Bio

Vanessa Monique Yanez, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist specializing in cancer rehabilitation. As a cancer survivor, she brings both professional expertise and personal insight to her work, shaping her approach to patient care and the development of meaningful, evidence-based programs for those navigating life during and after cancer treatment.

Dr. Yanez’s career spans a wide range of oncology rehabilitation settings, including acute care, acute rehab, outpatient, home health, and telehealth, providing her with a comprehensive understanding of the challenges survivors face. She previously co-owned and directed a private practice with specialized oncology programming and served as contributing faculty at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, where she shared her expertise in psychosocial care. Committed to health equity, she dedicated her practice to serving underserved communities, ensuring broader access to quality cancer rehabilitation services. Throughout her career, she has also mentored hundreds of students through their clinical rotations, shaping the next generation of occupational therapists. In her current clinical role at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, she continues to advance occupational therapy in oncology through specialized programming, grant-funded research, and mentorship of students and clinicians. Her research and clinical interests include occupation-based practice, geriatric oncology, adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, hematological malignancies, hematopoietic cell transplants (HCTs), sexuality/body image, mental health, and health management.

Deeply committed to bridging research and practice, Dr. Yanez actively contributes to the field through continuing education classes, university lectures, publications, and presentations at state, national, and international conferences. She is passionate about making cancer rehabilitation more accessible and widely understood, knowing that meaningful recovery goes beyond survival, it’s about reclaiming life.