Over 200 oncology leaders gathered in Washington DC on April 17, 2026, for the inaugural ACCC Leadership Summit. Born of the need for a forum dedicated to challenges faced by executive-level decision makers, ACCC designed this summit to foster connection, collaboration, and strategic dialogue among leaders in cancer care. The curated program included panel discussions, networking opportunities, and a high-energy keynote from Michelle Rozen, PhD, on leading through the shifting landscape of AI.
2025-2026 ACCC President Una Hopkins, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, NE-BC, RN, FACCC, welcomed participants to the summit and discussed her President’s Theme: Designing Oncology Care to Meet the Needs of a Growing Patient Population. The day’s panel discussions all considered growth and leadership through this lens, whether by means of technological innovation or advocacy. Dr. Hopkins expressed the summit’s focus on action-oriented conversations, commenting, “This is where strategy meets execution.”
ACCC President-Elect, Doug Flora, MD, LSSBB, FACCC, (second from left) kicked off the morning as moderator of the first panel, AI in Oncology: Tools for Today, Breaking and Remaking for Tomorrow. This session explored both the present and future of AI in health care, highlighting major successes and the most exciting areas of development. Panelists shared their insights on the big-picture factors that are crucial to implementing new AI technologies, including clear organizational structures for algorithms to work with, dedicated staff devoted to change management, and multidisciplinary engagement. Access the animated video here. The panel also prompted the room to investigate their own attitudes towards AI. Skepticism is prevalent but cannot be allowed to hinder improvements in patient care. Ashley Gigandet Joseph, MBA, chief innovation officer at LeanTaaS (right), encouraged the audience to reframe leadership discussions around areas of opportunity, particularly in response to concerns around AI displacing jobs. “We have to paint the picture of what it looks like when it all goes right,” she said. Access the infographic here. The second panel of the day covered another area of rapid shifts: health policy. After deep cuts to reimbursement and research funding, all members of the cancer care ecosystem have had to prioritize creativity and resilience in recent years to keep pace with changes and ensure continuity of care and research. Deborah Kamin, vice president of policy and advocacy at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (center), emphasized the importance of building new relationships through these disruptions. Collaboration is key to navigating unexpected changes and staying prepared for the next curve ball. Access the animated video and infographic here. Moderator Anne-Marie Rainey, MSN, RN, CHC, CPHQ, FACCC, director of quality and value-based care at the American Oncology Network (center), led the next panel through a lively discussion on how to define and align on what value means to the cancer care community. While providers and payers may prioritize different metrics, panelists agreed on the importance of centering patient outcomes and experience. Strategies included using precision medicine to ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time, treating social drivers of health as actionable metrics, and, in the words of panelist Tatjana Kolevska, MD, Medical Director of the National Excellence in Cancer Care Program at Kaiser Permanente (far left), “Make the best thing to do the easiest thing to do.” Access the animated video and infographic here. A common theme of the day was staying nimble in the face of big changes. The final panel zoomed in on an integral component of this resilience: strategic partnerships. Panelists agreed that innovation is outpacing implementation, and that working in silos makes it more difficult to tackle complex problems. Robert Winn, MD, director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center, explained that differences in something as small as vocabulary can hinder a successful collaboration. Clearly defined goals and strategies that welcome all stakeholders to the table can ensure partnerships result in maximum benefit for patients. Access the animated video and infographic here. Keynote speaker Michelle Rozen, PhD, author of The Change Doctor’s Playbook for Adapting to AI, concluded the Summit by sharing her psychology-backed approach to leadership. From how we talk to colleagues to how we talk to ourselves, Rozen explained the ways intentional planning, reflection, and communication all help leaders adapt to and thrive through change.
Rozen invited audience members onstage, including ACCC Executive Director, Meagan O’Neill, MS, to discuss their goals and how they could translate plans into action. Participants’ goals ranged from personal to professional, but all centered on creating meaningful change.
ACCC created real-time graphical illustrations of each session at the Summit. As panelists shared their insights, an artist translated them into vivid drawings that summarized key ideas. The audience watched as illustrations appeared onscreen, providing a visual representation of the conversation to deepen understanding in the moment and create a resource for later.
The discussions held and insights shared during the summit were special, but the real work of cancer care occurs outside the walls of any meeting. In addition to the ideas leaders left with, ACCC shared actionable resources built for the multidisciplinary care team to address complex challenges across the oncology landscape. While these educational materials can be accessed online at any time, participants at the summit gathered together over printed copies, discussing takeaways and plans for implementation.
One of the greatest benefits to bringing oncology leaders together is the conversations that arise between sessions. Participants immediately began putting what they had learned into action by establishing new relationships, reconnecting with colleagues, and planning future collaborations. One attendee shared after the event, “Some meetings you attend. Others leave you more hopeful about the year ahead. Yesterday at the ACCC Leadership Summit was the second one.”
ACCC Welcomes Its Newest Members
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah — Salt Lake City, UT. Dawn Ritzwoller. Website: healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — New York, NY. Delegate Rep: Susan Wasserman. Website: mskcc.org
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center — Houston, TX. Morgan Nestingen. Website: mdanderson.org
Now Accepting Nominations for ACCC Board of Trustees
The ACCC Board of Trustees plays a critical role in shaping the future of oncology care delivery, guiding strategy, influencing policy, and ensuring that the Association remains responsive to the real-world needs of our members and the patients we serve. ACCC is particularly interested in individuals who:
- Bring a systems-level view of oncology care delivery
- Demonstrate a commitment to innovation, access, and quality
- Are engaged, collaborative, and willing to contribute to national dialogue
- Represent the evolving workforce and care models shaping oncology today.
If you are interested in serving, or if you know a colleague or coworker you believe would be a strong candidate for the ACCC Board of Trustees, please submit their name, a one-paragraph statement supporting the nomination, and any relevant ancillary materials (such as a bio or CV, selected publications, or social media handles) to ecarroll@accc-cancer.org.
Featured Resources
Navigating Relapsed or Refractory Follicular Lymphoma. Based on responses from more than 200 professionals across diverse cancer programs, this infographic highlights current treatment approaches, supportive care needs, and persistent barriers to care coordination for patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma. Explore real-world insights on therapy sequencing, quality-of-life considerations, and resource gaps actively impacting patient outcomes. Download now.
Resource Library | Cancer Care for Veterans. To support Veterans with cancer, their families, and their caregivers, ACCC has curated a collection of patient guides, research articles, videos, and tools. Explore resources that address common risk factors for Veterans, barriers to treatment, and how to navigate care through the US Department of Veterans Affairs. View now.
On-Demand Webinar | EHR-Integrated Precision Medicine Insights. Discover how TriHealth Cancer Institute integrated 12 genomic labs into their electronic health record (EHR) to inform clinical decisions, streamline workflows, and track downstream revenue. TriHealth’s innovative model can serve as a blueprint for successful integration of precision medicine data in EHRs. ACCC members can stream this webinar anytime for practical insights and strategies to apply at their cancer programs to improve efficiency and patient outcomes. Login or create an account on the ACCCeLearning platform to access this webinar. Watch now.
