About Us

Catherine Nwileh-Ibeagha is a licensed clinical social worker and currently serves as a social work care manager at the Rush MD Anderson cancer center in Chicago. Catherine has over seventeen years’ experience working with the oncology patient population. Catherine helps support oncology patients in eliminating barriers to their care. 

Catherine obtained her Master of Social Work degree in 2007 from the Jane Addams college of Social Work, university of Illinois at Chicago, and has worked exclusively in healthcare for most of her social work career. Catherine is passionate about health equity and addressing barriers for marginalized cancer patients. She recently completed her doctorate in social work degree in May of 2024 with her capstone project entitled “A Training Program on Addressing Systemic Barriers and Unmet Needs in Marginalized Cancer Patients” a 30 hour training for emerging and seasoned oncology social workers, patient navigators, nurses and other members of the oncology healthcare interdisciplinary team. 

Over the course of her career, Catherine has assisted thousands of oncology patients and their families in eliminating barriers to their care. From 2007 to 2017, as an employee of the American Cancer Society, Catherine served ten years as the Lead clinical patient navigator at the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County. In this role, she led and expanded the patient navigation program to address the needs of the most marginalized cancer patients. Catherine has been involved in various aspects of the oncology social work program at Rush MD Anderson. She has been instrumental in program implementation with the oncology care model and psychosocial oncology service delivery.