About PECaD
The mission of PECaD is to ensure that all cancer patients and communities benefit from the clinical and scientific advances at Siteman. We strive to reduce the cancer burden and related disparities, while engaging communities to promote health equity across Siteman’s catchment and beyond.
The efforts of Community Outreach and Engagement are aimed at understanding the disparities that exist and partnering with members of the community to reduce the cancer burden.
Watch VideoOur Mission
The mission of PECaD is to ensure that all cancer patients and communities benefit from the clinical and scientific advances at Siteman. We strive to reduce the cancer burden and related disparities, while engaging communities to promote health equity across Siteman’s catchment and beyond.
We fulfill this mission by:
- Accelerating outreach, education and access to clinical resources in Siteman’s catchment;
- Monitoring the cancer burden and related disparities in Siteman’s catchment population to inform where to direct research and resources;
- Fostering cancer disparities and community-engaged research;
- Supporting efforts to promote diverse participation in clinical trials; and
- Evaluating community engagement and progress toward achieving our goals
Program Leaders
Director
Bettina F. Drake, PhD, MPH
Director, PECaD
Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement (COE)
Professor, Division of Public Health Sciences
PECaD Staff
Sarah Chavez, PhD
Assistant Director, Research and Strategic Partnerships
PECaD Chair, MO Cancer Consortium
Keisha Windham, DPA, MPPA
Assistant Director, Community Outreach, PECaD
Liyan Jing, MPH
Statistical Analyst
Hank Dart, MS
Health Literacy Specialist
Jennifer Tappenden, MS
Diversity in Clinical Trial Monitor
Public Health Research Coordinator II
Media Marketing Administrator
Public Health Research Coordinator II
Public Health Research Coordinator II
Disparities Elimination Advisory Council (DEAC)
Chair
Rev. Edmund E. Lowe, Sr.
Chair, DEAC
Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter
Yvonne Buhlinger
Co-Chair, DEAC
Executive Vice President, Affinia Healthcare
Robin Wright-Jones
Co-Chair, DEAC
Executive Director, The Empowerment Network (TEN)
Council Members
Pam Begay
Director, Katheryn Buder Center
Galen Gritts, BS
American Indian & Community Volunteer, Lutheran Indian Ministries
Sherrill Jackson, RN, CPNP, MSA
President, The Breakfast Club, Inc.
Breast Cancer Survivor
Adrienne Hunter-Green
Founder, Angels with a Vision
Owner, Hunter-Green Family Farms
Regional Educator, Lincoln University Cooperate Extension of Missouri
Valeda Keys
CEO & Founder, Valeda’s Hope
Saundi Kloeckener
American Indian & Community Volunteer
Retired School Teacher, Rockwood School District
Nancy Maxwell
Founder, Carbondale United
Donald Suggs, DDS
Publisher & Owner, St. Louis American Newspaper
Sal Valadez
Diversity, Outreach & Marketing Representative, MKLDC Diversity Initiative, LiUNA
Aimee James, PhD, MPH
Faculty Co-Chair & Professor of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences
Melody McClellan, AADP
President and Chief and Wellness Strategist at Unwrap You
Richard Gonzales
Member, DEAC
Karen Morrison
World Wide Technology-Global HR Operations
Community Advocate
Internal Leadership Team
Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH
Niess-Gain Professor
Associate Director, Prevention and Control
Kia Davis, ScD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Director, Community Research Fellows Training Program
Mark Fiala, MSW
Assistant Professor
Chair, Health Equity Fellows
Lannis Hall, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Medical Director, Radiation Oncology
Director, Clinical Studies Outreach
Rev. Edmund Lowe, BA, MA, HR
President Elder African Methodist Episcopal Church
Chair, Disparities Elimination Advisory Committee
Chongliang (Jason) Luo, PhD
Assistant Professor
Siteman Biostatistics Core Faculty
Vetta Sanders-Thompson, PhD
E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Chair, Center for Community Health Partnerships and Research
Jean Wang, MD, PhD
Professor
Chair, MO Colorectal Cancer Roundtable
Aimee James, PhD, MPH
Professor
Co-Lead, Prevention and Control
Health Equity Fellows
Oncologic Imaging Program (OIP)
Hematopoietic Development and Malignancy Program (HDMP)
Tumor Immunology Program (TIP)
Prevention and Control Program (PCP)
Breast Cancer Research Program (BCRP)
Solid Tumor Therapeutics Program (STTP)
Mechanisms of Cancer Biology Program (MCBP)
Our Catchment Area
Siteman’s catchment spans 82 counties across Missouri and Illinois. For more data on the catchment, see the data resources page.
