The Next Generation
MARKEY PREPARES THE CANCER CENTER
LEADERS OF TOMORROW
New leaders don’t emerge from a vacuum. They’re cultivated through experiences with their peers and others in leadership positions.
The new UK Markey Cancer Center LAUNCH Leadership Academy provides that exact opportunity to a select group of early mid-career faculty. This year-long program began in 2023 and just welcomed its second cohort.
“When you do a PhD, there are not necessarily training courses on how to run a lab and be a leader of people and organizations,” said Justin X. Moore, PhD, assistant director of community impact at Markey and a member of the program’s first cohort.
Camaraderie with Peers
The first LAUNCH cohort – made up of four participants from related fields – delved into topics such as leadership, negotiation, team management and conflict resolution. The program included seminars delivered by Markey and campus-wide leaders, mentorship from Markey senior leaders, and a focused leadership project.
One of the most powerful aspects of the program was the camaraderie among the fellows, who built relationships, shared their perspectives and learned from each other’s experiences. The monthly seminars gave the cohort a valuable opportunity to network and exchange ideas.
“That ability to get together and talk through things is indispensable to your development as both a cancer researcher and a future leader,” said Aaron Kruse- Diehr, PhD, a health equity researcher with the Markey Cancer Prevention and Control (CP) Research Program.
Sally Ellingson, PhD, assistant professor of biomedical informatics, not only appreciated learning about how the cancer center works behind the scenes, but also found a lot of value in meeting a new group of peers.
“Sometimes, you naturally collaborate within familiar circles, which can limit exposure to new ideas,” she said. “This experience expanded my knowledge and allowed me to connect with like-minded researchers outside of my usual network.”
Learning from Leaders
Preparing the next generation of leadership is essential for cancer centers like Markey, said program director Lovoria Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate director of Cancer Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Sally Humphrey Professor of Cancer Health Equity (pictured above).
The program allowed the participants to learn directly from experienced Markey leaders and pick their brains during question-and-answer sessions.
“You can only learn to be a better leader if you learn from leaders,” said Reema Patel, MD, associate program director of Markey’s Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship. “Hearing from people doing it well and learning from them can elevate how you progress in your own programs or departments.”
LAUNCH provided unique insights to the role of each leader and the inner workings of an NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“I saw it as an opportunity to grow a bit more as a leader and to understand some of the inner workings of the larger cancer center,” Moore said.
Career Impacts
The supportive network of LAUNCH will continue to benefit the original fellows in their careers, they said. The program was refined based on their feedback, and a new group of three fellows already started the program in late 2024.
Ellingson serves on the executive committee for the largest conference in her field of high-performance computing and will be the inclusivity chair for 2025. LAUNCH enhanced her leadership toolkit.
“The program gave me new perspectives and a shared vocabulary around diversity, equity and inclusion, which has helped me better frame conversations and initiatives,” she said.
Patel also emphasized the necessity of uplifting diverse perspectives in leadership positions.
Moore said the program shaped how he views himself as a leader.
“The two major things I take home are understanding who you are as a leader and trying to not lead from a place of fear and trepidation but leading with intentionality and authenticity,” he said.
Reema Patel, MD
Justin Moore, PhD
Aaron Kruse-Diehr, PhD
Sally Ellingson, PhD
