How long have you been a member of AACE?
I’ve been a member of AACE since 2014.
What is your current position and where do you work?
I work out of the Academic Programs Office at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. My time is split between several international student programs and a long running R25 summer program, the Pediatric Oncology Education (POE) Program
How long have you been doing research in the field of cancer education?
I have been working in academic programs - with a predominant cancer focus - since I began at St. Jude in 2012.
How did your interest in the field of cancer education begin?
This has come as a new direction for me, after moving to Memphis from London and a twenty year career in the British Civil Service. There I had put in time in immigration casework, prisoner release policy, international drug regulation and, latterly, a Foreign Office unit on Afghan drugs. My wife - a pediatric oncologist with a PhD investigating pediatric gliomas - took a position at St. Jude and I have been honored to join her there.
Describe some of your research as it relates to cancer education.
I am a practitioner first and foremost, but have an ethos both of continuous development to the areas in which I work and in sharing and communicating those developments with others. My appointment last year to the AACE's Executive Council has allowed me to help provide practical tools for our members to communicate with one another, such as our new series of Engagement Lounges, or the way we have restructured the Roundtable segment of the ICEC.
What motivates you to continue to do research in cancer education?
With a background as a public sector administrator there are significant crossovers to non-profit education and administration - but cancer education has also been a new departure and, even with several years immersion, I feel I'm only just beginning to discover the scope of the work within this field.
Do you have any advice for individuals interested in pursuing a career in cancer education?
Be sure to network. Be sure to exchange ideas. Become involved in professional organizations. The present health crisis has only served to underline the need for us all to adapt and share information on how to do so. A curious mind and a willingness to innovate will stand you in good stead no matter your level of experience in the field.