SNM and SNMTS 2008-2009 Leaders
By Anonymous
SNM and SNMTS introduced their 2008-2009 slates of officers at the 55th Annual Meeting, held June 14-18 in New Orleans, LA. During their tenure, SNM officers will work with membership to advance initiatives around nuclear medicine and molecular imaging research and therapies. SNM President
The new SNM president is Robert W. Atcher, PhD, MBA, a medical technology team leader at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico. He is currently the University of New Mexico/Los Alamos professor of pharmacy in the College of Pharmacy at University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. Atcher announced his intention to lead the society in advancing its leadership role as the profession stands at the intersection of molecular imaging and medical practice. His vision for SNM encompasses protecting and expanding reimbursement for nuclear medicine procedures; working with regulators to streamline the approval process for imaging procedures; and providing high-quality member services by offering essential education, preserving and expanding available funding to support research and development, and partnering with allied organizations.
Robert W. Atcher, PhD, MBA
“I campaigned for president based on these 3 R’s: reimbursement, regulatory issues, and research funding,” Atcher said. “Over the past year, SNM has initiated communication with affected stakeholders to improve our members’ ability to practice in the field. The society is currently working to achieve strong collaboration with regulatory agencies-such as the Food and Drug Administration and Nuclear Regulatory Commission [NRC]-in order to minimize the burden on those practicing nuclear medicine. The society has worked with Congress to successfully restore funding from the Department of Energy [DOE] for basic nuclear medicine science research. Funding has a direct impact on training and education-as well as on the future of the field-since many are trained as part of research programs funded by DOE and the National Institutes of Health.”
Atcher has served in several capacities with LANL since 1997, most recently as program manager for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He served previously as group leader for Michelson and Szilard Resources in the lab’s bioscience division. His research interests center on the development of radionuclides for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer through radiopharmaceutical design and radiobiologic effects.
Atcher has held a number of national positions with SNM, including serving as a member of the Task Force on the NRC Regulation of Accelerator and Natural Radioisotopes, the Committee on Radiopharmaceuticals, and the Government Relations and Isotope Availability Committee. He served as associate chair of the SNM Scientific Program Committee and as its radiopharmaceutical science vice chair. He has published almost 80 peer-reviewed journal articles and more than 70 abstracts for national meetings. He holds 8 patents and has delivered more than 100 invited lectures. He earned a doctorate in nuclear chemistry from the University of Rochester (NY); a master’s in business administration from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque; a master’s in journalism from the University of Missouri (Columbia); and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University (St. Louis, MO). He is a fellow of the American Institute of Chemists.
Michael M. Graham, MD, PhD
SNM President-Elect
The new SNM president-elect is Michael M. Graham, MD, PhD, a professor of radiology and radiation oncology and director of nuclear medicine at the University of Iowa College of Medicine (Iowa City). As president-elect, Graham plans to promote the society’s commitment to advancing nuclear medicine and molecular imaging and therapy. His vision encompasses protecting and expanding reimbursement for nuclear medicine procedures, providing high- quality member service by offering essential education, and preserving and expanding available funding to support research and development.
“There is a pressing need to ensure that nuclear medicine physicians, scientists, and technologists receive standardized and continuing education so that their skills continue to advance as rapidly as the pace at which the molecular imaging field as a whole is evolving,” said Graham. “Using technology and advanced medical science, SNM members are committed to delivering exceptional patient care and improving access to health care. In this leadership role, I look forward to advancing SNM’s mission to bring the most state-of- the-art nuclear medicine and molecular imaging tools and therapies to patients-while working with funding agencies to improve access.”
Graham’s clinical and research interests include oncology studies with PET, kinetic modeling, and neural networks. A founder and chair of the Nuclear Medicine Program Directors’ Association, he has been a member and chair of the Nuclear Medicine Resident Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and of the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. He received a doctorate in biophysics in 1973 from the University of California at Berkeley (UCB) and a medical degree in 1976 from the University of California at San Francisco. He holds master’s degrees in bioradiology and electrical engineering, both from UCB, and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston, MA). From 1976 to 1979, he served as an intern and resident in both nuclear and internal medicine with the University of Washington (Seattle).
Graham is the author of more than 135 peer-reviewed articles, 9 book chapters, 125 scientific abstracts, and numerous reviews. He holds a patent for a sedimentation measuring device, has received nearly 20 grants, and has delivered more than 100 invited lectures. He has served on the editorial board for The Journal of Nuclear Medicine since 1986 and as a consulting editor for The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology since 1996.
Dominique Delbeke, MD, PhD
SNM Vice President-Elect
Dominique Delbeke, MD, PhD, was named as SNM vice president- elect. She is a professor and director of nuclear medicine and PET in the Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Division of Nuclear Medicine, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (Nashville, TN). “As SNM vice president-elect, I will focus on advancing the society’s leadership role in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine to bring these new technologies and biomarkers to the bedside to improve patient care,” said Delbeke. “I am excited about SNM’s leadership role in the rapidly emerging field of molecular imaging. The new technologies hold great promise to contribute to the personalized medicine revolution through advanced imaging tools that have enormous potential for improving patient care and outcomes.” Her vision includes providing opportunities for continuing professional education, supporting research and development from bench to bedside, and advocating for the reimbursement of molecular imaging procedures.
Delbeke has served in several capacities since joining Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 1986. She holds a medical degree and doctor of philosophy degree from the Free University of Brussels (Belgium). She completed postgraduate training at both Yale’s New Haven (CT) Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Delbeke has held numerous leadership positions within SNM and currently is serving on the board of directors of the SNM Cardiovascular Council and a 3-y term on the board of directors of the SNM Education and Research Foundation. She is also a member of SNM’s Member Education, Member Practice Standards, Member Health Care Policies, and Practice and Guidelines committees. She is a past member of the SNM PET Center of Excellence board of directors and a member of the SNM Southeastern Chapter, where she has served as president, president-elect, treasurer, council member, secretary, and program chair. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and is the author of 5 books and nearly 60 book chapters.
Mark Wallenmeyer, MBA, CNMT, RT(N)
SNMTS President
Mark Wallenmeyer, MBA, CNMT, RT(N), an instructor/clinical coordinator for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Health Related Professions, Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences (Little Rock), is the new SNMTS president. “SNM technologists are committed to advocating for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging therapy,” said Wallenmeyer. “SNMTS will continue to lead the way in educational and training programs that equip both beginning and experienced molecular imaging and nuclear medicine professionals. At last year’s annual meeting, SNMTS adopted a 5-y strategic plan. The goals included in that plan are ambitious, but achievable-and many are already on the way to being met. Many challenges lie ahead, but together as a membership-by serving as indispensable resources for promoting the exchange of knowledge, ongoing training, and solid networking for nuclear medicine and molecular imaging professionals-we can accomplish them.”
In his current position at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Wallenmeyer manages more than 50 student rotations in 10 different cities across 5 states. He also communicates with more than 60 clinical sites in the management of student rotations and teaches management seminars, instrumentation, and clinical instruction courses. He is also chief executive officer and co- owner of Trajecsys Corporation, an online educational data management firm. “Together, with SNMTS membership, we will continue to advocate for the Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (CARE) bill-the federal initiative to set national minimum education and credentialing standards for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals,” he said. “Continual education and uniform credentialing are essential to our abilities as caregivers to continue to bring the highest level of knowledge and expertise to our patients.”
Wallenmeyer previously was a staff technologist and senior nuclear medicine technologist at St. John’s Regional Health Center (Springfield, MO). He received a master of business administration degree in health care management from the University of Phoenix; a nuclear medicine technology certificate from Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX); and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Southwest Baptist University (Bolivar, MO). A past president of both the Missouri Valley Chapter of SNMTS and the Southwest Missouri Subchapter of SNM, he has held-and continues to hold-numerous committee appointments. He is currently serving a 3-y term as the SNMTS education area specialty representative for the society’s National Council of Representatives and as a member of the SNMTS Finance Committee. He served as chair of the SNMTS Task Force on Outreach for 4 y and is currently the chair of the Membership Committee and the SNMTS Strategic Planning Committee and Educators Task Force. He has also served on the SNMTS Task Force on Future Education Models and the Scientific and Teaching, Chapter Presidents, Academic Affairs, and Nominating committees. He has received numerous honors, including the 1992 Mallinckrodt Award of Excellence for Outstanding Technical Ability.
Cybil Nielsen, MBA, CNMT
SNMTS President-Elect
Cybil Nielsen, MBA, CNMT, the nuclear medicine technology program coordinator at Jefferson Community and Technical College (Louisville, KY), was named SNMTS president-elect. “In my service to SNMTS, I will continue to work with membership to address high- priority issues that affect technologists nationally and internationally, including reimbursement, certification, and continuing education for all levels, from entry-level through advanced practice,” said Nielsen. “As the voice of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, SNMTS will continue to set practice guidelines for the field and advocate for national standards.”
Before joining Jefferson Community and Technical College, Nielsen served as nuclear medicine manager at Norton Healthcare, Inc.; nuclear medicine supervisor at Norton Audubon Hospital; nuclear medicine technologist at Norton Southwest Hospital; and nuclear medicine technologist at Cardiovascular Consultants (all in Louisville, Ky). She received a master of business administration degree from Indiana Wesleyan University (Marion, IN) and a bachelor of health science degree in nuclear medicine technology from the University of Louisville.
A past president of the Southeastern Chapter of SNMTS, Nielsen has held numerous committee appointments. She served as chair of the SNMTS Educator’s Task Force and a member of the SNMTS Advanced Practice Task Force. For 3 y she was cochair of the SNMTS Entry Level Taskforce and has served as a member of the SNMTS Awards and Grants Committee. She is a member of the Kentucky Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologists and the Kentucky Radiation Control Branch, Radiation Revised Regulations Committee. She previously served on the board of directors of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board.
Nielsen has delivered numerous invited lectures on nuclear medicine, health care, and noninvasive cardiac imaging. She has published articles in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology and holds numerous honors, including the 2004 Indiana Wesleyan University Outstanding Professional Award.
Copyright Society of Nuclear Medicine Sep 2008
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