Since 1986, NCCS has been a trusted source in the cancer community and a leading voice in the field of cancer survivorship. For more than 20 years, NCCS has hosted twice yearly Cancer Policy Roundtable (CPR) meetings, convening diverse stakeholders to discuss pressing cancer policy issues.
NCCS convened another successful Cancer Policy Roundtable on Thursday, March 28, 2024, hosting a compelling series of panels and guest speakers, discussing the critical issues in quality cancer survivorship care.
Co-Founder
The Pink Eraser Project
Keynote speaker Kristen Dahlgren, Co-Founder of The Pink Eraser Project shared insight on the promise of vaccines for breast cancer. Formerly a network correspondent with NBC, Dahlgren left her “dream job” after her personal cancer experience to co-found the nonprofit. The Pink Eraser Project is laser-focused on developing vaccines for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer, and eventually for all cancers. When asked “Why does a reporter quit her job to start a breast cancer non-profit?”, Dahlgren says “I believe we can make a difference. Why me? Why not me! Many of our worlds were turned upside down by cancer, but that does not mean we can’t change the world!”
Kristen Dahlgren – Award-Winning Journalist and Co-Founder of The Pink Eraser Project
Kristen Dahlgren
Award-Winning Journalist
Co-Founder, The Pink Eraser Project
Kristen Dahlgren is an award-winning journalist turned breast cancer advocate. For the first 30 years of her career, Kristen traveled the world, documenting some of the biggest news stories of our time. She reported for NBC Nightly News and NBC’s Today show, was nominated for an Emmy award for leading the network’s coverage of the Parkland School shooting, served as a backup anchor for Lester Holt, and won an Edward R. Murrow award for her feature reporting. In 2019, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and immediately decided to share her story to help other women to recognize the different ways their own cancers could present.
Her reporting on BIA-ALCL and the link to textured implants helped reframe the conversation patients were having with their doctors. Then, through her reporting on additional screening for women with dense breasts, she met Ohio lawyer and advocate Michele Young and learned about the research that was happening on Breast Cancer vaccines. After a conversation with UW Cancer Vaccine Institute’s Dr. Nora Disis and realized that vaccines for breast cancer were no longer a “Pie in the sky” idea but something that was close and achievable. She and Young teamed up to create Pink Erase Project with the nation’s top vaccine and cancer researchers with a goal of getting a safe, effective breast cancer vaccine to market in 5 to 10 years. PEP works to fund trials, streamline the process, remove barriers to success and ensure ALL breast cancer patients are represented in trials.
Lisa D. T. Rice, SM
Vice-Chair, Board of Directors
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Two-time breast cancer survivor and CPAT member Liza Fues, JD opened the 2024 Spring Cancer Policy Roundtable by sharing her perspective as a survivor and advocate. Diagnosed prior to the identification of BRCA gene mutations, Liza discussed how the revelation that she and her daughters carry the gene mutation impacted their lives. “From the time they were little, we started talking about it in an age appropriate way. Advocacy is woven into our daily lives. Research has led to the progress that allowed for my daughters to take prophylactic steps and become previvors.”
Liza Fues, JD – George Washington University Cancer Center, NCCS CPAT Member
Liza Fues, JD
Cancer Survivor
NCCS CPAT Member
Liza Fues is a 37-year, two-time breast cancer survivor. Her diagnosis at the age of 25 led to many volunteer advocacy roles over the years, from visiting newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, to fundraising for cancer control efforts, to communicating with elected officials to help shape policy decisions. Liza’s association with the NCCS began in the late 1980’s, when she distributed information about the organization at a professional meeting in Chicago. In 2015, she joined the CPAT team and loves the annual visit to Capitol Hill to advocate on behalf of cancer survivors.
Liza is a reformed lawyer and is a technical assistance coordinator at the George Washington University Cancer Center, where she works in comprehensive cancer control.
Lisa D. T. Rice, SM – Vice Chair, Board of Directors, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Lisa D. T. Rice, SM
Vice Chair, Board of Directors
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
Lisa D. T. Rice is an influential advocate for multiple causes—including quality cancer care, women’s health and empowerment, and palliative and hospice care. She is a political strategist and social media activist, driven by the principles of accountability, transparency, and ethical behavior.
Lisa first connected with Shelley and NCCS in 2015, the year after two dear friends died of metastatic cancer. Those tragic, premature deaths drove Lisa’s search for a meaningful policy role in the cancer advocacy community. Due to her mother’s advanced Alzheimer’s, Lisa was already responsible for all medical decisions when, in 2014, her mother received a cancer diagnosis – her second in 31 years.
A sought-after communications expert and recent cancer survivor, Lisa supports other survivors and advocates with one-on-one coaching, teaching them how to deliver succinct, compelling stories to policymakers about cancer’s personal impact. Lisa serves on the board of directors of Unite America (investing in the infrastructure of political reform) and is past president of the Newcomb Alumnae Association. A fourth-generation quilter, she is dedicated to preserving this art form and teaching the next generation of makers. Lisa holds a B.A. degree in American Studies from Newcomb College of Tulane University and an M.S. degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School. A native Washingtonian, Lisa lives in the District with her husband, Tom Thompson.
Panel Discussion
Kathleen Castro, MS, RN, AOCN
Nurse Consultant/Program Director, Healthcare Delivery Research Program
National Cancer Institute
Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA
Scientific Vice President, Health Services Research
American Cancer Society
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP (Moderator)
CEO, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
NCCS board member, Otis Brawley, MD kicked off the second session providing data about the rise in early onset cancer incidence and disparities in different demographic groups (age, race, education), followed by a panel of experts who discussed cancer in young adults and the implications for research, treatment, and survivorship care.
Survivor Andrea Hans, diagnosed with breast cancer at 28 points to financial hardship as a significant barrier to care for young adult cancer survivors. “I didn’t have insurance. My first thought when I was diagnosed was ‘I can’t afford this.’ I knew many women who chose to stop treatment because they couldn’t afford it.”
Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA, the Scientific Vice President of Health Services Research at American Cancer Society shared data on financial toxicity for young adults and policies that have improved financial toxicity, and Kathleen Castro, MS, RN, AOCN, from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) discussed research implications for long-term survivorship.
Otis Brawley, MD– Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Otis Brawley, MD
Bloomberg Distinguished Professor
Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health
NCCS Board Member
Otis W. Brawley, MD is a globally recognized expert in cancer prevention and control. He has worked to reduce over-screening of medical conditions, which has revolutionized patient treatment by increasing quality of life and reducing health disparities.
Dr. Brawley’s research focuses on developing cancer screening strategies and ensuring their effectiveness. He has championed efforts to decrease smoking and implement other lifestyle risk reduction programs, as well as to provide critical support to cancer patients and concentrate cancer control efforts in areas where they could be most effective. Dr. Brawley currently leads a broad interdisciplinary research effort on cancer health disparities at the Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, striving to close racial, economic, and social disparities in the prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer in the United States and worldwide. He also directs community outreach programs for underserved populations throughout Maryland.
Dr. Brawley joined Johns Hopkins University as a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor in 2019 from the American Cancer Society and Emory University. Dr. Brawley is a board member of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.
Kathleen Castro, MS, RN, AOCN– National Cancer Institute
Kathleen Castro, MS, RN, AOCN
Nurse Consultant/Program Director, Healthcare Delivery Research Program
National Cancer Institute
Kathleen Castro, RN, MS, AOCN® is a Nurse Consultant in the Office of the Associate Director of the Healthcare Delivery Research Program. Ms. Castro serves as the Operations Lead for cancer care delivery research responsible for the planning, execution and evaluation of all activities related to program management in the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). She is a Program Officer for grantees in the NCORP, a consortium of seven Research Bases and 46 community oncology practices, hospitals, and integrated health systems supporting NCI’s clinical trials. Her research interests include care delivery system management of patients receiving oral anticancer agents and multi-level interventions in community-based cancer programs.
Prior to NCORP, Kate led the NCI Community Cancer Centers Program (NCCCP) Quality of Care initiatives within the consortium of 21 community-based cancer centers and health systems spanning 16 states. She has collaborated with the American College of Surgeons Rapid Quality Reporting System team and the American Society of Clinical Oncology Quality Oncology Practice Initiative team to integrate national quality reporting initiatives into community programs. Kate’s thirty years of oncology nursing experience include clinical and care coordination roles in hematology and stem cell transplantation as well as clinical nurse specialist roles in oncology and hematology. Ms. Castro has published on cancer care delivery, stem cell transplant, and oncology nursing topics in peer-reviewed publications and presents at national meetings. Kate received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of North Dakota and her Master of Science from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN.
Andrea Hans– Breast Cancer Survivor
Andrea Hans
Breast Cancer Survivor
Meet Andrea Hans, a breast cancer survivor turned advocate. With no health insurance and after being repeatedly told she was “too young” for breast cancer, after her 2021 diagnosis she dedicated herself to engaging with other young women about their health, sharing her story on platforms like the Kelly Clarkson Show in 2022. Through social media and freelance writing, she fosters a supportive community and champions self-advocacy and preventive health education. Originally from California, she relocated to Washington DC in 2023 to focus on promoting better health policies.
With 10+ years of health care experience, she is a subject matter expert in insurance navigation, reimbursement, and health care compliance. Her mission is to accelerate research funding, ensure equitable access, and alleviate financial burdens for cancer patients, all while improving patient outcomes through effective health communication.
Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA– American Cancer Society
Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA
Scientific Vice President, Health Services Research
American Cancer Society
As Scientific Vice President, Health Services Research, Surveillance & Health Equity Science, Robin Yabroff, PhD, MBA, leads a team of scientists whose research focuses on financial hardship and economic burden of cancer; patterns of cancer care, including high cost prescription drugs; health insurance coverage, including benefit design; patient, provider, health system, and geographic factors associated with quality and value of cancer care; and the effects of health policies, including provisions of the Affordable Care Act, on access to cancer prevention, screening, survivorship, and end-of-life care.
As an expert in these areas, Yabroff is a frequent speaker at national and international meetings and a participant of panels and think tanks. She holds adjunct faculty positions in the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University and in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP– CEO, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP
Chief Executive Officer
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
As Chief Executive Officer, Shelley Fuld Nasso leads the public policy activities of NCCS at a time of rapid and fundamental health care system change. Shelley joined NCCS in December 2012 and was named CEO in October 2013.
Prior to joining NCCS, Shelley served in leadership roles at Susan G. Komen, where she leveraged Komen’s grassroots network in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals. There she built relationships with policymakers and partner organizations and led a team of staff and volunteer leaders to influence state budgets and legislation. Under her leadership, Komen successfully secured $80 million in state funding for cancer screening and treatment for uninsured and under-insured women. She and her team also expanded the Komen grassroots advocacy program from a pilot of seven affiliates to more than 100 affiliates across the country engaged in federal and state advocacy efforts. Shelley has also served as Director of Community Philanthropy at The Dallas Foundation and held management positions at communications and technology enterprises. She is a graduate of Rice University and holds a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Shelley’s commitment to the work of NCCS is strongly tied to the experiences in the cancer care system of her dear friend, Dr. Brent Whitworth, a beloved physician who was diagnosed with stage IV cancer days before his 42nd birthday and who passed away 19 months later. Through Brent’s experiences, Shelley witnessed the strengths and flaws of the cancer care system and embraces the notion that policy change can make cancer care better for patients and caregivers. Shelley and her husband Michael live in Maryland and are the parents of three young boys.
Panel Discussion
Melissa Horn, MPA
Director of State Legislative Affairs
Arthritis Foundation
Patrick Plues
Vice President, Government Affairs and External Relations
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP (Moderator)
CEO, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
In our second panel, a group of experts discussed the latest efforts of state prescription drug affordability boards (PDABs) to address the cost of prescription drugs, as well as the implications for patient access.
Rev. Dr. Sandra Conner– Maryland Health Care for All
Rev. Dr. Sandra Conner
Deputy Director
Maryland Health Care for All (MCHI)
Since Rev. Dr. Conner joined MCHI in 2015 she has worked on the design and implementation of the Maryland Faith Health Network and has engaged faith communities to protect and promote access to quality, affordable health care and make prescription drugs more affordable. She was instrumental in connecting more than 70 faith-based organizations with hospital and public health resources to help keep their congregants healthy. Rev. Dr. Conner has also served as a consumer advocate on state advisory boards such as the Maryland Health Care Commission Health Information Exchange workgroup and the Maryland Health and Health Disparities Advisory Committee.
Rev. Dr. Conner serves her community in a number of capacities. In 2019 she became the first female president of the Baptist Ministers Night Conference of Baltimore and Vicinity, and also serves as the Correspondence Secretary for the Ministers’ Conference of Baltimore and Vicinity. She is the 2019 recipient of the Zeta Phi Beta, Inc., Alpha Zeta Chapter, Inc. Woman of the Year for Religious Service, recognizing her for unselfish and distinguished service that significantly contributed to activities within and beyond her Spiritual Community and was a source of spiritual strength to others. Rev. Dr. Conner is the pastor of Shepherd’s Heart Missionary Baptist Church.
Melissa Horn, MPA– Arthritis Foundation
Melissa Horn, MPA
Director of State Legislative Affairs
Arthritis Foundation
Melissa Horn is the Director of State Legislative Affairs at the Arthritis Foundation. Melissa has nearly 20 years of advocacy experience working in and around state and local government. Prior to joining the Arthritis Foundation, Melissa’s work experience included tenures at the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association and most recently the National Association of REALTORS in Washington, DC. Melissa has covered policy campaigns in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands, though she began her career with the Missouri State Legislature in 2006. Melissa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Sociology from the University of Columbia – Missouri and graduated with her Masters of Public Affairs degree through her alma mater with a primary focus on Public Policy and Administration in 2017.
On a personal note, as a 3x cancer survivor, Melissa knows firsthand the lifelong challenges of navigating chronic diseases. As Director of State Legislative Affairs, she hopes to be the microphone for someone who has a story to tell to ensure people’s experiences with arthritis are amplified as the Arthritis Foundation continues its mission to boldly pursue a cure for America’s #1 cause of disability through state policy change nationwide.
Patrick Plues– Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Patrick Plues
Vice President, Government Affairs and External Relations
Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)
Patrick has over 20 years of experience in state and federal government affairs, the majority of that time advocating on behalf of the biopharmaceutical industry. Plues previously led Cephalon’s federal government affairs efforts. Prior to that position, Plues directed state and federal advocacy initiatives for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
Andrew York, JD, PharmD– Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Andrew York, JD, PharmD
Executive Director
Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board
Andrew York is the Executive Director of the Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which is an independent agency charged with protecting Marylanders from the high costs of prescription drugs. Previously, Andrew worked on prescription drug payment policy and drug pricing reform at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) working on the Drug Pricing Blueprint and at Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) as the model co-lead of the Most Favored Nation Model and lead on the Oncology Care Model.
Dr. York also served as a professorial lecturer at the George Washington University (GWU) Milken Institute School of Public Health teaching Pharmaceutical Policy and as an adjunct faculty at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) School of Pharmacy teaching Pharmacy Law. Dr. York earned his Pharm.D. from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy and his J.D. from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP– National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP
Chief Executive Officer
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
As Chief Executive Officer, Shelley Fuld Nasso leads the public policy activities of NCCS at a time of rapid and fundamental health care system change. Shelley joined NCCS in December 2012 and was named CEO in October 2013.
Prior to joining NCCS, Shelley served in leadership roles at Susan G. Komen, where she leveraged Komen’s grassroots network in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals. There she built relationships with policymakers and partner organizations and led a team of staff and volunteer leaders to influence state budgets and legislation. Under her leadership, Komen successfully secured $80 million in state funding for cancer screening and treatment for uninsured and under-insured women. She and her team also expanded the Komen grassroots advocacy program from a pilot of seven affiliates to more than 100 affiliates across the country engaged in federal and state advocacy efforts. Shelley has also served as Director of Community Philanthropy at The Dallas Foundation and held management positions at communications and technology enterprises. She is a graduate of Rice University and holds a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Shelley’s commitment to the work of NCCS is strongly tied to the experiences in the cancer care system of her dear friend, Dr. Brent Whitworth, a beloved physician who was diagnosed with stage IV cancer days before his 42nd birthday and who passed away 19 months later. Through Brent’s experiences, Shelley witnessed the strengths and flaws of the cancer care system and embraces the notion that policy change can make cancer care better for patients and caregivers. Shelley and her husband Michael live in Maryland and are the parents of three young boys.
Karen Hagerty, MD
Director, Reimbursement Policy
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Kashyap Patel, MD
CEO
Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP (Moderator)
CEO, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
The final panel of the day was “Providing Every Cancer Patient a Navigator – Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Codes for Calendar Year 2024.” Panelists discussed the new Medicare Physician Fee Schedule codes for calendar year 2024, including payment for patient navigation, assessment of social determinants of health, community health integration, and caregiver training.
Anabella Aspiras, MBA– Cancer Moonshot Engagement, The White House
Anabella Aspiras, MBA
Assistant Director, Cancer Moonshot Engagement
The White House
Anabella Aspiras serves as the Assistant Director for Engagement on the Biden Cancer Moonshot, which the President and First Lady reignited to mobilize a national effort to end cancer as we know it. As Assistant Director for Engagement, Anabella works with patients, caregivers, healthcare providers, academic institutions, foundations, and industry to advance the ambitious goals of the Cancer Moonshot: (1) to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 50 percent over the next 25 years, and (2) to improve the experience of people and their families living with and surviving cancer. Anabella was part of the Cancer Moonshot team in 2016 under then-Vice-President Biden.
Prior to rejoining the Cancer Moonshot, Anabella served as the Chief of Staff at Mendel AI, a health-tech start-up leveraging clinical AI in the service of patients. Before Mendel, Anabella worked at Flatiron Health, where she led clinical abstraction operations to support the development of real-world data to inform oncology practice and policy. Anabella also launched a non-profit, Diversify Health, dedicated to establishing pathways for historically underrepresented groups to join, enrich, and lead the future of healthcare.
A nurse by training, Anabella’s work has covered a wide range of settings, from Sierra Leone during the 2015 Ebola outbreak, to working on the frontlines of the COVID response in New York City at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Karen Hagerty, MD– American Society of Clinical Oncology
Karen Hagerty, MD
Director, Reimbursement Policy
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
Karen Hagerty, MD received a BA from The American University in 1992, followed by a degree in medicine from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in 1998. Following an internship at Georgetown University, she helped lead projects for a government contractor at the National Cancer Institute, the National Human Genome Research Institute, the Office of Rare Diseases, and others. Dr. Hagerty originally joined the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in 2005, where she assisted in development of ASCO’s clinical practice guidelines and led staff focused on physician reimbursement and practice issues. She currently leads ASCO’s regulatory team and focuses on a range of issues impacting access to high quality cancer care.
Kashyap Patel, MD– Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates
Kashyap Patel, MD
Chief Executive Officer
Carolina Blood and Cancer Care
Kashyap Patel is the CEO of Carolina Blood and Cancer Care Associates. Dr. Patel is a full time practicing medical oncologist, board certified in Hematology, Oncology, and Internal Medicine. He is vice president for the Community Oncology Alliance (COA). He is also chairman of the newly formed Biosimilars committee for the COA. He is a chair elect for the clinical affairs and trustee for the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC). He is also a member of the CPC committee for the ASCO and NCQA. He has been an advisor for the large payers including DHHS (SC), Palmetto GBA. He also serves on an advisory board for Medicaid HMOs. He has a special interest in health care policy and economics and the end-of-life care. He recently joined the International Oncology Network as medical director. He has expertise in Value Based Care and has successfully led Oncology Care Model pilots with two payers including with CMMI (new division of CMS).
He also has extensive experience in revenue cycle management in oncology and he co-founded a large RCM company that started with 4 employees and now has over 700 employees. He is a certified trainer for physicians “Education in Palliative and End of life Care” and has been a speaker at several different CME events. He is involved in healthcare economics and is working with major commercial payer on AAPM. He is also contractor medical director for Palmetto GBA (consultant). He is past president of the South Carolina Oncology Society. He has been working directly with cancer patients for the last twenty years. He has served as chairman of several committees in numerous South Carolina hospitals. He has had extensive research experience in the field of oncology and has published and presented articles in journals (nationally and internationally) and has had research merit awards for research in cancer including ASCO merit awards during fellowship. Dr. Patel has extensive legislative experience both at the local and national level. He has testified in the state Senate as well as participated in a Capitol Hill briefing on precision medicine.
Between Life and Death, a book by Dr. Kashyap Patel is a collection of real-life stories of those ordinary human beings who put up extraordinary bravery in the face of certain death.
Jason Resendez– National Alliance for Caregiving
Jason Resendez
President & CEO
National Alliance for Caregiving
Jason Resendez is the President and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, where he leads research, policy, and innovation initiatives to build health, wealth, and equity for America’s 53 million family caregivers. Jason is a nationally recognized expert on caregiving, aging, and research equity. In 2023, he was named one of the most consequential leaders in health, science, and medicine by STAT News.
Prior to joining NAC, Jason was the founding executive director of the UsAgainstAlzheimer’s Center for Brain Health Equity and was the principal investigator of a Healthy Brain Initiative cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Jason has advised federal agencies and organizations working to advance equity for communities of color, including the National Institute on Aging, the National Academies of Medicine, the Administration for Community Living, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). He has also served as a volunteer policy advisor for the presidential campaign of President Joe Biden. His efforts to champion health and racial justice for patients and caregivers have earned national recognition and in 2020, he was named one of America’s top influencers in aging by PBS’s Next Avenue alongside Michael J. Fox and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy.
Jason is from South Texas and graduated from Georgetown University.
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP– National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP
Chief Executive Officer
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS)
As Chief Executive Officer, Shelley Fuld Nasso leads the public policy activities of NCCS at a time of rapid and fundamental health care system change. Shelley joined NCCS in December 2012 and was named CEO in October 2013.
Prior to joining NCCS, Shelley served in leadership roles at Susan G. Komen, where she leveraged Komen’s grassroots network in Washington, D.C., and in state capitals. There she built relationships with policymakers and partner organizations and led a team of staff and volunteer leaders to influence state budgets and legislation. Under her leadership, Komen successfully secured $80 million in state funding for cancer screening and treatment for uninsured and under-insured women. She and her team also expanded the Komen grassroots advocacy program from a pilot of seven affiliates to more than 100 affiliates across the country engaged in federal and state advocacy efforts. Shelley has also served as Director of Community Philanthropy at The Dallas Foundation and held management positions at communications and technology enterprises. She is a graduate of Rice University and holds a Master of Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School.
Shelley’s commitment to the work of NCCS is strongly tied to the experiences in the cancer care system of her dear friend, Dr. Brent Whitworth, a beloved physician who was diagnosed with stage IV cancer days before his 42nd birthday and who passed away 19 months later. Through Brent’s experiences, Shelley witnessed the strengths and flaws of the cancer care system and embraces the notion that policy change can make cancer care better for patients and caregivers. Shelley and her husband Michael live in Maryland and are the parents of three young boys.
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Founder
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute
“Perhaps one of the most impactful collaborations in Dr. Brereton’s extraordinary career remains his early work and long friendship with Ellen Stovall. Through him, and in turn through the thousands of lives he has touched, Ellen’s work continues, and her mission lives on.”
—Karen M. Saunders
President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute