Administrative Core

ADMINISTRATIVE CORE – ABSTRACT To support the mission of the Advancing Cancer Control Engaged Research Through Transformative Solutions in Patient Navigation (ACCERT PN) Center as a vibrant part of the U19 ACCERT Cooperative Network, the Administrative Core (AC) will provide organizational, administrative, research, and community engagement leadership to foster transformative research focused on innovative patient navigation strategies to mitigate worsening cancer health outcomes in patient populations with low access to care in Northwestern University’s catchment area communities, and build capacity, foster growth, and drive community engagement both within the ACCERT PN Center and across the ACCERT ecosystem as a member of the cooperative network. As the administrative hub of the ACCERT PN Center, the AC will helm infrastructure development, fiscal management, resource allocation, and communications at Northwestern University and among the ACCERT PN Center’s academic and community partners. The AC is led by Melissa Simon, MD and Betina Yanez, PhD who have extensive administrative experience leading large-scale cancer research collaborations and community-engaged partnerships and consortiums. The AC will coordinate ACCERT PN processes, activities, advisory boards, and other structures that will provide scientific and administrative support and evaluation across the ACCERT PN Projects and Cores. The AC will provide community engagement leadership to foster scientifically productive team environments that enhance collaboration with communities impacted by worsening cancer health outcomes, ensuring community participation in the design, operationalization, implementation, and dissemination of all ACCERT PN research activities. Our assembled Community Advisory Board (CAB) of community and clinical partners is based on our longstanding and deep ties with the communities the ACCERT PN Center will serve. To build and grow the ACCERT PN Center, we will foster capacity building and engagement with community partners and new investigators, leveraging our team’s extensive networks, skills building resources, and established participatory processes, while adding novel initiatives to strengthen the Center’s culture of scientific excellence. The AC will oversee successful operations of the ACCERT PN Center through the following Specific Aims. Aim 1: Provide centralized leadership of the ACCERT PN Center and budgetary and administrative management and oversight of all ACCERT PN Center activities. Aim 2: Collaborate on consortium-wide activities, including Collaborative Pilot Projects, through interactions with the ACCERT Coordination Center. Aim 3: Identify resources, develop processes, and conduct programs for capacity building and growth. Aim 4: Foster community partner engagement within the Center through engagement and coordination of the ACCERT PN Center’s Community Advisory Board, and through conflict resolution, technical assistance, evaluation of community engagement processes, and dissemination.