Samantha Spencer
Chicago,IL
Summary
Accomplished, results-driven senior physician leader with over 15 years of proven expertise in building impactful programs and growing innovative products and services within the medical and clinical informatics fields. Exceptional prioritization skills, adept at making tough decisions and optimizing project outcomes. Resourceful and creative thinker who brings fresh perspectives to complex challenges, driving novel solutions and pushing boundaries. Known for establishing and nurturing robust networks and relationships across diverse sectors, including cancer reporting standards, pathology and laboratory medicine, and clinical informatics. Proven track record in leading multimillion-dollar government contracts and grant activities, showcasing strategic vision and effective project and program direction. Passionate and team-oriented with acumen in coaching, mentoring, and managing high-performing collaborators to achieve set goals.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certificate
Work History
Program Manager/ Interoperability Coordinator
GC&E Federal, a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation
10.2024 - Current
- Lead program management and SME advisor for CDC-National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) multi-million dollar federal contract supporting development of a central cloud-based platform for public health cancer reporting. Includes oversight of product management for multiple applications used in several states for reporting cancer cases to state and tribal health authorities, as well as readying central registries for their annual Call for Data submission to the national cancer registry. Oversee 30 contractors and subcontractors working on both cloud and on-premises applications, and actively collaborate with health systems, state and central registries, EHR vendors, standard-setters, medical professional organizations, and other key stakeholders. Engage with CDC-NPCR leadership on regular basis to report on contract progress and collaborate on standards and interoperability project advancement, as well as to recommend strategic planning for on-premises and cloud-based platform customer use.
Senior Director, Standards & Guidelines
College of American Pathologists
06.2021 - 10.2024
- Provided strategic guidance, development, and oversight for the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Standards & Guidelines Division at including Cancer Protocols and Data Standards, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Center for Guidelines Development, and Clinical Informatics Initiatives. Guided interoperability efforts in HIT standards space through partnership with new Council on Informatics and Pathology Innovation. Delivered business leadership for FDA contract and oversaw team responsible for CDC grant activities.
- Spearheaded $7M budget, including product licensing, educational activities, clinical guideline production, and revenue generation.
- Led and sponsored multi-year FDA contract for IVD data encoding standardization efforts aligned with government-advised multi-stakeholder collaboration in the Systemic Harmonization and Interoperability Enhancement for Laboratory Data (SHIELD) initiative.
- Launched and oversaw the newly formed Council on Informatics and Pathology Innovation staff, collaborating with key member leaders to coordinate activities for multiple informatics and standards committees at the CAP responsible for setting strategic direction.
Director, Cancer Protocols & Data Standards
Senior Director, Cancer Protocols & Data Standards
01.2021 - 05.2021
- Received multiple promotions from Director Structured Reporting to Senior Director of Cancer Protocols and Data Standards, recognizing business success in delivering high-quality products and customer service and taking on expanded responsibilities.
- Established CAP as prominent player in data standards and interoperability domain for cancer reporting while collaborating with leadership of key players, such as World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and American College of Radiology (ACR).
- Developed reporting team and led management team in strategic planning, product management, grant and contract management, product development, vendor relations, and customer services for pathology cancer reporting solutions.
- Codirected work efforts for multi-year CDC-NPCR grant to support optimized pathology cancer reporting for public health and surveillance.
- Managed optimal product integration of medicine and technology to enhance the user experience and effectively address real-world implementation challenges.
- Oversaw the maintenance, production, release, and support of Cancer Protocols in addition to eCC in 2020.
- Steered resource committee staffing and direction to ensure efficient operation and adherence to quality standards.
Manager, Structured Reporting
Director, Structured Reporting
03.2014 - 12.2019
- Successfully transformed CAP electronic Cancer Checklists (eCC) product catering to less than 1000 pathologist users into the go-to comprehensive cancer pathology reporting application, with over 8000 licensees today. Directed all aspects related to business strategy formulation and implementation, project management, external stakeholder engagement, committee administration, guideline production, financial management, including $3-4M budget with a focus on achieving revenue targets.
- Oversaw the production and management of CAP eCC while ensuring quality assurance. Acted as main liaison between CAP Cancer Committee and Pathology Electronic Reporting Committee.
- Invited to present to health systems, pathologists, and public health/cancer registrar users.
- Represented CAP eCC team at both internal and national meetings.
Manager, Structured Reporting
Terminology Manager
09.2010 - 08.2012
- Served as SNOMED-CT clinical editor, dedicating expertise to concept modelling, release production, and terminology mapping. Provided crucial support for CAP electronic Cancer Checklist (eCC) quality control and validation.
- Mapped ICDO3 and collaborated with LOINC and other standardized terminologies and ontologies.
Education
Certificate - Product Strategy
Resident - Emergency Medicine & Internal Medicine
MD - Clinical Scholar Award
BA - Russian Languages and Literature & Pre-Professional Studies
Skills
- Clinical Informatics
- Cancer Reporting
- Quality Assurance
- Grant and Contract Oversight
- Executive Leadership
- Product Development and Strategy
- Cancer Data Sharing
- Terminologies and Ontologies
- Public Health Reporting
- Inter-organizational Liaison
- Product Management
- Standardized, Structured Data Capture
- Clinical and Patient Advocacy
- Non-Profit Organizational Governance
- HIT Policy and Regulatory Compliance
- Problem-solving
- Strategic planning
- Process improvement
- Team leadership and direction
- Decision-making
Certification
- ABPM – Clinical Informatics - Jan 2029
- ABEM – Emergency Medicine - Dec 2026
- IL State Medical License - Jul 2026
Affiliations
- American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)
- Association for Pathology Informatics (API)
Languages
English, Fluent
French, Proficient
Timeline
Program Manager/ Interoperability Coordinator - GC&E Federal, a subsidiary of Bristol Bay Native Corporation
10.2024 - Current
Senior Director, Standards & Guidelines - College of American Pathologists
06.2021 - 10.2024
Director, Cancer Protocols & Data Standards - Senior Director, Cancer Protocols & Data Standards
01.2021 - 05.2021
Manager, Structured Reporting - Director, Structured Reporting
03.2014 - 12.2019
Manager, Structured Reporting - Terminology Manager
09.2010 - 08.2012
Christiana Care Health System - Resident, Emergency Medicine & Internal Medicine
New Jersey Medical School - MD, Clinical Scholar Award
University of Notre Dame - BA, Russian Languages and Literature & Pre-Professional Studies
Kellogg Executive Education (Northwestern) - Certificate, Product Strategy
Honors And Awards
- President's Appreciation Award, CAP, 2023
- Presidential Honors Award, CAP, 2012
- Resident Research Award, Department of Emergency Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, 2004
Awards
President’s Appreciation Award, CAP, 2023, Presidential Honors Award, CAP, 2012, Resident Research Award, Department of Emergency Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, 2004
Publications
- “College of American Pathologists Cancer Protocols: From Optimizing Cancer Patient Care to Facilitating Interoperable Reporting and Downstream Data Use” JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics 2021: 5, 47-55. V Torous, R Simpson, J Balani, A Baras, M Berman, G Birdsong, G Giannico, G Paner, J Pettus, Z Sessions, S Sintrapun, J Srigley, S Spencer.
- “Cancer Biomarkers: The Role of Structured Data Reporting” Arch Path & Lab Med; (May 2015) R Simpson, M Berman, D Divaris, G Birdsong, R Moldwin, J Mirza, S Spencer, J Srigley, P Fitzgibbons.
- “Introducing New College of American Pathologists Reporting Templates for Cancer Biomarkers” Arch Path & Lab Med; (June 2013) P Fitzgibbons, A Lazar, S Spencer.
- “Abstracts: Pathology Informatics 2011 Meeting” J Pathol Inform 2011; 2:43 (4 October 2011) “Advantages of Structured Data Reporting using the CAP electronic Cancer Checklists (eCC): The Cancer Care Ontario Experience” S Spencer, G Lee, J Mirza, JR Srigley, T Yardley, A Bhanji, J Karp, G Gleason, R Moldwin.
- “Abstracts: Pathology Informatics 2011 Meeting” J Pathol Inform 2011; 2:43 (4 October 2011) “Continuous Improvement Process for the CAP electronic Cancer Checklists” J Mirza, S Spencer, J Karp, G Gleason, R Moldwin.
- “Unrecognized Improperly Located Endotracheal Tubes in the Out-of-Hospital Setting” M Goyal, S Spencer, EJ Adkins, TA Sweeney Annals of Emergency Medicine 42 (4), S73 Abstract 269, October 2003.
- Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice – 5th Edition, J Marx et al. Toxic Alcohols, Chapter 149, Review Questions, S Spencer.
- “The Effect of Valsartan on the Angiotensin II Pressor Response in Healthy Normotensive Male Subjects” JM Morgan, M Palmisano, AJ Piraino, W Hirschhorn, S Spencer, M Ortiz, P Lloyd Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 61 (1), 35-44, January 1997.
- “Pharmacokinetic Effect of Cimetidine on a Single 2.5 mg Dose of Letrozole in Healthy Subjects” JM Morgan, M Palmisano, S Spencer, W Hirschhorn, AJ Piraino, RJ Rackley, L Choi Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 36 (9), 852, September 1996.
- “Cardiac Imaging Method for Evaluation of Adrenergic Activity and Drug Action in the Intact Rat” J Roberts, D Snyder, K Galoian, P Gayheart-Walston, J Mack, S Spencer Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 36 (9), 856, September 1996.
Additional Experience
- American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), Chicago, IL, Sept 2019 – Sept 2024
- Member, Executive Committee
- Chair, Implementation Committee
- Vice-Chair, Implementation Committee
- Collaborated with and advised multidisciplinary clinical and public health experts on AJCC strategic goals and interoperability.
- Developed and finalized a charter for new committee within AJCC, bringing together experts to address cancer registry-related matters.
- Engaged with prominent organizations such as NAACCR, NCI-SEER, CAP, and CDC-NPCR to establish effective processes for obtaining clinical input and resolving clinical-cancer registry harmonization challenges.
- Clinical Practice
- Emergency Physician, Thorek Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL
- Emergency Physician, Alexian Brothers Medical Center, Elk Grove Village, IL
- Hospitalist & Emergency Physician, Hoopeston Regional Medical Center, Hoopeston, IL
- Enhanced ED efficiency by leading administrative QA/QI reporting and optimizing admission times, contact info, and transfer protocols.
- Managed Level 2 trauma center’s ED, including management of NPs, PAs, and P&T committee while facilitating ultrasound training and equipment upgrades.
- Provided dual-role coverage as ED physician and hospitalist, managing six-bed ED and 18-bed medical floor during extended shifts in a critical access hospital.
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