Zarek Mena, OPN-CG, has extensive experience in the field of patient navigation. She was instrumental in the creation, program implementation and accreditation of the breast center at Norwalk Hospital Nuvance Health, including its numerous support programs. She is now the Financial Patient Navigator at SHARE | Support for Women’s Cancers (sharecancersupport.org), a national organization that offers free online and in-person programs, helplines and support groups for women and families affected by women’s cancers.

She is on the Leadership Committee of The Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators (AONN+). Zarek facilitates AONN+ Connecticut Patient Navigation Network (CTPNN), and the Oncology Patient Navigator-Virtual Network (OPN-VN). She contributes to LNN Development and Conference Planning. Zarek values the importance of mentorship and networking to propel the field of patient navigation forward. She has led local and national speaking engagements bringing her shared life and career experience to improve programs and address health equity for the cancer community.  Zarek’s passion in serving the under-represented and historically excluded communities has led to addressing various needs such as food insecurity, cold capping, grant funding, screening and prevention, integrative medicine, as well as financial toxicity. Her experience as a stage 4 colon cancer survivor, caregiver and knowledgeable professional provides much-needed first hand representation in the field of patient navigation.