The ASRT is seeking qualified members interested in volunteer positions on the Research and Grants Advisory Panel.

The duties, qualifications and time commitment required for these openings are available through the link below:

Please contact ASRT Volunteer Services at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

To see all current positions available, visit the Open Volunteer Opportunities page.

Members of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists have elected four officers to serve on the 2026-2027 ASRT Board of Directors.

Meet Your Elected Candidates

TJ Gardner,
B.Arch., B.S., R.T.(T)

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists named TJ Gardner, B.Arch., B.S., R.T.(T), of Gilbert, Arizona, as the 2025 Student to Leadership Development Program Alumni of the Year.

Selected in 2023 to participate in the SLDP three-year program, Gardner served as a licensed architect for 25 years involved in the design, planning and renovation of medical facilities such as hospitals and clinics. In 2020, he made a career transition to study radiation therapy. He graduated from the MD Anderson School of Health Professions in Houston, earning membership in the Lambda Nu and Alpha Eta honor societies.

As a radiation therapist at Ironwood Cancer and Research Center in Chandler, Arizona, he focuses on connecting with patients and leans on the knowledge that physical and psychological environments influence treatment quality, safety and staff well-being.

Gardner is an active volunteer nationally and locally. He served as a member for the Sergeant-at-Arms Committee for the 2024 ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting and a 2025 ASRT Committee on Bylaws member. He was one of 50 recipients to receive the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists Education and Professional Growth Grant, administered by the ASRT Foundation in 2024. He is currently a professional mentor for two SLDP participants.

For the Arizona Society of Radiologic Technologists, Gardner is a member-at-large and serves on its advocacy committee. As chair of AZSRT Committee on Bylaws, he led the effort to bring its bylaws current with national standards and remains committed to working on its revitalization.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists selected the radiation therapy team at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute in Columbus, and Mount Sinai Health System, Department of Radiation Oncology in New York, as the recipients of the 2026 BeRAD Professionalism Award.

The award recognizes health campuses, imaging centers, hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities in which medical imaging and radiation therapy personnel demonstrate a culture of professionalism. The two institutions demonstrated their efforts to support medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals by offering a team approach to patient-centered care, opportunities to earn credentials, continuing education, advanced degrees and opportunities to be active in professional associations as well as local community outreach events. In addition, they detailed processes or programs that deliver equitable and accessible patient care, continuous quality improvements and safe patient care.

The radiation therapists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute reshaped patient care through their Computed Tomography Simulation Cancellation Reduction Project. By building enhanced workflows and implementing advanced practice provider-led telehealth readiness visits, they decreased monthly patient appointment cancellations from 31% to 5%. In addition to significant hospital savings, this benefitted patients by decreasing repeat visits and providing quicker access to care thereby lowering patients’ stress levels, alongside significant hospital savings.

The Mount Sinai Health System, Department of Radiation Oncology is fostering a culture of communication and collaboration to provide patient-centered care across its institutions. Mount Sinai’s Radiation Oncology team earned the recognition for its comprehensive and collaborative approach, which includes a strong culture of teamwork across physicians, radiation therapists, physicists, nurses, and support staff, as well as ongoing professional development and a deep commitment to patient-centered care. In addition to delivering advanced cancer care, the program supports a radiation therapy and medical dosimetry education program, as well as an internal magnetic resonance education certificate.

“The BeRAD Professionalism program drives the mission and enhances the vision of ASRT. As a brand, the award is purposed to bring all modalities together as one service line team and to undeniably impress upon our patients, institutions and communities the value we create. These two health care institutions have shown a level of professionalism honoring the standard we aim to represent,” said ASRT President Brandon A. Smith, M.B.A ., M.S.R.S., R.T.(R)(VI), CIIP.

The winning organizations will receive a customized award to commemorate their achievement, a one-year Group ASRT membership for up to 25 employees and recognition at the 2026 ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Honors Evening in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in June.

Applications for the 2027 BeRAD Professionalism Award will open July 2026.

The ASRT has announced the recipients of its distinguished author awards, recognizing the best peer-reviewed articles published in ASRT’s scientific journals in 2025. Presented annually, the awards are chosen by members of each journal’s respective Editorial Review Board after a comprehensive review of all scholarly articles published in the journals during the previous calendar year.

The Radiologic Technology Distinguished Author Award in Honor of Jean I. Widger goes to Kevin R. Clark, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(QM), FASRT, FAEIRS. His article, “Comparative Analysis of LLMs’ Performance on a Practice Radiography Certification Exam,” was published in the May/June 2025 issue of Radiologic Technology.

Dr. Clark is an associate professor and the associate director for the School of Health Professions at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He also is founder and chief executive officer of CW Elite, LLC, a professional editing and consulting company. He currently serves as president for the Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences and the Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists.

The goal of this study was to compare the performance of multiple large language models on a practice radiography certification exam. Findings from this study provide valuable insights into the performance of multiple LLMs in answering practice radiography certification exam questions. The study concluded that among the five LLMs compared in this study, ChatGPT (OpenAI) was the most accurate model. As interest in generative artificial intelligence continues to increase and new language applications become readily available, users should understand the limitations of LLMs and check responses for accuracy.

This year the Radiation Therapist Distinguished Author Award in Honor of Harold Silverman goes to Danielle McDonagh, D.H.Sc., R.T.(T); Clodagh Starrs, M.Sc., PgC; Samantha Skubish, M.S., R.T.(R)(T); Kavita Dharmarajan, M.D.; Hulya Kocyigit, Ph.D.; Márcio A. Diniz, Ph.D.; and Maria Dimopoulos, Ph.D., R.T.(T), for their article, “Effect of APRT Intervention on Inpatient Radiation Therapy Throughput,” which was published in the spring 2025 issue of Radiation Therapist.

McDonagh is the program director for radiation therapy education at the Mount Sinai Center for Radiation Sciences Education at Stony Brook University in New York. Starrs is a therapeutic radiographer and advanced practice radiation therapist for radiation oncology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. Skubish is the chief technical director of radiation oncology at Mount Sinai Health System in New York. Dr. Dharmarajan is the associate professor of radiation oncology, geriatrics and palliative medicine, at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. Dr. Kocyigit is a biostatistician for the Department of Population Health Science and Policy, Institute for Health Care Delivery Science, Tisch Cancer Institute Biostatistics Shared Resource Facility at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Diniz works for the Department of Population Health Science and Policy; is an associate professor for the Institute for Health Care Delivery Science; and is codirector for the Tisch Cancer Institute Biostatistics Shared Resource Facility at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Dimopoulos is an assistant professor for Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of an advanced practice radiation therapist intervention on throughput challenges in a large academic radiation oncology department by analyzing and comparing inpatient throughput metrics before and after implementation. The study found that APRT intervention enhanced patient care processes and outcomes by reducing delays and improving treatment efficiency. Thus, incorporating APRT roles can address critical care delivery challenges in modern radiation oncology practice, especially for complex patient populations.

The Widger award is named after longtime Radiologic Technology editor Jean I. Widger. The Silverman award is named in honor of radiation therapist Harold Silverman, an advocate for accreditation of radiation therapy education programs.

The ASRT will honor the recipients at the Honors Evening on June 26 at the 2026 ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting.

The 2026 vacancy rate for radiation therapists decreased to 11.4% and the vacancy rate for medical dosimetrists decreased to 6.8%, according to the biennial ASRT Radiation Therapy Workplace and Staffing Survey. This is compared to a 13.6% vacancy rate for radiation therapists and 9.6% for medical dosimetrists reported in the 2024 staffing survey.

Vacancy rates represent the number of unfilled positions that are actively being recruited. The changes in vacancy rates in medical imaging and radiation therapy captured in ASRT’s staffing surveys have served as a catalyst for the Society to work with peer organizations to develop strategies to address the current workforce shortage. In addition, the survey results provide employers with data so they can make informed decisions.

"ASRT is leading action to address workforce shortages through work groups from the Consensus Committee on the Future of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy, the Be Seen public awareness campaign and the Planting Seeds outreach initiative, which encourages students to enter the professional pipeline," said Melissa Culp, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(MR), ASRT executive vice president of member engagement.

The survey also tracks longitudinal changes in staffing levels in radiation therapy and medical dosimetry. According to survey results, the average number of full-time equivalent radiation therapist positions budgeted at each facility decreased slightly from 8.3 in 2024 to 8.1. The number of FTE dosimetrist positions budgeted per facility increased slightly from 2.7 in 2024 to 2.8 in 2026.

Overall, the average number of FTE therapists budgeted per facility increased from 6.0 in 2004 to 8.1 in 2026, an increase of 2.1 over the 22-year period. The number of FTE dosimetrists budgeted per facility increased from 1.6 in 2004 to 2.8 in 2026, an increase of 1.2 throughout the same period.

ASRT emailed the biennial survey in February 2026 to 23,145 radiation therapists and medical dosimetrists. At the close of the survey in March 2026, 560 respondents had completed the questionnaire, for a response rate of 2.4%. At its widest, a sample size of 560 yields a margin of error of ± 4.1% for overall percentages at the 95% confidence level.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists will award Life Member status to three longstanding members during the ASRT Annual Governance and House of Delegates Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 26.

The Society’s newest Life Members are Donna Newman, B.A., R.T.(R), CNMT, NCT, PET, FASRT, Marilyn Sackett, M.Ed., R.T.(R), FASRT, and Joseph Whitton, M.S., R.T.(R)(CT)(MR), FASRT.

Life Member Award

Established in 1938, Life Members are active ASRT members who have maintained continuous membership for at least 30 years and have participated in a wide range of activities that demonstrate sustained superior performance in support of the ASRT and the radiologic science profession. Candidates who receive the honor are selected by at least a three-quarters vote of the ASRT Board of Directors.

Life Members

Donna Newman,
B.A., R.T.(R), CNMT, NCT, PET, FASRT

Donna Newman, B.A., R.T.(R), CNMT, NCT, PET, FASRT, of Fargo, North Dakota, became an ASRT member in 1995 and was bestowed the honor of Fellow in 2013. Throughout her 31 years as a member, she has held key leadership roles including serving on the ASRT Board of Directors as president in 2002 and chair of the Board in 2003.

Newman became the 15th president of the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists from 2018-2022 — only the second person from the United States to hold that position and while navigating the challenges presented to the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, she maintained ISRRT visibility and influence by ensuring radiographers’ voices were represented in global stakeholder meetings and international conferences. She provided expert input on infection prevention, workflow adaptation and safety in nuclear medicine services. Newman also worked to enhance the body of knowledge for medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals as a co-author of numerous publications including the COVID-19 ISRRT Response Document that informed the World Health Authority and the International Atomic Energy Authority of safety guidance and two forthcoming chapters on radiological protection in positron emission tomography for the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

In Newman’s home state, she served as the president of the North Dakota Society of Radiologic Technologists in 1995. One of her priorities was to achieve state licensure for technologists. Her and her colleagues' efforts were realized in 2015 when licensing standards were passed in North Dakota — nearly 20 years after their initial efforts began. She also helped to establish the State Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Examiners and served on its inaugural board.

Currently, Newman supervises the nuclear medicine department at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota, where she has been employed for 36 years. She first began as an x-ray technologist, then joined the nuclear medicine department as lead before transitioning to her current supervisor role.

Marilyn Sackett,
M.Ed., R.T.(R), FASRT

Marilyn Sackett, M.Ed., R.T.(R), FASRT, of Missouri City, Texas, has spent more than six decades advancing the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession. She became a registered technologist in 1964, joined ASRT in 1965 and was elevated to ASRT Fellow in 1988. She is the namesake of the ASRT Foundation’s Marilyn Sackett Leadership Scholarship and co-founder of the ASRT Emerging Research Scholarship, both designed to strengthen the profession through leadership development and evidence-based practice.

Sackett’s service includes chairing the ASRT Curriculum Task Force, contributing to the Education Committee and supporting the ASRT Foundation as a mentor, donor and advocate. In Texas, she served as president of the Texas Society of Radiologic Technologists in 1978 and chair in 1980, earning TXSRT Life Membership in 1986 and induction into the Edna Elliott Hall of Fame in 2023.

A central figure in establishing Texas licensure, Sackett chaired the Texas Medical Radiologic Technologist Advisory Board, from 1987-1990, and proudly holds Radiographer License No. 1. She continues to serve as a consultant to the Texas Medical Board.

In 1988, Sackett founded the Advanced Health Education Center, which has become a leading provider of continuing education in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. She later founded MEDRelief Staffing and established the AHEC Foundation, which sponsors the annual Growing Radiologic Opportunities for Women Mammography Scholarships to support technologists pursuing advanced breast imaging education.

Sackett’s legacy is reflected in the thousands of technologists, educators and leaders she has inspired through her innovation, generosity and unwavering commitment to the profession.

Joseph Whitton,
M.S., R.T.(R)(CT)(MR), FASRT

Joseph Whitton, M.S., R.T.(R)(CT)(MR), FASRT, of Mount Sinai, New York, has been an ASRT member for 34 years and throughout that time held leadership roles on the ASRT Board as secretary in 2023, speaker of the House in 2019 and 2020 as well as vice speaker in 2017 and 2018. He also has served as a delegate for the Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance chapters. His work on the Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence in Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy bill to promote national legislation for minimum education standards for radiologic technologists led to it being introduced and sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1999. As chair for the Practice Standards Council Magnetic Resonance Subcommittee, then as chair of the PSC from 2011-2012 he led the effort to restructure its processes. He was chair of the ASRT Commission and the Committee on Bylaws and was elevated to ASRT Fellow in 2019.

Whitton has been a continuous member of the New York State Society of Radiologic Sciences for 35 years and was a board member for 16 years. He became president in 2002 and vice president in 2015 and was elevated to life member in 2021. Today, he remains active as a member of the Association of Educators in Imaging and Radiologic Sciences, Association of Educators in Radiologic Technology of the State of New York and the International Society of Radiographers and Radiological Technologists. Although recently retired as program director for Stony Brook University in New York, where he worked for 20 years, he continues to perform duties as a clinical assistant professor, adjunct professor and guest lecturer for the School of Health Professions.