Skip to main content

Cancer Center Leadership

Huntsman Cancer Institute Leadership and Advisory Groups

Huntsman Cancer Institute’s leadership committees work together to develop coordinated strategies, evaluate activities, address challenges, and identify new opportunities. These groups help ensure the cancer center remains focused on its mission to advance cancer research and care for all people. Leadership committees include the Research Executive Committee, Clinical Research Executive Committee, Research Leadership Council, and External, Internal, and Community Advisory Boards.

Research Executive Committee

Clinical Research Executive Committee

Research Leadership Council

External Advisory Board

Internal Advisory Board

Community Advisory Board

Research Executive Committee

The Research Executive Committee (REC), led by Cornelia Ulrich, MS, PhD, is the senior management and governance body for research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Committee members include senior directors and the director of research development. The REC is responsible for setting research strategy, evaluating outcomes, and overseeing major research initiatives. The committee advises Dr. Ulrich on all research-related matters to help guide the cancer center’s scientific direction.

Chair

Cornelia Ulrich, MS, PhD

Executive Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

View Profile

Deputy Director

Theresa Werner, MD

Deputy Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

View Profile

Senior Directors

Neeraj Agarwal, MD

Clinical Research

View Profile

Donald E. Ayer, PhD

Co-Director, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

View Profile

Rachel Ceballos, PhD

Community Outreach and Engagement

View Profile

Max Loveless, MBA

Senior Administrative Director

Martin McMahon, PhD

Preclinical Translation

View Profile

Tracy Onega, PhD, MS

Population Sciences

View Profile

Aik Choon Tan, PhD

Data Science and AI

View Profile

Katharine Ullman, PhD

Director, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination

View Profile

Alana Welm, PhD

Basic Science

View Profile

David Wetter, PhD, MS

CHES

View Profile

Research Development

Holly Zullo, PhD

Director of Research Development

Clinical Research Executive Committee

The Clinical Research Executive Committee (CREC) guides the clinical research program at Huntsman Cancer Institute. This committee sets policy, establishes priorities for the Clinical Trials Office, and reviews monthly trial enrollment data. The CREC also monitors research participation among a broad range of population groups, including women and children, and supports the integration of clinical research across other areas of the cancer center. The committee works to resolve challenges, develop policy, and ensure compliance with research standards.

Co-Chairs

Sachin Apte, MD, MS, MBA

Chief Clinical Officer; Physician-in-Chief

View Profile

Neeraj Agarwal, MD, FASCO

Senior Director of Clinical Research

View Profile

Voting Members

Wallace Akerley, MD

Chair, Protocol Review and Monitoring Committee

View Profile

Rachel Ceballos, PhD

Senior Director, Community Outreach and Engagement

View Profile

Kevin Cheney, MBA, CPA

Executive Director of Finance and Administration

View Profile

Lesley Lomo, MD, MS

Pathology Department Representative

View Profile

Max Loveless, MBA

Senior Administrative Director

Luke Maese, DO

Director, Pediatric Oncology Clinical Research Enterprise

View Profile

Don Milligan, MBA

Executive Director, Cancer Hospital

View Profile

Jessica Moehle, CCRP

Senior Clinical Research Administrative Director

Tracy Onega, PhD, MS

Senior Director of Population Sciences

View Profile

Paul J. Shami, MD

Chair, Data and Safety Monitoring

View Profile

Heloisa Soares, MD, PhD

Medical Director, Clinical Trials Office

View Profile

Cornelia Ulrich, MS, PhD

Executive Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

View Profile

Theresa Werner, MD

Deputy Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center

View Profile

Jeffrey Yap, PhD

Director, Center for Quantitative Cancer Imaging

View Profile

Non-Voting Members

Donna Branson

Director, Patient and Public Education

Bailee Daniels, MS, CCRC

Senior Manager, Population Sciences

Allison Foust, MHA, MCHES

Programs Manager, Community Outreach and Engagement

Leanne Lujan, CCRP

Director of Operations, Clinical Trials Office

Emily Olsen, MBA, MPA

Senior Administrative Manager, Disease Centers

Aik Choon Tan, PhD

Senior Director, Data Science

View Profile

Kelli Thorne

Director, Research Compliance Office

Holly Zullo, PhD

Director of Research Development