New Board and Staff Join Nevada Cancer Coalition

Nevada Cancer Coalition in February welcomed three new members to the nonprofit’s board of directors and hired Lily Helzer as its incoming Cancer Prevention Programs Manager. The new additions round out the organization’s 12-member board and staff of eight.

Helzer comes to NCC from the State of Nevada’s Division of Public and Behavioral Health where she worked for more than a decade in cancer control and population health. Her most recent role was as section manager of chronic disease and health promotion, overseeing multiple grants and funds to promote the prevention and control of chronic diseases including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

As the lead on prevention programs for the coalition, Helzer will take the reins from Christine Thompson, who held the position for more than seven years and will retire in March. Programs within her purview will include Sun Smart Nevada and its Sun Smart Schools program to prevent skin cancer and promote sun safety, and Smoke Free Truckee Meadows, an initiative to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure in the workplace for all Washoe County workers.

NCC’s new board members are:

• Annie Millard, RN, BSN, MBA, is the clinical research nurse coordinator at Carson Tahoe Cancer Center. Millard served previously on NCC’s board of directors and returns after a several yearslong break. In addition to supporting the organization’s operation, Millard’s focus on the board will also be in supporting the relaunch of the coalition’s surveillance and research task force to promote cancer data collection and increased cancer research and clinical trials participation in the state.
• Dr. Amy Levin, is medical director for Anthem NV Medicaid health plan and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Levin left clinical practice in an effort to influence healthcare on a larger scale, working to increase efficiency and accessibility for Nevadans. In addition to serving on NCC’s board, she participates on the coalition’s breast and colorectal cancer collaboratives working with partners to increase screening rates and access to screening for these cancers.
• Kim Dupuis, is oncology programs director at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas overseeing programs related to breast and colorectal cancers. She received NCC’s Healthcare Partner of the Year award in 2022 for her diverse work in supporting early detection and survivorship for breast, colorectal and lung cancers, among others.