Personal Statement
I am a board certified, practicing medical oncologist at the University of New Mexico Cancer Comprehensive (UNM CCC) Center and an Associate Professor in Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology / Oncology. I lead the Breast Clinical Working Group and serve as Medical Director for the Clinical Research Office. My efforts regarding clinical research were recognized through the award of the NCI Cancer Clinical Investigator Team Leadership Award for FY 2017.
I have consistently been among the top with regards to enrollment on clinical trials, recognized in 2018 and 2019 by the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCOPR) and enrollment by New Mexico NCORP breast providers has led to authorship on multiple NCTN related publications. I have worked tirelessly to champion multiple high priority NCORP trials at UNM. As an example, I am site PI for ECOG-ACRIN EA1151: Tomosynthesis Mammography Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST) and have collaborated with the UNM CCC Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) to support minority accrual to this critical trial.
This initiative has led to increased collaboration and engagement between COE, the Clinical Research Office and our NCORP M/U research infrastructure. As a second example of my work engaging community oncologist, I am PI for an investigator initiated trial entitled "Facilitating enrollment Of community cancer patientS on Therapeutic clinical trials using project ECHO Resources (FOSTER)". FOSTER is evaluating a novel intervention to increase clinical trial enrollment to clinical trials at our NCORP affiliate sites using the ECHO hub-and-spoke knowledge-sharing network model. This protocol opened to enrollment in May 2019 and is currently in progress.
Education
Fellowship: University of Arizona Cancer Center Specialty in Hematology/Oncology
Residency: University of Arizona (June 2010) Specialty in Internal Medicine
Internship: University of Arizona (June 2009), Specialty in Internal Medicine
Medical School: University of New Mexico School of Medicine (May 2006)