Carolyn Messner, DSW, BCD, FAPOS, FAOSW

Senior Director of Education and Training

Carolyn is the Senior Director of Education and Training at CancerCare and oversees all Connect Education Workshops. She designs psychosocially sensitive one hour free educational workshops, accessible on the telephone or online. Key leaders in oncology care address such topics as treatment advances, side effect management, doctor patient communication and quality of life concerns. Carolyn has presented and published extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally.

Additional training:

• Excel in Social Work – Excellence in Cancer Education & Leadership – NCI funded Training
• Certificate in Social Work Administration – Hunter College School of Social Work
• Diploma in Supervision & Training – Hunter College School of Social Work
• William Alanson White Institute Training

Affiliations and teaching/leadership roles:

• Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine (2015-Present)
• Adjunct Lecturer, Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College (2008-Present)
• Chair, Social Work Academy, National Academies of Practice (2010-2016)
• Former President, Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) (2010)
• Editorial Board, Journal of Cancer Education (2009-Present)
• Book Club Reviewer, Appointment, National Association of Social Work (NASW) (2011-2013)
• The Oncology Nurse Editorial Board (2010-Present)

Awards:

• American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) Outstanding Education and Training Award: Patient Education (2016)
• Best Poster Award – International Cancer Education Conference (October 2014)
• Hyman J. Weiner Award Recipient, Society for Social Work Leaders in Health Care (SSWLHC) (2013)
• The Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award, Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) (2012)
• Senior Fellow, National Academies of Practice (NAP), Social Work Academy (2011)
• Invited Psychosocial Expert, Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) (November 2009)
• Individual Award for Creativity in Health Care Practice and Scholarship – National Academies of Practice (NAP) (March, 2009)
• Best Poster Award – American Association for Cancer Education – 41st Annual Meeting (October 2007)
• Certificate of Achievement in Doctoral Research - Eighteenth National Symposium on Doctoral Research in Social Work, Ohio State University, The College of Social Work (April 2006)
• The Phi Beta Kappa Society Certificate of Appreciation for Exemplary Leadership, Lambda of Massachusetts (2006)
• Distinguished Practitioner in Social Work Award – National Academies of Practice, (NAP) (November 2005)
• Leadership in Oncology Social Work Award – Association of Oncology Social Work (May 2001)

Boards:

• Board Member, The Center for Clinical Social Work (2012-2016)
• Board Member, National Academies of Practice (2010-2016)
• Vice President, Phi Beta Kappa Association of New York (2013-2016)
• Former President, Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW) (2010)
• AOSW Board (2009-2011)
• AOSW Board as AOSW Director of Education (2000-2002)
• American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work (2002-2004; 2004-2007)
• American Association of Cancer Education Council (2004-2007)

Select presentations and publications:

• Christ, G, Messner, C & Behar, L, editors (2015). Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer. Oxford University Press (In-Press)
• Fleishman, SB & Messner, C (2015). Cancer in Contemporary Society: Grounding in Oncology and Psychosocial Care. In Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer. Ed. Christ, G, Messner, C, & Behar, L, New York: Oxford University Press (In-Press)
• Messner, C, Kornhauser, C & Canosa, R (2015). The Biopsychsosocial Implications of the Site of the Cancer. In Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer, Ed. Christ, G, - Messner, C, & Behar, L, New York: Oxford University Press (In-Press)
• Hodorowski, J, Messner, C & Kornhauser, C (2015). The Importance of Patient Education. In Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer, Ed. Christ, G, Messner, C & Behar, L, New York: Oxford University Press (In Press)
• Christ, G, Messner, C & Behar, L (2015). Oncology Social Work Leadership: Inventors in a Changing World. In Handbook of Oncology Social Work: Psychosocial Care for People with Cancer. Ed. Christ, G, - Messner, C & Behar, L, New York: Oxford University Press (in Press)
• Messner, C. (2014). When a Co-Worker is Dying: Transformative Grief Educational Paradigm. Proceedings of the 2014 International Cancer Education Conference. Tampa, FL (October, 2014).
• Messner, C. (2014). When a Co-Worker is Dying in the Workplace: Transformative Grief Model. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Grief and Bereavement in Contemporary Society. Hong Kong (June, 2014)
• Messner, C. (2014). What We So Proudly Hail: Training the Next Generation of Leaders in Oncology Social Work. Proceedings of the Association of Oncology Social Work. Baltimore, MD (May, 2014)
• Messner, C. (2014). Cancer and Palliative Care Education Programs for Night Shift Workers, Proceedings of the European Association for Cancer Education (EACE) Congress. Caen, France (March, 2014)
• Messner, C. (2014). Paradigm of Patient Education, Proceedings of the European Association for Cancer Education (EACE) Congress. Caen, France (March 2014)
• Messner, C. (2014). Stress, Serendipity and Resilience: Keynote Address in Celebration of Social Work Month. Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Department of Social Work and Pastoral Care, Bronx, New York
• Messner, C. (2014). The Biopsychosocial Challenges Posed by Night Shift Workers. Proceedings of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Tampa, FL (February 2014).
• Messner, C & Villabos, A (2014). Ethical, Compassionate and Practical Caring at End-of-Life: Concepts for a One Health Perspective for Humans and Animals. National Academies of Practice. Arlington, VA (February 2014)
• Messner, C. (2013). Cancer and the Workplace. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). New York, NY
• Messner, C. (2013). Resources for Cancer Patients. In Psychological Aspects of Cancer, ed. Steel, J. & Carr, B., Springer Press
• Messner, C. et al (2013). Issues of Self Image, Disfigurement, and Sadness. In The Oncology Nurse, v.6, #3
• Messner, C. (2013). The Strength of Collaborative Practice to Design Creative Venues for Global Virtual Survivorship Education Programs. Proceedings of the International Cancer Education Conference. Seattle, WA (September 2013)
• Messner, C. & Williams, M. (2013). Setting Sail: Reflection and Creativity in Forging Career Development Opportunities for Oncology Social Workers. Proceedings of the Association of Oncology Social Work. San Diego, CA (June 2013)
• Messner, C. (2013). When A Co-Worker is Dying. Proceedings of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society. Huntington Beach, CA (February 2013)
• Messner, C. (2012). Innovative Patient Education Model to Reach Diverse Populations. Proceedings of the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) Miami, FL (February, 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012). Benefits of Interprofessional Collaboration: Shared Challenges, Learning and Visibility. Proceedings of the National Academies of Medicine. Arlington, VA (March 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012) An Innovative Patient Education Model to Reach Diverse Patient and Survivor Populations: Helping Patients Navigate a New World. Proceedings of the Association of Oncology Social Work. Boston, MA (June 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012). Support and Resources for People Living with Cancer. Proceedings of the First Patient Conference of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care and Cancer. New York, NY (June 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012). Teleconferences, Podcasts and Webcasts. Proceedings of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care and Cancer. New York, NY (June 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012) The Advocacy Perspective on Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors. Genentech BioOncology – San Francisco, CA (August, 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012). Women’s Health Issues: Breast Cancer. Proceedings of the National Academies of Practice. Cleveland, OH (September 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012). Interprofessional Care: Core Competencies in Oncology Social Work. Proceedings of the National Academies of Practice. Cleveland, OH (September 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012) Living With Melanoma. UCSD Cancer Center, San Diego, CA (September 2012)
• Messner, C. & Wakelin, K. (2012). The Space Between: Innovative Use of Communication Technology to Bridge the Barriers to Psycho-Oncology Services. Proceedings of the IPOS/COSA Conference. Brisbane, AU (November 2012)
• Messner, C. (2012) Grief and Burnout. New York Legal Assistance Group. Pfizer Inc. Global Headquarters: New York, NY

Carolyn shares, “I am honored to do this work with the goal of increasing patients’ quality of life. To be a part of and work at CancerCare, an institution dedicated to high quality, high touch, and labor intensive services to the full spectrum of people living with cancer is a great honor and privilege. To be there to help those in need at such a challenging time in their life and to provide state of the art clinical and educational services is the most meaningful work I can ever imagine doing. And to be at the forefront of an institution open to creative ways to solve patient/family problems using innovative and caring methods is a great privilege.”