DFCI Strategic Planning & Performance (SPP) is responsible for helping projects run as efficiently as possible through training, mentoring, best practices, and project management. SPP is also tasked with streamlining DFCI IS operations with consistent processes through training, productivity tools, and standards. SPP comprises the DFCI Project Management Office, Training & Performance, and Collaboration & Productivity Tools teams. We are a smart, fun group of individuals who have similar work ethics and thoughtfulness yet different personalities and experiences. We decided to publish this blog as another communication medium to share and connect. Our goal is to inject some of ourselves into our writing so you can get to know us better.
Our blog name is a project management term that refers to the string of dependent tasks that have the longest duration in the project. A critical path is not a sequence that the project manager chooses, but a product of the project plan development. It is an important aspect of projects, and we hope our blog touches on some important topics to you.
Meet the Team
Brock Anderson joined the Dana-Farber Information Services team in June of 2023, having spent time in Biotech at Sage Therapeutics and most recently as a Program Manager at Amazon Web Services. Brock loves working with data and gets joy out of automating processes and reports to make digital transformation easier. Outside of work, Brock loves playing with his dog Zeke, practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and exploring New England.
Julie Brown joined the SPP team as an Application Analyst in June 2024. Previously she held IT Service positions within higher education, energy efficiency, and retail industries. Currently she lives in Franklin, in her spare time she vacations on Sebago Lake in Maine and down the Cape with family and friends.
Sandra Cadogan-Beebe joined the Dana-Farber PMO team in May 2014, having spent the prior 17 years traveling to and consulting with hospitals, home care agencies, and hospices in 42 states and Puerto Rico. Yes, nearly two dozen trips to Alaska and Hawaii, alone! Sandra absolutely loves that there is no shortage of learning something new on a regular basis here at Dana-Farber. A Jersey Shore native and consistently inconsistent golfer, Sandra and her family now call Plymouth home.
Agnes Chojnowska originally joined DFCI in 2013 and worked on the Access Management team. After two years she moved to MGH to assist with their Epic go live. In April 2018, Agnes returned to DFCI as the Epic Training Manager. Throughout her career she has worked in both clinical and administrative roles and has worked with a variety of PeC Epic teams, focusing on training logistics, security and eLearnings. In her spare time, Agnes enjoys cooking, reading and kayaking.
Paul Corbosiero joined the DFCI PMO in July of 2022 as a Project Specialist. He started his healthcare IT/IS journey in 2007, and brings over a decade of project management experience to the team. He’s worked at Mass General Brigham in the past, specifically with the eCare team, leading the initial install of FHIR for CMS’s Meaningful Use 3 regulatory requirement. Outside of work, Paul enjoys golfing, running, biking, reading, podcasts, and time with his family on the Cape.
Deb Cote can’t believe how many Debs have joined DFCI since she did in 2007. This Deb oversees the talented SPP and truly enjoys learning about our projects, training, tools, and digital health initiatives every day from them. DFCI is an amazing place to work, and the changes coming for the future cancer hospital are exciting and will surely bring more blog content! As a former professional writer, she greatly enjoys the witty and thought-provoking words that come from the team members in this blog.
Janet Dougherty joined DFCI IS in December 2017 as a Training Specialist. She has experience as an educator, trainer, and developer of educational materials. She has held positions as a trainer and project manager for a provider of software solutions to education, and as a middle school teacher, Janet completed her MEd in Education Policy and Management in 2012. Her interests include travel, textile crafts, and spending time with her children and their families. Janet lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts with her husband Jim.
Scott Dunn, who joined Dana-Farber in September of 2024, is a seasoned healthcare technology management professional with over 20 years of experience, specializing in driving innovation and efficiency in digital health. He excels in technology discovery and design as well as project and people management. Previously, he was a Lead Healthcare Analyst at CB Insights providing critical insights into healthcare technology trends. With expertise in program management and strategic planning, he has a proven track record related to delivering innovative solutions to organizations. Outside of work, he will most likely be found pacing a sideline or court coaching one of his children in their respective sports. He is a passionate Boston sports fan who enjoys all things Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins, and Boston College minus the losing part.
Theresa Falzarano joined the DFCI IS team as a Project Specialist in January 2020. Previously, she worked in finance for 14 years serving in various roles such as implementation, training, relationship management, and customer service. Prior to her career in finance, she was an elementary school teacher. Theresa is excited to begin this new chapter of her career with Dana-Farber and is proud to be supporting the noble purpose of advanced, patient-centered care. In her free time, Theresa enjoys traveling, crafting, and spending time with her family: her husband David and her kids Sophia and Lucas.
Tate Forgey joined SPP in June of 2017, but has worked in DFCI IS since 2012 as a report developer and a business and data analyst. Tate’s experience in working with business customers on understanding analytics requirements, interpreting them for development, and working with end users on solutions to increase adoption are central to his SPP role as a tools specialist. Tate loves being outdoors and has rock climbed Cannon Mountain in NH (the largest vertical rock face in the Northeast), hiked the Kalalau Trail in HI, and paddled through a two-week excursion in Quebec, Canada. (The climbing route he used to summit Cannon mountain went up the right side of the Old Man on the Mountain’s head, but he swears he wasn’t the one who brought it down!)
Tyler Gomes is an Epic Project Analyst who joined the SPP team in 2023. He began his healthcare career as an EMT in Cambridge, MA and soon thereafter pursued his interests in mental health at McLean Hospital. Having worked in various hospital settings, Tyler has had the opportunity to work with many people of diverse backgrounds and needs. He is excited to begin his journey at DFCI to best carry out the hospital’s mission. Tyler’s passions include language learning, spinning Miles Davis albums, and attending farmers’ markets, where he sells fruits and vegetables grown at his urban farm.
Shannon Lord joined the Dana-Farber PMO team in October 2024 as a seasoned project manager with experience leading complex and cross-functional initiatives. With a background in consulting, she has led numerous business process analysis projects, healthcare revenue cycle systems implementations, and system end-user training programs. Shannon resides on the north shore with her husband and three kids, and in her free time loves to ski, play pickleball, and golf with her family!
Bridget McLaughlin officially joined DFCI in 2016 to assist with the CMS project and transitioned to the Epic training team as the Epic Training Coordinator in July 2017. Bridget is excited to work with her new teammates within the Strategic Planning & Performance team. In her free time, Bridget enjoys reading, exercising, visiting family in New Jersey and travelling to new places.
Doug Miller became part of DFCI in October of 2019, but has spent a significant amount of time working with several departments in the Institute as a software vendor. Doug also worked for PeC on the MGH and Cooley Dickenson Epic implementations. Most recently, he developed and implemented a database solution for the State-sponsored Community Partners program managed by the Behavioral Health Integration team at PeC. He says he was drawn to DFCI by the quality of the people he met over the years pursuing such an important mission. When not working, Doug enjoys getting out of the city with his wife and son — heading north to ski, or south to their property on the Cape in South Yarmouth.
Tim O’Leary works with DFCI in the IS department. Tim has been a project manager since 2003 and earned a PMP in 2010.
David Pesta is a Trainer, Instructional Designer, and a developer of educational materials in many formats. He joined DFCI IS in November 2013. Previously, he has worked for Health Volunteers Overseas, OpenText Corp., Wilmer Hale LLP, and the University of Pittsburgh. David holds a Masters in Education from UMass-Boston and a Master of Fine Arts from UMass-Amherst. His interests include horses, football, travel, and ancient history.
Jennifer Robinson joined the DFCI SPP PMO in April 2021, directly after managing projects for MBG for 14 years in a variety of departments and verticals. PMP (Project Management Professional), CSM (Certified Scrum Master) and ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library) certified she currently volunteers as the President of the local Mass Bay PMI chapter. She holds a BS in Art & Architecture from Northeastern, and an ALM in Management from Harvard. An avid reader, life-long learner and rabid Red Sox baseball fan, she lives in the South End, with her husband Rich and kitties Ollie, Briar and Beckett.
Jess Cheng Schrepel joined DFCI in 2020, 6 months into the COVID-19 pandemic and having never stepped foot onto 20 Overland Street! With 20+ years of project management experience in corporate and agency consulting settings, Jess has successfully led hundreds of digital transformation projects for financial services, higher education, and consumer brand companies leveraging a combo of waterfall and agile project management methodologies. Outside of work, Jess and her husband love to travel the world; so far, they’ve explored five continents! For now, they stay close to home exploring Boston and surrounds by foot and by bike.
Meagan Turner joined the DFCI IS department in September 2004. Meagan has worked in almost every sub-department within DFCI IS. Today, she is working in the DFCI PMO team managing a variety of different projects in both clinical and financial areas. She enjoys the variety that working in a PMO brings and enjoys working with her teammates. Outside of DFCI, she loves new adventures and experiences. She also enjoys reading, camping, camp fires, hiking, kayaking, and anything outdoors.
Islam Zinxhirija joined DFCI in 2015 and worked on the Client Support Services team for two and a half years. Prior to that he worked at the helpdesk for another two years, before working administrative roles at MGH for eight years. Izzy was born and raised in Albania, which he frequently visits. He is excited to work with his new teammates at the Strategic Planning & Performance team. Izzy enjoys spending time with his son and family and loves playing sports, reading, exercising, and traveling the world.