THE COMMUNITY ONCOLOGY ALLIANCE (COA) is pleased to announce the election of new members to the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Additionally, the COA Board has launched and nominated participants for a dedicated standing committee on Government Affairs and Policy as well as Payment Reform.
COA is a nonprofit 501(c)6 organization controlled by community oncologists and is singularly dedicated to advocating for community oncology practices and the patients they serve. COA has an Executive Committee of Officers that reports to a Board of Directors. The Board comprises volunteer representatives from community oncology, who direct the management of COA by its Executive Director.
COA Board of Directors
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS were elected to serve another term on the COA Board of Directors: Jeffrey Vacirca, MD (New York); Miriam Atkins, MD (Augusta, Georgia); Robert E. Baird, RN (Dayton, Ohio); Randy Broun, MD (Cincinnati, Ohio); Fred Divers, MD (Hot Springs, Arkansas); Bruce Gould, MD (Marietta, Georgia); and Mark Nelson, PharmD (Tacoma, Washington).
The following individuals were elected to serve a first-time term on the COA Board of Directors: Anshu K. Jain, MD (Ashland, Kentucky); Seaborn “Donny” Wade, MD (Richmond, Virginia); William “Bud” Pierce, MD (Salem, Oregon); and Troy Simon (Fresno/San Diego, California).
As per the COA bylaws, all Board of Director positions are 3-year terms. These new elections went into effect on January 1, 2018, and end on December 31, 2020. With these elections and changes, there are 35 Board members, which is the maximum allowed under the current COA bylaws.
COA Executive Committee Officers
THE FOLLOWING INDIVIDUALS were re-elected to serve as officers of COA and on the Executive Committee: Jeffrey Vacirca, MD (President); Michael Diaz, MD (Vice President); Kashyap Patel, MD (Secretary); Ricky Newton (Treasurer; ex officio); Bruce Gould, MD (Immediate Past President); Mark Thompson, MD (Past President); David Eagle, MD (Past President); Harry “Mac” Barnes, MD (Past President); Miriam Atkins, MD (Officer-at-Large); and Ted Okon, MBA (Executive Director; ex officio).
As per the COA bylaws, all officer positions are 1-year terms, which began on January 1, 2018, and end on December 31, 2018.
COA Government Affairs and Policy Committee
COA IS ALSO announcing the formation of a standing Government Affairs and Policy Committee. Mark Thompson, MD, Past President of COA and a practicing medical oncologist at the Mark H. Zangmeister Cancer Center in Columbus, Ohio, has been elected to serve as Chair of the newly formed committee for a 1-year term.
COA Payment Reform Committee
THE FOLLOWING individuals have been named to serve on the recently established COA Payment Reform Committee: Sibel Blau, MD (Tacoma, Washington); Brian Bourbeau (Cincinnati, Ohio); Randy Broun, MD (Cincinnati, Ohio); Sarah Cevallos (Fort Myers, Florida); Michael Diaz, MD (St. Petersburg, Florida); Robert “Bo” Gamble (Washington, DC); Lucio Gordan, MD (Gainesville, Florida); Bruce Gould, MD (Marietta, Georgia); Chris Henderson (Fort Worth, Texas); Jeff Hunnicutt (Tacoma, Washington); Terrill Jordan (Hackensack, New Jersey); Ed Licitra, MD, PhD (East Brunswick, New Jersey); Aaron Lyss (Nashville, Tennessee); Sashi Naidu, MD (Rock Hill, South Carolina); Mark Nelson, PharmD (Tacoma, Washington); Ted Okon, MBA (Washington, DC); Scott Parker (Marietta, Georgia); Kashyap Patel, MD (Rock Hill, South Carolina); Debra Patt, MD, MPH, MBA (Austin, Texas); and Jeff Patton, MD (Nashville, Tennessee).
Bruce Gould, MD, Immediate Past President of COA and a practicing medical oncologist at Northwest Georgia Medical Specialists in Marietta, Georgia, has been elected to serve as Chair of the committee for a 1-year term.
The complete and current list of Officers and Board members can be viewed on the COA website at www.communityoncology.org/home/ about-us/officers-and-board. ■
