New Brunswick, NJ September 29, 2025 – Jeanne Silva, MSN, RN-BC, CN-BN, CMSRN Assistant Vice President, Oncology Access and Navigation, RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, has been appointed as a Trustee-at-Large for the Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+), beginning October 1, 2025. AONN+ is the largest national specialty organization dedicated to improving patient care and quality of life by defining, enhancing, and promoting the role of oncology nurse and patient navigators.
Silva was recognized for her leadership in building and transforming the Oncology Navigation Program at RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, creating the gold standard for oncology navigation across the country. She was also recognized for her commitment to strengthening the role of navigation through evidence-based solutions and her efforts to improve care coordination and elevation of the professional role of the navigator.
“Jeanne is a national leader in oncology navigation and her commitment to improving the patient experience through navigation has impacted countless lives across New Jersey,” stated Susan Solometo, Senior Vice President of Administration for Oncology Services, RWJBarnabas Health. “We are proud, yet not surprised, of her selection and recognition by this important national organization”
The Oncology Navigation Program at RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Cancer Institute is one of the nation’s largest, staffed by nurses with a specialty in cancer. Located at each of our hospitals across the state, our navigators provide individualized personal assistance to patients and their caregivers and serve as an important member of the patient’s healthcare team. They help ease the stress and burden of a cancer diagnosis through coordination of care, providing guidance and answering questions, scheduling appointments and serving as a resource. Our navigators also identify and address barriers to care and ensure a seamless coordination of service.
About RWJBarnabas Health
RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive academic health system, caring for more than five million people annually. Nationally renowned for quality and safety, the system includes, 14 hospitals and 9,000 affiliated physicians integrated to provide care at more than 700 patient care locations.
RWJBarnabas Health partners with its communities to build and sustain a healthier New Jersey. It provides patient-centered care in a compassionate manner and is the state’s largest safety-net provider and leader in addressing the social determinants of health. RWJBarnabas Health provides food to the hungry, housing for the homeless and economic opportunities to those most vulnerable.
RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to enhancing access to care includes a transformative partnership with Rutgers University, including the Rutgers Cancer Institute — the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
RWJBarnabas Health is among New Jersey’s largest private employers, with more than 44,000 employees, contributing more than $5.5 billion to the state economy every year. For more information, visit www.RWJBH.org
About Rutgers Cancer Institute
As New Jersey’s only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rutgers Cancer Institute, together with RWJBarnabas Health, provides patients access to the most advanced treatment options including clinical trials close to home at our facilities throughout the state. Our groundbreaking cancer research is the engine that drives access to the most advanced cancer treatments, where our discoveries become your care. This has been enhanced with the opening of the state’s first and only freestanding cancer hospital, the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center. Visit: www.cinj.org.
Media Contact:
Krista Didzbalis
Corporate Communications Specialist, Strategic Communications, RWJBarnabas Health
732.507.8307
krista.didzbalis2@rwjbh.org