Melanie Carithers, RN, OCN, CMS, is the Manager of the Early Detection Department at UT Southwestern/Moncrief Cancer Institute (UTSW/MCI).

Shortly after joining Moncrief in 2007, Melanie was tasked with designing a grant-funded breast cancer screening program for the uninsured, under-insured and under-served population in Tarrant and surrounding counties. Applying her 24 years of nursing experience, including 19 in oncology, she created what is now considered a best-practice business model for cancer screening and patient navigation utilizing third-party funding. Using this model, MCI has successfully implemented breast, cervical, colon and lung cancer screening programs that serve over 35 urban and rural counties in north Texas.

In her current role, Melanie administers the ongoing program development, community clinic partnerships and operations management of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening and Patient Navigation program.  Since 2010, this program has received over $17 million in funding through local, state and federal sources including Susan G. Komen Greater Fort Worth, North Texas and East Central chapters, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS) program through Texas Health and Human Services, as well as the Centers for Disease Control. 

Melanie became a Registered Nurse in 1995, and earned her oncology certification in 2008.  She has worked in orthopedics, medical surgical, clinical oncology, radiation oncology and clinical program development and management.