2023 National Volunteer Awards Winners

Cross-Cutting Awards

Volunteer Leadership Award

Scott Rollin has been a vocal champion for engaging volunteers in meaningful and strategic work at the American Cancer Society (ACS) for more than 20 years. He began his volunteer service in 1995 as a member of his local golf tournament committee after his father died from lung cancer. Since then, Scott has been actively involved with ACS at the local, regional, and national levels, serving as chair of our national golf event in the early 2000s, chairing the Twin Cities Hope Lodge® capital campaign in 2005, and serving on the Governance Committee of the national board. In 2020, he was selected to serve as the co-chair of the newly formed Volunteer Impact Panel, or VIP. In this role, Scott was instrumental in developing the Area Board Gold Standard, which has now become a crucial tool in the management and mobilization of our Area Boards. 

Scott also led the charge to reimagine our Change Champions into “Volunteer Impact Ambassadors” who support the volunteer-staff partnership at all levels of the organization, and he oversaw the development of the Leadership Volunteer online platform, ACS Connect. Scott served as host and emcee of the virtual Volunteer Impact Series in 2021 and the Volunteer Leadership Summit in 2022. His vision and guidance have helped transform the summit into an annual strategic planning event for our leadership volunteers. Outside of his work on national workgroups, Scott is currently the chair of the Minnesota Area Board and plays an active role in his local market and in the North Region.  

Paul C. Schroy III, MD, MPH is a founding member of the American Cancer Society National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable (ACS NCCRT) and continues to serve as an active and influential volunteer. Since 1997, he has held numerous leadership positions for the ACS NCCRT, including current co-chair of the Family History and Early-Age Onset Colorectal Cancer Strategic Priority Team, former member of the Steering Committee, former co-chair of the Public Education Task Group, former co-chair of the Screening 65+ Task Group, as well as former chair and current member of the ACS NCCRT Nomination Committee. Dr. Schroy has been instrumental in guiding the work of the ACS NCCRT and continues to be a vocal champion of increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates, reducing CRC-related disparities, and identifying key issues and areas of need around familial CRC and early-onset CRC.  

After landmark research was published on early-age onset (EAO) CRC trends, Dr. Schroy championed the work of risk assessment and early-age onset CRC for the ACS NCCRT. He served as co-lead and presenter for the 2017 ACS NCCRT EAO CRC Summit. He is the key driver and lead volunteer on the Risk Assessment & Screening Toolkit and hosted ACS NCCRT’s first Blue Star Conversation. In 2022, Dr. Schroy led ACS NCCRT to conduct market research on how to encourage on-time screening with lead-time messaging. He continues to conduct CRC-related research, publish academic papers, present on the work of the ACS NCCRT at national conferences, chair advisory committees for ACS NCCRT projects, and help set ACS NCCRT national priorities each year.  

St. George National Award

Dr. Joseph Ravenell is a nationally recognized champion of health equity research and community-based strategies to improve cancer screening, especially among Black men. He served as a board member of the former American Cancer Society (ACS) Eastern Division and now serves on the ACS Greater NYC Area Board as medical spokesperson. In this role, Dr. Ravenell is responsible for communicating key messages related to prevention, early detection, and access to quality treatment. He is an associate professor of population health and medicine with tenure, and associate dean for diversity and inclusion at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. As a primary care physician, Dr. Ravenell’s work has engaged a community-based research network of more than 200 sites including churches, barbershops, mosques, and social service agencies.

Dr. Ravenell is a leader in disseminating evidence-based strategies to health care leaders in local communities. In 2021, he served as one of two faculty members on ACS’ first regional ECHO series on Health Equity and Reigniting Colorectal Cancer Screenings, launched by the ACS Northeast Region. During this five-month series, Dr. Ravenell provided content expertise to representatives of more than 40 health care systems from seven states on advancing health equity and addressing barriers to CRC screening for underserved communities. During this time, ACS and NYU Langone produced a PSA on colorectal cancer screening featuring Dr. Ravenell, which generated 3,000 views on social media.

Atlanta, Georgia - Southeast Region

Volunteer: Bruce Nelson and Bill Floor
ACS Team Member: Erin Nickson

American Cancer Society (ACS) team member Erin Nickson has enjoyed a multi-year partnership with her co-chairs Bruce Nelson and Bill Floor, whose successful collaboration has led the Atlanta Men Wear Pink (MWP) campaign to new heights. Through this partnership, Bruce and Bill have worked to create a strong community of MWP ambassadors through recruitment, motivation, encouragement, and accountability. In turn, Erin provides training and retention support for the group, with a majority of her ambassadors and chairs returning to serve for multiple campaigns. The trio’s goal for their 2023 campaign was to add at least five men to the campaign and raise a total of $560,000. The campaign managed to recruit six additional participants and raise $732,000 (a 46.4% increase in revenue over 2022), making the Atlanta campaign number one in the nation in revenue and growth. 

Part of the team’s success is due to the thorough research they have conducted, looking closely at areas of the city, identifying different industries and potential audiences, and reviewing messages being shared. They provide consistent communication to their MWP groups through internal text threads, LinkedIn groups, and email chains. These efforts have led to increased partnerships within the community and helped create new opportunities. In fact, the top two MWP ambassadors in the nation are from Atlanta. They are also the top two fundraisers in MWP history and happen to be part of the same group of companies, leading to exponential partnership growth with that group. Erin, Bruce, and Bill are also committed to encouraging ambassadors to engage in other areas of the ACS mission as well, such as supporting the Atlanta Hope Lodge® location.

Fayetteville, Arkansas - South Region

Volunteer: Danyelle Musselman
ACS Team Member: Catherine Tapp and Casey Matsko

Danyelle Musselman is an exceptional volunteer who is making a significant impact for the American Cancer Society (ACS), both in the South Region and across the nation. Her contributions have been instrumental in advancing the organization's strategic goals, mission, and efforts to raise awareness and funds. ACS team members Catherine Tapp and Casey Matsko have had the privilege of collaborating with Danyelle on various American Cancer Society initiatives and recently worked with her to plan a successful Suits and Sneakers Gala, a crucial component of the Coaches vs. Cancer (CVC) program. Danyelle and Eric Musselman co-chaired the gala, which made its debut as the inaugural event in Northwest Arkansas in 2021 and has since celebrated three successful years.
 
Danyelle, Catherine, and Casey are actively building relationships with Fortune 500 companies in Northwest Arkansas, with promising partnerships on the horizon. Danyelle's involvement with Suits and Sneakers extends to attending Lobby Days as an advocate for cancer legislation in Washington, D.C., and serving as emcee for the Arkansas Policy Forum. She is an exemplary leader in the Arkansas community, South Region, and on a national scale, particularly in the areas of mission, awareness, advocacy, and revenue generation. Danyelle’s contributions to the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM, Coaches vs. Cancer, and other ACS initiatives are making an impact, and she consistently advances the organization’s strategic goals and mission-driven programs through her demonstrated leadership.

San Francisco, California – California, Guam, Hawai’i Region

Volunteer: Kelly Ducourty
ACS Team Member: Leah Malfatti

Leah Malfatti and Kelly Ducourty have had the pleasure of working together over the last two years, with Kelly taking on the role of chair for the San Francisco Discovery Gala in 2023. They worked together to build a strong planning committee and expand event engagement across the Bay Area by targeting industries like tech, pharmaceutical, health systems, and finance. With support from Leah, Kelly took the lead in helping to leverage the event’s paddle raise, which had been identified as the largest area of opportunity from the previous year. Together, they planned and strategized ways to incorporate mission moments at each of their meetings, speaking directly to the importance of how committee members and attendees can make a direct impact through a personal gift during mission moments.

Thanks to their efforts, the event saw its largest mission impact giving ever in the history of the event, raising more than $600,000 in the paddle raise alone. More than 85% of event committee members made a personal gift on event night, a significant increase from previous years and a direct result of Leah and Kelly’s commitment to staying mission-first in their communications with their committee. They were also successful in highlighting the need for support of the American Cancer Society mission, with 47% of overall attendees giving in some way at the event. Thanks to Kelly and Leah’s partnership, this event raised $2.4 million dollars, the most money raised by the San Francisco Discovery Gala in its 12 years. This remarkable success is a testament to the trust and partnership that Kelly and Leah have created and nurtured over the years. 

Anchorage, Alaska – North Region

Volunteer: Jaeleen Kookeshy
ACS Team Member: Charissa Habeger

Leah Malfatti and Kelly Ducourty have had the pleasure of working together over the last two years, with Kelly taking on the role of chair for the San Francisco Discovery Gala in 2023. They worked together to build a strong planning committee and expand event engagement across the Bay Area by targeting industries like tech, pharmaceutical, health systems, and finance. With support from Leah, Kelly took the lead in helping to leverage the event’s paddle raise, which had been identified as the largest area of opportunity from the previous year. Together, they planned and strategized ways to incorporate mission moments at each of their meetings, speaking directly to the importance of how committee members and attendees can make a direct impact through a personal gift during mission moments.

Thanks to their efforts, the event saw its largest mission impact giving ever in the history of the event, raising more than $600,000 in the paddle raise alone. More than 85% of event committee members made a personal gift on event night, a significant increase from previous years and a direct result of Leah and Kelly’s commitment to staying mission-first in their communications with their committee. They were also successful in highlighting the need for support of the American Cancer Society mission, with 47% of overall attendees giving in some way at the event. Thanks to Kelly and Leah’s partnership, this event raised $2.4 million dollars, the most money raised by the San Francisco Discovery Gala in its 12 years. This remarkable success is a testament to the trust and partnership that Kelly and Leah have created and nurtured over the years. 

Fredda Bryan National Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

Angelo Moore, PhD, is director of Community Outreach, Engagement, and Equity at the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) Office of Health Equity. Dr. Moore leads the team that oversees the institute’s community-impact projects to reduce disparities in cancer outcomes for patients across North Carolina. Dr. Moore has built extensive community-based relationships throughout North Carolina and is committed to addressing the unique needs of the communities he serves. He implements impactful outreach programs and understands the community’s needs around patient navigation. Dr. Moore is a prominent member of the American Cancer Society National Navigation Round Table (NNRT), serving on task groups as well as the NNRT’s Steering Committee.

Dr. Moore is a member of North Carolina’s Advisory Committee on Cancer Coordination and Control, the state’s comprehensive cancer coalition, and serves as a member of its Early Detection subcommittee. In 2022 and 2023, the American Cancer Society selected North Carolina’s Comprehensive Cancer Coalition to receive funding to accelerate a cancer screening strategy included their State Cancer Plan. Dr. Moore stepped up both years to serve as an integral member of the project team – looking at state data, selecting project areas of focus and special populations, convening key stakeholders, and helping to plan and execute a targeted, multicomponent, and culturally competent Get Screened messaging campaign. Dr. Moore also helped to engage area Black and African American cancer survivors and community champions, whose stories and powerful messages were featured in the campaigns, helping to increase awareness about the importance of getting screened and amplifying project impact and reach.

Development Awards

Development Volunteer Award for Excellence

Andrew Koenig is CEO of CITY Furniture, a long-time participant and supporter of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® in South Florida. In 2020, Andrew decided to expand his support of the American Cancer Society (ACS) by launching an ongoing, multi-year effort to grow his personal and corporate giving. He plans to make an even bigger impact by engaging communities in all markets where CITY operates, while activating thousands of customers and employees in multiple markets to support ACS and take personal action around cancer screening. Andrew’s efforts are in honor of his mother, Doreen, who died of breast cancer. He has launched multiple campaigns anchored by a multi-market PINK Pumpkins campaign, which raises money during October and increases breast cancer awareness. The campaign raised $135,000 in the first year, with exponential growth each year since, including a commitment to surpass $750,000 in 2023.

As a volunteer leader, Andrew has been active in mobilizing and leading other executives to support the ACS mission. He is a multi-year member of the CEO’s Against Cancer Florida chapter, moving into the role of chair in 2023. By tapping his personal network and leading his fellow chapter members to recruit new executives, chapter membership grew by 35% under his leadership. In 2023, he also began to serve as a member of the CEOs Against Cancer Executive Circle, led by ACS CEO Dr. Karen Knudsen, and engaged other corporate leaders in helping to increase cancer screening rates. Andrew also led the Florida CEOs Against Cancer chapter in creating a high-impact model cancer screening impact plan.

Event of the Year

While the San Francisco Discovery Gala has been on an incredible trajectory over the last few years, the 2023 event was their most successful event yet, making extraordinary gains in the areas of ACS-volunteer collaboration, paddle raise revenue, and overall attendee experience. Working with event chairs Kelly Ducourty and Joan Genn and ACS team partner Leah Malfatti, the event board worked to offer a best-in-class event experience for attendees. Held at the Chase Center stadium, guests were captivated by the décor, which included an interactive mission installation that featured stories of people impacted by cancer, and enjoyed a “Treasured Moments” theme implemented throughout the evening.

With a focus on increasing revenue from the evening’s paddle raise, the event nearly tripled funds raised from $218K in 2022 to $619K in 2023. Paddle raise participation increased from 16% to 47% of individuals in the room, with 85% of the event board participating. The evening also included internationally acclaimed performers, a world-class DJ, and other activities that elevated the fun. Inspirational speakers included Nobel Laureate and ACS-funded researcher Dr. Carolynn Bertozzi, who delivered a poignant speech about the importance of funding early researchers, and cancer survivor Alison Wagonfeld, who shared her experience with the term “survivor” and how ACS can help build a community of supporters for someone going through cancer. The 2023 event raised $2.4 million dollars, the most money raised by the San Francisco Discovery Gala in its 12 years. The 2023 event truly elevated awareness of ACS and the importance of its mission in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Corporate Partner of the Year

The Deloitte Health Equity Institute (DHEI) is a new landmark partner for the American Cancer Society (ACS), thanks to our shared commitment to advancing health equity within the cancer care continuum. DHEI has already positively impacted ACS in a number of ways. First, they have committed $1 million toward an initiative to help expand the ACS CARESTM program by increasing multi-cultural engagement with ACS navigation programs; accelerating nationwide deployment of the ACS CARES app; and increasing recruitment of college student navigators across HBCUs, HSIs, and rural health systems. In addition, Deloitte Health Equity Institute will help increase national volunteer recruitment of virtual and college student non-clinical navigators in priority geographies through their employee and immediate networks.
 
Dr. Jay Bhatt, DHEI’s managing director, is providing his expertise and leadership to help highlight the benefits and impact of corporate partnerships with ACS for people living with cancer. He is also helping to raise awareness about the unique ways corporations can partner with ACS to make a difference. Dr. Bhatt was a keynote speaker at a HLTH conference last fall, presenting “Humanizing Tech to Advance Health Equity: ACS CARES.” His presentation helped express the importance of high-tech and high-touch solutions to overcome the structural and human factors that contribute to engagement and outcomes disparities among people facing cancer. The ability to leverage DHEI’s partnership as a premier example of the value of cross-sector collaborations aimed at addressing disparities in the health system will increase awareness around the need for these types of partnerships, bringing about positive change and opening ACS up to new audiences and potential new, high-value corporate partners with shared goals.

Development Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® of Detroit event has historically hosted tens of thousands of walking participants on event day. With participants coming from the many suburbs of Metro Detroit as well as from within Detroit city limits, the event planning team is well aware that with expansive geography comes different levels of community demographics, community needs, and individual access to cancer care. With this in mind, the Detroit Strides team developed a plan to help bridge any communication gaps with event staff, recruit new individuals and groups to the event, and engage participants in an impactful capacity on event day. The Detroit team focused on improving engagement with local Arabic and Latino communities, so event staff worked with ACS teams and community groups to provide language-appropriate materials that could be shared with these communities.

The biggest point of pride in Detroit’s DEI implementation in 2023 is the inclusion of the Resource Village on Strides event day. The Resource Village was introduced as a new opportunity that not only brought in a new $20,000 sponsor, but aimed to address the many barriers that impact the various communities within Metro Detroit. The Resource Village hosted strategically selected community partners who provide services and resources in conjunction with ACS or who can fill a gap in ACS’ resource coverage. These resources were presented to the Making Strides event’s 15,000+ participants, many of whom are impacted by barriers in access to care. To provide support beyond event day, the Strides event website houses a Digital Resource Village that includes links to each of the partners’ featured programs and resources. 
Dr. Ravenell is a leader in disseminating evidence-based strategies to health care leaders in local communities. In 2021, he served as one of two faculty members on ACS’ first regional ECHO series on Health Equity and Reigniting Colorectal Cancer Screenings, launched by the ACS Northeast Region. During this five-month series, Dr. Ravenell provided content expertise to representatives of more than 40 health care systems from seven states on advancing health equity and addressing barriers to CRC screening for underserved communities. During this time, ACS and NYU Langone produced a PSA on colorectal cancer screening featuring Dr. Ravenell, which generated 3,000 views on social media.

Patient Support Awards

Patient Support Volunteeer Award for Excellence

Carol Smith began her volunteerism with the American Cancer Society (ACS) in 2008, when she began a 10-year run as a local Relay For Life® event lead in her hometown of Lander, Wyoming. However, Carol is best known for bringing the ACS Road To Recovery® program to Fremont County, a rural area in Wyoming with over 39,000 residents. With the majority of the county considered rural, area residents must often travel over 60 miles one way to get to their cancer treatment. Many rural residents live on ranches and farms, so it’s often difficult to schedule overnight stays near cancer centers. To help address these issues, Carol began working with the American Cancer Society in 2018 to launch the Road To Recovery program in Fremont and helped build up the program to where it is today.

Carol actively promotes the Road To Recovery program across the county through volunteer fairs and other community events, church activities, local doctor’s offices, and in the local media. She is also a volunteer driver herself and personally engages local volunteers, welcoming new drivers and ensuring all drivers are comfortable in their roles. Carol also helps recruit additional drivers as the need arises. Not only does Carol monitor ride requests to ensure riders are picked up by volunteer drivers, she provides each rider with a mug filled with treats with a special thank-you card. Carol is an amazing supporter of the American Cancer Society and is often the first person to step up and offer help with mission-related tasks. She engages with focus groups and participates in other fact-finding opportunities, sharing valuable feedback with her ACS partners.
Dr. Ravenell is a leader in disseminating evidence-based strategies to health care leaders in local communities. In 2021, he served as one of two faculty members on ACS’ first regional ECHO series on Health Equity and Reigniting Colorectal Cancer Screenings, launched by the ACS Northeast Region. During this five-month series, Dr. Ravenell provided content expertise to representatives of more than 40 health care systems from seven states on advancing health equity and addressing barriers to CRC screening for underserved communities. During this time, ACS and NYU Langone produced a PSA on colorectal cancer screening featuring Dr. Ravenell, which generated 3,000 views on social media.

Lane Adams Quality of Life Awards

Dr. Eleanor Walker is a radiation oncologist and serves as division director of Breast Services in Radiation Oncology at Henry Ford Health in Detroit. She led the implementation of the ExcITE program at Henry Ford, which provides individualized exercise programs for any cancer patient or survivor as well as access to Henry Ford fitness facilities for a low introductory fee. Dr. Walker also completed an INPHAASE study on survivorship care planning among racially diverse breast cancer patients. In 2021, she was awarded a $250,000 grant from Pfizer and the American Cancer Society aimed at reducing prostate cancer disparities in Black men. She led a team focused on providing education to both the community and to providers, visiting churches, community centers, and even car dealerships to provide assessments and screening. In total, 382 men were screened for prostate cancer.

Dr. Walker also educated primary care physicians, urologists, and oncologists on how to have a shared decision-making conversation with men, shared insights into the differences between Black men and White men, and provided them with unconscious bias training. In addition, she utilized her connections in the African American community to host awareness events nearly every weekend for two years. Dr. Walker has supported the American Cancer Society in multiple ways, from being a ResearcHERS ambassador to accepting speaking engagements where she serves as a subject matter expert on disparities. This year, Dr. Walker will be a keynote speaker at the Detroit Discovery Ball and plan to highlight the transportation barriers many patients face.

Philanthropy Partner of the Year Award

Lydia Hill

Lyda Hill is a Dallas entrepreneur and philanthropist. Believing that “science is the answer,” Lyda has followed her lifelong passion for game-changing life sciences investments – a deeply personal mission heightened by her own battle with breast cancer. She has worked with the American Cancer Society (ACS) on special projects like the Mission: HPV Cancer Free public health initiative to eliminate HPV cancers. Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ most recent partnership with ACS focuses on the organization’s visionary investment program, BrightEdge.

Through BrightEdge, the American Cancer Society invests in entrepreneurial early-stage companies developing cutting-edge cancer-focused therapeutics, diagnostics, devices, and technologies to bring innovative solutions to market. In 2022, Lyda joined six other individuals and foundations in creating the BrightEdge Founder’s Circle to assist ACS in building capacity for this initiative. Since that time, BrightEdge has invested in 18 new companies with the potential to impact 1.5 million patients and their families.

Thanks to Lyda’s generous and growing investment in this area, BrightEdge will be launching a $5.25 million, two-year pilot program in 2024 that will focus on deepening BrightEdge’s innovation and early-stage impact investing capabilities, while accelerating the pace by which important cancer research breakthroughs reach patients and their families. The new Innovation Acceleration Program Hub in Dallas will enhance the region’s scientific and medical innovation and bring attention to the depth of area talent and resources. The pilot program in Texas will serve as a model for additional hubs in other geographic areas. These hubs will eventually support a national BrightEdge Innovation Acceleration program, which will help cancer researchers across the country translate their discoveries into impactful solutions for people facing cancer.  

Health Systems Partner of the Year

Cleveland Clinic is renowned for excellence in cancer care and innovative cancer research. While the clinic is located on the outskirts of downtown Cleveland, its footprint stretches across Northeast Ohio with satellite locations in Florida, Nevada, Toronto, London, and Dubai. Cleveland Clinic is one of the world’s largest health care systems, with 77,000 caregivers, 22 hospitals, and 275 outpatient facilities globally. With a focus on advancing health equity and reducing barriers to care, the clinic’s team is currently addressing social determinants of health that affect life expectancy in the surrounding neighborhoods of East Cleveland. They have also employed navigators and technology targeting special populations to decrease late-stage diagnosis.

Cleveland Clinic values community presence and is committed to supporting American Cancer Society events in the Northeast Region, including Making Strides Against Breast Cancer® events, the Cleveland Discovery Ball, the Life Savers Ball, and Young Professionals Against Cancer events. The clinic’s dedication to cancer research has positively impacted the Northeast Region ResearcHERS campaign, with $15,000 contributed from Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. Cleveland Clinic also donated $2 million toward the Cleveland Hope Lodge® capital campaign, which will impact cancer patients and caregivers well into the future.

In 2023, Cleveland Clinic was awarded a $50,000 ACS-funded lodging grant, and Cleveland Clinic Mercy in Canton, Ohio, was a recipient of a $10,000 ACS-funded transportation grant to provide patients with rides to treatment and gas cards. The clinic has a dedicated oncology outreach team focused on providing education and services to LGBTQ, rural, urban, Amish, African American, and Hispanic/Latino populations. Our unique partnership with Cleveland Clinic continues to provide the people and communities we collaboratively serve with the best cancer treatment, outcomes, and preventive services with special emphasis on removing barriers to care.

Discovery Awards

Early-Career Researcher of the Year Award

Diana Hargreaves, PhD, is an associate professor with the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. Dr. Hargreaves has developed a strong reputation as a leader in the field of cancer epigenetics, and her research focuses on protein complexes that regulate gene transcription.

Currently focused on a specific epigenetic regulator, BAF complex, Dr. Hargreaves’ studies have identified novel variants that play roles in cancer and inflammation. The objective of her current Research Scholar Grant, funded by the American Cancer Society through August 2024, is to define how these BAF complexes regulate immune cells within the tumor microenvironment, particularly the tumor-associated macrophages. Findings from her research could lead to novel strategies for targeting macrophages in cancer, and ultimately the development of reduced-toxicity therapies that synergize with existing chemo- and immunotherapies.  

Dr. Hargreaves has been an active member of the American Cancer Society’s research community, serving as a scientist reviewer for the organization’s DNA Mechanisms in Cancer peer review committee during the previous two grant cycles. She has been an invited seminar speaker at many prestigious institutions in 2023 including Stanford, UPenn, Yale, MSKCC, Purdue, and Miami and has given talks at conferences including the AACR Special Conference on Cancer Epigenomics, La Jolla Immunology Conference, Cold Spring Harbor Lab meetings, and ES International Conference in Rome. She has an outstanding publication record, recently published as a corresponding author in the journals Nature Communications and Immunity and as a co-author in the journal Science.

Trish Greene Quality of Life Award

Jennifer Temel, MD, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and clinical director of Thoracic Oncology at the Massachusetts General Hospital, where she also serves as co-director of the Cancer Outcomes Research and Education program. In addition, she serves as co-leader of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Outcomes Research program and is an ACS Clinical Research Professor. Dr. Temel’s research and clinical practice focus on optimizing the delivery of supportive care for people with cancer and their caregivers to maximize their quality of life and care. She has successfully secured American Cancer Society (ACS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and foundation grant funding and has published more than 500 scientific manuscripts, many in renowned medical journals, on the role of palliative care delivery in oncology.

Dr. Temel has spent her career championing the importance of palliative care, symptom management, and patient-clinician communication. She has studied novel care models of providing palliative care to people with advanced cancer, including the early involvement of palliative care in the ambulatory care setting. As a thoracic oncologist, Dr. Temel has a longstanding interest in improving both physical and psychological symptoms in people with lung and esophageal cancer. She has conducted numerous trials aimed at improving physical function, fatigue, quality of life, mood, and shortness of breath in patients with advanced cancer. Her interest in improving patient-clinician communication resulted in several trials focused on improving patients’ understanding of their prognosis and patient-clinician communication about end-of-life care.