Learning Exchange

Cervical Cancer Screening + Prevention Webinar Series Presenters

Presenter Bios

Patty CasonPatty Cason, MSN, FNP-BC
President, Envision SRH

Patty Cason is a family nurse practitioner, trainer, and educator with a specialty in sexual and reproductive health. She has practiced for 38 years in a wide variety of clinical and academic settings and is a contracted consultant to training agencies, non-profits, and state departments of health across the United States. Patty serves on the National Medical Committee for Planned Parenthood Federation of America. She is also a member of the ASCCP Board of directors and is a member of the Communications Workgroup that developed the 2019 Risk-Based Management Consensus Guidelines. Patty developed the “PATH” framework for person-centered reproductive goals and contraception counseling. She is an editor of the 21st edition of Contraceptive Technology for which she wrote a seminal chapter on reproductive goals and contraception counseling.  Other publications include research and opinion pieces in peer reviewed journals, nationally utilized on-line learning courses, instructional videos, textbook chapters, clinical protocols, job aids, and manuals.

Michael PolicarMichael Policar, MD, MPH

Michael Policar is Professor Emeritus of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. Since 2015, he has been the Clinical Fellow for the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA), providing advice on clinical issues and reproductive health policy. He also is an advisor to the CA State Office of Family Planning on clinical issues related to the Family PACT Program, the state’s family planning program. Dr. Policar is a widely known national speaker and educator. He is a senior author of the textbook Contraceptive Technology (16th-21st editions) in which he co-authored the chapter on “Screening Women for Cervical, Ovarian, and Breast Cancer”. He has served on expert advisory panels of the Centers for Disease Control that resulted in the publication of the CDC Medical Eligibility Criteria (MEC) for Contraceptive Use (2016), the CDC Selected Practice Recommendations (SPR) for Contraceptive Use (2016), and Providing Quality Family Planning Services: Recommendations of CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs (2014). Dr. Policar is an appointed member of the California State Breast and Cervical Cancer Advisory Council.

Levi S DownsLevi S. Downs, Jr, MD, MS
Director of Gynecologic Oncology, Park Nicollet Health Services, Minneapolis, MN

Dr. Downs received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He did his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Magee-Women’s Hospital of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  Dr. Downs completed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology at the University of Minnesota and has a Master of Science degree in clinical research from the University Of Minnesota School of Public Health. Dr. Downs has served as principal investigator for numerous clinical trials investigating cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and preventive approaches to HPV related diseases. As an active member of the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) he has participated in cervical cancer screening and management consensus conferences and publications.  Dr. Downs is also a member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and has served on the Board of Directors of ASCCP. 

Ritu NayarRitu Nayar, MD

Ritu Nayar is Professor of Pathology and Medical Education, Vice Chair of Education & Faculty Development and Director of Cytopathology at Northwestern University, Chicago. She obtained her MBBS and Pathology MD in India, followed by Pathology residency and fellowships in the USA. Dr Nayar has been an active leader in organized Pathology for almost 30 years, having chaired several committees, in numerous professional organizations. She is a Trustee for the American Board of Pathology, member of the Executive Council of the IAC, and Past President of the American Society of Cytopathology. Dr Nayar has publishing extensively, including serving as editor of the cervical cytology Bethesda Atlases, which have served as the model for development and dissemination of many other standardized terminology systems in cytology. She has contributed to many national and international guideline development and educational efforts, including serving as chair of the ASC and IAC Education committees, and co-chair for the LAST Recommendations for reporting histopathology of HPV associated lesions of the anogenital tract.  Dr Nayar served on the ASCCP Risk Based Management Consensus Guidelines Steering committee as the representative of the Pathology consortium representing the practice of cytopathology and is a co-author of the resulting publication. In recognition of her contributions to cytopathology and women’s health Dr Nayar received the ASC Presidents Award in 2003, the inaugural Patricia Aolonso Award from the Mexican Society of Cytology in 2016, the prestigious ASC Papanicolaou Award in 2018, the IAC Goldblatt Award in 2018 and the CAP Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.

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