Concurrent Sessions
PLease Note: The concurrent sessions for 2026 will be announced sometime in February 2026. The sessions listed below are from 2025.
Palliative Care Conference
May 30, 2025
2025 Concurrent Topics
Conference participants will be able to pick from a variety of topics presented during two (2), 1.5-hour concurrent sessions: from 10:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 - 2 p.m. 10-11 topics for those attending in-person will be offered in each session and 4 topics will be offered in each session for those attending virtually.
In-person sessions will be indicated by the following: (in-person) and virtual sessions through Zoom are indicated by the following: (virtual or virtual only).
Sessions marked by an *(asterisk) are approved for SW CE credit. All sessions are approved for Nursing, LMHC, LCAT, and CMTE continuing education credit).
Participants will be asked to pre-register for the topics that they would like to attend. In-person seating is limited, so please make your selections early.
We expect session descriptions will be available for all the sessions by late February, 2025.
Opening Keynote Session: 8:45 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Title: Topic: Aging and Advanced Illness: Join the Aging Revolution Click here for a description and learning objectives. The keynote session will be held in the Madison Theatre.Click here for handout.
Concurrent Session I: 10:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
1A. *The Dying Child: Bearing Witness to a Family’s Journey of Finding Light in the Darkness- Marianne Muzic, LCSW, APHSW-C, PMH-C, Palliative Care Program Manager, St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children (in-person) and (virtual) Click here for session handout
1B. *Living with 9/11 Cancer: A Support Group Aimed at Helping WTC Health Program General Responders and Survivors Diagnosed with 9/11 Related-Cancer and the Introduction of Patient Centered-Goals and Discussing Treating the Person vs Treating the Disease - Sharon Daneshgar, LCSW-R, 0SW-C and Georgianne Kraft, LCSW-R, OSW-C (in-person) Click here for session handout
1C. *Leadership/Counseling and Coaching Staff - Joyce Palmieri, MS, RN, CHPN, FPCN, Senior Vice President of Clinical Services, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care (in-person) Click here for session handout
1D. *Being In-Between: Caretaking and Grief in Palliative Care - Jennifer Scuro, Ph.D., Molloy University (virtual only) Click here for session handout
1E. *A Cross-Cultural Analysis of the Uses of Music in Death and Grief: Considerations for Clinical Music Therapy Practice - Kaitlyn Kelly, MS, LCAT, MT-BC, Molloy University (in-person) and (virtual)
1F. *Changes in Policy & Legislation for Supporting Family Caregivers - Tara Anglim, EdD., LCSW-R, ACHP-SW; AED of Culture and Experience Peconic Bay Medical Center-Northwell Health, Alyssa McCready, LCSW and Kacey Farber LMSW (in-person) Click here for session handout
1G. *Is My Sister Dying? Supporting Siblings of Children with Medical Complexities and Their Families Throughout the Progression of Disease - Jacob Portnoy, CCLS and Dori Resnick, LMSW, St. Mary’s Hospital for Children (in-person) Click here for session handout
1H. *Culturally-Competent Oncology, Hospice and Palliative Care for Latinx, Chinese, and Korean Immigrants: Clinical and Research Perspectives- Cathy Berkman, PhD, MSW, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service, Grace R. Downs-Liguori, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker, Mount Sinai Queens; Xiaofang Liu, PhD, MSW, Study Coordinator , Columbia Population Research Center , Hing Lin (Helen) Sit, LCSW, Manager ,VNS Health Chinatown NNORC and Mi (Emma) Zhou, LCSW, Social Work Supervisor, Mount Sinai The Blavatnik Family Chelsea Medical Center (in-person) No handout is available for this session.
1I. *What Matters Most and Implementing Goals of Care for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Supported by OPWDD - Dr. Lindsey Semprini, MD, Palliative Medicine, Northwell Health & Christine Gallo, LCSW, GC-C, YTT, Palliative Medicine, PBMC-Northwell Health (in-person) Click here for session handout
1J. *End of Life, Trauma and Psychedelics - Dr. Cristian Zanartu Physician, MJHS and Zanartu Medical PLLC (in-person) and (virtual) Click here for session handout
* These session are approved for SW CE credit
Concurrent Session II: 12:30-2 p.m.
2A. *4 M’s of Age Friendly Care: What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility – Dr. Lindsey Semprini, MD, Palliative Medicine, Northwell Health & Christine Gallo, LCSW, GC-C, YTT, Palliative Medicine, PBMC-Northwell Health (in-person) Click here for session handout
2B. *The Mindful Practitioner: Developing an Artful Contemplative Practice, Dr. Katherine Patterson, Molloy University (in-person)
2C. *Taking Care of Your Compassionate Heart, Phyllis S. Quinlan, PhD, RN-BC, Director: Clinical Professional Development, Internal Coach, Cohen Children’s Medical Center/Northwell Health (in-person) Click here for session handout
2D. *Fostering Resilience in Family Caregiving Through Education, Empathy and Empowerment – Patricia Daly, LCSW, APHSW-C, Sr. Program Manager, Serenity Family Caregiver Program, Northwell Health LIJ Medical Center (in-person) and (virtual) Click here for session handout
2E. *Crisis of Faith: Spirituality - Sr. Edith Menegus, OSU, BCC, ThM, Director of Pastoral Care, St. Charles Hospital & St. Catherine of Siena Hospital; Rabbi Deborah Miller, BCC, Chaplain at Northwell Health; Reverend Mark Bigelow, Pastor, Congregational Church of Huntington (in-person) No handout is available for this session.
2F. *Why Trauma Matters in End-of-Life Care: A Practical Approach - Jade Johnson, LCSW, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care, Karen Telman, LCSW, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care, Kathleen Ringel, LMSW, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care & Fordham University Adjunct Professor (in-person) No handout is available for this session.
2G. *Caring for the Whole Person: The Importance of Social Determinants of Health in Community Based Palliative Care Supportive Services - Lori Hardoon, LCSW, Senior Director, JASA Palliative Care Supportive Services and Maria Lever LMSW, Clinical Supervisor JASA Palliative Care Supportive Services (in-person) Click here for session handout
2H. *Lynda Cooper Mentoring Session for Those New to Palliative Care - Sue Degnan, LMSW, OSW-C, ACHP-SW and Joyce Palmieri, MS, RN, CHPN , FPCN , Senior Vice President of Clinical Services, MJHS Hospice and Palliative Care (in-person) No handout is available for this session.
2I. *Current Issues Affecting Veteran’s Health at End-of-Life - Ashton Stewart, Veteran Program Manager, MJHS Health System (in-person) and (virtual) Click here for session handout
2J. *Cultivating Happiness: How To Enhance Joy in Your Life- Paula Pagan, LCSW-R, Long Island Elder Care (in-person) and (virtual) Click here for session handout
2K. *Ripples of Grief: Music Psychotherapy from First Moments to Last - Lauren Fagan-Antonelli, MS, LCAT, MT-BC and Lillie Klein, MS, LCAT, MT-BC, Molloy University (in-person) and (virtual) No handout is available for this session.
* These session are approved for SW CE credit
Closing Session: 2:15 p.m. - 3:45 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Ethics and the Multidisciplinary Team in Palliative Care -
Moderator: Renee McLeod-Sordjan, DNP, PhD, CENP, FNAP, FNYAM, FAME, FAAN, Director, Division of Medical Ethics, Department of Medicine, Northwell Health System and NuHealth, Chair, Northwell Health System Ethics Review Committee, Associate Professor, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Co-Course Director, Hofstra University Bioethics Center
Panelists: Dr. Cristian Zanartu Physician, JASA Palliative Care Supportive Services; Rabbi Deborah Miller, BCC, Chaplain at Northwell Health Christine Gallo , LCSW, GC-C, YTT, Palliative Medicine, PBMC-Northwell Health, Ciara Fiorello, BSN, RN, CHPN, Director of Patient Services, Good Shepherd Hospice
* This session is approved for SW CE credit
