Danielle Siegel, LCSW

Responsibilities

As a clinical social worker at Simms/Mann, I provide psychosocial support to patients and families addressing the challenges of a cancer diagnosis. This includes providing individual counseling, assistance with navigating the healthcare system, psycho-education and referrals to community-based programs. My aim is to create a supportive and empathic environment that validates the uniqueness of their journey and empowers their individual strength.

Training

I graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Social Welfare and Gender & Women’s Studies. Following my graduation, I started a fellowship called, AVODAH, the Jewish Service Corps. During this experience, I organized with tenants living in foreclosed buildings following the 2008 financial crisis. Before starting my graduate studies, l worked as a case manager for Hudson Guild, a community-based organization serving the Manhattan neighborhood of Chelsea. In this role, I worked with formerly unhoused seniors in a permanent housing setting. I realized that housing is an intersectional issue, giving me an opportunity to learn about many issues areas, including healthcare, immigration, incarceration and substance-use.

I then earned my Masters in Social Work degree with a concentration in Clinical Work with Individuals, Families and Groups from CUNY Hunter College. In my graduate training, I interned for Mount Sinai’s Chelsea Medical Center, an outpatient oncology clinic serving patients and family with breast and gynecological cancers. This experience illuminated my commitment to patients and families addressing the unique challenges of a cancer diagnosis, as well as my own passion for gender and healthcare.

Professional Work

After graduating with my MSW, I worked at MJHS’ Hospice & Palliative Care program in lower Manhattan. I had the opportunity to support patients and their families moving towards end-of-life in both inpatient and home-based settings. Through this experience, I developed a strong commitment to centering patient autonomy, defining legacy through storytelling and navigating complex systems. It was a true honor to bear witness to patient’s end-of-life process. I am thrilled to now be working for UCLA’s Simms/Mann Center!

Programs

GI Cancer Supportive Service Program
Liturgical Library: spiritual readings/ offerings for patients in the hospital during the height of COVID

Personal

Since returning to Los Angeles, I have enjoyed taking long drives along the Pacific Coast Highway, hiking in Griffith Park, participating in art projects, spending time with my family and friends, and exploring neighborhoods on foot. I am deeply committed to social justice and historical narratives— these values serve as the foundation for my practice as a clinician.