Emma L. Dann, DNP, RN, OCN, NEA-BC

Vice President, Network and Clinical Services Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Emma is a Vice President of Nursing at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI).  Emma is responsible for and supports the ongoing clinical operations of DFCI’s regional campus locations to ensure continued excellence and quality of care.  She is also the clinical leader for Occupational Health Services and helped to lead the pandemic response for the Institute, including COVID testing and vaccine administration.  She is also provides nursing leadership oversight for the Nursing Informatics, Cancer Care Equity program, and collaborative relationships at DFCI.  She develops, implements, monitors, and reports on network nursing, clinical, and quality & safety metrics. She is also responsible for ensuring that nursing and clinical practice and policies and procedures meet regulatory requirements.

Prior to joining Dana-Farber in 2015, Emma was previously at Maine Medical Center as the Director of Oncology Nursing Services and Amgen as an Oncology Clinical Specialist.

Emma has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of New Hampshire, a Masters of Science in Nursing Administration from Northeastern University, and a Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus in Executive Leadership from Simmons College.

She is a member of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS), American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL), Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society (NNECOS) and an active volunteer in her local and professional community.

Candidate Statement

I am honored to be nominated to serve on the Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society Board of Directors. I have been a member of NNECOS since the beginning of my career as an oncology nurse in Maine. I continued to be involved throughout my career as an oncology nurse working in the clinical setting (Maine Medical Center and DFCI) as well as at Amgen.  I have always valued the educational and networking opportunities that NNECOS has to offer.  I have also been a volunteer for the Nursing and Allied Health Professional Advisory Committee (NAHPAC) and assisted the committee in planning educational opportunities. I always look forward to attending the Annual and Spring Meetings to learn and interact with my colleagues.  I have presented at NNECOS meetings and the OCN Review Course.

My current role is at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute as a Vice President of Nursing. I am responsible for and support the ongoing clinical operations of DFCI’s regional campus network to ensure continued excellence and quality of care. I also provide nursing leadership support to our Occupational Health Services, Nursing Informatics, and Cancer Care Equity program as well as DFCI’s collaborative relationships. I am uniquely positioned to connect the academic campus to the care in the community to assure patients can receive quality care closer to home. I believe my professional experience (past and present) position me well to serve on the NNECOS Board. I hope you will give me a chance to represent and support you!

 Brenda Farnham MBA, BSN, RN, OCN

Associate Vice President, Oncology Services, Northern Light Health, EMMC Cancer Care

Brenda Farnham has been a member of the NNECOS Board of Directors since 2016.

Brenda is the AVP and Nurse Manager for Oncology Services and Palliative Care for NLH EMMC Cancer Care.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and a Master’s Level Degree and in Business and Healthcare Management from Husson [College] University. Brenda has 36 years of experience in Critical Care, Palliative Care, Medical, Pediatric and Radiation Oncology. She is a Husson University Alumni Hall of Fame 2009 Inductee, 2018 RTLS Innovator Recipient, and 2020 NNECOS Distinguished Service Award recipient. She enjoys outdoor activities, bicycling, antiques and snow.

 

Kathryn Hall, RN, MSN, OCN, CNL, ONN-CG

Thoracic/Melanoma Oncology Nurse Navigator at the Solinsky Center for Cancer Care at the Elliot – a member of Solution Health.

Born and raised in Dover, NH, Katie graduated with her BSN from the University of New Hampshire, Durham in 2005. After completing her undergraduate, Katie moved west to Colorado with her college sweetheart, where she began her nursing career. She later received her MSN with a focus and certification in Clinical Nurse Leadership from her alma mater in 2022.

Katie found her passion in oncology nursing while working on an acute care, medical oncology unit in Denver, Colorado. Throughout her nearly 20-year nursing career, dedicated to oncology, she has grown to appreciate her work in oncology – equally humbling as it is rewarding.

Katie had a unique opportunity to advance professionally and personally in a variety of leadership roles at Rose Medical Center in Denver. She provided direct patient care as a staff nurse, new graduate orientation, and supervision as a Clinical Nurse Educator/Coordinator. She served as a mentor and clinical instructor to nursing students as a Clinical Scholar for Metro State University.

After the birth of their daughter in 2012, Katie and her husband Chris relocated home to NH to be closer to family. When returning to NH, she had a unique opportunity to create an Oncology Nurse Navigator program with Lahey Oncology at Parkland Medical Center, in Derry, NH – offering her professional development and the exciting challenge of working in an unfamiliar outpatient setting. Katie was later recruited to Elliot Hospital to help build the Oncology Nurse Navigator program at the Solinsky Center for Cancer Care in Manchester, NH.

Katie dreams of becoming a distinguished University Professor to foster hands-on learning and provide students with a foundation for nursing excellence through patient-centered care and evidence-based practice. A future passion project is to become a keynote speaker – sharing personal trials and tribulations with oncology nursing, compassion fatigue, and mental health. Katie prides herself in excellence, integrity, and professionalism in her nursing practice, and aspires to offer her knowledge and perspective to nursing students and peers.

To fill her cup, Katie enjoys spending time outdoors, mountain biking, skiing, and practicing yoga. She also loves listening to music, reading historical fiction, and spending time with family and friends. She resides in New Boston, NH with her adventurous/supportive husband, energetic/loving daughters, Olivia and Lucy, and their giant black dog JoeE.

When asked to reflect on her involvement with NNECOS, she has been passionate and intrigued by the tri-state organization since becoming a member in 2014. Largely, she appreciates the opportunity to network and better serve our oncology community. She became a member of NAHPAC in 2021 and values the Advisory Committee's interdisciplinary and collaborative approach. She feels honored to work alongside colleagues to enhance team-based oncology care as well as promote the programs and services offered through NNECOS. Lastly, she is honored and humbled to be nominated by her peers to serve on the NNECOS Board of Directors.

 

Lynda Lee Lapan MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, AOCNP

Champlain Valley Hematology Oncology

I am honored and humbled to be nominated to serve Northern New England Clinical Oncology Society (NNECOS) as a potential board member.

I completed my undergraduate studies in nursing at The University of Vermont.  I completed my Master of Science Family Nurse Practitioner program at Simmons University in 2020.  In my 30 years as a nurse, I primarily worked in oncology, as well as palliative care and hospice over a broad spectrum of settings including community and academic settings.  In my 4 years as a nurse practitioner, I have served in Gynecologic Oncology at Dartmouth Health, and the past 2 years as a nurse practitioner in the community at Champlain Valley Hematology Oncology (CVHO).

I am a member of the Nursing and Allied Health Professional Advisory Committee (NAHPAC) and a member of the subgroup Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN) Review Course Task Force.  I will be serving as a faculty member in the OCN Review Course this autumn.  I am a member of the Advanced Practitioner Society for Hematology and Oncology (APSHO).  Throughout my career I have volunteered with the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) including the roles of being an advocate for certification as well as a test item writer.  I recently co-authored a chapter on gynecologic oncology in the textbook Women’s Healthcare in Advanced Practice Nursing, Third Edition.  I hope you will find my dedication to the field of oncology, as well as my passion for education and certification will serve as a backbone to serve you and NNECOS in their strategic goals and mission of promoting quality oncologic care to patients in our region, as well as education and research.