About

ASCO Direct™ Highlights Conference

Event Purpose

Official ASCO Direct™ meeting

This premier event will highlight abstracts and educational updates from the 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting, the world’s largest gathering of physicians, researchers, and others engaged in the study and practice of oncology. Many summary events are held after the Annual Meeting, but only a select few are organized in connection with ASCO and reliably deserve the title “ASCO Direct™” for their objectivity in content selection. Cincinnati Cancer Advisors has created a custom program that promises to meet the needs of members of the oncology care team.

The days following a cancer diagnosis can stir feelings of uncertainty, urgency and apprehension. Cincinnati Cancer Advisors exists to improve the care of cancer patients seeking a second opinion so that they walk away with a thorough understanding of their diagnosis and confidence in their plan of care. We believe that great care begins with a great plan and in doing so we hope to take those feelings of chaos out of a cancer diagnosis through our team-oriented, mission-driven approach to making second opinions more accessible.

"No one wants to face this adversary of cancer but if one has to face this adversary, we want Cincinnati to be the very best place to be. Cincinnati Cancer Advisors helps patients have confidence in their plan of care from the start."

Dr. William Barrett

Scientific Committee

Dr. Jazieh joins the Cincinnati Cancer Advisors team as a Senior Oncology Consultant and its Director of Innovation and Research, as well as the Director of International Programs. He was a professor and chief of the Hematology and Oncology Division at the University of Cincinnati before moving to the Middle East as Chairman of the premier Oncology department in Saudi Arabia, where he was one of the foremost authorities on lung cancer in the Middle East.  He received his Doctorate of Medicine from Damascus University in Syria and his Master of Public Health degree from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dr. Jazieh did his Internal Medicine Residency at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, Illinois and Hematology and Medical Oncology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas. Dr. Jazieh has been very active in his professional community by participating as a member of the American Board of Oncology, has been an Advisor on Oncology Quality Care and Patient Safety at UC Cancer Institute since September 2017, the Editor-in-Chief of the Global Journal on Quality and Safety in Healthcare since November 2017 and was the former Chairman of the International Affairs Committee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Leming’s extensive educational credentials include receiving the prestigious Oswald Undergraduate Research Award at the University of Kentucky followed by studies at the University of Louisville Medical School. Following medical school, he completed his residency at The University of Cincinnati for Internal Medicine, Medical Oncology and Hematology, eventually serving as a chief medical resident. During his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Cincinnati, Dr. Leming was accepted as one of a very small number of physicians in the nation to practice at The National Cancer Institute – widely regarded as one of the premier organizations for oncology - and was appointed to the Medicine Branch. There, he studied under some of the most influential cancer specialists in the world, which shaped his future in cancer medicine and cancer treatment. Upon returning to Cincinnati, Dr. Leming joined an elite group of subspecialty academic physicians in private practice. He also co-founded and developed the medical oncology department at The Christ Hospital and founded and led the Christ Hospital Cancer Research Program until 2019. With melanoma as his focus, Dr. Leming was a founding member of The Society for Melanoma Research and founding member of the Cincinnati-based organization, Melanoma Know More. He has contributed to many of the major new developments in melanoma treatment and has extensive experience in immunotherapy having been trained by Steve Rosenberg M.D., Ph.D and Don Morton M.D., as well as many other leaders in the world of melanoma research and treatment. He is widely regarded as a local expert in melanoma and complex skin malignancies.

Jill has been caring for cancer patients since 2004. In that time, she has set the benchmark for her patient-centric approach in Cincinnati and beyond. Her professional journey began at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 1999 on the hematology /oncology/ bone marrow transplant unit and later the emergency department. After spending five years caring for children, Jill found her passion in caring for the adult oncology patient. Starting as a chemotherapy infusion nurse in private practice with Dr. Philip Leming at Cincinnati Hematology Oncology, she then pursued an advanced degree to offer a higher level of care to her cancer patients. Jill has been an oncology nurse practitioner since 2011 and is passionate about patient care, education and staying current on research opportunities available for the patients she cares for. Jill is a national speaker traveling to educate clinicians on the use and management of toxicities of medications that are used in cancer treatments. She has spoken at national nursing conferences and sits on several advisory boards. She feels strongly about staying on the front lines to improve patient care and expert advice on cancer. Jill was born and raised in Cincinnati and graduated from Lakota High School. She and her husband have six children (three biological and three foster children). Outside of her love and passion for oncology, Jill and her husband are leaders on the global outreach team at their church and participate in yearly mission trips to serve orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.

Andy Guinigundo brings more than 25 years of experience as an advanced provider in oncology services and as a cancer genetic risk assessment specialist and an ICU registered nurse. Andy’s areas of focus include lung cancer, breast cancer and overall improvement in quality cancer care. His advanced knowledge as a cancer genetics specialist will allow CCA to launch its genetic counseling service, further bolstering its lineup of free services provided to Greater Cincinnati cancer patients. Andy's passion to help cancer patients started when he was an undergraduate. He participated in a student nurse externship where he worked in the bone marrow transplant unit. He discovered that the relationships he developed with his patients were very rewarding, and that he had the ability to make a positive impact in their lives. Andy’s special interests include lung cancer, breast cancer, cancer research, and quality care improvement. He has advanced his profession and now serves as a cancer genetics specialist. He has a wide range of interests, including spending time with his family, serving as a member of the National Ski Patrol, visiting theme parks and writing about them.

Dr. Barrett is co-director of the University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Center, professor and chair of the department of radiation oncology at the UC College of Medicine and medical director of the UC Health Barrett Cancer Center. Dr. Barrett received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and his medical degree from UC. His training included an internship in general surgery at UC followed by residency in radiation oncology at UC and a fellowship in brachytherapy at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Barrett founded The Cincinnati Cancer Foundation, Inc. in 2018 and is the inspiration behind Cincinnati Cancer Advisors (CCA) which provides free oncology second opinions and financial navigation services to cancer patients in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Dr. Herzog graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in 1986. He completed his residency at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati in 1990 and a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, in 1993, before becoming a faculty member at Washington University and then director of the gynecologic oncology fellowship program. In 2004, he became the director of the division of gynecologic oncology at Columbia University. Herzog is a National Institutes of Health- and American Cancer Society-funded researcher with over 200 published manuscripts. He’s also been a member of a number of national professional societies including the American College of Surgeons, for which he is also on the elected board of governors, the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology, among others. Herzog is also editor-in-chief of the journal Gynecologic Oncology Research and Practice in addition to being the editor and on the editorial boards for a number of other peer-reviewed journals.

Organizing Committee

Steve’s varied career encompassing finance, accounting, operations, treasury, marketing, and business development roles across a variety of industries has put him in good stead to lead Cincinnati Cancer Advisors. His past volunteer efforts have benefited the University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Center, UC Health, the American Cancer Society, ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer, and the V Foundation, among others. He and his wife Diana – also a cancer survivor – have spoken on cancer survivorship at a variety of oncology conferences throughout the Midwest region. An eight-year prostate cancer survivor, Steve serves as a consumer reviewer for the Prostate Cancer Research Program, a research program for which he and others have successfully lobbied the U.S. Congress for $20 million in additional funding in recent years that has funded the research for some of the most groundbreaking advanced prostate cancer drugs developed in the last quarter century.

Diana brings a wealth of administrative and event planning experience to her position as CCA’s Executive Assistant. Diana’s past volunteer work has benefited the University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Center, UC Health, the American Cancer Society and the V Foundation, among others. She is a mentor for other breast cancer survivors and currently serves on the Giving Committee for the Karen Wellington Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides fun and memorable experiences for those battling breast cancer. Diana is a six-year, triple-negative breast cancer survivor and is a member of WISe Wellness Guild, an organization that seeks to help women advance through whole-self wellness, achieving peak performance and avoiding burnout.

Sally joined CCA at the beginning of 2021. She graduated from Mt. Saint Joseph College in 1994 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She began working in the oncology field in 2000 after her mother lost her battle with ovarian cancer. Sally has been involved in several aspects of oncology nursing over the last 20+ years, working as a chemotherapy nurse, office nurse manager, case manager, and discharge coordinator. Sally also spent additional time serving on hospital committees that were focused on improving the quality of care for oncology patients. When asked what she loves most about her career, Sally said “I like to advocate for patients and educate patients and their families on how to be their own advocates.” Sally and her husband live in Butler County with their adult child and dog.

Chris joined the CCA team as Social Content Creator in May 2021. A 2017 graduate of Cooper High School in Northern Kentucky, Chris is an Electronic Media and Broadcasting major at Northern Kentucky University who anticipates graduating in May 2022. In addition to helping CCA develop thought leadership content for CCA’s social media channels and his videography responsibilities for CCA-sponsored events, Chris coaches Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball as part of his commitment to teaching and mentoring youth.

Jenna was one of CCA’s earliest employees, joining our staff as a Clinical Assistant in September 2020. Jenna is a second-year nursing student at Miami University (Ohio) and is looking forward to beginning her nursing career in 2024. Jenna has just returned from two recent mission trips to Mexico where her team focused on serving orphans and vulnerable children. Many of our patients will recognize Jenna as the first friendly face they encounter as they register upon their arrival at CCA. Jenna believes that her experiences at CCA “cultivate continuous learning and will be the perfect stepping stone” as she pursues her nursing degree.