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Showcasing its efforts to prepare future leaders and to collaborate across cancer centers, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center hosted the Executive Leadership Academy for Cancer Centers (ELACC) inaugural symposium on Friday.

A partnership with the Medical University of South Carolina Hollings Cancer Center, ELACC is an 18-month initiative focused on empowering the next generation of cancer center leaders.

“It is a very unique and innovative program to train future cancer center leaders,” said Monica L. Baskin, Ph.D., interim director at VCU Massey and associate dean for cancer innovation in the VCU School of Medicine. “I want to start by congratulating our 12 fellows. I have seen how hard they have worked over the last 18 months, and I know that each of the 12 capstone projects will contribute to advancing cancer care across our centers.”

The inaugural cohort of 12 fellows are all active Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) Research Members and currently serve as associate or full professors at their institutions.

“This inaugural symposium is coming at the perfect time, as several crucial changes are occurring across cancer centers,” remarked Raymond N. DuBois, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Hollings Cancer Center. “Leading a cancer center requires a special set of skills, and I think having those distilled into a cohort makes it much more understandable and applicable for our future leaders.”

The symposium served as the culmination of the 18-month cohort, with all 12 fellows gathering in Richmond for a celebratory dinner ahead of the symposium. At the symposium, all 12 fellows served on one of four panels, reflecting on their capstone projects and sharing their experiences on leadership skill development, challenges faced as a clinical researcher, and mindset shifts because of ELACC, both in community engagement and in navigating institutional barriers.

Why is ELACC important?

• ELACC is an effort to identify, mentor and train the next generation of cancer center leaders on all aspects of the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) P30 Cancer Center Support Grant and on the leadership skills for effectively navigating the future evolution of cancer centers.
• ELACC is a first-of-its-kind program among cancer centers in the United States.
• Developing future cancer center leaders is crucial as structures within cancer centers evolve.
• Expert Quote: “ELACC opened my eyes to the interconnectedness of the cancer center,” said John Kaczmar, M.D., the deputy medical director of the Hollings Clinical Trials Office. “My view before around the clinical trials office (CTO) was more individualistic, and through this program I’ve grown to appreciate the entire team, with ELACC helping accelerate that learning.”

How does the program work?

• The initial cohort included 12 fellows from across VCU Massey and Hollings Cancer Center:
  • Hollings:
    • Evan Graboyes, M.D.
    • Silvia Guglietta, Ph.D.
    • John M. Kaczmar, M.D.
    • David T. Long, Ph.D.
    • Joni D. Nelson, Ph.D.
    • Alana M. Rojewski, Ph.D.
      
      
  • VCU Massey:
    • Jennifer H. Jordan, Ph.D.
    • Jennifer E. Koblinski, Ph.D.
    • Joseph W. Landry, Ph.D.
    • Larisa Litovchick, M.D., Ph.D.
    • Keri R. Maher, DO
    • Can E. Senkal, Ph.D.
      
      
• Curriculum occurred across 18 months, starting in January 2025 and concluding in June 2026.
• The selected 12 fellows received 10% full salary support, along with paired mentorship
• Fellows had four in-person, all-day retreats and 28 bi-monthly half-day sessions, with content presented by Massey experts and colleagues from across the country’s cancer centers.
• Fellows participated in CCSG-centric leadership discussions, attended cancer center leadership meetings and were offered 360-degree leadership assessment and coaching
• Fellows designed and implemented capstone projects aligned with their cancer center’s strategic plans/priorities

What is next for ELACC?

• The second cohort will begin recruitment in the early part of 2027, with the 18-month curriculum beginning in September 2027.
• Cancer centers from across the country have already begun reaching out about setting up their own ELACC program or participating within the Massey and Hollings partnership.
  
  

Written by: Bill Potter