RESEARCH ADVOCACY NETWORK - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Patient and Research Advocate
Job Titles:
- Communications and Public Relations Manager
Elda specializes in working with patient advocacy organizations to forge collaborations and train individuals how to be effective research advocates. Prior to the founding of Research Advocacy Network, she served for 12 years with Susan G. Komen in various capacities, primarily as Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs, where she led one of the largest programs for private funding of breast cancer research. During her tenure at Komen, she discovered the power of incorporating the patient voice into the scientific process. This discovery drives her passion for research advocacy today.
Currently she serves on:
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/MD Anderson Lung SPORE as lead patient advocate
Mayo Cancer Center Breast SPORE as external advisory board member
SWOG patient advocacy and breast cancer committees
ASCO CancerLinQ Patient Advisory Committee
She has served on the National Cancer Institute's Clinical Assay Development Program Special Emphasis Panel, reviewed for Komen Tissue Bank, Avon-NCI Partners in Progress, CDC and the External Advisory Board of the UCSF Breast Cancer SPORE. She also served on the National Steering Committee for Redes En Acción: National Latino Cancer Research Network, was the team leader for the Insurance team for EDICT (Eliminating Disparities in Clinical Trials) is a member of the Intercultural Cancer Council. As a consultant with the Coalition of Cooperative Groups she was program coordinator and contributing author on Cancer Research: A Guide to Clinical Trials Modules on Drug Development, Surgical and Radiation Therapies and Tissue and It's Use for the Advocate Training Program. She also served on the Institute of Medicine a committee that produced the report: Evolution of Translational Omics: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward.
Judy was one of the original co-founders of the Research Advocacy Network. While she is retired from active involvement with the organization, her role in launching it will always be remembered as both instrumental and visionary.
Prior to co-founding RAN, Mary Lou was the director of patient, payer and government relations for the Coalition of National Cancer Cooperative Groups. She currently serves as co-chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group's Cancer Research Advocacy Committee. She also serves on the National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers Board of Directors and the Board of Directors for Gateway for Cancer Research. Her other credentials include:
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization, past president