About PECaD

Our 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

Leaders

Director

Drake BettinaBettina F. Drake, PhD, MPH
Director, PECaD
Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement (COE)
Professor, Division of Public Health Sciences

PECaD Staff

Sarah ChavezSarah Chavez, PhD
Assistant Director, Research and Strategic Partnerships
PECaD Chair, MO Cancer Consortium

 

 

Keisha WindhamKeisha Windham, DPA, MPPA
Assistant Director, Community Outreach, PECaD

 

 

 

Liyan JinLiyan Jing, MPH
Statistical Analyst

 

 

 

Charles CogshellCharles Cogshell
Community Health Worker

 

 

 

Hank DartHank Dart, MS
Health Literacy Specialist

 

 

 

Thumbnail Jennifertappenden 4x5Jennifer Tappenden, MS
Diversity in Clinical Trial Monitor

 

 

 

Kb Headshot Braids CopyKatherine Brown, MPH, BS, BA
Assistant Director of Evaluation and Operations

Disparities Elimination Advisory Council (DEAC)

Chair

Rev. Edmund Lowe Rev. Edmund E. Lowe, Sr.
Chair, DEAC
Diversity & Inclusion Manager, Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Missouri Chapter

 

 

Council Members

Pamela BegayPam Begay
Director, Katheryn Buder Center

 

 

 

Yvonne BuhlingerYvonne Buhlinger
Executive Vice President, Affinia Healthcare

 

 

 

Galan GritsGalen Gritts, BS
American Indian & Community Volunteer, Lutheran Indian Ministries

 

 

 

Sherrill JacksonSherrill Jackson, RN, CPNP, MSA
President, The Breakfast Club, Inc.
Breast Cancer Survivor

 

 

 

Jade James HalbertJade James-Halbert
Women’s Health, CareSTL

 

 

 

Adrienne Hunter GreenAdrienne Hunter-Green
Founder, Angels with a Vision
Owner, Hunter-Green Family Farms
Regional Educator, Lincoln University Cooperate Extension of Missouri

 

 

Valeda KeysValeda Keys
CEO & Founder, Valeda’s Hope

 

 

 

SaundiSaundi Kloeckener
American Indian & Community Volunteer
Retired School Teacher, Rockwood School District

 

 

Nancy MaxwellNancy Maxwell
Founder, Carbondale United

 

 

 

Donald M. SuggsDonald Suggs, DDS
Publisher & Owner, St. Louis American Newspaper

 

 

 

Sherry TalucSherry Taluc
American Indian & Community Volunteer
Breast Cancer Survivor

 

 

Sal ValadezSal Valadez
Diversity, Outreach & Marketing Representative, MKLDC Diversity Initiative, LiUNA

 

 

 

Maranda Witherspoon RichardsonMaranda Witherspoon Richardson, MPPA
Owner, MWR Consulting

 

 

 

Sen. Robin Wright Jones 9Robin Wright-Jones
Executive Director, The Empowerment Network (TEN)

 

 

 

Aimee JamesAimee James, PhD, MPH
Faculty Co-Chair & Professor of Surgery, Division of Public Health Sciences

Internal Leadership Team

Graham Colditz, MD, DrPH
Niess-Gain Professor
Associate Director, Prevention and Control

 

 

Kia Davis

Kia Davis, ScD, MPH
Assistant Professor
Director, Community Research Fellows Training Program

 

 

Mark FialaMark Fiala, MSW
Assistant Professor
Chair, Health Equity Fellows

 

 

Dr. Lannis HallLannis Hall, MD, MPH
Associate Professor
Medical Director, Radiation Oncology
Director, Clinical Studies Outreach

 

Edmund Lowe

Rev. Edmund Lowe, BA, MA, HR
President Elder African Methodist Episcopal Church
Chair, Disparities Elimination Advisory Committee

 

 

Chongliang LuoChongliang (Jason) Luo, PhD
Assistant Professor
Siteman Biostatistics Core Faculty

 

 

Sanders Thompson Vetta

 

Vetta Sanders-Thompson, PhD
E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity
Chair, Center for Community Health Partnerships and Research

 

 

Dr. WangJean Wang, MD, PhD
Professor
Chair, MO Colorectal Cancer Roundtable

 

 

Aimee S. James

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

Siteman’s catchment spans 82 counties across Missouri and Illinois. For more data on the catchment, see the data resources page.

Catchment