Radiation Oncology Team at Providence Portland Medical Center

“One of the wonderful things about working at Providence is that we have leading-edge technology, and we have great staff, and we’ve been able to create a very caring, very high-quality environment that is comparable to that of any top-rate academic center in terms of the care of the patient.”

Christine Cha, M.D.
Medical Director, Providence Radiation Oncology Services

Training: A member of the Oregon Clinic, Dr. Cha gravitated toward the field of radiation oncology as a student at the University of Michigan Medical School, where she earned a combined bachelor's and medical degree. She then completed a radiation oncology residency at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City and served as a Clinical Assistant Member of the Center until 1998. Prior to joining Providence, she practiced for five years in the Radiation Oncology Division of the Virginia Mason Medical Center, where her practice focused on breast cancer and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Stephen Bader, M.D.

Training: After earning his medical degree from the University of Washington School of Medicine, Dr. Bader completed an internship at New England Deaconess Hospital, Boston, MA. He served his residency at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy in Boston. He also served as a clinical fellow in medicine and in radiation therapy at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Bader is a private practice radiation oncologist with The Oregon Clinic.

Areas of Expertise: Brain tumors, prostate cancer, breast cancer, radiosurgery, prostate brachytherapy, and 3D conformal radiation therapy.

Steven Seung, M.D., Ph.D.

“I like to say that God heals, and I just collect the bills. On a more serious side, I want the best outcome for my patients and will treat each one with respect and care as if they were related to me.”

Training: Dr. Seung earned his Ph.D. and a medical degree from the University of Chicago. He completed his residency in radiation oncology at the University of California - San Francisco, where he also received his Gamma Knife training. Board certified in radiation oncology, Dr. Seung practices with The Oregon Clinic and is co-director of the Gamma Knife Center of Oregon. He has also published a number of articles on Gamma Knife radiosurgery, esophageal cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer.

Areas of Expertise: Gamma Knife radiosurgery, IMRT, lung cancer, GI cancer, prostate cancer.

Matthew Solhjem, M.D.

“At Providence, we are working at the forefront of radiation oncology technology to provide effective radiation therapies that can work alone and in concert with other treatments to fight cancer.”

Training: A member of The Oregon Clinic, Dr. Solhjem trained at the University of Minnesota Medical School and the Mayo Clinic before joining the team at Providence in 2005. He has published articles in leading scientific journals on topics including the efficacy of prostate brachytherapy.

Areas of Expertise: Prostate, head and neck, IMRT; gynecologic, sarcoma, and biliary HDR; permanent prostate brachytherapy; Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Duane Ilg, BSRT, RT (T)

"At Providence, we pride ourselves in making the most advanced radiation therapy and the highest level of professional expertise accessible to all of our patients, including the poor and vulnerable."

Duane Ilg has treated cancer patients at Providence for over 15 years and has led the radiation therapy team at Providence Portland Medical Center since 2001. In addition to his commitment to direct patient care, he has been active in quality assurance monitoring in Radiation Oncology and in community outreach.

Kevin Davies, RT (T)
Lead Radiation Therapist

“We all bring different talents to our department and meld them together to treat each patient with care.”

Kevin Davies entered the field of radiation oncology in 1983 and worked for ten years in California before joining Providence. He was awarded the Providence Mission Medal in 2004 for exemplifying the Providence Mission and Core Values of compassion, justice, excellence, stewardship, and respect for the dignity of all persons.

Barbara Ogilvie, RT (T)

“I’m part of the team that will take care of you.”

Barb Ogilvie has been a radiation therapist in the Portland area since 1974. She has been with the Providence system for close to four years, treating patients with many different kinds of cancer.

Diane Gariety, R.N.

“I love working for Providence because we look at our patients as family and try to address all of their needs, from the spiritual to the physical.”

Diane Gariety began working in oncology in 1978. After working for a few years, she left oncology to spend 20 years in critical care nursing. Five years ago, she was ready to slow the pace down a bit and remembered how much she had loved oncology nursing. She says the last several years in radiation oncology have been, by far, the most rewarding experience of her nursing career.

Dawn Brucker, M.S.W.
Radiation Oncology Patient Advocate

“As an oncology social worker, my overall goal is to enhance quality of life for the patients and families we serve. When I witness the strengths of those we serve, I am truly humbled.”

A licensed clinical social worker with oncology social work certification, Dawn Brucker has devoted her career to addressing the psychosocial needs of patients and their families throughout their cancer journey. In 2004, the National Brain Tumor Foundation honored her with the Neuro-Oncology Social Worker of the Year Award.