The MSK-GCDI Team
Professor Sir Murray F. Brennan, GNZM, MD
Dr. Murray Brennan is an oncologic surgeon-scientist. He was Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1985 until June 2006, and from 2010 served as Vice President of International Programs and Director of the Bobst International Center and since 2018 as Senior Vice President of International Programs. Dr. Brennan has lectured throughout the world and authored or co-authored more than 1,100 scientific papers and book chapters, and three books on soft tissue sarcoma.
He has served as Director of the American Board of Surgery, Vice President of the American College of Surgeons, Chairman of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, and President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the James IVth Association, the Society of Clinical Surgery, the International Gastric Cancer Association, and the American Surgical Association. He has been awarded Honorary Fellowships in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Edinburgh, England, Australasia, and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and Canada. Dr. Brennan has received Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of Edinburgh, Otago, Goteborg and University College of London.
In 1995 Dr. Brennan was honored with membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, and in 2000 he received the American College of Surgeons’ highest award, the Distinguished Service Award. In January 2015, he was appointed by Her Majesty The Queen as Knight Grand Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Dr. T. Peter Kingham
Dr. Kingham is the Director of the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives Program and an Associate Professor. His primary research interest is determining how to improve cancer care for patients in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC). He has over the last 17 years worked in numerous countries, including Tanzania, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Mexico, Malawi and Nigeria providing surgery and cancer care while also training local medical professionals.
He is a co-PI on multiple prospective studies on colorectal and breast cancer in Nigeria, co-founded the African Research Group for Oncology (ARGO), and is President and co-founder of Surgeons OverSeaS (SOS). He is a PI of a UG3/UH3 NIH grant (2017) to study new technologies to diagnose cancer in LMIC and an NIH R01 (2020) studying colorectal cancer in Nigeria. He has over 220 publications in peer-reviewed journals and authored 18 chapters.
Dr. Vikki Mango
Victoria Mango, MD, FSBI is the Assistant Director of the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives Program and an Associate Attending Radiologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She is Director of Radiology at the MSKCC Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care. She also serves as the co-Chair of the Society of Breast Imaging’s International Education Outreach Committee and Director of the RAD-AID Kenya program with RAD-AID International, a non-profit organization that seeks to bring radiology services to underserved areas of the world. She has over 10 years’ experience working in global cancer outreach in numerous countries, including Kenya, Nigeria, India, and Indonesia.
She is committed to reducing cancer disparities in low and middle income countries through research and education and focuses her work on breast cancer and breast imaging. She serves as co-PI on multiple international studies. She has given over 100 invited lectures and has published over 60 peer-reviewed articles/chapters.
Kate Randolph
Kate Randolph is the Program Manager for the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives (GCDI) Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Kate holds a Masters degree from Columbia University where she studied Arabic and classical Islamic law.
She brings over 20 years of international experience working in program management, fundraising, business development and education. She has previously managed reproductive health programs in Africa, Asia and Latin America and worked in resource mobilization on large public sector and private foundation proposals. Prior to joining GCDI she managed a public health certificate program focused on providing humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
Cristina Olcese
Cristina Olcese is the Clinical Research Manager for the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives (GCDI) Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Cristina brings 12 years of clinical research experience overseeing a vast portfolio of therapeutic and non-therapeutic trials and has a range of knowledge from study start-up to manuscript publication.
She previously worked in the Department of Surgery in the Breast and Hepatopancreatobiliary services at MSKCC and had consulted for this program for 3 years. She is thrilled to be joining the GCDI Program in this capacity, leading the Clinical Research team and overseeing the Clinical Research operations and management of the program.
Rivka Kahn
Rivka Kahn is the Research Project Manager for the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives (GCDI) Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Rivka brings experience managing numerous aspects of clinical research as well as combined experience of solid and liquid tumor research to the team. Prior to joining the GCDI, Rivka worked in Melanoma and Neuro-oncology research at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University and in bone marrow transplant research at MSKCC. In her new role with the GCDI she oversees data coordination for the expanding research studies in Nigeria and manages IRB and regulatory compliance.
Rivka is passionate about global health and the future of cancer care. She is determined to improve healthcare disparities throughout the world.
Grace Fitzgerald
Grace Fitzgerald is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Global Cancer Disparities Initiative (GCDI) Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she ensures data quality and international regulations are being followed while simultaneously maintaining REDCap databases for Nigerian based studies. Grace graduated from Bates College with a Bachelor of Science in 2020. Prior to becoming a Clinical Research Coordinator, she interned as a Care Coordinator at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the thoracic service. Grace is passionate about improving outcomes for cancer patients in underserved communities and diminishing global cancer disparities.
Naqiya Choonawala
Naqiya Choonawala is a Clinical Research Coordinator for the Global Cancer Disparities Initiatives (GCDI) Program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she ensures data quality and international regulations are being followed while simultaneously maintaining REDCap databases for Nigerian based studies. Naqiya has graduated from Stony Brook University with a Masters in Public Health, concentrating in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, as well as a Masters in Business Administration. She is very excited to be a part of the GCDI Team where she knows that her passion for global health and education on cancer care can be fulfilled.