LVBCH Roundtable
10/19/16 at the Glasbern Inn

"Balancing Work and Cancer:
How Employers Can Help"

You are invited to attend an educational event titled "Balancing Work and Cancer: How Employers Can Help" co-sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Business Coalition on Healthcare (LVBCH) and Pfizer.  Additional information about the event as well as a list of learning objectives is presented below.

Bring your colleagues and join us for an educational event you won't want to miss!

Please RSVP by Friday, October 7, 2016

Learning Objectives 

Program Schedule

Keynote Speaker

Christine Q. Brennan
Associate Director of Programs
Cancer & Careers

email: cbrennan@cew.org
Phone: 646-929-8030

As Associate Director of Programs, Chrissy oversees Cancer and Careers’ annual national conference, expanding regional conference program and website, bringing to the role two decades of experience in communications, public relations, marketing and event management.

After spending 14 years in digital and print media focusing on women’s health and fitness, including staff roles at Health and Self magazines and at Lifetime Television’s website, Chrissy joined the Peace Corps in 2003, serving as a Health Education Resource Volunteer in Kenya. Upon her return from Africa she consulted for the National Geographic Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society and in 2006 joined the staff of Selldorf Architects as Marketing Director. In 2010, Chrissy became Account Manager at the boutique PR/marketing firm Maloney & Fox, part of Waggener Edstrom Communications, where she worked on the corporate citizenship campaign for a global real estate client. Prior to arriving at Cancer and Careers, Chrissy managed the 25th anniversary awards competition and gala for the non-profit Greeting Card Association in 2013, including a corresponding exhibit at the Javits Center.

Chrissy is a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.

Featured Panelists

Suresh Nair, MD
Medical Director Cancer Service Line
Sr. Medical Director Academic Oncology Programs
Lehigh Valley Health Network

Suresh Nair, MD, is medical director of LVHN’s cancer program and leads the health network’s academic programs.  He is the initial holder of The Auxiliary of Lehigh Valley Hospital Endowed Chair in Cancer.

With clinical expertise in melanoma, kidney cancer and immunotherapy, Dr. Nair’s focus is to provide the highest quality cancer care, including standard and research treatments.  He leads a variety of clinical trials at LVHN to provide leading-edge options to patients, prevent recurrence of cancer, prolong remission and survival, improve quality of life and offer more hope in advanced stage.

Dr. Nair is an investigator in the National Cancer Institute Cooperative Group, which brings new treatment options to patients in the communities where they live.  He also is a site principal investigator in immunotherapy trials with T-cell checkpoint inhibitors in stage 3 and 4 melanoma, stage 4 kidney cancer, and stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer.  He leads the high dose interleukin-2 program at LVHN for advanced melanoma and kidney cancer. 

Dr. Nair received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College.  He completed his residency at Geisinger Medical Center and his fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Nair is the Medical Director of the Lehigh Valley Health Network Cancer Institute membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Alliance, and has practiced oncology in the community setting for 26 years.  The goal of the Alliance is to bring the latest clinical trials to the community setting, allowing cancer patients to receive their treatment close to home, with the least disruption from family and work during their cancer journey.

Maritza Y. Chicas, R.N, BSN, OCN
Oncology Nurse Navigator
Lehigh Valley Health Network

Maritza Y. Chicas is a bilingual nurse navigator for Lehigh Valley Health Network where she has been helping patients for nine years. She is an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) with experience in surgical oncology, chemotherapy infusion and radiation oncology.  She is the Clinical Coordinator for the Thoracic Multidisciplinary and Lung Nodule Clinic and participates in outreach activities to promote services and educate the community about cancer prevention and working with cancer.  She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing at Long Island University, NY.

Erik J. Rupard, MD
Chief of Hematology/Oncology
McGlinn Cancer Institute
Reading Health System

Dr. Rupard is the Chief of Hematology/Oncology at Reading Health System’s McGlinn Cancer Institute.  He is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology and oncology, and has served as the principal investigator for a variety of clinical trials.

Dr. Rupard graduated cum laude and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He completed his internal medicine residency and was fellowship trained in hematology and oncology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was selected to serve as Chief of Medical Residents in 2001-2002, during which time he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his actions on September 11, 2001. Additionally, he served 17 years active duty with the U.S. Army, last serving as Chief of Hematology/Oncology at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, and is a combat veteran having served in Iraq. He has published numerous articles and textbook chapters on cancer treatment.  He and his extended family all reside in Berks County.

Lee B. Riley, MD PhD, FACS
Network Chairman, Department of Oncology
St. Luke’s University Health Network

Dr. Lee B. Riley currently serves as the Network Chairman of the Department of Oncology at St. Luke’s University Health Network.  In addition to his role as Network Chairman, he also serves at St. Luke’s as a Surgical Oncologist.  Dr. Riley has been employed at St. Luke’s for almost 20 years.

Dr. Riley completed the combined MD/PhD program at the University of Texas Medical and Graduate Schools in Houston.  He obtained funding for the combined program from the National Science Foundation and received his degrees in 1986.  Dr Riley’s PhD was in the field of tumor immunology.  Dr. Riley subsequently completed his residency in surgery at the University of Texas-Houston, and also completed a research fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Hospital and Cancer Center.  He completed a second fellowship in surgical oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Since his time at MD Anderson, Dr. Riley has continued to pursue his interest in using the immune system to fight cancer.  He is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Dr. Riley was the first recipient of the Richard J. Torpie, MD, Endowed Chair in Oncology.  He also was awarded the 2006 Community Clinical Scientist Award for the Association of Community Cancer Centers.

Donna J. Bydlon, BSN RN OCN
Director, Infusion Services
St. Luke’s University Health Network

Donna Bydlon currently serves as the Director of Infusion Services & Oncology Support Services at St. Luke’s University Health Network.  She has been employed at St. Luke’s for fifteen years.  She has over twenty eight years’ experience in Oncology, Infusion services, cancer support services, clinical nurse management, quality improvement, healthcare planning, project management and extensive knowledge of the health care continuum.

Donna received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) from Kutztown University.  She held previous roles as the Oncology Resource Nurse Coordinator, Cancer Support Services and Manager, Cancer Program/Infusion Services during her 11 years at the St. Luke’s Allentown Campus prior to stepping into her current role.

Panel Moderator

Jennifer Chambers, MD
Senior Vice President & Chief Medical Officer
Capital BlueCross

Registration Information

Event Sponsor