LEAD Program
Welcome to the LEAD Program
The Leadership, Excellence, Advancement, and Development (LEAD) program advances the leadership culture at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI). Participants will gain a deep understanding of our mission, vision, values, and complexity. They will also learn how to better serve as current and future leaders in promoting HCI’s mission. The program will foster a leadership culture centered around belonging, stewardship, sponsorship, wellness, and talent development. Through the program, leadership competencies will be honed and strategically applied to foster excellence and promote a united effort.
Program Schedule
Admitted participants will meet as a cohort once a week for 10 weeks. Each weekly course will alternate between an eight-hour session at the David Eccles School of Business and a two-hour session at HCI. Sessions will take place on weekdays and will require time away from work.
Completion of modest pre-work may be necessary to participate in the program, and details regarding the pre-work will be provided two weeks prior to the program's commencement. Additionally, participants should anticipate attending an online orientation, welcome social, graduation dinner, and three sessions of post-program work.
The schedule is subject to change and will be finalized closer to the start date. The tentative schedule is to begin the first week of September and end the first week of November 2025.
Week 1
8:30 am-4:30 pm | Building a Strategy for My Team
Facilitator: Jennifer Brown
Week 2
8-9 am | Mission, Vision, Values: How they impact organizational leadership
Facilitator: M. Beckerle
9-10 am | The role and leadership of a Comprehensive Cancer Center
Facilitator: N. Ulrich
Week 3
8:30 am-4:30 pm | Finance for Healthcare
Facilitator: B. Cadman
Week 4
2-3 pm | Financial Leadership of a Complex Mission-Driven Organization
Facilitator: K. Cheney
3-4 pm | Leading Enterprise Transformation: Policy, Culture, and Communication
Facilitator: A. Harrison
Week 5
8:30 am-4:30 pm | Health Conflict and Resolution
Facilitator: Jennifer Cummings
Week 6
8-10 am | Alumni Day
Week 7
10-11 am | Leading a Cancer Hospital within a Complex Health System
Facilitator: D. Milligan
11 am-noon | Leading the Integration of Clinical Care and Research
Facilitator: S. Apte
Week 8
8:30 am-4:30 pm | Negotiations
Facilitator: K. Lijenquist
Week 9
8-9 am | Leading and Managing Talent
Facilitator: J. Vincent
9-10 am | Leadership Frameworks: Servant and Shared Equity Leadership
Facilitator: B. Cairns
Week 10
8:30 am-4:30 pm | Becoming a Team (Cohort), Leading Teams
Facilitator: Jennifer Cummings
Post work
Graduation Dinner
5-7 pm
Program Details
Eligibility
- Current HCI staff and University of Utah faculty affiliated with HCI (HCI Affiliate, HCI Investigators, CCSG Members), who have demonstrated leadership potential, initiative, and excellence in performance:
- Staff who have been employed by or affiliated with HCI for a minimum of three years and are currently in a manager, sr. manager, associate director, director-type, or project/program management position
- Faculty who are employees of the University of Utah and have been an HCI affiliate for a minimum of one year.
- Employees who can commit to approximately 50 hours of in-person participation during the 10-week course, with the understanding that attendance at all program events is mandatory.
- Committed to improving their leadership skills and dedicated to fostering an environment of belonging that aligns with HCI’s vision of passionate individuals and teams delivering a cancer-free frontier through scientific discovery and human touch.
Application Process
- Submit your application
- One reference is required
- Preferably your immediate supervisor, although you may also opt for someone who holds an alternative oversight position.
Selection Process
Participants will be selected by a review committee of HCI executives. Selection will be based on factors including leadership potential, demonstrated initiative, performance and track record, and alignment with HCI’s mission, vision, and values. The reference submission will be taken into consideration; however, the applicant’s own answers to the application questions are the most crucial elements of the review.
- Applications are due by June 9, 2025.
- References must be submitted by June 10, 2025.
- Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by June 23, 2025.
After applicants are selected, we will contact your supervisor to confirm their approval of the time commitment involved. If you have questions regarding the application process, please contact LEAD@hci.utah.edu.
Program Fee
The cost from the David Eccles School of Business for the HCI LEAD Program is approximately $5,000 per participant. HCI has generously offered to cover the full cost for staff and the majority for faculty ($3,500). As faculty typically have department-derived faculty development funds, we are requesting the remaining $1,500 to be paid by those funds after acceptance into the program. Limited scholarship funds are available for those who do not have the necessary development funds to cover the $1,500 portion. The contribution will not affect candidacy.
We encourage you to contact the LEAD team for further assistance.