Roswell Park Appoints 5 New Leaders Overseeing Key Areas of Patient Care and Support

Lovejeet “LJ” Atwal, MSN, FNP, RN

Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has appointed five new leaders overseeing various aspects of patient care and supportive services. One is new to Roswell Park, while four are team members promoted to new roles.

“Our work to ensure outstanding care for each patient begins with our passionate and dedicated team, and these five new leaders bring incredible insight and enthusiasm to that work,” says Andrew Storer, PhD, DNP, RN, NP-C, FAANP, Senior Vice President & Chief Nursing Officer at Roswell Park.

Lovejeet “LJ” Atwal, MSN, FNP, RN, was promoted to Chief of Advanced Practice Nursing. Atwal started his career as a nurse with the Bone Marrow Transplant Team in 2014 and was appointed Lead Nurse Practitioner for Employee Health in 2023, a role he will continue to fill. He has a background in education and family health, with a master’s degree in family nurse practice and bachelor’s degrees in mathematical science, community health and nursing.

Maegan Chmura, MSN, RN, was promoted to Executive Director of Inpatient Nursing and Nursing Operations, overseeing nursing supervision as well as nursing operations for the Assessment & Treatment Center and transfer team. Chmura has advanced through varied leadership roles across the cancer center since she joined Roswell Park as a D’Youville College nursing student in 2005. Most recently serving as Executive Director of Nursing Administration, she has also served as Clinical Nurse Manager, Tobacco Cessation Specialist and staff nurse.

Claudia Diamonte, BSN, RN, was promoted to Executive Director of Hematology-Oncology Nursing Services. A registered nurse for more than 20 years, Diamonte has extensive experience in clinical trial coordination and administration. Among her accomplishments since she joined Roswell Park in 2021 are contributing to the development of the Clinical Trials Nurse role, resulting in enhanced recruitment and retention into clinical trials. Diamonte also has contributed to the growth and expansion of the cancer center’s cellular therapy program.

Roxanne Dudish, MS, RN, was appointed Executive Director of Transitions of Care. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and management, Dudish provides strategic planning, leadership, and coordination in the advancement of care management and social work for Roswell Park and the Roswell Park Care Network. She will continue to drive innovation in the design, development, implementation and delivery of alternative care models such as in-home care.

Susan LaValley, PhD, was named Executive Director of Patient Education. A research scientist, Dr. LaValley has played an integral role in the CARE Lab, an effort to improve our understanding of the connections between stress, cancer and caregiving for children with cancer. Her additional research interests include several publications surrounding the care of older adults, caregiver support for end-of-life treatment and health literacy outreach.

From the world’s first chemotherapy research to the PSA prostate cancer biomarker, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center generates innovations that shape how cancer is detected, treated and prevented worldwide. Driven to eliminate cancer’s grip on humanity, the Roswell Park team of 4,000 makes compassionate, patient-centered cancer care and services accessible across New York State and beyond. Founded in 1898, Roswell Park was among the first three cancer centers nationwide to become a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and is the only one to hold this designation in Upstate New York. To learn more about Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Roswell Park Care Network, visit www.roswellpark.org, call 1-800-ROSWELL (1-800-767-9355) or email ASKRoswell@RoswellPark.org.