Taylor Keane

Taylor joins the department as an Advance Practice Provider at PPMC and Radnor. Previously, Taylor worked as a Nurse Navigator, Breast Cancer Service, Stony Brook Medicine; Clinical Nurse II Penn Medicine Solid & Liquid Oncology floors. She earned her BSN from Drexel University in 2015 and MSN, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. You can contact Taylor at taylor.keane@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.

Saishravan Shyamsundar

Saishravan Shyamsundar joins the department as a Clinical Research Coordinator. He graduated with a Masters in Biomedical Sciences from Geisinger College of Health Sciences. He is excited to be a part of an amazing team advancing medicine and improving patient outcomes. Contact him at Saishravan.Shyamsundar@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

Promotions

Nicole Ellis has accepted the position of Lead Social Worker, stepping into the role following Tracy Lautenbach-Hynes’ upcoming retirement at the end of November.

Open Positions

Below are open job positions within the department. The job requisition ID number is in bold for reference.

Staff Open Positions

Please go to Careers.PennMedicine.org to see the full job posting for staff open positions.

• 277218 Dosimetrist Treatment Planner - Philadelphia, PA (Per Diem)
• 270453 PRN Rad Therapist - Philadelphia, PA (HUP) (Per Diem)
• 270451 Radiation Therapist - Philadelphia, PA
• 262401 Physicist - Lancaster, PA
• 257110 Accountant - Philadelphia, PA
• 237634 PRN Rad Therapist – Philadelphia, PA (PAH) (Per Diem)
• 225098 Radiation Therapist NJS Eligible - Plainsboro, NJ (Per Diem)
• 286788 Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant - Lancaster, PA
• 287316 Radiation Therapist - West Chester, PA
• 291648 Director of Radiation Therapy - Philadelphia, PA
• 292457 Social Work MSW - Philadelphia, PA
• 294382 Clinical Nurse 2 - Radiation Oncology - Radnor, PA
• 292934 Clinical Nurse 2 - Radiation Oncology - Valley Forge, PA
• 292318 Radiation Therapy Aide - Philadelphia, PA

Faculty Open Positions

Please click on the link below to view the full job description for faculty open positions on Workday.

• Penn Medicine Clinician [Chester County]: JR00094977
• Penn Medicine Clinician [Cherry Hill]: JR00103891
• Penn Medicine Clinician [Lancaster]: 266585

Maximilian Diehn from Stanford University received this year's Yuhas Award. Since 1993, the Annual Yuhas Award Lecture has honored the memory and work of the late Dr. Yuhas, a prominent researcher and member of the Department of Radiation Oncology who passed away in 1984. The award is the highest honor bestowed by our Department to individuals who have made a profound impact on Radiation Research and beyond.

Dr. Stephen M. Avery is part of a multidisciplinary research team awarded a 2025 Global Oncology Grant from the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center. The funded project, titled “Bridging Health Policy, Prevention, and Cancer Care Access in Ghana through Education,” will develop community-driven cervical cancer prevention and education strategies in Ghana, focusing on HPV vaccination awareness and early detection. The initiative brings together experts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Dr. Shannon O’Reilly and Dr. David Pate, Jr.), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Dr. Princess Ruhama Acheampong), and Penn Medicine (Dr. Avery) to create a sustainable, culturally responsive communication framework for cancer prevention. This one-year project, supported by the Global Oncology Grant, aims to strengthen health communication infrastructure and foster long-term collaboration among U.S. and Ghanaian partners. Findings will be presented at the UW Global Oncology Symposium and the Carbone Cancer Center Research Retreat in 2026

Andre Konski, MD, MBA, MA was recently appointed Treasurer of the Chester County Hospital Medical Staff.

Retirements

Erin McMenamin, PhD, CRNP, will retire from the department on November 21 after 16 years of dedicated service with the head and neck team, where she has brought exceptional expertise in symptom management. Before joining Radiation Oncology, Erin played a pivotal role in the development and success of the palliative care team, serving as a valued resource and leader. Erin’s expertise, compassion, and dedication to patient-centered care have left a meaningful and lasting mark on our department. She will be deeply missed, and we extend our warmest wishes for a fulfilling and well-earned retirement. Carol Proud, MSN, CRNP, will retire on November 28 after 14 years of dedicated service to our department. Throughout her tenure, Carol has made significant contributions in multiple roles: as a nurse practitioner with the thoracic team at PCAM, as an RN at PPMC during its opening, and most recently as a nurse practitioner with our PPMC and Radnor teams, where she has cared for patients with a wide range of diagnoses. Carol’s dedication and kindness have touched so many. She will be missed by her patients and coworkers, and we wish her all the best as she begins her well-deserved retirement.

OncoLink Oncology Social Work Learning Academy (OOSWLA) is now LIVE

OOSWLA is an accredited provider for Social Work Continuing Education through ACE, offering high-quality, relevant continuing education content created by and for oncology social workers - delivered in flexible, accessible, interactive, and affordable formats.

Whether you’re new to oncology social work or a seasoned professional, OOSWLA will provide practical tools, clinical insights, and timely topics to elevate your practice!

Visit ooswla.oncolink.org to register for courses today!

Second Annual "Next Generation: Art by the Children of Penn Faculty" Submissions Open Now

The Burrison Gallery is delighted to announce the second edition of “Next Generation: Art by the Children of Penn Faculty”, a special exhibition celebrating the creativity of the children of Penn faculty and staff. We invite Penn families to submit their children’s artwork for consideration in this unique group show. Selected young artists will be featured in an eight-week exhibition, with the option to participate in an opening reception. Submissions may include two-dimensional works (paintings, drawings, prints, or photographs) that are framed and wired for hanging, as well as three-dimensional creations. The exhibition will run from January 26 through March 13, 2026, and the submission deadline is December 15, 2025. To apply, please submit up to three digital images of the artwork to burrisongallery@gmail.com. For questions or additional information, contact Andreea Dimofte, Chair of the Burrison Gallery Advisory Committee, at the same email address.

Professional Development Seminar - Walls are your Friends: Bouncing Back in Medicine and in Life

Ross Green, MD, Neil Taunk, MD, MS, and Nick Lukens, MD attend a professional development seminar hosted by DR Pearson - Walls are your Friends: Bouncing Back in Medicine and in Life - Learning Resilience and using setbacks to your advantage.

The Beam of Life Team

Check back in this section for the date of next year's Breakthrough Challenge.

Join the team here: https://www.breakthrough-challenge.org/

Five Questions With...

Kevin Risolo, MMP, DABR

Medical Physicist at Doylestown Hospital

1. What is a typical work day like for you?

After a short trip to daycare drop off and into work, it tends to be a mix of primarily clinical physics at Doylestown, some project work (itself currently a mix of Aria change, ClearCheck implementation, with sprinkles of other projects at Penn), some work with the Medical Physics Graduate Program for admissions, and at lunch it's been wrapping up a Masters degree in Computer Information Technology here at Penn while getting a bite.

2. What led you to work at Penn Radiation Oncology?

After our daughter was born my wife and I wanted to move back to the area from New Jersey to be near family. Being an alum of the Penn Medical Physics program, Penn was my first and only choice for a job to find here. I was lucky to find, apply, and accept a position at Doylestown Hospital for Penn Radiation. Now here after that, I realize how lucky I am to be here every day with all we do for our patients with amazing co-workers across all services.

3. What was your first job?

First job ever was helping my uncle deliver fish from the now-defunct Fulton Fish Market in New York City. In terms of radiation delivery, my first job was consulting at the Bronx Veterans Affairs Medical Center as a combo planner and physicist- a very rewarding experience both for the knowledge gained and the population being served.

4. Do you have any pets? If you don't, what kind of animal would you like as a pet?

Our family had cats for a number of years, but for this Christmas we promised our 4 year old we can get a dog from the foster center near us in Lansdale. It's hard to know if she or I is more excited!

5. Do you have any favorite fall activities?

With family, we love going up to the Poconos to enjoy the cooler weather, colors, and strolling through Jim Thorpe- our daughter is in it for the s'mores by a firepit (admittedly we are, too). Otherwise during the week I can be found at the Bucks County Curling Club.

Rad Recommendations

Michele's Menu Musings by Michele Kim, PhD

Amá – 101 W Oxford St, Philadelphia, PA 19122

Amá (not to be confused with Osteria Ama or Amma South Indian) is an elevated Mexican restaurant in the Fishtown/Kensington area by Mexico City-born chef Frankie Ramirez. Chef Ramirez was previously the executive chef launching Stephen Starr’s LMNO in 2020 just a block north of Amá, which has also been widely successful. The restaurant is elegant and airy with open spaces and is perfect for a night out with the girls (as in my case) or a romantic dinner for two. The menu starts with smaller plates and proceeds to larger ones that are meant for sharing. We started our culinary experience with the callo de hacha (Mexican scallop) tostada which had avocado, pickled red onion, tonnato, and salsa morita. The next tostada with tuna, avocado, salsa macha, and cilantro macho was an excellent complement to the first one. Both had fresh bites of seafood with flavorful salsas to accompany each morsel. The drinks were modern takes on Mexican cocktails that go beyond your basic margarita. The server was very personable and recommended a few of her favorites to us. Her drink suggestions were spot on, but the salad special she recommended with the dried grasshopper was not our favorite. Not because of the grasshopper or because it was a bad salad, but it was just not as flavorful as our many other dishes. One of my friends who had gone to Amá a week before had told me that the sharable octopus was touted to be 5 lbs, but she could not justify ordering it for just the two of them. So as a group of four, we were determined to order the octopus which was a whopping 7 lbs that day. This may have been the best octopus I have eaten. Wood fired and served with camote, salsa macha verde, meco sauce, and black fried rice which had slices of the head, the entire 7 lb octopus was served to us. This octopus was flavorful and had the best texture you could possibly want in a fire-cooked octopus – buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, essence of wood fire. The sauces that accompanied the colossal dish provided enough variety to keep each bite new and exciting throughout. Go to Amá for some well-executed Mexican food with unique flavors and order a fun drink to add to the ambiance! For me, Fishtown was a trek, but it was absolutely worth it. The menu is great for gluten-free diners as well. I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes while convincing more of my friends to order the octopus.

Do you have any recommendations you'd like to share with the Spotlight? Email your reviews for movies, TV shows, books, and podcasts to RadOncSpotlight@uphs.upenn.edu

The Medical Physics community gathered to celebrate the International Day of Medical Physics on Friday, November 7 with a special presentation by AAPM President-Elect Robyn Miller, MS. Her talk, titled “Medical Physics: I Like, I Wish, I Wonder,” offered an engaging, open dialogue with students, staff and faculty, encouraging reflection about the field of medical physics and curiosity about the future. The event was jointly organized by the Student Advisory Committee, the Medical Physics Graduate Programs, and the Physics Division. Attendees also enjoyed catered food from Wishbone Craft Fried Chicken.

Delaware Valley Chapter AAPM Fall Dinner Meeting

The Delaware Valley Chapter of the AAPM held its annual Fall Dinner Meeting on November 7 at Maggiano’s Little Italy. The event drew strong student participation, with attendees gathering to hear guest speaker Robyn Miller, MS, share her insights and experience with the community.

November Town Hall: Guest Speaker, Marc Mlyn, MBA, President & CEO of RaySearch Americas

MPGP hosted our November Town Hall on November 13. We were joined by Marc Mlyn, MBA, President and CEO of RaySearch Americas. Mr. Mlyn joined us virtually to shared details about his career journey and about industry career paths in medical physics, and he wrapped up his talk with career advice and a question and answer session with students. Students enjoyed lunch from Jimmy John’s during the event.

Scholarly Activity

MSMP submatriculation student, Nayoon Lee presented her abstract, “Toward an AI-Automated Radiation Therapy Workflow: A Dual-Model Approach to Target Volume Contouring and Dose Optimization in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer” at the 2025 Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium at Rice University in Houston, Texas in October.