Johanna Schutte, LCSW, OSW-C received her MSW-degree from Tulane University and her Honors’ Degree in Medical Social Work from the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. She has worked as a medical social worker in hospitals in South Africa as well as at the Hospice of Morris County in New Jersey. Over the past 22 years, she has provided psychosocial care for cancer patients and their families at the Ochsner Cancer Institute during diagnosis and treatment as well as during aftercare as survivors. Her work includes identification and development of resources, counseling to assist in coping with cancer and its psychosocial effects, patient advocacy, grief counseling, and parental guidance regarding children’s grief and coping.

She has conducted several research studies and has presented at a number of national conferences. Her research has focused on identifying the psychosocial needs of cancer patients and survivors and developing programs to address these needs. She pioneered and co-founded a national certification program for oncology social workers and serves on the Board of Oncology Social Work Certification. She has been the state representative for the Association of Oncology Social Work for several years and serves on the Patient Services Committee of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of New Orleans.