Advisory Council

DCIS Understood’s Advisory Council is made up of leading physicians and researchers who share our commitment to improving understanding and care for DCIS. Council members serve as our trusted ambassadors in the medical community and provide expert guidance that helps shape our educational content, advocacy priorities, and patient resources. Their input helps ensure that everything we share is accurate, current, and rooted in evidence and empathy.

To learn more or express interest in joining, please contact us at [email protected] or (917) 232-3329.

Arnold Baskies, MD, FACS

Dr. Arnold Baskies is a fellowship-trained surgical oncologist and cancer prevention leader, with special interests in breast cancer, thyroid cancer, and melanoma. He is Past Chairman of the National Board of Directors of the American Cancer Society and currently serves as Clinical Professor of Surgery at Rowan School of Medicine, Chair of the Israel Cancer Research Fund, and a Board Member of Anixa Biosciences, a biotech company that develops cancer vaccines.  Dr. Baskies received his BA, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, from Boston University, and his MD from Boston University School of Medicine. He completed surgical residency at Boston Medical Center and a surgical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute.  Additionally, he is a member of the Global Breast Cancer Initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Daniel X. Choi, MD, FACS

Dr. Daniel Choi is an Associate Attending surgeon on the Breast Surgical Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC). He cares for people with all types of breast cancer as well as benign breast disease and sees patients in New York City and on Long Island. Dr. Choi earned his MD from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, completed his general surgical residency at the University of Rochester, and a breast surgical oncology fellowship at MSKCC. From 2015-2021, he served as Chief of Surgery at the United States Air Force David Grant Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, CA, and was appointed Deputy Commander in 2021. During this time, he also taught as Assistant Professor of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, MD. While deployed in Afghanistan, Dr. Choi and his wife established a breast care clinic for Afghan women.

Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, FACS

Dr. Sheldon Feldman is a breast surgical oncologist recognized for pioneering innovative, minimally invasive techniques in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. He serves as Chief of Breast Surgery and Breast Surgical Oncology and Director of Breast Cancer Services at Montefiore Einstein, and Professor of Surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. At Montefiore, he leads comprehensive breast cancer care featuring advanced surgical techniques, minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment, and complementary, integrative holistic approaches with an emphasis on physician-patient communication. Dr. Feldman has led extensive research focused on improving early detection, advancing surgical innovation, and developing preventive strategies for breast cancer, and his work has been presented in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications. He earned his BS from SUNY Stony Brook and his MD from NYU School of Medicine, completed his surgical residency at NYU Medical Center/Bellevue Hospital (Executive Chief Surgical Resident), and a fellowship in peripheral vascular surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. Dr. Feldman is a past president of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the New York Metropolitan Breast Group.

Michael N. Liebman, PhD

Dr. Michael N. Liebman is Managing Director of IPQ Analytics, LLC and Strategic Medicine, Inc. A leader in computational biology and translational medicine, he has held senior roles in academia, industry, and cancer research, including at the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center and Roche Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Liebman’s work focuses on computational models of disease progression, risk detection, and clinical pathway modeling to support more precise and patient-centered healthcare. Using systems-based approaches and design thinking, he studies risk–benefit decision-making in pharmaceutical development and clinical care. His current work spans multiple sclerosis, heart failure, and women’s health—including breast cancer and cardiometabolic conditions related to pregnancy and menopause—with a focus on health disparities and underserved populations. He also founded Woven, a nonprofit advancing women’s health research and more informed, patient-centered care.

Thomas Lynch, PhD, MA

Dr. Thomas Lynch is Senior Researcher in the Division of Surgical Oncology at Duke University. His academic focus is on advancing the understanding and management of DCIS, particularly in refining treatment strategies. Recognizing the challenges in DCIS diagnosis, he has helped to lead extensive research into identifying which cases of DCIS are more likely to progress to invasive cancer and which are less likely to pose a significant threat. This research has highlighted the critical need for more precise biomarkers and imaging techniques to differentiate between aggressive and indolent forms of DCIS, ultimately aiming to reduce overtreatment and unnecessary interventions. Dr. Lynch has deep expertise in community engagement, having worked closely with breast cancer advocates to advance efforts to improve clinical guidelines around the management of DCIS. His recent contributions include evaluating the long-term outcomes of DCIS patients, exploring the psychosocial impact of diagnosis, and emphasizing the importance of shared decision-making. Through his pioneering work in DCIS, Dr. Lynch is helping shift the approach to managing this condition toward a more nuanced, patient-centered model. 

Rinaa S. Punglia, MD, MPH

Dr. Rinaa S. Punglia is a radiation oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and a Professor of Radiation Oncology at Harvard Medical School. Her clinical work focuses on breast cancer, and her research centers on health services and outcomes research to improve how treatment decisions are made and delivered. Dr. Punglia has conducted extensive research on ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), with a particular focus on treatment patterns, radiation therapy use, and long-term outcomes. Her work has explored how different management strategies impact patient outcomes and has helped to inform more nuanced approaches to care. She has also contributed to the development of decision models and tools designed to support more individualized, evidence-based treatment decisions. Dr. Punglia received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed her residency in radiation oncology at the Harvard Joint Center for Radiation Therapy. She is board-certified in radiation oncology.

Megan Tesch, MD, MPH

Dr. Megan Tesch is a medical oncologist at Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute and Instructor in Medicine at Harvard Medical School, specializing in breast cancer care — particularly in young adults. Her clinical and research work focuses on understanding the unique biological and clinical features of breast cancer in younger patients, striving to improve outcomes and reduce disparities in this population. Dr. Tesch completed her medical oncology training at BC Cancer in Vancouver (serving as Chief Resident) and at Dana-Farber. She holds an MD from Memorial University of Newfoundland and an MPH, and is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology.