The Prevent Cancer Foundation® announces the election of Caryn Dyson, Ted Okon, Shanta Whitaker-Toney, Ph.D., MPH and Michael Williams to the Foundation’s board of directors.
Alexandria, Va., Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Prevent Cancer Foundation® announces the election of Caryn Dyson, Ted Okon, Shanta Whitaker-Toney, Ph.D., MPH and Michael Williams to the Foundation’s board of directors. Their terms will begin on January 1, 2025. The Foundation is proud to welcome these esteemed individuals to their new positions.
As a senior policy advisor at Akin Gump, Caryn Dyson enhances the effectiveness of clients’ political contributions. She also leads Akin’s bipartisan political action committee, directing the firm’s political activities during election cycles with Democratic House and Senate campaigns. Ms. Dyson is a seasoned expert in Democratic politics and worked for then-Representative Vic Fazio (D-Calif.) for over two decades. (The late Rep. Fazio served on the Foundation’s board of directors from 2015 until his death in 2022.) Ms. Dyson also served as a professional staff member in the office of Sen. John Breaux (D-La.).
Ted Okon is a nationally recognized expert on the policy and politics of cancer care. As executive director of the Community Oncology Alliance, Mr. Okon oversees the strategic direction of the organization dedicated to patients and providers in the community cancer care setting. He has authored numerous articles and studies related to cancer care policy and politics, reimbursement and clinical issues. Mr. Okon has also testified before Congress on cancer issues, with areas of expertise including the cost of cancer treatment, health care reform, Medicare reimbursement, drug shortages and the changing landscape of cancer care delivery in the U.S.
Shanta Whitaker-Toney, Ph.D., MPH, is a managing director of Continuum Health Group, a public health and health disparities policy firm. She is also a senior vice president in the health policy group at government affairs firm Venn Strategies. Previously, Dr. Whitaker-Toney worked as a health policy consultant for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services while at LMI. In this role, she served as a subject matter expert on Medicare and Medicaid Shared Savings Programs and worked closely with Accountable Care Organizations.
The Williams Group is led by Michael “Mike” Williams. Mr. Williams has more than two decades of experience in business advocacy and strategic communication, as well as federal and state government service. Prior to founding The Williams Group, he was a managing director of Credit Suisse in the Public Policy Americas division. Mr. Williams served as special assistant to the president and staff Director for legislative affairs during the Clinton administration. He has worked in numerous election campaigns at all levels and has served as a congressional liaison for the National Democratic Convention for over 14 years.
“Our board of directors is a dynamic group of individuals, and the additions of Caryn, Ted, Shanta and Mike will continue to enhance the board’s expertise and vision,” said Jody Hoyos, CEO of the Prevent Cancer Foundation. “We are proud to have them joining us, and I look forward to seeing what they accomplish—not just for the Foundation, but for the future cancer prevention and early detection.”
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About the Prevent Cancer Foundation®
The Prevent Cancer Foundation® is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection. Through research, education, outreach and advocacy, we have helped countless people avoid a cancer diagnosis or detect their cancer early enough to be successfully treated. We are driven by a vision of a world where cancer is preventable, detectable and beatable for all.
The Foundation is rising to meet the challenge of reducing cancer deaths by 40% by 2035. To achieve this, we are committed to investing $20 million for innovative technologies to detect cancer early and advance multi-cancer screening, $10 million to expand cancer screening and vaccination access to medically underserved communities, and $10 million to educate the public about screening and vaccination options.
For more information, please visit www.preventcancer.org.
CONTACT: Kyra Meister Prevent Cancer Foundation 703-836-1746 Kyra.Meister@preventcancer.org
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