Dr. Sibel Blau is a Hematologist and Oncologist with special interest and expertise in breast cancer, multiple myeloma and stem cell transplant.
She is the President/Executive Chair of the board at Northwest Medical Specialties, PLLC, where she also runs the clinical research and Precision Medicine program. As well as the Chief Innovation Officer at MultiCare Cancer Institute.
She is one of the founding members and the President/CEO and Co-Chair of ONCare Alliance, LLC that is a national organization with a focus of value-based care, education, and research as well as Exigent Research, LLC, an innovative research network of independent practices throughout the US to provide high quality, accelerated and accessible research to the communities where patients are treated. She is one of the founding members of Quality Cancer Care Alliance Network (QCCA), which merged with National Cancer Care Alliance (NCCA) to form ONCare Alliance. She is a board member and upcoming President of Washington State Medical Oncology Society (WSMOS). She is involved in multiple committees at national organizations like ASCO, COA, ACCC.
She is also a member of All4cure, which is a transparent platform for discussion between experts in myeloma, researchers, scientists and patients.
She is the founder and president of the Journey Fund which is a community-based, not-for-profit organization committed to cancer patients facing barriers that affect their treatment with donations and community resources that make it possible for us to assist cancer patients facing social, financial, or emotional obstacles, toward a courageous journey, with dignity.
Dr. Julio A. Peguero is a distinguished oncologist with an impressive track record in cancer research and treatment. As the Medical Director of Research at Oncology Consultants in Houston, Texas, he stands at the forefront of innovative developments in the field. Beyond his clinic work, Dr. Peguero maintains affiliations with several Houston-area hospitals, including the Memorial Hermann Health System Hospitals. His expertise and leadership make him an asset to both patients and colleagues in the medical community.
Dr. Julio A. Peguero began his academic journey at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara in Mexico, where he earned his medical degree. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Texas Dell Medical School. Furthering his training, he served as the Chief Fellow at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston where he completed his fellowship in Medical Oncology in 2013 in a combined program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center with exposure in Breast Medical Oncology, Bone Marrow Tranplant and Phase I training.
During his fellowship, he also participated in an externship with Dr. Luis T. Campos, President of Oncology Consultants where he cultivated his passion for early phase research, moved to Houston and participated in collaborations with the MD Anderson’s Phase I department.
Dr. Peguero holds board certifications in both medical oncology and internal medicine from the American Board of Internal Medicine.
In July 2013, Dr. Peguero joined Oncology Consultants, the largest private practice for cancer care in Houston, Texas. He was appointed as the Director of Research, where he spearheaded a competitive clinical research program that gained credibility with pharmaceutical companies, contract research organizations (CROs), and other organizations within the oncology healthcare industry.
Dr. Peguero has been a principal investigator in over 200 clinical trials including first-in-human designed. His research contributions have been presented and published at prestigious conferences such as ASCO, ESMO, ASH, AACR, STIC and TxSCO. His work has appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, The Lancet Oncology, and Blood.
As an early adopter of next-generation sequencing (NGS), Dr. Peguero recognizes its transformative impact on biological sciences. The capacity for massive parallel sequencing offered by NGS opens new avenues for personalized precision medicine.
In addition to his work in Houston, Dr. Peguero is the owner and founder of zogen, which is the largest distributor bringing innovative next-generation sequencing tests to Mexico and owner of Oncología Consultores en Oncología in Guadalajara, Mexico, which includes a clinical and data research program, recently adding clinics in Queretaro and Tijuana, Mexico.
His professional affiliations include membership in various medical associations, such as the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Harris County
Medical Society, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the Texas Society of Medical Oncology, and the American Society of Hematology, Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer and Who’s Who in America.
Additionally, Dr. Peguero is a board member of the Exigent Research Network and Chair of the Phase I committee.
As an oncologist, Dr. Peguero specializes in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. He leads a cancer treatment team comprising various healthcare professionals, coordinates treatment plans, and prescribes various types of treatment, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy and clinical research. His commitment extends to mentoring and training International Medical Graduates (IMGs), offering them valuable hands-on experience in U.S. healthcare as the Director of the Oncology Consultants Academic Program.
Dr. Peguero’s dedication and expertise have earned him recognition from his peers at national and international levels and was recently appointed to the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) Steering Group at ASCO.
Scott is a strategic, innovative, and commercially-focused life sciences executive with 30+ years experience across the biopharma, CRO, and life sciences sectors. He enjoys building, transforming, and growing clinical research organizations and life sciences companies. With a rare combination of strategic vision, commercial acumen, and hands-on operational execution, Scott is an inspirational leader and force-multiplier.
Scott received a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Utah School of Medicine and completed a Graduate Research Fellowship at The National Institutes of Health/NINDS. He lives with his family in Seattle, WA and tries to ski as much as possible.
Dr. Jorge Chaves is an accomplished oncologist and experienced clinical researcher with over 15 years of expertise in clinical research, including more than a decade specializing in phase I clinical trials and First-in-Human (FIH) studies. He is the Director of the Phase I Clinical Research Program at Northwest Medical Specialties, where he has served as the principal investigator for numerous early-phase trials in immuno-oncology and targeted therapeutics. As a subspecialist in gastrointestinal (GI) oncology, Dr. Chaves is deeply committed to advancing therapeutic options for patients with complex and challenging cancers.
Dr. Chaves is board-certified in Medical Oncology and Hematology and possesses extensive expertise in early-phase oncology trials, with a focus on accelerating the development of innovative cancer therapies. In addition to his clinical and research work, Dr. Chaves has served as Treasurer of the Washington State Medical Oncology Society (WSMOS). He is also a dedicated educator and mentor, functioning as the Director of the Hematology/Oncology elective for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at St. Joseph Medical Center.
As the Director of Phase I Research in a large community oncology practice, Dr. Chaves has significant experience overseeing the strategic design and execution of phase I trials. He fosters collaborations between industry partners and community oncology practices, driving forward innovation and improving access to groundbreaking treatments.
Education and Training:
Dr. Chaves earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Boston University Medical Center and his fellowship in Hematology and Oncology at the Yale Cancer Center.
John is a financial executive with over 20 years of experience in the oncology sector. John has served as CFO for several leading oncology organizations, including The West Clinic, Baptist Cancer Center, and ONCare Alliance, Exigent Research and Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network. He was also the founding treasurer of Community Oncology Alliance. Outside of Oncology, John is a co-founder of Ogle Clinton LLC, a consulting firm has supported small businesses with accounting and financial services for the last 16 years. Prior to that he spent 12 years in public accounting and was the controller for an ophthalmology physician roll-up. His commitment to entrepreneurship, small businesses and independent physician practice has been an underlying theme in professional career.
John is a member of the Tennessee Society of CPA’s and the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
Mark Nelson, Pharm.D, received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Washington located in Seattle, Washington. He is the Chief Executive Officer at Northwest Medical Specialties, a seven-clinic oncology private practice headquartered in Tacoma, Washington. As CEO, Mark is responsible for leadership of all company organizational objectives including strategy, hospital affiliation models, finances, clinical research, business operations and the development of novel alternative payment models.
Mark assisted in developing a large group of like-minded independent community oncology groups, ONCare Alliance, of which he currently serves as the Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO). As CBDO Mark is responsible for the development of key strategic business negotiations and partnerships. Key projects include the development of clinical database initiatives focused on enhancing real-world data driven outcomes in cancer patients.
Mark recently assisted in the creation of a large community based, data-enhanced clinical trials network, Exigent Research. Exigent members include over 600+ providers throughout the United States. Mark serves as the Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO) and is responsible for the development of strategic network partnerships and contracting.
