FASCO24 Designation Recipients

The Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (FASCO) distinction recognizes members for their volunteer engagement, and commitment to ASCO..The members have carried out efforts that benefit ASCO, the specialty of oncology, and, most importantly, the patients whom they serve.

The following oncologists received this distinction this year: 

• Laura Williams Goff, MD, FASCO

Laura Goff, MD, MSCI, is a medical oncologist who specializes in gastrointestinal cancers, particularly hepatobiliary cancers. She is a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

She has been a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Professional Development Committee, Education Committee and Scientific Program Committee.

• Sharlene Gill, MD, MBA, MPH, FRCPC, FASCO

Dr. Sharlene Gill is a Professor of Medicine at the University of British Columbia and a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies at BC Cancer – Vancouver, Canada.  Dr. Gill serves as the Chair of the Canadian Clinical Trials Group (CCTG) GI Disease Site Committee and Chair of the UBC Department of Medicine Mentoring Committee.

She is the Editor-in-Chief for Current Oncology and is the President of the Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists.

• Thomas J. George, MD, FACP, FASCO

Dr.Thomas J. George currently serves as the Deputy Director of the UF Health Cancer Center. Dr. George is a clinical investigator and educator with a focus on gastrointestinal malignancies and new cancer therapy development. As director of the GI Oncology Program at the University of Florida, Dr. George helps to oversee the treatment of all patients with GI malignancies.

• Saad Zafar Usmani, MD, MBA, FRCP, FASCO

Saad Zafar Usman serves as the Chief of Myeloma Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). Dr. Usmani is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology, and hematology, and he is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He holds membership and leadership roles on national/international committees.

• Alexander I. Spira, MD, PhD, FASCO, FACP

Dr. Spira is the director of the Virginia Cancer Specialists (VCS) Research Institute and the Phase I Trial Program, Dr. Spira is actively involved in advancing medicine and offering targeted treatment options for patients. Dr. Spira is a faculty member at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and serves as Assistant Professor of Oncology. Dr. Spira is also Co-Chair of the USOncology Thoracic Oncology Committee, Chair of the USOncology Research Executive Committee, and member of the USOncology National Policy Board Executive Committee.

• Paul Stephen Wissel, MD, FACP, FASCO

Dr. Paul S. Wissel is an oncologist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He received his medical degree from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

• Christine Marie Walko, FCCP, PharmD, BCOP, FASCO

She is an Associated Member in the Department of Individualized Cancer Management at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida and Chair of the Molecular Tumor Board (MTB). Dr. Walko’s research focus is optimizing drug therapy using pharmacogenomics and pharmacokinetics to personalize intravenous and oral anticancer therapy for patients with cancer. She completed her residency from The University of North Carolina in Pharmacy.

• Robert I. Haddad, MD, FASCO

Dr. Haddad current research activity involves the use of concurrent and sequential chemoradiotherapy regimens for patients with locally advanced and metastatic head and neck cancer. Dr. Haddad is a member of several professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, European Society of Medical Oncology , and the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

• Ghassan K. Abou-Alfa, MD, MBA, FASCO

Ghassan Abou-Alfa is an Attending Physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK). Professor Abou-Alfa specializes in in the treatment of gastrointestinal malignancies and in particular hepatobiliary cancers. Professor Abou-Alfa serves on the steering committee of the NCI AIDS Malignancy Consortium, and also serves on steering committee of the International Affairs Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

• Pamela L. Kunz, MD, FASCO

Pamela Kunz is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Oncology at Yale School of Medicine, Director of the Center for Gastrointestinal Cancers at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital. She was formerly the director of the Stanford Neuroendocrine Tumor Program, Leader of the Endocrine Oncology Research Group, and Director of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Fellowship. Dr. Kunz is the President of the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) and Chair of the Neuroendocrine Tumor Taskforce of the NCI.

• Kevin Kalinsky, MD, MS, FASCO

Dr. Kalinsky serves as the director of the Glenn Family Breast Center at Winship where he is tasked with fulfilling the vision to improve breast cancer outcomes by aligning research and education with cancer treatment and prevention. A breast cancer physician and investigator, Dr. Kalinsky’s research focus is in developing new therapeutic approaches to patients with breast cancer. Dr. Kalinsky’s research is in the area of new drug development and therapies for patients with early stage and metastatic breast cancer.

• Primo N Lara Jr, MD, FASCO

Primo N. Lara, Jr., MD, is the  director of the National Cancer Institute–designated UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, leading a team of more than 300 scientists serving more than 10,000 new adult and pediatric patients yearly. As director, Dr. Lara holds the Codman-Radke Chair in Cancer Research and will serve as executive associate dean for cancer programs. Dr. Lara is active in medical education and training, serving as principal investigator of the NCI-funded K12 Paul Calabresi Clinical Oncology Training Grant, which trains junior faculty scholars to be independent, patient-oriented cancer researchers.

• Howard Jack West, MD, FASCO

Dr. West is a thoracic oncology specialist serving as Vice President of Clinical Development (Lung Cancer) for Summit Therapeutics in Menlo Park, CA. Dr. West received an MPhil in Experimental Biology from Cambridge University on a Fulbright Scholarship and a medical degree (magna cum laude) from Harvard Medical School, where Dr. West also conducted research as a Howard Hughes Medical Student Fellow.

• Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, FASCO

Professor Weber is the Deputy Director of the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center (PCC), and works with a multidisciplinary team of medical and surgical oncologists, dermatologists, and pathologists to treat patients with melanomas ranging from the most common early lesions to the most complex. He serves as co-director of PCC’s Melanoma Research Program, and is head of Experimental Therapeutics at PCC, overseeing work in early developmental therapeutics.

• Herbert H. Loong, MBBS, FRCP, FASCO

Dr. Herbert H. F. Loong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), with additional roles as Deputy Medical Director of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Centre and founder of the Prince of Wales Hospital Adult Sarcoma Multidisciplinary Team. Dr. Loong has co-founded key organizations like the Asia Pacific Oncology Drug Development Consortium (APODDC) and the Asia Pacific Coalition Against Lung Cancer (APCLC). His involvement in international oncology bodies, including ASCO and IASLC, underscores his commitment to advancing cancer research and treatment on a global scale.

• Josep Tabernero, MD, PhD, FASCO

Josep Tabernero holds MD and PhD degrees from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. He is currently the Head of the Medical Oncology Department at the Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, and Director of the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO). He also co-directs the VHIO´s Gastrointestinal and Endocrine Tumours Group and the Research Unit for Molecular Therapy of Cancer (UITM) and is Principal Investigator of several Phase I pharmacodynamic studies and translational projects with molecular targeted therapies, as well as phase II and III studies with novel chemotherapeutics.

• Rana R. McKay, MD, FASCO

Dr. Rana  McKay is a board-certified medical oncologist and specializes in urogenital cancers, offering treatment for bladder, kidney, prostate, and testicular cancer patients. Leading a multi-disciplinary prostate cancer clinic at UC San Diego, she ensures comprehensive care through collaboration with urologists and radiation oncologists. As an associate professor, Dr. McKay mentors students and conducts research on clinical trials and novel biomarkers for genitourinary malignancies. Dr. McKay is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Association for Cancer Research.

• Edgardo S. Santos, MD, FACP, FASCO

Dr. Santos is member of several prestigious organizations including: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association of Clinical Research, European Society of Medical Oncology, American College of Physician (in which Dr. Santos has the title of Fellow in recognition for his efforts in medicine at different levels), American Society of Hematology, and IASLC. Dr. Santos is a lung cancer and head/neck cancer expert.

• Philip W. Kantoff, MD, FASCO

Philip W. Kantoff is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Convergent Therapeutics. He completed his medical oncology fellowship training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in 1987. Dr. Kantoff currently serves as the Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).

• Gladys I. Rodriguez, MD, FASCO

Dr. Gladys Rodriguez is a medical oncologist with the START Center. She received her medical degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine. She completed both her internship and residency at the Veterans Administration San Juan Medical Center in Puerto Rico. She completed her fellowship at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Rodriguez’s clinical interests include cancer treatment and new drug therapy for cancer.

• Fredrick Chite Asirwa, MD, MBChB, FASCO

Prof. Fredrick Chite Asirwa M.D. is the CEO of International Cancer Institute, a not- for-profit organization whose main purpose is to expand Education, Clinical Care and Training opportunities in cancer control and research across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Dr. Asirwa is a Medical Oncologist and Hematologist, PD/PI of several access to personalized cancer care and research initiatives including Blueprint Program (Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Uganda), Shining Tower Program, Clinical Trials Program-all geared towards enhancing early detection, promoting primary HPV screening, providing SOC diagnostics and therapeutics cancer research.

• Ishwaria M. Subbiah, MD, MS, FASCO

Ishwaria Subbiah is the Executive Director for Cancer Care Equity and Professional Wellness at Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI). In this role, Dr. Subbiah focuses on reducing cancer outcomes disparities and diversifying clinical trial participation within SCRI’s combined research network of over more than 1,300 physicians at over 250 locations in 24 states across the US.

• Ana I. Velazquez Manana, MD, MSc, FASCO

Ana Velázquez Mañana is an Assistant Professor of Medicine in the UCSF Division of Hematology/Oncology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General and a thoracic oncologist at the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She serves as Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility for Trainees of the UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and co-chairs the UCSF Department of Medicine Fellowship Diversity Committee.

• Ronan Joseph Kelly, MD, MBA, FASCO

Dr. Kelly was recruited as the Director of Oncology for the Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and the Chief of Oncology for the North Texas Division of the BSWH system in 2018. Dr. Kelly performs translational and clinical research encompassing the discovery and the development of new targeted and immunotherapeutic approaches in the prevention and treatment of gastroesophageal cancer and lung cancer.

• Ishmael A. Jaiyesimi, DO, FASCO

Dr. Ishmael A. Jaiyesimi is an oncologist in Royal Oak, Michigan and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Corewell Health Beaumont Grosse Pointe Hospital and Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. He received his medical degree from College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and has been in practice for more than 20 years.

• Luis E. Raez, MD, FACP, FCCP, FASCO

Luis E. Raez, is the Medical Director of Memorial Cancer Institute (MCI), he is also the Oncology Research Director of Memorial Health Care System (MHS) and Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program. He also serves as the Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at Florida International University (FIU) and Visiting Professor of Medicine at Cayetano Heredia University in Peru. Currently Dr. Raez designs phase I-III clinical trials with new chemotherapeutic agents and combinations.

• Trevor Joseph Royce, MD, MPH, MS, FASCO

Dr. Trevor J. Royce is a radiation oncologist in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Centerand UNC Hospitals. He received his medical degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and has been in practice between 11-20 years.

• Eileen M. O’Reilly, MD, FASCO

Dr. Eileen M. O’Reilly holds the Winthrop Rockefeller Endowed Chair in Medical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK). She serves as the Section Head for Hepatopancreaticobiliary/ Neuroendocrine Cancers, Gastrointestinal Oncology Service, Co-Director for Medical Initiatives at the David M. Rubenstein Center for Pancreatic Cancer and is an Attending Physician and Member at MSK and Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. O’Reilly also serves as Chair of the Human Research Protection Program/IRB.

• Michael J. Hall, MD, MSc, MS, FASCO

Dr. Michael J. Hall is the Chair of Department of Clinical Genetics, Professor at Department of Clinical Genetics, Director of Gastrointestinal Risk Assessment, and Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

• Michael Jefford, PhD, MBBS, MPH, FRACP, FASCO

Professor Michael Jefford is a Consultant Medical Oncologist at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. He serves as the  Director of the Australian Cancer Survivorship Centre and leads the Survivorship and Living Well After Cancer research program with the Department of Health Services Research. He is also a Professorial Fellow at the University of Melbourne.

• Kurt R. Oettel, MD, MBA, FACP, FASCO

Dr. Kurt R. Oettel is an oncologist in Black River Falls, Wisconsin and is affiliated with Black River Memorial Hospital and Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center. He received his medical degree from University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Dr. Kurt R. Oettel specialises in treating lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, among other conditions.

• Sanford Earl Jeames, PhD, FASCO

Sanford E. Jeames is a member of the Advisory Panel on Clinical Trials’ Subcommittee on Recruitment, Accrual, and Retention. He is an Adjunct Professor at Huston-Tillotson University and a community health educator and patient advocate. He is a member of The Society of Urological Surgical Associates, the National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the American Association of Cancer Research, and is an affiliate member of Minorities in Cancer Research.

• Narjust Florez, MD, FASCO

Narjust Florez is the Associate Director of the Cancer Care Equity Program and a thoracic medical oncologist at the Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center. She is the principal investigator of the Sexual Health Assessment in Women with Lung Cancer (SHAWL) Study, the largest study to date evaluating sexual dysfunction in women with lung cancer.

• Stephanie L. Graff, MD, FACP, FASCO

Stephanie L. Graff is the Director of the Breast Oncology Program at Lifespan Cancer Institute at the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University and co-leader of the Breast Cancer Translational Research Disease Group. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Warren-Alpert School of Medicine.

• Ramy Sedhom, MD, FASCO

Ramy Sedhom holds positions as Assistant Professor of Hematology and Oncology at Perelman School of Medicine and Director of Medical Oncology and Palliative Care at Penn Medicine’s Princeton Medical Center. His work focuses on palliative care integration, geriatric assessment, psycho-oncology, caregiver distress, and remote patient monitoring, with publications in leading journals.

• Fumiko Chino, MD, FASCO

Fumiko Ladd Chino is a cancer researcher and Assistant Attending in Radiation Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (USA), who specializes in gynecological and breast cancers. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including ASCO Excellence in Equity Award (2022), Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award (2018), and more.

• Vamsi Velcheti, MD, MBA, FASCO

Vamsi Velcheti is the director of thoracic medical oncology at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, where he specializes in treating patients who have thoracic malignancies, such as lung cancer and mesothelioma. He has been the recipient of several awards by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, including the Young Investigator Award in 2012, the Merit Award in 2013, and the Career Development Award in 2015.