Sorena Nadaf-Rahrov, MS, MMI, PhDc
President & CEO, Cancer Center Informatics Society
Sorena Nadaf-Rahrov is a nationally recognized healthcare executive, cancer informatics pioneer, and translational scientist dedicated to building the data, technology, and collaborative infrastructure required to transform cancer care. Across more than three decades, he has led enterprise initiatives in precision oncology, clinical research, artificial intelligence, data science, biomedical informatics, and digital health at several of the nation’s leading academic cancer centers and healthcare organizations.
Since co-founding the Cancer Center Informatics Society (Ci4CC) in 2012, Sorena has continued to serve on a volunteer basis as its President and Chief Executive Officer. He leads the Society’s National Cancer Center Initiatives Program, which convenes NCI-Designated Cancer Centers, community oncology organizations, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare technology leaders. Under his leadership, Ci4CC has evolved from a professional community serving primarily academic cancer centers into a national oncology information and collaboration network.
Sorena’s current work focuses on advancing AI-enabled cancer care, modernizing clinical research, expanding access to precision oncology, and creating interoperable data ecosystems that connect scientific discovery with care delivery. His leadership approach combines scientific and clinical insight with enterprise strategy, coalition building, and the practical implementation of technology at scale.
As Senior Vice President and Chief Informatics and Data Officer at City of Hope, Sorena founded the Center for Informatics and directed the organization’s clinical and research informatics, data science, digital health, and enterprise data strategy. He co-led the launch of the Center for Precision Medicine and shaped the strategy and architecture for its precision oncology digital platforms, including an interoperable oncology data and ontology platform that remains in production. Sorena also contributed to City of Hope’s acquisition of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and developed enterprise roadmaps for digital pathology, PACS, cancer registry, and clinical trial management. He also helped guide City of Hope’s transition to the Epic electronic health record—his second major Epic deployment, building on his previous implementation at UCSF.
Before joining City of Hope, Sorena spent nearly a decade at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), where he served as Associate Director and inaugural Chief Informatics Officer of the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. During UCSF’s transition to Epic, he helped align the cancer center’s clinical, research, data, and informatics requirements with the broader enterprise implementation. He also founded the Translational Informatics Program and core facility, integrated clinical and research data systems, and helped establish the UCSF Institute for Computational Health Sciences.
After completing his early studies at the University of Texas, Sorena began his biomedical research training at Vanderbilt University. He remained at Vanderbilt for more than 12 years, ultimately serving as the inaugural Chief Information Officer and Director of Clinical and Biomedical Informatics for the Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center. During this period, he contributed as a bench scientist and supported the development of the Thoracic Oncology Program. These formative experiences established the scientific, clinical, technical, and operational foundation for his subsequent work connecting molecular discovery, clinical research, real-world evidence, and technology-enabled cancer care.
Sorena remains actively engaged in shaping national healthcare strategy through service on external advisory boards for NCI-Designated Cancer Centers and community oncology organizations, scientific review committees, and cross-sector initiatives. He serves on the editorial boards of several healthcare-focused journals and was recognized among the Top 50 Healthcare IT Influencers in 2007, 2015, and 2017. Throughout his career, Sorena has operated at the intersection of science, patient care, translational research, and technology. His enduring mission is to unite cancer centers, clinicians, researchers, patients, and industry partners around a shared national infrastructure that accelerates discovery, strengthens clinical decision-making, expands access to innovation, and delivers more precise, connected, and patient-centered cancer care.
