2024 VBCF Healthcare Provider Summit
2024 VBCF Healthcare Provider Summit
Supporting
Costco
Melissa Weaver is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in the mental health profession. Her professional work includes ongoing collaboration with a wide range of professional organizations, and she is known best for her work with those experiencing symptoms related to grief, anxiety, trauma, and panic. In addition, Melissa has over 15 years of experience within a grief and hospice setting, where she provided mental health grief support services to individuals and their family members. Other areas of professional experience and interest include: couples therapy, trauma-informed care, anxiety disorders, LGBTQAI+ affirming therapy, and dementia-related support. Melissa utilizes a collaborative, real-life approach to develop goals and intervention strategies that best meet the needs of the individual.
Furthermore, Melissa possesses significant experience working with couples, families, and those impacted by life-threatening and chronic illnesses. This work includes a special focus on the unique challenges faced by those individuals receiving a cancer diagnosis. Melissa currently works at Here for the Girls as the Clinical Services Manager. Melissa has received specialized and ongoing training in the following areas: Hospice, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Trauma, LGBTQ and Aging populations, grief, and the mental health impacts of a cancer diagnosis. When not working, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family, volunteering for non-profit organizations, and living life in the moment.
Erica Steuernagel, PT, DPT, CLT
Erica serves as the ReVital Cancer Rehabilitation Program Director for Virginia and has been practicing as a Physical Therapist since 2011. She began specializing in cancer rehabilitation services and became a practicing Certified Lymphedema Therapist in 2019. Erica's introduction to the world of Cancer Rehabilitation started at an early age, as her mother is a four time breast cancer survivor, who had access to skilled rehabilitation services throughout her treatment. Erica’s vision is to help make cancer rehabilitation services the standard of care as well as to serve as a community resource to help support those affected by cancer.
Luisel Ricks-Santi, PhD
Dr. Ricks-Santi is a nationally recognized cancer genomics researcher and academic leader with over two decades of experience in biomedical research, education, and institutional strategy. She currently serves as the Senior Associate Vice President for Community Health, Education, and Training at the Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives that integrate community inclusion, student success, and health equity. Dr. Ricks-Santi holds a PhD in Tumor Biology from Georgetown University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in cancer genetic epidemiology and disparities research at Howard University Cancer Center. Her research focuses on the molecular basis of breast and prostate cancer disparities, the development of biomarkers, and strategies to improve genetic literacy and access to genomic medicine in underserved communities. Her commitment to data-driven and community-engaged approaches continues to shape institutional transformation and inspire the next generation of diverse health leaders.
Emily Bellavance, MD
Dr. Bellavance is a board-certified surgical oncologist with years of experience helping cancer patients thrive while combating cancer. Her patients receive a personalized treatment plan that accommodates their lives and families, ensuring quality of life is maintained throughout the process. She is the Virginia Surgical Institute’s first breast surgeon. She received her medical degree from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, where she later became a resident in General Surgery. After completing her residency, she was a Fellow at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine’s Surgical Oncology department. She has since been a surgical oncologist for the Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, the Baltimore VA Hospital, and Meritus Medical Center; a general surgeon for the Virginia Surgical Institute; and an associate professor of General and Oncologic Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Bellavance maintains memberships with the American College of Surgeons, the Society of Surgical Oncology, the American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology to keep abreast of the latest innovations in surgical oncology. Her medical research is published in dozens of medical journals, books, and videos, and she has been invited to present and speak at a number of symposiums and conferences.
Sarah Saunders, MSN, RN
Sarah Saunders is a Breast Imaging Nurse Navigator at the Richmond, VA Medical Center. She has spent the past five years guiding and supporting patients through the complexities of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. With a clinical background as a NICU nurse, she brings both compassion and resilience to her work—qualities that have become the foundation of her approach to patient care.
Her career path was profoundly shaped by her own breast cancer diagnosis in 2019. Navigating treatment while balancing work, family, and the realities of daily life revealed critical gaps in support—especially for young women facing similar challenges. Today, she is passionate about changing that experience for others. In her role, she not only coordinates care but also serves as a steady guide, helping women manage the day-to-day realities of treatment with practical strategies, empathy, and a touch of humor. She is especially dedicated to supporting women who are juggling careers, raising children, and navigating a diagnosis that doesn’t pause life.
Priti A. Shah, MD
Dr. Shah is a Breast Imaging Radiologist with Rayus Radiology. She was formerly the Medical Director of Breast Imaging with Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and an Assistant Professor for Diagnostic Radiology. She attended medical school and conducted her residency in Radiology at the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and her Breast Imaging Fellowship at VCU Health in 2008, where she continued her career until 2025. Her professional interests include patient education, outreach, and advocacy; legislative advocacy; medical student/resident teaching; minimally invasive procedures; and radiology-pathology correlation. Dr. Shah was born and raised just outside Baltimore and is the mother of twin girls. Her hobbies include swimming, reading, and going to the beach.