PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 Samm Dyar, LMSW, MBE
Committee Chair

Oncology Social Worker
Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Samantha, or Samm as she prefers, received her Masters in Social Work from UGA in 2016 and a Masters of Science in Bioethics from Columbia University in 2022. She is currently an oncology social worker at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, primarily working with lung, brain, and breast patients. Samm actively works with her patients and their caregivers to provide both the social and psychological support many facing cancer need. Additionally, Samm is passionate about project development and process improvement that benefits the overall well-being of patients in the healthcare system. She has served on two hospital ethics committees and assisted in shaping ethical policies for hospitals and communities. She recently presented at CancerCon, held by Stupid Cancer, INC and has served on panels as a social worker and an ethicist. She has a special interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics for mental health as well as the integration of oncology and addiction medicine. In her spare time, she is an avid fantasy reader and enjoys spending time with her dog, Maggie.

Floretta Johnson, LMSW

Social Worker
St. Mary’s Home Healthcare

Floretta B. Johnson, LMSW is a career social worker, having earned Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Georgia, with over four decades of experience in a variety of contexts, including the University of Georgia’s Institute for Family Research, the St. Mary’s Health Care System and Athens Regional Medical Center. Her central passion and most extensive experience, however, is healthcare social work. For 20 years, she had been the social worker/case manager for the Center for Rehabilitative Medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital and for 17 years a PRN Social Worker for St. Mary’s Hospice, working with patients and families in the planning and assessment of therapeutic intervention as well as end of life care issues; and is currently serving full-time as social worker for Trinity Health at Home/St. Mary’s HHC.

A native of Athens, Georgia, she has endeavored through her professional commitments and active community engagement to contribute to her community and serve the needs of some of Northeast Georgia’s most vulnerable populations; was a member for the Northeast Georgia Cancer Foundation; serves as a facilitator for the Athens Brain Injury Support Group and is a member of the Athens Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, among many others. Floretta is the proud wife of Ralph E. Johnson, and they are the proud parents of one daughter, Alicia.

Gwyneth Shanks, LCSW

Oncology Clinical Social Worker
Georgia Cancer Specialists

Gwyneth graduated from the University of Georgia School of Social Work in 2012 and started her career working in psychiatric care.  With experience in both the outpatient mental health and the emergency department, she has been dedicated to supporting people in finding individualized ways of coping and assisting them to achieve their goals.

In her free time, Gwyneth enjoys spending time with her husband, four cats, and caring for a wide variety of house plants.

Heather McKern, RN

Oncology Nurse Navigator
Piedmont Newton Hospital

Heather McKern is an Oncology Nurse Navigator at Piedmont Newton supporting all cancer diagnoses. She has 25 years of oncology experience serving patients in many different roles, including inpatient nurse, nursing leadership, patient educator and nurse navigator. She is passionate about empowering patients to overcome barriers to care through education, connection to resources and psychosocial support. For 22 years and counting, she loves traveling with her husband Kevin. She also enjoys spending time outdoors with her fur babies, Delilah, Stella and Winston.

Summer Nuhfer, BSW

Oncology Social Worker
University Cancer and Blood Center

Summer Nuhfer is an oncology social worker at University Cancer & Blood Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work. She is a current member of the National Association of Social work and the Association of Oncology Social Work. Summer plans to soon return back to school to obtain her master’s degree in social work.