The forefront of neuro-oncology for 30 years and counting
For 30 years, The Society for Neuro-Oncology has been at the forefront of neuro-oncology, working together to make significant strides in understanding and treating brain cancer. Our legacy of progress is built on the collective efforts of dedicated professionals, groundbreaking research, and a relentless commitment to our vision of a world where there are effective treatments for patients with brain cancer and, ultimately, a cure.
A global community with a shared vision for neuro-oncology
The foundation was reorganized as a 501(c)(3) in 2024 in order to further enhance the educational mission of the Society for Neuro-Oncology. We are a global community of healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates united by a shared mission: to Beat Brain Cancer. Through collaboration, education, and innovation, we strive to accelerate breakthroughs and improve outcomes for those affected by this devastating disease.
Meet the people leading our team and driving our initiatives.
Board of Directors
Daphne Haas-Kogan, MD
Board Member
Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD, PhD
Board Member
Eva Galanis, MD
Board Member
Tracy Batchelor, MD, MPH
Board Member
Charles (Chas) Haynes, JD
Ex Officio Board Member
Staff
Shelley Pressley, MBA
Staff
Caroline Noor, MPH
Staff
Daphne Haas-Kogan, MD
Board Member
Daphne Haas-Kogan, MD, is chair of the department of radiation oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, chair of the department of radiation oncology for Massachusetts General Hospital, and chief of enterprise radiation oncology for Mass General Brigham. She is a professor of radiation oncology at Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Haas-Kogan received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry and molecular biology magna cum laude from Harvard University, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, received the prestigious Joseph L. Barrett Award for Teaching at Harvard University, and was awarded the Thomas T. Hoopes Prize and summa cum laude for her senior honors thesis. While in medical school, she was an HHMI Medical Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. J. Michael Bishop at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). She received her MD from the University of California, San Francisco, and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. She completed her residency in radiation oncology and post-doctoral fellowship in molecular neuro-oncology at UCSF in 1997. She remained at UCSF as a tenure track faculty member with joint appointments in radiation oncology and neurological surgery, was vice-chair for research since 2003, and educational program director since 2008.
Dr. Haas-Kogan currently serves as the President of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.
Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD, PhD
Board Member
Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD, PhD, is a neurosurgeon specializing in the treatment of patients with brain tumors, including low- and high-grade gliomas, meningiomas, brain metastases and neurocutaneous syndromes.
Dr. Hervey-Jumper's research investigates how brain tumors violate important areas of the brain that affect how we move, speak and think. He also explores strategies to promote brain recovery and repair. In addition, he researches ways to map the human brain during surgery with the goal of limiting injury to key functional areas.
He received his medical degree from the Ohio State University College of Medicine. He completed both a residency in neurosurgery and a fellowship in neuro-oncology at the University of Michigan. He then completed a clinical fellowship in neuro-oncology at UCSF.
Dr. Hervey-Jumper currently serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.
Eva Galanis, MD
Board Member
Evanthia Galanis, MD, has a long-standing interest in developing novel therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment. The focus of her laboratory is to develop and optimize novel virotherapy approaches with special emphasis on paramyxoviruses. A number of different strategies are tested, including use of therapeutic transgenes; trackable markers; combinations with small molecules, cytotoxic agents and radiation therapy; re-targeting of viral strains against tumor-specific antigens; development of novel viral delivery approaches; and exploration of immunomodulatory methods to modify humoral and innate immunity as a means of optimizing virotherapy efficacy.
A significant impetus for Dr. Galanis' research has been the translation of laboratory advances into clinical trials of novel virotherapeutics and small molecules in cancer patients. She has served as the principal investigator in multiple phase I and II virotherapy trials in different solid tumors (ovarian cancer, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma), and she has spearheaded the clinical translation of measles derivatives and their first human testing in patients with ovarian cancer or brain tumors, as well as first human use of live cell carriers for oncolytic virus delivery.
She has also conducted multiple cooperative group phase II and randomized studies of small molecules and anti-angiogenesis agents in the treatment of glioblastoma through the North Central Cancer Treatment Group and the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology.
In addition, Dr. Galanis has a special research interest in clinical trial endpoints and innovative trial designs in neuro-oncology. Her work has been supported by the National Cancer Institute, and she has been involved in several Mayo Clinic Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPOREs), including the Brain Cancer, Ovarian Cancer and Breast Cancer SPOREs.
Dr. Galanis currently serves as the President-Elect of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.
Tracy Batchelor, MD, MPH
Board Member
Tracy Batchelor, MD is the Miriam Sydney Joseph Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School, Neurologist-In-Chief and Chair of the Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Co-Leader of the Neuro-Oncology Program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC). His research focus is experimental therapeutics for brain tumors with over 350 peer-reviewed publications in these areas. He is the principal investigator of the NCI-funded DF/HCC P50/SPORE award and the Harvard/Stanford site of the U19 Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network. He is the elected chair of the NCI Brain Malignancies Steering Committee. He has also served in multiple elected leadership positions within the American Academy of Neurology, the World Federation of Neurology, and the Society for Neuro-Oncology. He has mentored over 50 Neuro-Oncology trainees and K12 scholars.
Dr. Batchelor received his medical degree from Emory University School of Medicine and a master’s in public health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He completed his medicine internship, neurology residency and neuro-oncology fellowship at Yale-New Haven Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, respectively.
Dr. Batchelor is the immediate Past-President of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.
Charles (Chas) Haynes, JD
Ex Officio Board Member
Chas Haynes, JD is the Executive Director of the Society for Neuro-Oncology, a position he has held since 2006. Mr. Haynes is responsible for the day-to-day operations of SNO, and works with the elected leadership to implement the Society’s strategic plan. He has over 25 years of experience in the leadership and operational management of non-profit medical associations, including the CERN Foundation, the International Brain Injury Association, and the North American Brain Injury Society.
Mr. Haynes received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas, Austin, and a Juris Doctor degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas. He currently serves as an ex officio board member of the Society for Neuro-Oncology and Beat Brain Cancer, the Foundation of the Society for Neuro-Oncology.
Shelley Pressley, MBA
Staff
Shelley Pressley, MBA, CMP, HMCC, is an accomplished nonprofit management professional with over 20 years of experience specializing in event management, administration, and partnership development. Currently serving as the Director of Administration for the Society for Neuro-Oncology, she oversees key organizational functions, including policy development and recruitment, while managing large-scale events and strategic initiatives. Known for her expertise in conference planning and her ability to build lasting relationships across diverse professional communities, Shelley has a strong track record in creating efficient operational processes and fostering collaboration. Her prior roles include leadership positions at the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, where she managed mission programs, family support initiatives, and scholarship programs. Shelley holds an MBA and a dual bachelor's degree in political science and social science. She is also certified as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and holds a Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC).
