Meet OUr Team
James M. Metz, MD
Henry K. Pancoast Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology, Executive Director, OncoLink
University of Pennsylvania Health System
James M Metz, MD is the Henry K. Pancoast Professor and Chair of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. He oversees the academic practices at 17 radiation treatment facilities including three proton therapy centers. He was intimately involved with the development of the 5-room Roberts Proton Center through the RFP process, contracting, construction, opening, and ramp-up of the center to full operations. He also oversaw the development of two single-room proton centers at Lancaster General Hospital (opened 2022) in central Pennsylvania and at Virtua Voorhees Hospital (opened 2023) in South Jersey. Dr. Metz is also Executive Director of OncoLink, the world’s largest Internet resource for cancer information and proton-based training. His clinical interests include the multidisciplinary management of gastrointestinal cancers, the integration of proton therapy in the cancer treatment paradigm, and the expansion of quality and safety initiatives to improve clinical outcomes for patients.
Debra Stephen, BS
Director of Business Development, Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Debra Stephen is the Director of Business Development for the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. Debra has more than 30 years of experience in financial management, infrastructure improvement, and project coordination in foreign and domestic work environments. She has proven effective at creating long-term value for organizations by establishing strategic alliances based on positive leadership, respect, and mutual benefit. She has been recognized for her contributions to the achievement of business objectives and for effective communication, team-building, and problem-solving skills in multicultural work environments. Prior to joining Penn, she lived in Dubai and worked for Mubadala Development Corporation where she played an integral role in establishing the Cleveland Clinic Hospital in Abu Dhabi. Earlier in her career, she was one of the top foreign currency traders in the U.S. as evidenced by Chase Manhattan Bank featuring her in an international marketing campaign. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from The Pennsylvania State University where she received the Helen Eakin Eisenhower Award for her contributions to the College of Business.
Richard L. Maughan, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Richard Maughan graduated from the University of Birmingham, England with an honors degree in physics in 1970. He completed his Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics at the same institution in 1974. From 1974 to 1983 he worked as a member of the scientific staff of the Cancer Research Campaign Gray Laboratory at Mount Vernon Hospital in England, where he was involved in basic radiation physics, chemistry, and biology research. He moved to the USA in the fall of 1983, where he took a position as a medical physicist and a member of the faculty in the Radiation Oncology Department of Wayne State University, in Detroit. He played a lead role in the development and application of a superconducting cyclotron for neutron radiation therapy.
In July 2000, Dr. Maughan moved to the University of Pennsylvania where he was appointed Professor, Director of Medical Physics, and Vice Chair in the Department of Radiation Oncology. In this role, he was a key member of the proton therapy development team, participating in the specification of the system, vendor selection, and overseeing acceptance and commissioning. Under his direction, the Medical Physics division expanded from about 30 people to a staff of over 80. He stepped down as Division Director in June 2013 and retired in 2016. He is currently an Emeritus Professor, working part-time on proton therapy educational and development projects.
Christina McCrohan, MBA
Associate Director of Global Education, Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Christina McCrohan is the Associate Director of Global Education in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. She has over eight years of experience in healthcare administration management at Penn Medicine and has a passion for providing exceptional customer service experiences. Christina joined the Department of Radiation Oncology in 2019, managing both the Global Education and Patient Engagement programs. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Philadelphia University and received her Master of Business Administration at Jefferson University. Her interests include designing, implementing, and managing innovative educational programs for healthcare professionals.
Courtney Thomas Misher, MPH, BSRT(T)
Strategic Partnerships Administrator, OncoLink
Radiation Therapist, Penn Medicine, Radiation Oncology
University of Pennsylvania Health System
Courtney Misher is the Strategic Partnerships Administrator for OncoLink and also works as a Radiation Therapist in the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 2006 and went on to achieve a master’s degree in public health from Benedictine University in 2013, with concentrations in Health Management and Policy, as well as Health Education and Promotion.
In 2009, she relocated from Indiana to Philadelphia to join Penn Medicine’s Roberts Proton Therapy Center, where she was instrumental in opening the center and treating its first patient. She was also a key contributor to the establishment of the Global Education Program at Penn Medicine. With eighteen years of experience in radiation therapy, specializing in proton therapy, her current focus is on content and curriculum development for various educational programs.