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Board & Staff

NCC Board of Directors — Committed to Reducing the Impact of Cancer in Nevada

Susan Cox
Susan Cox, RT (R)(T)(M)
Renown Institute for Cancer
President, Term 2024-2025
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Susan Cox, RT (R)(T)(M) Renown Institute for Cancer President, Term 2024-2025
Stacey Escalante
Stacey Escalante
Melanoma Survivor, Media/Publicist
Secretary, Term 2024-2025
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Stacey Escalante Melanoma Survivor, Media/Publicist Secretary, Term 2024-2025

Stacey spent more than two decades as a broadcast reporter and was well-known in the Las Vegas market when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma. Since her diagnosis she has been on a mission to save lives by educating others about skin cancer. She travels to Washington D.C. to advocate at the national level and was part of the release of the 2014 U.S. Surgeon General’s Call to Action on Skin Cancer. At the state level she has helped to pass several laws to reduce skin cancer risk and helped NCC to launch Sun Smart Nevada. 

Linda Smiley
Linda Smiley
The Heath Foundation
Treasurer, Term 2024-2025
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Linda Smiley The Heath Foundation Treasurer, Term 2024-2025
Chelsea Bishop
Chelsea Bishop, RN
Quest Diagnostics
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Chelsea Bishop, RN Quest Diagnostics Director, Term 2024-2025

Chelsea Bishop is a native Nevadan, registered nurse and mom. Her daughter, Navy, is her inspiration in using her voice to help those going through cancer treatments. Navy fought stage 4 high-risk Neuroblastoma for over 6 years before passing away in 2021 at the age of 9. Chelsea is an advocate for children’s health care in Nevada and is a parent ambassador with Children’s Advocacy Alliance.

Dr. James Cohen
James Cohen, MD
Director, Term 2024-2025
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James Cohen, MD Director, Term 2024-2025

Dr. Cohen is a retired medical oncologist. He was an English major and art history minor as an undergraduate before deciding that wasn’t his path. Instead, Dr. Cohen became a third-generation physician, graduating from Js Weill Medical College, Cornell University, training at Memorial Sloan Kettering, UCSF and Stanford. He has practiced medicine for five decades and says, “My philosophy is that the patient comes first. It’s all about the patient.”
 

Melissa Davies
Melissa Davies, RHU
Clark & Associates
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Melissa Davies, RHU Clark & Associates Director, Term 2024-2025

Melissa is a licensed Benefit Solutions Consultant with more than 15 years of experience assisting employers and HR professionals with comprehensive employee benefit solutions. She is passionate about health and holds a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from the University of Nevada, Reno. She is a graduate of the Washoe County Medical Society’s Mini-Internship Program and the Reno Sparks Chamber Leadership Program. She will also serve as president of the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce in 2022.

Kim Dupuis
Kim Dupuis
Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center
Director, Term 2025-2026
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Kim Dupuis Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center Director, Term 2025-2026

Kim Dupuis’ experience in Healthcare spans for more than 40 years and currently holds the position of Oncology Development Director and Rectal Cancer Program Coordinator for Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. She oversees the Commission on Cancer, National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer and the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program accreditations for Sunrise Hospital. Kim has a passion and commitment for all patients requiring healthcare and works diligently to support the needs of her patients. In 2022, she received NCC's Healthcare Partner of the Year award. Kim is a proud parent of three children and three grandchildren.  In her free-time she enjoys traveling and spending time with her grandchildren.

Karen Fisicaro
Karen Fisicaro, RD, LD, CSO
Carson Tahoe Health
Director, Term 2025-2026
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Karen Fisicaro, RD, LD, CSO Carson Tahoe Health Director, Term 2025-2026
Kim Johnson
Kimberly Johnson, MHA, CPHQ
UnitedHealthcare
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Kimberly Johnson, MHA, CPHQ UnitedHealthcare Director, Term 2024-2025

Kimberly S Johnson, MHA CPHQ has over 30 years of healthcare experience. Having worked at health plans in provider relations, credentialing, claims, contracting, marketing, and healthcare delivery in clinical practice management and hospitals, Kim has a thorough understanding of the healthcare system. She is the Director of Quality Improvement at UnitedHealthcare in Nevada where she manages improving the health and cancer screening rates of over 500,000 Nevadans. Kim received her master’s degree in healthcare administration at UNLV and is certified in healthcare quality. When not working, Kim loves to hike, garden, and watch various sports with her husband, Pat.

Amy Levin
Amy Levin, MD, FACS
Anthem NV Medicaid
Director, Term 2025-2026
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Amy Levin, MD, FACS Anthem NV Medicaid Director, Term 2025-2026

Dr. Levin practiced a wide range of general surgery for several years and saw firsthand the devastating toll that cancer takes on patients, families and the healthcare system. Though she loved patient care, she developed an interest in the business of medicine and our healthcare system due to frustrations she experienced in clinical practice. Over time she transitioned full-time into non-clinical roles and now serves as a medical director for the Anthem NV Medicaid health plan. This role allows her to influence healthcare on a larger scale, striving to make it efficient and accessible to all Nevadans.  

Dr. Levin is certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. When not hard at work, she enjoys hiking, skiing and traveling with her husband and two daughters. She has lived in Las Vegas since 2012, enjoying all the southwest has to offer.

Tom McCoy
Tom McCoy, JD
Executive Director - State Government Affairs, Nevada Chronic Care Collaborative
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Tom McCoy, JD Executive Director - State Government Affairs, Nevada Chronic Care Collaborative Director, Term 2024-2025

Tom has been involved with NCC since its inception in 2002 and has been a valuable member of the cancer control community by advocating for policies at both the state and national level. He served for more than 12 years as the Government Relations Director for American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network before retiring. He continues to work on a variety of issues related to cancer, chronic disease and palliative care. He received his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law and has a BA and MA in Mass Communication and Media Studies.

Vishisht Mehta
Vishisht Mehta, MD, FCCP
Lung Center of Nevada / Comprehensive Cancer Centers
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Vishisht Mehta, MD, FCCP Lung Center of Nevada / Comprehensive Cancer Centers Director, Term 2024-2025

Dr. Mehta is the Director of Interventional Pulmonology at the Lung Center of Nevada, a division of Comprehensive Cancer Centers and also the Department Chair of Pulmonology at MountainView Hospital, both in Las Vegas, NV. He is fellowship trained in Interventional Pulmonology, which specializes in the minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of lung conditions.

He has authored and reviewed various published scholarly articles. and served as faculty at international conferences. He is a recipient of the prestigious FCCP (Fellow of the College of Chest Physicians) designation from CHEST (American College of Chest Physicians), serves on the Nevada Leadership Board of the American Lung Association (ALA) and is the Founder of the Nevada Lung Foundation, which is his personal philanthropic effort to improve lung health (& lung cancer screening in particular) in Nevada. For his work, he was recognized by Vegas Inc. with their 40 under 40 award in 2023.

His growing interest and consulting expertise lies in the application of artificial intelligence in pulmonology especially in early stage medtech ventures. He is also the founder of Pulmonary.aI

Annie Millard
Annie Millard, RN, BSN, MBA
Director, Term 2025-2026
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Annie Millard, RN, BSN, MBA Director, Term 2025-2026

Annie Millard recently retired as the Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator at Carson Tahoe Cancer Center. Annie’s healthcare education began as a nurse aide. She progressed to LPN and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing and MBA. She has experience in Oncology, PACU, Pre-op, ER, ICU, Telemetry and Med-Surg nursing.  Annie most recently obtained her certification as a Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) and provides clinical trial education to facilitate clinical trial enrollment.

Lee Schwartzberg
Lee Schwartzberg, MD
Renown Institute for Cancer
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Lee Schwartzberg, MD Renown Institute for Cancer Director, Term 2024-2025

Dr. Schwartzberg is Chief, Medical Oncology and Hematology at the Renown Institute for Cancer and Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of Nevada, Reno. He did his hematology/oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and spent three decades at West Cancer Center and Research Institute as Medical Director. He was Chief, Division of hematology/oncology and Professor of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science center from 2012-2017. In 2018, he became the founding Chief Medical Officer of OneOncology, a national oncology practice management company and served in that role through 2021. He previously served on the Board of Directors and the Guideline Steering Committee of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and participated in several guideline committees including breast cancer. Dr. Schwartzberg has published nearly 300 peer reviewed manuscripts, book chapters and monographs. He is founding editor in chief of the Elsevier website PracticeUpdate Oncology and founding editor in chief of the journal Community Oncology. His research interests focus on breast cancer, supportive care, precision medicine and patient reported outcomes. Dr. Schwartzberg maintains a clinical practice in breast cancer.

Charles St. Hill
Charles St. Hill, MD, MSc, FACS
Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV
Director, Term 2024-2025
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Charles St. Hill, MD, MSc, FACS Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV Director, Term 2024-2025

Dr. Charles St. Hill was born and raised in San Diego, California. He attended UC Berkeley where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cell Biology: Immunology in 1997. After matriculating to USC’s Keck School of Medicine in 2001 for his medical doctorate, he completed a general surgery residency here in Las Vegas at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) in 2010. During this time, he developed a passion for the treatment of patients with cancer as well as research to improve their outcomes. He completed fellowships in Surgical Oncology and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery as well as a Master’s degree in Clinical Trials Design at the University of Louisville in 2012. He then returned to join the faculty at UNR Med where he was dedicated to expanding the surgical oncology practice, developing a clinical and translational research program, as well as teaching the resident and student physicians.

In 2017, he transitioned to the inaugural Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine at UNLV faculty to add his expertise in cancer care, research, and teaching. He offers patients with complex cancer of the liver, bile ducts, and pancreas access to minimally invasive resection techniques that are not widely available here. 

He participates in the Society of Surgical Oncology Hepatopancreatobiliary Disease workgroup that develops guidelines for the treatment of these diseases. He also serves on the Americas Hepato-Pancreato­-Biliary Association Research Committee and develops consensus statements on the management of relevant diseases. Locally, he serves as the chair of UMC’s Robotic Steering Committee and Cancer Liaison for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Cancer program at Sunrise Hospital.

NCC Staff — Working to Fulfill Our Mission Every Day

Cari Herington
Cari Herington, MBA
Executive Director
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Cari Herington, MBA Executive Director

Cari joined NCC as its first Executive Director and staff in September 2011. For more than 20 years, she has built and led organizations and coalitions focused on protecting and improving the health of Nevadans. Cari received her MBA from University of Nevada, Reno. She is an avid runner and marathoner and mom to twin girls now attending college.

Phone: (775) 451-1670 ext. 101 | EMAIL
Kristen Hackbarth
Kristen Hackbarth, MS
Communications Director
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Kristen Hackbarth, MS Communications Director

Kristen joined NCC in April 2021, re-assuming the role of Communications Director she held from 2013 to 2018. Kristen has more than two decades of experience in marketing, public relations, and communications in northern Nevada. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nevada, Reno and Master of Science in Management and Leadership from Western Governor's University. In her free time, she is a volunteer backpacking guide along the Tahoe Rim Trail, an avid home cook and baker, cyclist, wife, and stepmom.

Phone: (775) 451-1670 ext. 105 | EMAIL
Michelle Lambert
Michelle Lambert
Operations Manager
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Michelle Lambert Operations Manager

Michelle joined NCC in February 2022. She has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Reno in Human Services/Psychology. She has 20 years of financial and accounting experience. Michelle is a proud mom to two beautiful daughters. In her free time she enjoys skiing, camping, hiking, exploring nature and spending time with her two fur babies.

Phone: 775-451-1670, ext. 102 | EMAIL
Amy Thompson
Amy Thompson
RN, OCN, CN-BN
Cancer Survivorship Programs Manager
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Amy Thompson RN, OCN, CN-BN Cancer Survivorship Programs Manager

Amy joined NCC in March 2020. As a proud Native Nevadan, Amy is excited to bring her years of experience as an Oncology Certified Registered Nurse and Certified Breast Nurse Navigator to NCC. Amy is a proud wife and mom to a high schooler and two fur kids. She loves travel and all things creative! In her spare time, you will find her dancing, reading, writing, and enjoying time with her precious family and friends.

Phone: (775) 451-1670 ext. 106 | EMAIL
Lily Helzer
Lily Helzer, MPH
Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Programs Manager
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Lily Helzer, MPH Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Programs Manager

Lily Helzer is a native Nevadan, a graduate from the UNR School of Public Health, and has enjoyed her varied career in Nevada public health efforts supporting chronic disease prevention and control initiatives. She had the good fortune to work alongside NCC for a number of years before officially joining in February 2023. Lily spends as much time outside as she can manage, traveling, hiking, trail running, camping, snowshoeing and skiing, often accompanied by her son and husband. 

Phone: (775) 451-1670 ext. 103 | EMAIL
Sarah Grocki
Sarah Grocki, MBA
Community Engagement Manager
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Sarah Grocki, MBA Community Engagement Manager

Sarah joined the NCC team in August 2023. She was born and raised in North Texas, but she moved to Reno to take advantage of the area's mountains and outdoor activities. Sarah received her MBA from University of Texas at Arlington. She is excited to bring her years of experience in outreach and training to her new role as Community Engagement Manager. In her free time, Sarah is an outdoor enthusiast enjoying a variety of hobbies including rock climbing, hiking, paddle boarding, and skiing.

Phone: 775-451-1670 x104 | EMAIL
Valerie Martinez
Valerie Martinez, CHW
Cancer Outreach Coordinator
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Valerie Martinez, CHW Cancer Outreach Coordinator

Valerie joined NCC in October 2021 as the Coalition's first southern Nevada staff member. Valerie was born in Los Angeles, California and has lived in Las Vegas for nearly two decades. She is excited to bring her years of experience and resources as a Case Manager to NCC to support Nevadans. She has a Bachelor of Science in Human Service Counseling from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, her fur baby, cooking, traveling, and self-care.

Phone: (775) 451-1670 ext. 107 | EMAIL
Jorge Arambula
Jorge Arambula, CHW
Cancer Outreach Coordinator
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Jorge Arambula, CHW Cancer Outreach Coordinator

Jorge joined NCC in 2022 as the coalition's second southern Nevada team member. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, but raised in Las Vegas for the past two decades. He has also spent time in northern Nevada, attending the University of Nevada, Reno where he received a bachelor's degree in public health and a certificate in gerontology. He's excited to bring experience as a health and disabilities advocate to NCC. Jorge is a proud father of two sons and loves to exercise, watch sports, and enjoy quality time with friends and family.

Phone: 775-451-1670 ext. 109 | EMAIL