Program: What Matters Most (To Us)

Cardinale Smith, MD, PhD

Dr. Smith is a nationally recognized thoracic medical oncologist, health services researcher, and palliative care specialist. She serves as the inaugural Chief Medical Officer of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), where she is responsible for advancing operational excellence and ensuring the highest standards of patient safety. In this capacity, Dr. Smith provides strategic leadership to support the clinical and non-clinical teams that deliver MSK’s world-class care.

In addition to her executive role, she maintains an active clinical practice and research program. She specializes in treating all forms of lung cancer, including small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and thymoma. As a specialist in palliative medicine, a field of clinical care that focuses on managing symptoms and improving quality of life for patients, Dr. Smith is deeply committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality care that aligns with patients’ values and goals.

Dr. Smith’s background is deeply rooted in advocacy and equity. Inspired by her mother’s unfulfilled dream of becoming a physician, she has dedicated her career to advancing health equity. Her research, including work funded by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Health Research Center, focuses on reducing barriers to care and improving outcomes through novel models of care delivery and more effective communication between patients and physicians.

Monique James, MD

Dr. James is a psychiatrist with expertise in the care of patients facing acute or chronic illness and the psychiatric symptoms that may accompany it. Her work is focused on supporting individuals as they navigate the physical and emotional challenges of cancer. Since joining Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in 2018, she has served as a psychiatric liaison to the Breast Medicine Disease Management Team. Dr. James practices in both inpatient and outpatient settings and is actively involved in teaching trainees across medical and advanced practice disciplines.

Dr. James has a particular interest in women’s health and is a champion for vulnerable populations and finds her work infused with great meaning. Additionally, she serves as a member and consultant of the MSK Ethics Committee.

In her faculty position at MSK, she has received the Mort Bard Memorial Clinical Award, a Values in Action recognition, and is a 2024 Woman of Distinction for the New York State Assembly.

Victoria Blinder, MD, MSc, FASCO

Dr. Blinder is a medical oncologist with over 20 years of experience caring for patients with cancer. She also conducts research on cancer-related employment challenges and financial hardship. At Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK), she founded a research program examining work outcomes—including employment retention, earnings, benefits, productivity, and quality of life—during and after cancer treatment. Her work explores disparities in these outcomes by income, race/ethnicity, and immigrant status, and seeks solutions to mitigate their financial and psychosocial impact. Dr. Blinder developed a bilingual (English/Spanish) intervention to help women undergoing curative chemotherapy for breast cancer access workplace accommodations and maintain employment, later adapting it to support a broader patient population, including those receiving treatment with noncurative intent.

She also worked with colleagues to develop a financial hardship screening program for implementation in community practice. Based on promising early data that showed the program could prevent new or worsening financial difficulties in cancer patients, she received funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) to conduct a national trial of financial hardship screening.

Dr. Blinder has also served the larger oncology community through committee work with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. Dr. Blinder is originally from Argentina and is fluent in English and Spanish.

Shari Goldfarb, MD

Dr. Goldfarb is a board-certified medical oncologist with a clinical practice devoted solely to the care of patients with breast cancer. She is part of a multidisciplinary team that treats women with both early-stage and advanced disease. Through her practice, she strives to individualize medical treatment and care to each patient’s needs and preferences.

Dr. Goldfarb’s research focuses on ways to improve patient experiences and quality of life during cancer treatment and throughout survivorship by improving management of symptoms. Her research interest is in supportive care for patients and in survivorship issues facing women with breast cancer. By studying the impact of treatment on sexual function and fertility, she hopes to enhance the scientific understanding of these important issues leading to improved outcomes for patients. Her current projects are an evaluation of specific interventions to alleviate sexual dysfunction, an assessment of ovarian function, and the development of strategies to optimize fertility preservation.

Her work integrates clinical trial methods as well as health outcomes research. She’s involved in clinical trials evaluating the effects of breast cancer treatment (e.g., chemotherapy or tamoxifen) on ovarian reserve in premenopausal women. This type of work will assist in determining the likelihood of infertility from a given treatment regimen and the impact of common therapies on menstruation and future pregnancy. In postmenopausal women, she’s evaluating the use of low dose vaginal estrogens to improve vaginal dryness, atrophy, recurrent urinary tract symptoms and sexual dysfunction. As part of her health outcomes research, Dr. Goldfarb is developing methods and instruments to better measure symptoms, such as sexual health. The goal of this work is to develop additional interventions to decrease the burden of treatment on patients.

In addition, she’s an active member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), and the survivorship working group for the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC), an international organization devoted to the understanding of side effects in cancer patients.

Larry Norton, MD

Larry Norton, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist with broad interests in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In his clinical practice, he cares for women with breast cancer and is the Medical Director of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s (MSK) Evelyn H. Lauder Breast Center.

Dr. Norton’s research concerns the basic biology of cancer; the mathematics of tumor causation and growth; and the development of approaches to better diagnosis, prevention, and drug treatment of the disease. He is involved in many areas of research including identifying the genes that predispose people to cancer or that cause cancer, developing new drugs, monoclonal antibodies that target growth factor receptors, and vaccines. 

A major milestone in Dr. Norton’s research career was the development of an approach to therapy called “dose density,” or “sequential dose density.” This is a more effective way of using anticancer drugs, based on a mathematical model he developed with his colleagues, which maximizes the killing of cancer cells while minimizing toxicity.

On a national level, Dr. Norton was formerly the Chair of the Breast Committee of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Cancer and Leukemia Group B. He was President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) from 2001 to 2002 and was appointed by President Clinton to serve on the National Cancer Advisory Board (the board of directors of the NCI).

Among many awards over the course of his career, Dr. Norton was honored to receive ASCO’s highest honor, the David A. Karnofsky Award, and was the McGuire Lecturer at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Dr. Norton has authored more than 350 articles and many book chapters, has served as a visiting professor throughout the world, and has trained many cancer doctors and researchers.

Andrea Smith, MSN, RN, CBCN®

Andrea Smith began her nursing career at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in 2005 as a nurse traveler, gaining valuable experience across multiple inpatient units. Each travel assignment strengthened her expertise in oncology nursing, setting a solid foundation for her future roles.

She joined the breast medical oncology team at MSK’s Evelyn H. Lauder Breast and Imaging Center in 2009, an experience that shaped her development as a breast clinical nurse. With the encouragement of her nurse leader, she advanced to Clinical Nurse IV of Operations, where she served as a mentor and role model while leading initiatives to enhance nursing practice. In this role, she established a charge RN pool, developed and implemented a workshop to help nurses feel more comfortable discussing sexual health with patients—work that culminated in a podium presentation at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress and a publication in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing. She also designed a new telephone triage practice model, ensuring patients received timely follow-up while improving documentation compliance and allowing clinic nurses to focus fully on in-person care.

Andrea became the nurse leader at the Breast and Imaging Center in 2019 and was honored with the Robbins Award for Nursing Leadership Excellence the following year. At MSK, she has shared her expertise as a panelist at the Town Hall on Clinical Restoration as well as the Breast Cancer, Exercise, and Nutrition Patient Information Session.

Cynthia Malaran

Cynthia is an international DJ, producer, and composer for television and film, and is the first woman to ever DJ on Broadway. She is also a 10-year breast cancer survivor.

In 2015, Cynthia was diagnosed with triple positive breast cancer at the age of 39. She began treatment and planned to have a double mastectomy. But her decision not to move forward with reconstruction led to a journey of healing and discovering the essence of beauty, offering others the chance to find self-love without the weight of illness.

Since her diagnosis, Cynthia has embraced creative outlets to process and share her journey. She has been an active participant in MSK’s Visible Ink program, using writing as a source of healing and expression, and most recently took part in the MELODY clinical trial, which explored the impact of music therapy on cancer survivors experiencing anxiety.

Cynthia never wanted to be a part of this club, but she is grateful for the knowledge and role-modeling that has followed. 

Cynthis lives in Manhattan. You can follow her on Facebook and Instagram @djcherishtheluv.

Orquuidea “Orchid” Genao

Orchid was a junior in high school when she discovered her passion for criminal justice. Following graduation, she enrolled in an associate’s program and registered for the citywide NYPD exam. A temporary hiring freeze shifted her into banking, where she used the time to earn a bachelor’s degree. Then, at age 25, the NYPD called — and she did not hesitate. A few years later, Orchid transferred to the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA), where she worked on foot patrol on the Metro North train lines. It is a job she loved doing more than anything else. 

Today, Orchid is 39 and living with stage 4 breast cancer. Her difficult journey began 8 years ago after being routinely dismissed for having undiagnosed breast pain. Since then, she has endured multiple rounds of chemotherapy, surgery on her brain, and radiation. Seizures haunt her. Despite this, she is still deeply passionate and committed to her work.

With the support of her Sergeants and a dedicated medical liaison, she has secured workplace accommodations that honor her needs without limiting her purpose. Acknowledging her physical limitations, they have placed her in a role where she can work confidently, comfortably, and at her best. But each day, she carries the quiet grief of knowing she may never return to patrol work.  

Orchid lives in Westchester County. 

Silvia Davis        

In January 2020, at age 36, Silvia was diagnosed with stage 2A ER+, PR+, HER2+ invasive ductal carcinoma. In the first days following her diagnosis, she describes life as a whirlwind—facing decisions that would shape the rest of her life with little time to process them.

At the time, she and her husband, Andrew, had been living in New Jersey for just two years, after moving from Philadelphia to pursue big career opportunities. Suddenly, they faced choices that felt both urgent and overwhelming. One of the most difficult was the decision about fertility preservation, as Silvia would need surgery within a month and chemotherapy shortly after. She remembers the fear of not knowing if she would ever have children, and the exact moment on a Friday in January, when her husband came home from work and said, “…Let’s do it. We won’t regret trying, but we would regret not trying.”

Between January and March of that year, so much happened—including the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet today when Silvia looks at her two-and-a-half-year-old son, John, she is filled with gratitude. His presence reminds her daily of the richness of life, the importance of hope, and the gift of making brave choices in uncertain times.

Silvia lives in South Carolina. 

Meagan Pettit

Meagan was 29 when she was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer—receiving the news the day after her birthday in December 2020. 

Within only days of receiving her diagnosis, Meagan faced an unexpected big decision: did she want to pursue fertility preservation? Overwhelmed by the flood of information and weight of so many choices, she held firmly to one truth: she had always dreamed of being a mom. That made preserving her fertility a top priority. At the time, she and her now-husband, John, had been dating for less than a year—making the decision even more complex, as it carried not only implications for her health and future family, but also for their young relationship.

As a mental health counselor, Meagan speaks candidly about the vulnerabilities of facing cancer at an early age and the ongoing challenges of survivorship. Through it all, she has found strength in being an “open book.” Today, Meagan is mom to Mila, age 1 ½, and is expecting her second child – another baby girl - early next year.

Meagan lives on Long Island. You can follow her on Instagram @meagan.pettit.

Maureen Green

Maureen had always prided herself on living a healthy, active life, even completing her first marathon in 2009. But in August 2018, at just 34, everything changed. What seemed like a harmless lump quickly led to an ultrasound and mammogram, and within days, doctors confirmed the unthinkable: she had breast cancer. Rather than dwell on the diagnosis, she focused on creating an action plan. She channeled her determination as a runner into her cancer journey.

As she prepared for treatment, she learned she would lose her hair after the first round of chemo. Though it seemed like a small detail compared to the diagnosis, the possibility was deeply emotional—it represented a profound loss of dignity and privacy at a vulnerable time. Determined to maintain some control, Maureen used a scalp cooling system with the help and support of her MSK nurses, which helped her keep her hair.

In 2023, Maureen graciously agreed to share her story with lawmakers in Albany. Thanks to her courage and conviction, New York State enacted legislation that will require large private health insurance policies to cover scalp cooling systems for chemotherapy patients. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026.

Maureen lives on Staten Island with her husband and two daughters. 

Stephanie Wachtel – nipple tattoo installation

When Stephanie was 23, she was diagnosed with ER/PR+ HER2+ Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Her treatment journey was long and complex, involving fertility preservation, chemotherapy, seven surgeries, 25 rounds of radiation, antibody infusions, and long-term ovarian suppression. Radiation damage left her skin too fragile for implants, leading to complications, additional surgeries, and difficult choices regarding reconstruction. She chose a DIEP flap procedure—a road marked by scars and setbacks, but also steadfast resilience.

Yet one of the most empowering moments in reclaiming her identity was deciding to have her areolas tattooed. Choosing the color, size, and detail gave her back a sense of control that she had missed. A fashion designer by trade, it reminded Stephanie of her artistic roots, watching the nurse mix colors like a painter until they matched her skin tone perfectly. When she looked in the mirror, she felt proud — like herself again — not just a survivor, but a woman confident in her body.

Today, Stephanie celebrates six years of being cancer-free, and her experience continues to guide everything she does — as a survivor, an advocate, and soon a nurse. Earlier this month, Stephanie graduated from Nursing school – deeply inspired by her MSK nurses who listened, guided, mentored, and carried her through treatment, providing compassion, encouragement, and unending strength. She is committed to turning her experience into greater purpose—leaning on the lessons she learned along the way to shine as a light and source of strength for others walking the same path.

Stephanie lives in New Jersey.

Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-11)

First elected to the New York State senate on November 2, 1999, Toby Ann Stavisky was the first woman from Queens County elected to the State Senate and the first woman to chair the Senate Committee on Higher Education. A native New Yorker, she graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and Syracuse University, which she attended on an academic scholarship. The Senator completed graduate school at Hunter and Queens Colleges. After working in the actuarial department of a major insurance company, Senator Stavisky taught Social Studies in the New York City high schools.

Currently, she serves as Vice President Pro Tempore of the Senate and Chairwoman of the Senate’s Committee on Higher Education. In addition, Senator Stavisky serves as a trustee of the CUCF (City University Construction Fund) and as a member of the HeCap (Higher Education Capital Matching Grants Program) Board. Senator Stavisky is Treasurer of the bipartisan, bicameral Legislative Women’s Caucus. She has been involved with improving our schools and colleges, programs for older adults, social justice, opportunities for New Americans, and assisting small businesses.

She was married to Dr. Leonard Stavisky, a university professor who served in the Assembly as Chair of the Education Committee and in the Senate until his death in June of 1999. She has one son, Evan, who is married to Kristen Zebrowski Stavisky.

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D/WF-Manhattan)

Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal represents the 67th Assembly district, which includes the Upper West Side and parts of Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. She serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Housing.

Since taking office in 2006, Assemblymember Rosenthal has passed more than 200 laws that have helped to improve the lives of all New York State residents. Her work includes passing the Child Victims Act and Adult Survivors Act to provide survivors of sexual abuse an opportunity to bring previously time-barred cases to court, legislation protecting survivors of domestic violence, furthering reproductive rights and protecting medical providers who provide care to patients traveling from hostile states. She has also passed numerous gun violence prevention laws, including a ban on ghost guns.

As a staunch advocate for affordable housing, Rosenthal has enacted laws to end vacancy decontrol, reform rent control, protect against the proliferation of short-term rentals and establish a statewide Housing Access Voucher Program to help those battling homelessness or at risk of losing their homes.

Assemblymember Rosenthal has also passed numerous laws to advance menstrual equity, protect our environmental and further animal welfare, including the first-in-the-nation ban on the declawing of cats.