, Dr. Burris is known for his leadership in business strategy. Most recently, Dr. Burris helped to lead the formation of SCRI’s joint venture with US Oncology Research in 2022 to expand access to clinical trials for patients seeking the latest treatment options close to home.

As a well-respected key opinion leader globally, Dr. Burris was elected by his peers to serve as the president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO^®) 2019-2020 term and has continued to hold several leadership positions on behalf of the ASCO^® community. Prior to his term as president, Dr. Burris had served in a variety of leadership roles over many years, including the ASCO^® Board of Governors, ASCO^® Audit Committee, and as chair of the ASCO^® Nominating Committee. Currently, he is chair of the Board for the ASCO^® Conquer Cancer Foundation.

Dr. Burris received his undergraduate degree at West Point, his medical degree from the University of South Alabama in 1985, and performed his residency and fellowship in hematology/oncology at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. While there, he served as director of clinical research at the Institute for Drug Development of The Cancer Therapy and Research Center, and was an associate professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center. He attained the rank of lieutenant colonel in the US Army, and among his decorations, he was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster for his service in Operation Joint Endeavor.

Amanda Belcher serves as vice president of Human Resources (HR) for SCRI. She has been with the organization since 2015, successfully leading the HR integration for SCRI’s joint venture with US Oncology Research in 2022. In her role, Amanda collaborates with SCRI's leadership team to develop people strategies for the company, spanning organizational culture and engagement, talent attraction and development, internal communications, change leadership, and diversity, inclusion and belonging. She and her team also manage SCRI’s end-to-end HR operations.

Additionally, Amanda develops new ways to scale the organization’s design and talent functions, with SCRI’s size doubling during her tenure. She continues to implement talent strategies across both our Site Management Organizations and Contract Research Organizations, which have helped SCRI maintain a competitive advantage.

Amanda has more than 15 years of experience in people leadership across multiple industries. She holds both a Bachelor of Arts in communications studies and a Master of Arts in organizational communication from Western Kentucky University.

Gabrielle (Gabi) Hannafan serves as SCRI’s vice president of Strategic Growth & Partnerships, where she leads the organization’s partnership strategy, business development, and brand advancement efforts. In this role, Gabi shapes the strategic direction, alignment, and execution of SCRI’s most critical external relationships while strengthening the organization’s market presence and reputation. She works closely with clinical, operational, and industry leaders to deepen engagement with biopharma collaborators, expand growth opportunities, and ensure SCRI is positioned to accelerate the development of novel therapies for patients.

Gabi brings nearly two decades of experience spanning healthcare marketing, brand strategy, communications, and business operations across both high-growth startups and large, publicly traded organizations. She rejoined SCRI in 2026 after more than a decade leading the company’s marketing strategy and brand integration initiatives, partnering closely with strategic sites, health system partners, CRO collaborators, and a national network of physician thought leaders.

Most recently, Gabi served in executive leadership roles at a venture capital–backed startup—first as chief marketing officer, where she drove growth strategies and market expansion, and later as chief executive officer. In these roles, she strengthened operational and financial performance, led organizational transformations, and advanced major partnership initiatives.

Gabi holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University. She also completed the Leadership Excellence Program through the HCA Healthcare Leadership Institute and is an active volunteer and fundraiser with Blood Cancer United.

John Hopkins joined SCRI in 2026 and serves as vice president of Compliance & Ethics, Data, Technology & Research, leading teams that support the organization’s compliance and privacy programs.

In this role, John oversees the daily operational compliance, ethics, and privacy guidance, helping balance the strategic business objectives with regulatory and legal requirements. Prior to joining SCRI, he spent more than a decade at McKesson, where he held leadership roles focused on policy governance, data privacy, and compliance across several technology service lines including Ontada, Genospace, CoverMyMeds, and Macro Helix.

Before joining McKesson in 2013, John worked for WebMD for more than 16 years, where he helped define, build, and oversee its Compliance & Ethics programs for technology services supporting consumers, physicians, and health plans. John began his healthcare career as a respiratory therapist in the U.S. Army and later served in a clinical role at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from Kennesaw State University.

Chandra King serves as vice president of Site Support Operations for SCRI, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Since joining SCRI in 2006, she has demonstrated her passion for helping others and a steadfast commitment to advancing treatment options for cancer patients. Her journey in healthcare began as a nurse extern in the med/surg unit at Vanderbilt University Medical Center while pursuing her nursing degree at Tennessee State University. In her role, she leads the Site Management Organization’s centralized services departments, which play a crucial role in reducing the administrative burden of clinical trials at our research sites, allowing them to prioritize patient care.

Dr. McKenzie joined SCRI in 2015 and serves as the vice president of its Personalized Medicine program. He also serves as the scientific director for Genospace, SCRI's fully integrated personalized medicine engine.

Dr. McKenzie has more than 10 years of basic science and translational research experience in oncology. In his role, Dr. McKenzie is responsible for providing scientific and operational oversight for implementing SCRI’s personalized medicine strategy. He and the personalized medicine program provide scientific, consultative and programmatic services to clinical research investigators, study sponsors, research personnel and other healthcare providers to advance SCRI’s molecular profiling efforts. As scientific director at Genospace, Dr. McKenzie is responsible for providing scientific and strategic guidance to data science and product development activities.

Prior to joining SCRI, Dr. McKenzie was a research fellow in the Cancer Biology Department at Vanderbilt University's Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center where he investigated extracellular vesicle trafficking and translational cell biology research. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Shorter College and a Doctor of Philosophy in pharmacology from The University of Vermont where he investigated extracellular matrix remodeling and cell motility.

Sridhar Nuthi serves as vice president of Engineering for Genospace. In his role, Sridhar leads the Engineering and Technology function to advance clinical trial matching and health analytics through SCRI’s precision medicine platform. Sridhar is responsible for leading the software engineering program and platform operations, and facilitating collaboration between product, UX design, data science, and clinical/business teams.

Prior to joining Genospace, Sridhar served as the senior director for Data and Analytics at GE Healthcare, Digital Services Team. A thought leader and inventor, Sridhar has 23 years of professional experience, and has received various chief technology officer and chief information officer awards throughout his career in addition to his 20 patents, trade secrets, and more.

He received a Bachelor of Engineering from Osmania University, two master’s degrees in mechanical engineering and computer science from University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management.

Pamela Paul-McNeill serves as vice president of Quality Assurance for SCRI. In her role, she leads the optimization and standardization of Quality Assurance Programs across the organization to enhance research and care delivery for our patients and partners.

Prior to joining SCRI, Pamela served in numerous roles at Johnson & Johnson. Most recently, she was senior director of Strategy & Operations for Janssen Quality, where she oversaw the development of quality and compliance strategies and introduced data-driven, standardized processes to deliver on the company’s business initiatives.

Pamela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from Howard University.

Erika Hamilton, MD

Chief Development Officer, Late Phase; Director, Breast Cancer Research, SCRI

Michael Danso, MD

Chair, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Oncology Associates

Joyce O’Shaughnessy, MD

Chair Emeritus, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Jay Andersen, MD

Member, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Compass Oncology

Mabel Mardones, MD

Member, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Sarah Premji, MD

Member, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Denise Yardley, MD

Member, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Carol Tweed, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Breast Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Maryland Oncology Hematology

Meredith McKean, MD, MPH

Director, Melanoma & Skin Cancer Research, SCRI; Chair, BRIDGE Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Michael Danso, MD

Ad Hoc Member, BRIDGE Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Oncology Associates

Michael Lattanzi, MD

Ad Hoc Member, BRIDGE Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

David Waterhouse, MD, MPH

Ad Hoc Member, BRIDGE Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

Deepak Bhamidipati, MD

Assistant Director, Drug Development

SCRI

Babar Bashir, MD

Associate Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson Health

Manoj Bupathi, MD, MS

Genitourinary Drug Development

SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Gerald Falchook, MD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at HCA HealthONE

Elisa Fontana, MD, PhD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at HCA Healthcare UK

Benjamin Garmezy, MD

Genitourinary Drug Development

SCRI

Sarah Gordon, DO

Associate Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center - Jefferson Health

Erika Hamilton, MD

Breast Drug Development

SCRI

Melissa Johnson, MD

Lung Drug Development

SCRI

Meredith McKean, MD, MPH

Melanoma Drug Development

SCRI

Kathleen Moore, MD

Drug Development

SCRI at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center

Abdul Rafeh Naqash, MD

Drug Development

SCRI at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center

Manish Patel, MD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Michael Pearlman, MD

Neuro Oncology Drug Development

SCRI at HCA HealthONE

Meredith Pelster, MD

Gastrointestinal Drug Development

SCRI

Cesar Perez, MD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Russ Schilder, MD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center - Jefferson Health

Susanna Ulahannan, MD

Director, Drug Development

SCRI at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center

Judy Wang, MD

Associate Director, Drug Development

SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Anja Williams, MD

Assistant Director, Drug Development

SCRI at HCA Healthcare UK  

Meredith Pelster, MD, MSCI

Associate Director, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research; Chair, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Deepak Bhamidipati, MD

Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Allen Cohn, MD

Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Ben Kitchens, MD

Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology 

Eric Lander, MD

Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Minnesota Oncology 

Don Richards, MD

Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Vivian Cline, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

David Cosgrove, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Compass Oncology

Elisa Fontana, MD, PhD

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at HCA Healthcare UK

Sujatha Nallapareddy, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Scott Paulson, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Yue Zhang, MD, MPH

Ad Hoc Member, Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Oncology Associates

Benjamin Garmezy, MD

Associate Director, Genitourinary Cancer Research, SCRI

Manoj Bupathi, MD, MS

Chair, Genitourinary Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Mark Fleming, MD

Chair Emeritus, Genitourinary Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Oncology Associates

Mike Lattanzi, MD

Member, Genitourinary Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Jeff Yorio, MD

Member, Genitourinary Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Dhaval Shah, MBBS, MD, FACP, MBA

Ad Hoc Member, Genitourinary Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants

Noelle Cloven, MD

Chair, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Charles Anderson, MD

Member, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Robert Coleman, MD, FACOG, FACS

Ad Hoc Member, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Elizabeth Guancial, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Bradley Monk, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Jessica Thomes-Pepin, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Minnesota Oncology

Cesar Perez, MD

Director, Drug Development, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute – Lake Nona; Chair, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Tristan Bice, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Compass Oncology

Jerome Goldschmidt, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Blue Ridge Cancer Care

Amir Harandi, MD, MS

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Eric Nadler, MD, MPP

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

David Neskey, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, Trident Health System

Graham Watson

Ad Hoc Member, Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Oncology Associates

Nosha Farhadfar, MD 

Chair, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Haydar Frangoul, MD, MS

Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at TriStar Centennial Children’s Hospital

Navneet Majhail, MD, MS, FASTCT

Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute

Mike Maris, MD 

Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Jeremy Pantin, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at TriStar Centennial

Aravind Ramakrishnan, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at St. David’s South Austin Medical Center

Paul Shaughnessy, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Aravind Ramakrishnan, MD

Chair, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at St. David's South Austin Medical Center

Haydar Frangoul, MD, MS

Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at TriStar Centennial Children’s Hospital

Navneet Majhail, MD, MS, FASTCT

Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute

Mike Maris, MD

Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Stephen Strickland, Jr., MD, MSCI

Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Nosha Farhadfar, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Usama Gergis, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center - Jefferson Health

Tara Gregory, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Krish Patel, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Paul Shaughnessy, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Pat Ward, MD, PhD

Ad Hoc Member, Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

Stephen Strickland, Jr., MD, MSCI

Director, Leukemia Research, SCRI

Luke Fletcher, MD

Chair, Leukemia Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Chris Benton, MD

Member, Leukemia Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Mike Maris, MD

Member, Leukemia Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Gustavo Fonseca, MD, FACP

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Kruti Patel, DO

Ad Hoc Member, Leukemia Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

John Renshaw, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Leukemia Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Melissa Johnson, MD

Chief Scientific Officer; Director, Lung Cancer Research, SCRI

Robert Jotte, MD, PhD

Chair, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Kartik Konduri, MD

Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Bo Wang, MD

Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Pat Ward, MD, PhD

Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

David Waterhouse, MD, MPH

Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

Jerome Goldschmidt, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Blue Ridge Cancer Care

Caleb Smith, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Missouri Cancer Associates

Sushma Tatineni, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Minnesota Oncology

Sarah Wang, MD, MS

Ad Hoc Member, Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Krish Patel, MD

Director, Lymphoma Research, SCRI

Jeff Sharman, MD

Chair, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

David Andorsky, MD

Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

John Burke, MD

Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

Mike Tees, MD

Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Timothy Fenske, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Jennifer Gile, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Jason Melear, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Shachar Peles, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

Chris Yasenchak, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Lymphoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Meredith McKean, MD, MPH

Director, Melanoma & Skin Cancer Research; Chair, Melanoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI

Lance Cowey, MD

Member, Melanoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Keith Wells, MD

Member, Melanoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center

Jeff Yorio, MD

Member, Melanoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Sandeep Jain, MBBS

Ad Hoc Member, Melanoma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Minnesota Oncology

Hans Lee, MD

Director, Myeloma Research, SCRI

Mitul Gandhi, MD 

Chair, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Virginia Cancer Specialists

Peter Forsberg, MD

Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Jeff Matous, MD

Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Colorado Blood Cancer Institute

Amin Firoozmond, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Methodist Hospital

Jason Mealer, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Texas Oncology

Kruti Patel, DO

Ad Hoc Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at OHC

Shachar Peles, MD

Ad Hoc Member, Myeloma Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute

David Buck, MD

Chair, Radiation Research Executive Committee, SCRI at Blue Ridge Cancer Care

Dr. Buck joined SCRI in 2022 and serves as the chair for the Radiation Research Executive Committee. In this role, he establishes and executes the strategy for the radiation oncology research program, builds the clinical trial menu for the SCRI research network, and educates research colleagues. Dr. Buck conducts research for SCRI at Blue Ridge Cancer Care, providing access to trials for people facing cancer in Southwest, Va.

In addition to his role at SCRI, Dr. Buck is currently the medical director for the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Carilion Clinic Cancer Center and chair of Carilion’s Oncology Committee. He also serves as the president of Blue Ridge Cancer Care.

Dr. Buck completed a degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Virginia and is a graduate of the Medical College of Virginia. He completed his transitional residency internship at the Carilion Health System in Roanoke, Va. He then completed a radiation oncology residency at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Va., where he also served as the chief resident of the Department of Radiation Oncology.

He is board certified by the American Board of Radiology. Additionally, he is a radiation oncologist with Blue Ride Cancer Care.

Dr. Bupathi joined SCRI in 2022 and serves as the co-chair of the Genitourinary Cancer Research Executive Committee. In this role, he helps direct the committee, identifying clinical trial opportunities and advises teams from across the network on policies, procedures, technologies, and initiatives regarding clinical trial research activities. Dr. Bupathi conducts research for SCRI at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers and also sees patients for Phase I clinical research trials at SCRI at HealthONE in Denver.

Dr. Bupathi joined Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers in 2017, where he specializes in solid tumors with an advanced subspecialty expertise in genitourinary and breast cancers.

Dr. Bupathi participates in many tumor boards, where he collaborates with other cancer specialists including surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and radiation oncologists. This allows him to provide a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary approach to cancer treatment recommendations such as chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies. Dr. Bupathi has a strong interest in the field of personalized medicine and how genomics and molecular pathways impact cancer treatment options. Dr. Bupathi serves as principal investigator for many Phase 1, Phase II, and Phase III studies.

Dr. Bupathi received his medical degree from St. Georges University, School of Medicine, and completed his residency at Case Western Reserve University. He went on to complete three fellowships – an Investigational Cancer Therapeutics fellowship at the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center, a medical oncology fellowship and a gastrointestinal oncology advanced fellowship at the Ohio State University, and a research fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Department of Translational Hematology & Oncology.

Dr. Bupathi is board certified in medical oncology. Additionally, he is a medical oncologist at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers.

Dr. Cloven joined SCRI in 2022 and serves as the chair of the Gynecologic Cancer Research Executive Committee. In this role, she builds and manages a robust gynecologic cancer program for SCRI, identifying gaps and opportunities for clinical research activities throughout the network.

Dr. Cloven is a highly trained specialist with additional medical education in surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation for the treatment of cervical, endometrial or uterine, ovarian, vulvar, and vaginal cancers. She is also trained in risk reducing surgery for women at increased risk for gynecologic cancers and fertility sparing surgery.

Currently, Dr. Cloven is an adjunct clinical assistant professor in the Department of PA Studies at the School of Health Sciences at the University of North Texas Health Science Center and an associate professor at the TCU and UNTHSC School of Medicine. Amongst many award and honors, she received Outstanding Preceptor from UNT Health Science Center, PA studies from 2011-2024, and was named in Top Doctors by both Fort Worth Texas Magazine and 360 West Magazine from 2011-2024 and 2019-2024, respectively. Presently, Dr. Cloven serves on the GOG Partners Investigators Council, Site Engagement/Trial Challenges Committee, is a co-chair for the GOG Foundation Communications Committee, site research leader for Texas Oncology, and communications committee member for NRG Oncology. Her work has appeared in journals including in The Lancet, Gynecologic Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Dr. Cloven received her Medical Doctorate from Baylor College of Medicine and completed both a residency and fellowship in gynecologic oncology from University of California Irvine.

She is board certified in gynecologic oncology and obstetrics and gynecology. Additionally, she is a gynecologic oncologist with Texas Oncology.

Dr. Jotte joined SCRI in 2022 and serves as chair of the Lung Cancer Research Executive Committee where he collaborates with the Executive Committee to identify and execute strategies for the lung cancer research program.

Dr. Jotte sees all types of cancer and hematology patients and believes in providing premier oncology care that is individualized to the patient’s needs and personal beliefs. He treats patients with cutting-edge cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormone therapy, and clinical trials. Dr. Jotte practices evidence-based medicine and follows National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. He has an advanced sub-specialty expertise in treating lung cancer and head and neck cancer patients.

Dr. Jotte received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University. He then completed his residency in internal medicine and fellowship in medical oncology and hematology both at the University of Colorado Health Science Center.

He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. Additionally, he is a medical oncologist with Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers.

Dr. McKean joined SCRI in 2018 and serves as director of Melanoma & Skin Cancer Research. Dr. McKean is also chair of the BRIDGE Research Executive Committee and Melanoma Research Executive Committee for SCRI. In her role as director of Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research, Dr. McKean collaborates with SCRI’s sites to enhance their melanoma and skin cancer programs by providing a comprehensive menu of clinical trials to researchers throughout the network. As executive chair of the BRIDGE Research Executive Committee and Melanoma Research Executive Committee, Dr. McKean directs the committees, setting and executing strategy for research growth and development across SCRI’s network.

Dr. McKean received her undergraduate degree from Iowa State University, and her Master of Public Health degree and medical degree from University of Iowa. Prior to joining SCRI, she completed her fellowship in hematology-oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. In 2017, Dr. McKean received an ASCO^® Conquer Cancer Foundation Young Investigator Award.

She is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. Additionally, Dr. McKean is a medical oncologist with SCRI Oncology Partners.

Dr. Pelster joined SCRI in 2021 and serves as associate director of Gastrointestinal Cancer Research, specializing in gastrointestinal cancer and head and neck cancer research. Dr. Pelster is also chair of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Research Executive Committee for SCRI. In this role, she sets and executes strategy for the growth and development of SCRI’s gastrointestinal cancer program. Clinically, she is a medical oncologist with SCRI Oncology Partners where she sees patients with gastrointestinal cancers and head and neck cancers.

Dr. Pelster received her medical degree from Vanderbilt University. She completed her fellowship in hematology and medical oncology at the MD Anderson Cancer Center and her residency and Master of Science in clinical investigation at Northwestern University. She is board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine.

Dr. Perez joined SCRI in 2021 and serves as chair of the Head & Neck Cancer Research Executive Committee. In this role, he establishes and executes the strategy for the head & neck cancer research program, builds the clinical trial menu for the SCRI research network, and educates research colleagues. 

Dr. Perez earned his medical degree from the University of Panama School of Medicine. He then completed his residency in internal medicine at the Cleveland Clinic in Florida and his fellowship in oncology-hematology at the University of Miami, where he received the Peter A. Cassileth, MD Award as an outstanding fellow and served as chief fellow.  

Dr. Perez is board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. Additionally, he is a hematologist and oncologist with Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute.

Dr. Ramakrishnan joined SCRI in 2014 and serves as chair of the Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research (IECT) Executive Committee. In this role, he leads the development and execution of SCRI’s IECT research strategy, oversees the clinical trial portfolio across the research network, and provides education and support to research colleagues.

In addition to his role with SCRI, Dr. Ramakrishnan serves as the Adult Bone and Marrow Transplant medical director for St. David's South Austin Medical Center.

Throughout his career, Dr. Ramakrishnan has dedicated himself to advancing the treatment and research of bone and marrow transplantation. His work has been widely published in medical journals, including Blood, Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, Cancer Cell, and Nature Communications.

Dr. Ramakrishnan received a Bachelor of Science degree in biological sciences from Rutgers University and earned his medical degree from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where he received the Best Clinic Physician Award, followed by a medical oncology fellowship at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

He is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and practices as a medical oncologist at St. David's South Austin Medical Center.

Dr. Sharman joined SCRI in 2022 and serves as chair of the Myeloma, Leukemia, Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, and Immune Effector Cell Therapy Research Executive Committees. In this role, Dr. Sharman collaborates with the Executive Committee to identify and execute strategies for these research programs.

Dr. Sharman is the director of research at the Willamette Valley Cancer Institute as well as the medical director of Hematology Research for The US Oncology Network.

He is well versed in the latest scientific breakthroughs across a diversity of cancers and has been instrumental in developing a number of important advances in treatment. Dr. Sharman has been widely published within the current scientific literature, including several publications within The New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology Blood, and others.

Dr. Sharman received his medical degree from the University of California Davis. He completed his residency at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital and fellowship at Stanford University.

He is board certified in medical oncology, hematology, and internal medicine. Additionally, he is a medical oncologist, hematologist with Williamette Valley Cancer Institute & Research Center.