Meet Our Team
Ruth M. O'Regan, M.D.
Ajay Dhakal, M.B.B.S.
Alissa Huston, M.D.
Allison Magnuson, D.O.
You'll inherit an accomplished team of breast medical oncologists who have maintained clinical excellence while eagerly awaiting leadership to reinvigorate their research mission. The current breast medical oncology group includes five established physicians, with immediate plans to expand to seven members including yourself, and eventual growth to nine oncologists as patient volumes continue to rise. This experienced team has weathered transitions with grace, maintaining high-quality patient care while recognizing the need for someone with national presence and fresh perspective to elevate the program's research profile.
The team's collective experience spans the full spectrum of breast cancer care, from adjuvant therapy decisions to complex metastatic disease management. What they seek now is not just another colleague, but a leader who can channel their clinical expertise toward meaningful research contributions and national recognition. As one team member noted with good humor during recruitment discussions, they're ready to move beyond interim solutions and embrace sustained leadership that can build lasting infrastructure for clinical trials and academic advancement.
Your closest collaborators will include Anna Weiss, M.D., surgical oncologist who serves as Director of the Breast Program for the Wilmot Cancer Center, bringing energy and vision to surgical care and program development. In radiation oncology, Kimberly Gergelis, M.D. specializes in breast cancer and works seamlessly with the medical and surgical teams to coordinate care. These established relationships mean you can focus on building the medical oncology program rather than creating basic collaborative structures.
The division leadership under Aaron Hezel, M.D., who has led Hematology/Oncology for the past decade after 16 years at URMC, provides stable, supportive oversight that values both clinical excellence and academic achievement. Dr. Hezel's background as a GI oncologist means he understands the unique challenges of disease-specific programs while maintaining a division-wide perspective. Administrative support comes from Betty Moses, the Hematology/Oncology Administrator, who ensures operational efficiency so physicians can focus on patient care and research.
Beyond the clinical team, you'll work with experienced research coordinators and clinical trials staff who understand oncology protocols and can efficiently manage trial operations. The existing infrastructure includes dedicated research nurses, data managers, and regulatory specialists familiar with both industry-sponsored and cooperative group trials. This established support means you can focus on strategic trial selection and patient accrual rather than building basic research operations.
The team particularly needs mentorship in developing as clinical investigators. Several junior faculty members have interest in research but lack guidance in protocol development, grant writing, and establishing themselves as sub-investigators or eventual Principal Investigators. Your experience in clinical trials will be invaluable in developing the next generation of breast cancer researchers.
The culture here emphasizes collaboration over competition, with subspecialty groups supporting each other's success rather than competing for resources. The breast team's request for leadership reflects their self-awareness—they recognize their strengths in clinical care while acknowledging the need for someone to catalyze their research potential. This humility and openness to growth creates an ideal environment for a new leader to implement positive change.
Importantly, the team values work-life balance and has created sustainable practice patterns that prevent burnout while maintaining high standards. Your colleagues understand that leadership requires time for strategic thinking and relationship building beyond direct patient care, and they support protected time for these essential activities. The collegial atmosphere extends beyond the breast program to the entire cancer center, where multidisciplinary collaboration is genuine rather than performative.
The recent retirement of a longtime team member has created both opportunity and urgency—the team is ready to move forward with someone who can provide stable, visionary leadership for years to come. They seek not just a department chair but a colleague who will remain engaged in clinical care, understanding that the best leaders stay connected to the frontline realities of patient treatment.