SSO’s Career Catalyst Mentorship Program (CCMP) provides support and development opportunities for up-and-coming, mid-career surgical oncologists with leadership potential.
2026 CCMP Recipients
The Career Catalyst Mentorship Program allows recipients to attend SSO 2026 and participate in a week-long observership with a US-based SSO member mentor post-meeting. Participants and mentors are matched based on shared professional and scientific interests.
Nicolas Ajkay, MD, MBA is an associate professor of surgery, at the University of Louisville School of Medicine and specializes in breast surgical oncology. He is a member of the NAPBC accredited multidisciplinary breast clinic, and its past director, as well as part of the CoC leadership team. His academic activities include the care of breast cancer patient from a patient centered, personalized and multidisciplinary approach, teaching medical students, residents and surgical oncology fellows, and developing clinical research ideas that have immediate and practical applications to patient care. Dr. Ajkay is a native of Colombia, South America, where he completed a plastic surgery residency, followed by an oncologic reconstruction fellowship before moving to the US. He completed a general surgery residency in Lexington, KY, an SSO approved breast surgical oncology fellowship in Philadelphia, PA, and an MBA from the University of Louisville. His previous engagements with the Society of Surgical Oncology include serving on the Breast DSWG and SPHERE committees.
Dr. Carlos Chan is a tenured Associate Professor of Surgery and a surgeon-scientist with clinical expertise in PSM/HPB oncology and primary research focus on peritoneal metastasis of pancreatic cancer. He was a recipient of the SSO Clinical Investigator Award for his immunological study of his investigator-initiated trial for treating peritoneal carcinomatosis with Tumor-Penetrating Microparticles (TPM). He has previously served on the GI DSW and CME/CPD Committee and is currently serving on the Corporate Relations Committee and the editorial board of Surgical Oncology Insight.
Dr. Nimmi S. Kapoor is an Associate Professor of Surgery at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), specializing in Breast Surgical Oncology. She leads a nationally recognized, CME-accredited cadaver-based course on breast ultrasound and oncoplastic techniques, which she developed at UCLA. Additionally, Dr. Kapoor serves as faculty for the Society of Surgical Oncology Fellow’s Institute, the American Society of Breast Surgeons Breast Ultrasound Course, and the American College of Surgeons Fundamentals of Oncoplastic Surgery Regional Course, which she has also chaired.
Her research interests are varied, with grant funding in translational projects related to HER2 nodal discordance and genomic profiling of DCIS, as well as funding in breast ultrasound curriculum development, and patient-reported outcomes. Dr. Kapoor’s long-term efforts aim to expand the use and indications of breast ultrasound among surgeons, including use of innovations such as ultrasound-guided cryoablation and intralesional therapies. She is active in numerous surgical societies and currently serves on committees for the Society of Surgical Oncology, American Society of Breast Surgeons, American College of Surgeons, and the Association of Women Surgeons.
Deepa Magge, MD, is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Surgical Oncology and Endocrine Surgery at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and serves as the Director of the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy/HIPEC Program and Associate Program Director of the General Surgery Residency. Dr. Magge completed her General Surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) where she served as Administrative Chief Resident. Following completion of surgical residency, she remained at UPMC, where she completed a fellowship in Complex Surgical Oncology. She continues to dedicate much of her time to resident teaching and won the Vanderbilt Senior Resident Teaching Award in 2022 as well as the Vanderbilt Section of Surgical Sciences Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award multiple times. She is currently serving as Chair of the Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Disease Working group for the SSO and is on the editorial review board for Annals of Surgical Oncology.
Dr. Park is an associate surgeon in the Division of Breast Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. She received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Notre Dame and her medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed general surgery residency training at the Henry Ford Health System and a breast surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She is an implementation science researcher and is funded by the NCI. Her NCI K08 research is titled “Implementation of Operative Standards in Cancer Surgery to Improve Patient Outcomes.”
Dr. Sangeetha Prabhakaran is a distinguished Surgical Oncologist and Faculty at the University of New Mexico’s Division of Surgical Oncology and UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center. As a Surgeon-Scientist, she specializes in Complex General Surgical Oncology with a focus on breast malignancies. She earned her medical degree in India and completed surgical training in the US. Dr. Prabhakaran is dual board-certified in General Surgery and Complex General Surgical Oncology. Her research centers on predictive biomarkers for breast cancer treatment, genomic healthcare disparities, and immuno-oncology.
Vance Sohn, MD, MBA, FACS, FSSO, is Professor of Surgery and Director of the MedStar Georgetown Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. With a distinguished background in academic medicine, military service, and clinical research, he leads initiatives advancing innovation in cancer care, education, and translational research. His surgical expertise spans open, laparoscopic, and robotic approaches to cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and sarcoma malignancies.
Kay Yoon-Flannery, DO, MPH, FACS, is the Chief of Women’s Oncology Services and Chief of Breast Surgery at Atlanticare Regional Medical Center. Dr. Flannery also serves as the Chair of the Membership Engagement Committee for the American Society of Breast Surgeons as well as a site reviewer for the National Accreditation Program of Breast Centers (NAPBC), Commission on Cancer (COC), and the Society of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Flannery is a graduate of Rowan University-School of Osteopathic Medicine (formerly UMDNJ-SOM) and completed a Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Flannery is a proud member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, American College of Surgeons, Society of Asian Academic Surgeons, and Philadelphia Academy of Surgeons.
2025 CCMP Recipients
Zahraa AlHilli, MD, MBA, FACS, FRCSI is a Staff Breast Surgeon and Associate Professor of Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio. She is the Interim Director of the Breast Center and the Co-Director of the Comprehensive Breast Program. She received her medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2004. She completed her General Surgery residency in Dublin, Ireland in 2014 and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. During her residency she was also awarded a Doctorate in Medicine by research and a Masters in Medical Education. She completed a Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in 2015 and an Endocrine Surgery fellowship also at Mayo Clinic in 2016. In 2023, she graduated with an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Natasha Rueth, MD, MS, FACS was born and raised in rural Wisconsin and had no intention of entering medicine until halfway through her psychology degree at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. It was in a statistics class that she discovered the way science, critical thinking, and data combine to provide answers that impact patient’s lives. Dr. Rueth remembers the moment clearly, and that was the start of her career in medicine. She attended the University of Minnesota for medical school as well as general surgery residency. In her years as a resident, she earned a master’s degree in clinical research with several projects focused on clinical outcomes data and also learned the joy of international medicine; she was fortunate enough to travel to Honduras twice on surgical mission trips. After finishing general surgery residency, Dr. Rueth spent two years in Houston at MD Anderson Cancer Center, earning one of the earliest official board certifications in Complex General Surgical Oncology. She returned to Minnesota and practiced general surgical oncology with Allina Healthcare System, where she took on various leadership roles until becoming Deputy Director of Allina Health Cancer Institute. Seeking “changes in latitude, changes in attitude” (Jimmy Buffett), she left her position with Allina Health, where was honored to be named a “Top Doctor” in the state by Minnesota Monthly Magazine annually, to join Memorial Healthcare System in South Broward County, Florida as the Chief of Breast Cancer Services in June 2024.
Emmanuel (Manny) Gabriel, MD, PhD, FACS, FSSO is an associate professor at Mayo Clinic in Florida. Clinically, he specializes in breast cancer, cutaneous oncology, and regional therapies. He is a previously NIH funded KL2 investigator and working towards R01 level funding. His basic science and translational research include novel approaches to drug delivery and tumor vessel imaging. He runs several investigator-initiated trials that complement his research interest in real-time human vessel imaging. He has had prior engagements with the Society of Surgical Oncology, including serving on the melanoma disease site work group, the constitution and bylaws committee, and the sustainable surgery task force. He also participated in the SSO/JSGS Observership in Japan in 2018. He is very appreciative to the SSO for participating in the catalyst program and is looking forward to the year-long program.
Dr. Sean Dineen, MD, MHPE is an Associate Member of the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Dineen has a particular interest in the treatment of patients with metastatic disease, including carcinomatosis. In particular, he focuses on patients that have developed peritoneal spread of disease and the application of cytoreductive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) in the treatment of this advanced process. Dr. Dineen’s research focuses on identifying how the tumor and the local environment interact to promote metastatic disease. Dr. Dineen is a native of Lexington, KY. He earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville. He completed residency in general surgery at UT Southwestern in Dallas, which included a research fellowship focused on the tumor microenvironment. He subsequently completed a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he earned the Clinical Excellence award from the Department of Surgery. Dr. Dineen has been at Moffitt Cancer Center since 2017. He is an advocate for education and is the Program Director for the Complex General Surgical Oncology (CGSO) Fellowship Program. He is also the chair of the Society for Surgical Oncology Program Director Committee.
David Kwon, MD, FACS, FSSO, is the Physician in Charge of the Brigitte Harris Cancer Pavilion within Henry Ford Health Cancer, Division Head of Surgical Oncology in the Department of Surgery, and the Brigitte Harris Endowed Chair for Pancreas Cancer. In 2021, he led the opening of a new 187,000 square foot outpatient flagship cancer center that serves as the anchor for world-class cancer care provided throughout 11 HFH Cancer locations. Dr. Kwon provides clinical leadership for operations of an integrated, multidisciplinary, outpatient cancer center that generates $300MM annual gross revenue and is comprised of more than 120 cancer providers and 350 employees within 30 departments and 16 disease-specific multidisciplinary cancer clinics. Dr. Kwon has been instrumental in setting the strategic vision and aligning organizational goals to foster a culture of excellence within Henry Ford Health Cancer Service Line and will serve as one of the cancer leads of the joint venture between Henry Ford and Ascension’s southeast Michigan and Genesys healthcare facilities, enabling the newly combined organization to make a dramatic impact on the cancer care of the communities it serves – improving outcomes, access and experience; prioritizing value-based care and partnering to advance innovation, academic medicine and advanced, complex care.
In his clinical practice, Dr. Kwon established the Henry Ford Pancreas Cancer Center in 2018 with the goal of refining future personalized pancreas cancer detection and treatment protocols. Since its inception, the center has received over $38 million in philanthropic support and secured more than $11 million in federal and foundation funding. The pancreas program has been recognized as a center of excellence by the National Pancreas Foundation and was recently selected by the Lustgarten Foundation to participate in the Alliance for Research and Patient Care. The pancreas program has grown to over 25 translational team members to advance groundbreaking research.
Dr. Georgios V. Georgakis, MD, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Surgery at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University and a Clinical and Research Member of the Stony Brook Cancer Center. Dr. Georgakis specializes in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, advanced robotic surgery, and innovative cancer treatments such as pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC).
He has advanced the use of robotic surgery in complex hepatopancreatobiliary procedures. His work emphasizes reducing patient recovery time and improving surgical outcomes. Additionally, he has championed novel cancer therapies, including PIPAC, offering new treatment avenues for patients with advanced abdominal malignancies.
Dr. Georgakis completed his MD at the University of Athens and his PhD focused on the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in Hodgkin’s lymphoma. His extensive training includes a fellowship in Complex General Surgical Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is an active member of leading national and international societies and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters, solidifying his role as a thought leader in surgical innovation and oncology.
Laleh Melstrom, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Immuno-Oncology and Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center. She received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and MD from Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Dr. Melstrom went on to complete her general surgery residency at Northwestern University in Chicago in 2010. During this time, she earned a master’s degree in the Science of Clinical Investigation (2005-2007) at Northwestern University where she also spent 2 years studying pancreatic cancer biology. Upon completion of residency, Dr. Melstrom completed a Surgical Oncology Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. She then was an Assistant Professor in Surgery at Rutgers University from 2012-2015. She was recruited to City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, CA in 2015 as a liver and pancreas surgeon and scientist studying new therapies in colorectal and pancreatic cancers. She has coauthored over 150 peer-reviewed publications, chapters and reviews/editorials in liver and pancreatic cancers. Dr. Melstrom has been NIH funded and has academic interests in telehealth and RNA methylation. She is also certified in robotic surgery and specializes in the treatment of cancers of the liver and pancreas, and has grown the division to over 20 fellowship trained surgical oncologists.
Miral Sadaria Grandhi, MD, FACS, FSSO is an Associate Professor of Surgery at Rutgers Cancer Institute and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and she currently serves at the Director of Hepatobiliary Surgery and the Program Director of the Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship Program at Rutgers Cancer Institute. Dr. Grandhi grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana where she attended medical school at the Indiana University School of Medicine. She went on to train in the General Surgery Residency Program at the University of Colorado. She completed her Complex General Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the Johns Hopkins Hospital and joined the Rutgers Cancer Institute Division of Surgical Oncology upon completing fellowship. Her clinical expertise lies in complex hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery, and her academic interests lie in surgical education and quality improvement.