Our Mission
To connect individuals operating as Psychosocial Oncology Directors/Section Chiefs with a goal of a) creating a form to discuss the common challenges associated with operating a psychosocial oncology program, and collaboratively support leaders as they are navigating the intricacies of their organization/institution, and b) developing clear strategies to advocate for programmatic growth and resources.
Meet Our Co-Chairs
Lauren Rynar, PhD
Dr. Rynar is an Associate Professor in the Departments of Internal Medicine and Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Rush University Medical Center, where she also serves as Director of Supportive Oncology at the Rush MD Anderson Cancer Center. A licensed clinical psychologist with specialized training in psycho-oncology and health psychology, Dr. Rynar completed her doctoral studies at Rosalind Franklin University and her postdoctoral fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center. Her clinical and academic work focuses on the integration of psychosocial care into cancer treatment, with a particular emphasis on distress screening, program development, and cancer survivorship.Dr. Rynar has been instrumental in developing and implementing innovative supportive care services at Rush, including psychotherapy and integrative therapies access reform, specialty clinics, sexual health programming, and community partnerships. She has secured substantial philanthropic support for patient-centered programs and leads several clinical research initiatives, including studies on inpatient and outpatient distress screening and psycho-oncology service utilization. Rynar also contributes to the field through publications, mentorship, and leadership roles at her institution and within the American Psychosocial Oncology Society.
Sivan Rotenberg, PhD
Dr. Sivan Rotenberg is a clinical health psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Rotenberg received her doctorate in clinical psychology from Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, and completed her internship and fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center.
Dr. Rotenberg has several leadership roles in her institution. She is the Director of the Psycho-Oncology program at the Dartmouth Cancer Center, as well as the Director of Embedded Psychiatry Services for the Department of Psychiatry at Dartmouth Health. Clinically, Dr. Rotenberg cares for patients with both hematological and solid-tumors, as well as their care partners, with a specific interest in neuro-oncology.
We Welcome New SIG Members
One of the APOS member benefits is to join the conversation on Groupsite with any of the 10 Special Interest Groups (SIGs). This is a very engaging conversation platform and the Executive Office is happy to help you navigate this platform and help you set up your profile to begin networking.
