Family Centered Care: Supporting Children Impacted by a Parent’s Cancer Diagnosis  - LIGHTNING PASS 2025

Katherine Parker is a licensed creative arts therapist and credentialed supervisor within the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department at Mount Sinai Hospital. As the Family Care Coordinator, Katherine provides developmentally appropriate language and resources to support adult oncology patients in discussing their diagnosis and treatment with children in their families. She also facilitates ongoing art therapy sessions to help children and teens process the impact of cancer, express their emotions, and develop sustainable coping skills. She is trained in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and specializes in child development, medical psychoeducation, and traumatic grief. Within the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Katherine is a member of the Clinical Sphere, part of the Racism and Bias Initiative Guiding Coalition, where she collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to create programs and projects that help bridge the gap between DEI academic learning and clinical application. Katherine also works part time as an adjunct professor in the graduate Art Therapy program at New York University, teaching a course titled "Medical Art Therapy" and facilitating a group supervision course.
Katherine has lived in New York City for ten years, previously living in a variety of places including overseas in South Korea and Germany. To maintain a balanced wellness routine, she likes to travel, tap dance, and learn new pâtisserie skills. Her favorite artist is Faith Ringgold because of Faith’s unique style, bold activism, and creative storytelling.

Morgan Stojanowski, MS, CCLS is the Director of the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department at Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital. Morgan joined the Department in 2012, serving as the primary child life specialist in the outpatient pediatric oncology/hematology clinic. After serving in this role for several years, Morgan advanced to a Senior Child Life Specialist position. In 2018, she was promoted to Assistant Director, where she worked closely with leadership to develop and operationalize child life programming, deepen patient and family engagement within the pediatric hospital and support staff through supervision and reflective practice. In addition to supporting day-to-day programming, Morgan played a crucial role in the launch of the Paws & Play program, the establishment of child life programming in the NICU, the development of the Youth Advisory Council, and the implementation of child life and creative arts therapy services in the adult setting. Before joining the team at Mount Sinai, Morgan received her Master’s Degree in Child Life from Bank Street College of Education and worked as a Certified Child Life Specialist at Blythedale Children’s Hospital.