Southern Deanjoins the WVU Cancer Institute’s Community Advisory Board

Dr. Lisa Haddox-Heston, Southern’s Dean of Allied Health and Nursing, is a new member of the West Virginia University Cancer Institute’s (WVUCI) Community Advisory Board.

Established in early 2025, the WVUCI’s Community Advisory Board (CAB) aligns the Institute’s initiatives with the needs and perspectives of West Virginia communities. The CAB informs the WVUCI strategic plan, research priorities, outreach efforts, education, community engagement, and shared understanding of community priorities. Board members from across West Virginia represent the voice of the communities and are partners in the cancer center’s quest to reduce the state’s cancer burden.

The sixteen-member CAB includes patients, community members, cancer survivors, faith-based leaders, local government representatives, non-profit organizational members, and community-based medical providers and clinicians. The board is comprised of representatives from diverse geographic areas and cancer experiences across West Virginia.

“I am looking forward to learning more about the efforts being made to research and improve cancer care across the state and understanding what role our community can play in that effort,” Haddox-Heston said. “As we work to improve our community’s health, learning more about the work of the WVU Cancer Institute and bringing that home to our community is extremely important.”

“As we explore the WVU Cancer Institute’s journey to NCI Designation a key component is strengthening our ties with communities in our service area,” Hannah Hazard-Jenkins, MD-FACS Executive Chair and Director, WVU Cancer Institute, said. “One of the most exciting things about this process is the reciprocal relationships that will fuel our planning and foster the expansion of our community-based work. By listening to community member priorities and concerns, WVUCI administration, clinicians, and researchers can synergize our efforts to build the future of the Cancer Institute while staying grounded in our work close to home.”