Innovating for a Cure: Breast Cancer Breakthroughs

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death from cancer among women, with an estimated 42,000 women — and 500 men — in the U.S. dying each year from breast cancer. To reduce the effect of breast cancer on women and men, we must improve early detection, access to quality care and patient education.

On October 25, join MATTER during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, for a panel discussion on the role of technology and innovative solutions in breast cancer care. Christopher Kunney, Christopher Kunney, FACHDM, CPHIM, MSMOT, Managing Partner & Healthcare Technology Strategist, American Cancer Society – Men Wear Pink Ambassador and IOTECH Consulting, LLC., Ricki Fairley, CEO and co-founder at Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, and survivor of breast cancer, and Ryland Gore, MD, board-certified general surgeon and breast surgical oncologist, will discuss perspectives that will provide insights into prevention, diagnosis and treatment and help individuals make informed decisions about their breast health. The panel will be moderated by Melvin Gaskins, MD, senior medical director of medical oncology at eviCore Healthcare.

Agenda

11:00am CT | Welcome remarks

11:05am CT | Panel discussion

11:45am CT | Q&A

12:00pm CT | Event concludes

ABOUT THE MODERATOR

Melvin W. Gaskins, MD

Senior Medical Director of Oncology Benefits Management at eviCore Healthcare

Dr. Melvin W. Gaskins, MD, was born and raised in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. He is a graduate of Howard University College of Medicine. He completed an internal medicine residency and a fellowship in medical oncology at Howard University Hospital. He is ABIM-certified in medical oncology and a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is a recipient of the American College of Physicians’ Community-Based Teaching Award and the Dr. LaSalle D. Leffall, Jr. Legacy Award from the Howard University Cancer Center. Currently he is the senior medical director for the oncology benefits management program at eviCore Healthcare.

ABOUT THE PANELISTS

Christopher Kunney, FACHDM, CPHIM, MSMOT

Managing Partner & Healthcare Technology Strategist at IOTECH Consulting, LLC and American Cancer Society – Men Wear Pink Ambassador.

Christopher Kunney is a healthcare technology thought leader and strategist. He serves as an advisor to business, clinical and technology leaders and is an investor in emerging healthcare technology companies focused on closing the health equity gap. Christopher has a track record of developing and implementing strategic enterprise-wide solutions that address the current issues faced by health systems, including governance, meaningful use, health equity, technology innovation, PPACA, HITECH Act, HIPAA, EMR Adoption, CMS quality measures and HIEs.

Christopher is an experienced IT leader with demonstrated ability to build peak-performing teams and achieve cross-functional business objectives that effectively integrate within the clinical setting. As a valued member of senior management teams, he has contributed a seasoned, broad-based perspective with the maturity to lead IT transformation efforts in all areas of healthcare business. His business philosophy is to create practical IT strategies and implementation plans designed for maximum return. Kunney has served as senior vice president of digital acceleration at Divurgent, chief of strategy of June Health, senior vice president of healthcare information technology at Coker Group and managing partner and IT Strategist at IOTECH CONSULTING.

Christopher currently serves as one of the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) – Men Wear Pink ambassadors and focuses on bringing awareness to the work ACS is doing to eradicate breast cancer. He also serves as board chair for Morehouse School of Medicine’s Bioscience and Healthcare Informatics Industry Advisory Committee.

Ricki Fairley

CEO and Co-founder at Touch, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance, and survivor of breast cancer

Ricki Fairley is an award-winning seasoned marketing veteran that has transformed her strategic acumen into breast cancer advocacy. Ricki co-founded and serves as CEO of TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance to address Black Breast Cancer as a unique and special disease state, with the overall goal of reducing the mortality rate for Black women. Ricki founded and serves as co-host for “The Doctor Is In,” a weekly live breast cancer advocacy web series on the BlackDoctor.org Facebook page that reaches more than 3 million viewers. She founded #BlackDataMatters to bring attention to advancing science for Black breast cancer. In January 2022, she started the When We Tri(al) Movement to change the game on Black women participating in clinical trials to improve outcomes for Black women with breast cancer, sending 14,000 Black women to clinical trial portals. In January 2023, she founded the For The Love of My Gurls campaign to drive awareness and action reaching more than 305,000 young Black women.

Ricki is a board member for Xeris Biopharma and serves on the board of trustees for the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation. She is a board member for the Center for Healthcare Innovation and serves on the American Cancer Society national breast cancer roundtable steering committee and the National Minority Quality Forum scientific advisory board.

Ryland Gore, MD

Board-certified General Surgeon and Fellowship-trained Breast Surgical Oncologist

Dr. Ryland J. Gore is a board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeon specializing in breast surgical oncology. She attended Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, where she graduated with a bachelor of science in biology. Passionate about addressing determinants of health, she continued her education at The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services. Dr. Gore went on to complete medical school at Morehouse School of Medicine and general surgery residency in Chicago, Illinois, in the integrated program at Rush University Medical Center and John H. Stroger Cook County Hospital. Dr. Gore then moved to Brooklyn, New York where she completed her breast surgical oncology fellowship training at Maimonides Medical Center. During this time, she was specially trained in how to treat breast cancer and other breast diseases from a multidisciplinary perspective. Upon finishing her fellowship, Dr. Gore moved back home to Atlanta, Georgia, to begin her career. She is currently an attending breast surgeon with Northside Hospital Health System.

Dr. Gore is a newly elected board member for Every Woman Works, Inc., an Atlanta-based non-profit organization whose mission is to empower women and help them transition into independence and stability from common setbacks, such as substance dependency, the penal system, homelessness and domestic violence. Dr. Gore was also recently named chairwoman of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer campaign, a fundraiser and walk specifically for breast cancer patients and survivors, with 100 percent of proceeds dedicated to helping them on their journey.

Affectionately called “Dr. G” by her patients and staff, Dr. Gore is passionate about making sure that all women are wholly educated and empowered to make health decisions that will work best for them, from breast health choices to self-care.