ACE Meeting. July 23, 1:00 pm ET, 10:00 am PT.
Dana Deighton will present How to Advocate for a Population You Are Not A Part Of.
Dana Deighton is an accomplished communications leader with over 30 years of experience in corporate marketing and communications, publishing, partner/project/program management, and patient advocacy. Currently, she is the Director of Communications and Engagement at the Melanoma Research Alliance, though most of her distinguished career was spent at National Geographic, where she crafted compelling brand marketing campaigns for various content platforms like NG Kids and NG Expeditions. Dana made a significant pivot into the health space following her own diagnostic odyssey and stage 4 cancer journey. She worked at Inspire, an online digital community where patients and caregivers can find and offer support to each other, based on their specific diagnosis. She managed strategic enterprise initiatives and cultivated partnerships with clients, advocacy groups, investors, and vendors, as well as launched the company’s first iOS app. From there she joined Scripps Research as Associate Director of Outreach & Strategic Partnerships, where she led recruitment and engagement activities for NIH’s All of Us Research Program. This historic effort aims to accelerate research and improve health through precision medicine by gathering data from one million or more people in the United States. Dana’s leadership and strategic vision were instrumental in driving participation and ensuring the inclusion of diverse populations in biomedical research. Outside of work, Dana is deeply involved in the cancer advocacy space, mentoring other patients and served as an Executive Board Member of the Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN.org). She serves as co-chair of the Patient and Family Advisory Council for the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center and participates in steering committees, task forces, and guideline review panels for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She is also very involved in community events. Dana lives in Alexandria, VA, with her husband and pitbull, Lila Pearl. They have three young adult children, who are pursuing futures Marine Biology as an undergrad, the US Coast Guard, and nursing school.
