Kristi Tonning, Ph.D., is the Director of the Radiation Therapy Program and associate professor. She joined the OHSU faculty in July 2015 after working for over 12 years in Stavanger, Norway, as a radiation therapist, dosimetrist and department manager at Stavanger University Hospital. Also in Norway, Dr. Tonning earned her Master of Science in Change Management from University of Stavanger. At OHSU, Dr. Tonning serves as a member of the OHSU Interprofessional Education Steering Committee.

Dr. Tonning’s interest in patient education and virtual reality is the basis of her current and ongoing research. Notably, in 2016 Dr. Tonning oversaw the installation and curricular implementation of the Virtual Environment for Radiation Therapy Training (VERT) for student education at OHSU. She later led the development and implementation of a patient education project, bringing virtual reality patient education to the Tuality/OHSU Cancer Center. Tuality/OHSU was the first in the nation to offer a 3-D virtual simulation patient education session, prior to treatment with radiation therapy.