Sage Bolte, PhD, LCSW, CST, FAOSW

Chief Philanthropy Officer and President, Inova Health Foundation

Acting President, Behavioral Health Service Line

Inova Health System                                                                      

Dr. Sage Bolte received her bachelor’s degree in both psychology and social work at Hope College, in Holland, MI, and later continued her studies at the University of Michigan, where she received her master’s degree in social work. She received the American Cancer Society’s Doctoral Training Grant in 2008 and obtained her PhD in social work from The National School of Social Services at the Catholic University of America in 2010. She was recently named a Fellow of Oncology Social Work by the Association of Oncology Social Workers.

Dr. Bolte also has her certificate in sexual health from the University of Michigan. She is an accredited certified sex therapist, known nationally for her work in sexual health and cancer, and respected as a leader in the field of oncology social work.

Sage served at Inova’s Life with Cancer program as an oncology counselor, Program Coordinator and Executive Director of Life with Cancer and Patient Experience at the Inova Schar Cancer for over 15 years. In addition to building the metastatic breast cancer support program, Dr. Bolte helped grow the young adult support program at Inova and the annual young adult survivorship conference.

For the last five years, in addition to national teaching on sexual health, Dr. Bolte has served as Chief Philanthropy Officer and President, Inova Health Foundation. As Chief Philanthropy Officer, she works closely with the Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, and donors to achieve Inova’s goals, institutionalize best practices, and establish a culture of philanthropy across the entire organization. She also oversees development strategies, including major and planned gifts, events, and foundation and corporate giving.  She is responsible for raising more than 40 million dollars annually to support Inova’s philanthropic priorities.  As Acting President, Behavioral Health Service Line she has the responsibility, along with the triad, of overseeing the strategic vision and execution of whole person care provided through behavioral health inpatient and ambulatory based behavioral health care. Inova Behavioral Health Services offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient behavioral healthcare at locations across Northern Virginia with an approach that enables people to receive the right level of help for them, at any point of need. Dr. Bolte works in partnership to help create a culture of collaboration with the more than 800 dedicated team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, therapists, social workers and other behavioral health professionals focused on supporting the total well-being – mind and body – of each person we serve.

Dr. Bolte has written or contributed to several peer-reviewed articles and books, including three chapters in the Oxford textbook The Handbook for Oncology Social Work and a chapter in the 2024 Handbook for Oncology Nursing by the Oncology Nursing Society.