Keynote Speakers
Opening Keynote
Rooted, Not Hardened: How Struggle Shapes Us
Oncology social workers (OSWs) practice in increasingly complex and constrained environments shaped by rising patient acuity, shifting policy landscapes, financial pressures, and limited resources. This asks OSWs to carry the emotional labor of holding increased patient suffering while navigating uncertainty at the personal, institutional, and systemic levels. Resilience is needed. This presentation reframes adversity not as a barrier to resilience, but as the “dirt” from which resilience can intentionally grow. Social work’s unique strength-based, person-in-environment perspective situates us to grow and lead in these complex settings and situations. The session explores resilience as a dynamic, relational, and systemic process rooted in meaning-making, community, and passion. By honoring the “dirt” social workers can sustain themselves, advocate boldly for their patients and profession, and continue to thrive within the uncertainty.
Michelle Ferretti
Michelle Ferretti, LCSW, OSWC works at Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, OR and is a research consultant for Inova Peterson Life with Cancer in Fairfax, VA. Guided by integrative principles, Michelle focuses on helping individuals impacted by cancer (re)connect with their innate capacity to cope and heal through clinical work, research, and program development. She codeveloped a peer training, equipping over 100 psychosocial professionals in a novel coping skills program, Mind Over Matter (MOM). She led research on the effectiveness and cultural relevance of MOM, researches cancer-related brain fog, and co-developed a long-standing brain fog educational program. Michelle recently completed a sexual health certificate program.
A distinguished alumna of the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work (PhD, 2014), Dr. Joy serves as the President of the Houston Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., and Co-Chair of the National Health Committee for the organization. As a scholar and facilitator, she serves as a voice of reflection and encouragement for health professionals dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and fostering resilient care.
Closing Keynote
The CALMM Intersection: Weaving Resilient Systems and Breaking Barriers in Oncology Social Work
As oncology social workers, you operate at the delicate intersection of clinical complexity and human vulnerability. The 2026 theme, Threads of Support, reminds us that while weaving safety nets for patients, the looms used are often strained by systemic inequities and provider burnout. This closing keynote introduces The CALMM Approach©—a specialized engagement and equity framework—reimagined through the lens of oncology social work.
Joy Malbrough
Dr. Joy Malbrough is the Founder and Principal Facilitator of Martin Newman Smith Consulting, LLC, a health equity strategy and solutions firm. A career-long advocate for health justice with 24 years of experience in health social work, Dr. Joy is the creator of The CALMM Approach©, a transformative engagement strategy designed to bridge the gap between institutional healthcare and the communities they serve.
A distinguished alumna of the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work (PhD, 2014), Dr. Joy serves as the President of the Houston Metropolitan Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., and Co-Chair of the National Health Committee for the organization. As a scholar and facilitator, she serves as a voice of reflection and encouragement for health professionals dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers and fostering resilient care.