Our Zakim Center Team

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Our experienced team of physicians, therapists, nurses, and other health care professionals offers individual treatments such as acupuncture, massage, and Reiki; group programs for movement, meditation, and creative arts; and exercise and nutritional consultations.

Our Leadership

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Jennifer Ligibel, MD, is director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and a breast oncologist in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Ligibel does extensive research into the benefits of exercise for cancer patients and survivors.

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Ting Bao, MD, MS, is co-director of the Zakim Center and offers Integrative Medicine Consultations for Dana-Farber patients. She is past president of the Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) and is a breast oncologist, medical acupuncturist, and integrative medicine physician. Her research examines the safety, effectiveness, and underlying mechanisms of acupuncture and yoga to improve cancer patients’ quality of life and to address treatment- and disease-related symptoms.

Administration

Victoria Kennedy, MA
Administrative Director

Clinical Staff

Daniel Glidden, MS, PA-C
Physician Assistant

Acupuncture

Weidong Lu, MB, MPH, PhD, LicAc
Weidong Lu is the Lead Oncology Acupuncturist in the Zakim Center and an Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Weidong has led several research studies examining oncology acupuncture and symptom management in patients. He has practiced oncology acupuncture at the Zakim Center since 2000.

Anne Drogin, MDiv, MAc, LicAc
Anne Drogin has practiced acupuncture since 1997 throughout the Boston area. Prior to working at the Zakim Center, Anne worked as a clinical supervisor, teaching and training the next generation of acupuncturists in hospitals and health centers across Boston. She brings great experience to her work at Dana-Farber.

Dongyan Yu, MB, MS, LicAc
Dongyan Yu joined the acupuncture team at the Zakim Center in 2014. She is a co-investigator on various research studies examining oncology acupuncture. Dongyan has practiced acupuncture in the U.S. for over 20 years. She has Bachelor of Medicine and Master of Medicine degrees from Zhejiang Chinese Medical University in China.

Xiaoqin “Sabrina” Zhao, MB, MS, LicAc
Sabrina Zhao brings extensive knowledge and experience to her work at the Zakim Center. In addition to 10 years of medical research experience, she has over 10 years of clinical experience in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Sabrina brings her background in Chinese and western medicine to her work here at the Zakim Center.

Massage

Maria “Bambi” Mathay, LMT, BCTMB, RMT
Bambi Mathay graduated from medical school in the Philippines in 1986. Since 2003, she has specialized in oncology massage therapy, Reiki, and reflexology. With 20 years of experience at the Zakim Center, Bambi has a depth of knowledge in caring for oncology patients through massage and other touch services. She is experienced with working with both adult and pediatric patients.

Erika R. Slocum, LMT
Erika Slocum has practiced massage therapy since 2005 and has been working with the oncology population since 2007. She uses a variety of techniques when she works with patients, including scar tissue mobilization, lymphatic massage, orthopedic techniques, and Reiki. Erika has also taught professional massage therapists across the country how to work safely with oncology patients since 2011.

Theresa Ochenkoski, LMT, BCTMB, RM
Theresa Ochenkoski is a board-certified massage therapist who began her massage therapy career in 1988. She became a Certified Usui Reiki Master in 2007, and in 2011 integrated foot reflexology to include a more supportive aspect to her practice. Theresa states, "Becoming an Oncology Massage Therapist and being given the opportunity to provide this service at the Zakim Center since 2006 has been one of life's precious gifts to me. I believe that providing sessions that offer a nurturing atmosphere and that support patient self-care are a key aspect of healing."

Group Movement, Meditation, Expressive Arts, Nutrition

Patricia Martin Arcari, PhD, RN, AHN-BC
Patricia Arcari is the Program Manager for Meditation and Mindfulness at the Zakim Center and a Visiting Scholar at Boston College, where she has created novel meditation, mindfulness, and mind/body resilience programming for patients, staff, and students. Patty is board-certified as an Advanced Holistic Nurse, a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Integrative Nursing, and has been involved in practicing holistic nursing for over 20 years in clinical, training, and research capacities.

Juliana G. Berfield, PhD
Juliana Berfield joined the Zakim Center in 2017 as a Movement Instructor. Since 2000, she has taught various movement classes including Aerobics, Step, Kick Boxing, Core, Muscle Conditioning, and different Resist-a-Ball® class styles. Juliana has certifications in Personal Training, Mat Pilates, Yoga for Cancer, and as a Cancer Exercise Specialist.

Nancy Campbell, MS
Nancy Campbell is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist in the Zakim Center, is a Certified ACE Personal Trainer, and has the American College of Sports Medicine Cancer Exercise Trainer certification. She provides personalized exercise consultations for patients. Nancy also teaches several strength training-based exercise classes for patients and survivors.

Megan Carleton, LMHC, ATR-BC
Megan is the Expressive Therapies Program Manager at the Zakim Center and a board-certified therapist and licensed mental health counselor. Following 10 years of professional experience at Massachusetts General Hospital, she has expertise in providing program development, art therapy, and environmental arts experiences, with a specialization in working with pediatric and adult oncology patients, families, and caregivers.

Megan has made creativity the guiding force in her personal and professional life, with an expressive arts approach that is trauma-informed, personalized, creative, inclusive, and accessible. Her clinical work is informed by client interests and a multi-modal approach that addresses needs while building strengths, resilience, self-compassion, stress reduction, and wellness.

Christina Conte, RDN, LDN
Christina Conte is the Nutrition Coordinator in the Zakim Center. She has over seven years of experience supporting patients in achieving their health goals as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Health Coach. During her time as an outpatient dietitian, she provided one-on-one medical nutrition therapy to both adults and children, led group classes, delivered seminars to the community, and was a member of Yale New Haven Health’s Diabetes Board and Health Coordinating Council. Christina began her career at Dana-Farber in 2017 as a Health and Wellness Coach on the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Study.

Ramel “Rami” Rones
Rami Rones is a gold medalist, award-winning martial artist in both the U.S. and China. With 16 years of experience leading Tai Chi, Qigong and Meditation classes, he focuses on helping individuals with conditions such as cancer, arthritis, fibromyalgia, aging, injuries, and stress. Rami is a consultant on mind/body therapies at Harvard and Tufts Medical Schools, and is the co-author of numerous publications. In addition to his work at the Zakim Center, Rami also lectures and instructs in the techniques of the Tai Chi, Qigong and meditation philosophies in hospitals, institutions, and schools around the world.