Tonya Linthacum 2014 World Cancer Congress

Tonya Linthacum

Tonya Linthacum is the Director of Health and Wellness Services at SSM Audrain Medical Center’s J.B. and Greeta B. Arthur Cancer Center in Mexico, Mo. During her time as Director, she has worked to grow men’s health programs, initiated smoking cessation classes, and grow a successful massage therapy program. Tonya initiated a grant writing program, successfully obtaining grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure the Mid Missouri Affiliate, C-Change Together and Missouri Foundation for Health. In her role she oversees the day to day operations, as well as administrative duties including budget and staffing, of the Cancer Screening Program, the Massage Therapy Program, community outreach and scientific research efforts. Tonya has been active in social media advertising and has been on the radio and television marketing cancer prevention programs. She chairs the Mid Missouri Regional Cancer Conference annually and has worked with teams on several large fundraising events for the J.B. and Greeta B. Arthur Cancer Center at Audrain Medical Center. She has traveled state-wide, nationally and internationally presenting the Cancer Screening Program at Audrain Medical Center. Tonya is the immediate past Chair of the Missouri Cancer Consortium and for the past 10 years has worked and networked with leading cancer organization from all over the State. She also is employed at the Audrain City-County Health Department providing family planning services once a month. Prior to joining Audrain Medical Center in 2001, Tonya was a clinical nursing instructor for the LPN-RN bridge program at Columbia Public Schools Strawn Program as well as working as a medical surgical nurse at University Hospitals and Clinics- Columbia working primarily with vascular, general, and cardio-thoracic surgery patients. Tonya began her nursing career in 1993 with her Associate Degree in Nursing from Moberly Area Community College. She continued her education and received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from University of Missouri-Columbia in 1997 and her Masters of Science in Nursing from University of Missouri- Columbia in 1999. Tonya is married and has two boys. In her free time she enjoys camping, hiking, riding dirt bikes and spending time with her family.