Sharon S Gentry MSN, RN, HON-ONN-CG, AOCN, CBCN

Ms. Gentry has been a part of an ongoing successful breast nurse navigator program at the Novant Health Derrick L. Davis Cancer Center. She started the first navigation program in North Carolina. She was an interdisciplinary team member connecting 2 hospitals, a breast mammography clinic, a regional cancer center, a surgical office and a variety of community resources in Winston-Salem, NC. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master’s degree in nursing education at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Sharon has been a member of the Academy of Oncology Nurse and Patient Navigators Leadership Council since its inception in 2009. Currently, she is the Program Director for this organization. She speaks at their annual and regional conferences on nurse navigation issues. In 2012-2019, she co-chaired the annual AONN+ conferences as well as served on the teams for certification, metrics and acuity. She serves on the editorial board of The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA and CONQUER and is the breast editor for the Journal of Oncology Navigation & Survivorship (JONS). She has also authored articles in JONS, Cancer, The Oncology Nurse-APN/PA, Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, and CONQUER as well as authored chapters in the books Delivering Patient-Centered Care Across the Continuum, Nurse Navigation Case Studies, Team Based Oncology Care and Guide to Breast Care for Oncology Nurses. She also assisted in organizing the state navigation association—North Carolina Oncology Navigator Association. She is an active member of the Nation Navigation Round Table Steering Committee and contributes to the Certification and Training working group. She has been a member of the Oncology Nursing Society since 1983. She was a founding member of the Piedmont Triad Oncology Nurse Chapter in 1988 and has served in a leadership role for thirty years. She was a participant on the inception of the Oncology Nursing Certified Breast Care Nurse examination and chaired the Oncology Nursing Certification Breast Care Committee 2010-2012. She holds certification as Certified Breast Care Nurse, Advanced Oncology Practice Nurse and HON-Oncology Nurse Navigation Certification. She was asked to write the first chapter on breast navigation for the Oncology Nursing Society 3rd edition ONS Breast Cancer Book with Suzanne Mahon, editor. “Breast Cancer Navigation” which was released in March 2018 Ms. Gentry travels nationally lecturing on the navigation concept. On the local level, she serves on the board of the Trellis Hospice and participates in their Professional Advisory Committee. She is a member of the Piedmont Triad local navigation network.