Grow as a leader. Spark collaboration. Multiply Impact.
The Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) is a cross‑disciplinary learning community designed to elevate promising talent at Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center. Members gain structured leadership development, mentorship from senior leaders, and opportunities to collaborate on Holden priorities spanning research, clinical excellence, and outreach.
As an ELC member, you will:
- Advocate on behalf of early-career Holden faculty members
- Assist and support Holden leadership and program leaders in developing and implementing center-wide initiatives and activities
- Highlight promising new research opportunities, approaches, and techniques likely to be impactful for all members
- Lead selected research program-focused initiatives and activities
Goals
Leadership Development
Cultivate emerging leaders through mentorship, experiential learning, and skill-building workshops tied to cancer center priorities
Community
Connect faculty, trainees, and staff across programs to accelerate the impact of cancer research
Impactful Projects
Identify high-priority issues and opportunities of interest to early-career faculty members and design projects that drive meaningful results
Program Structure
The Emerging Leaders Council consists of 15 to 20 members who serve two-year terms.
- Council members apply and are selected by Holden senior leadership.
- Council meets once a month.
- ELC appoints its leadership:
- Chair – member on Holden Research Executive Committee (meets monthly) and other senior leader meetings (such as External Advisory Board), as needed
- Vice Chair – member on Holden Research Executive Committee (meets monthly) and other senior leader meetings (such as External Advisory Board), as needed
- ELC members are expected to actively participate in Holden activities—including research program meetings, retreats, seminars, lectures, and opportunities for education, training, and outreach.
- ELC members contribute to CCSG renewal, upon request.
- Members serve on Holden advisory committees.
2026-2027 Members
- Alaa AlBashayreh, PhD, MSHI, RN, Assistant Professor, College of Nursing
- C. Carter Barnett, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology
- Naomi Fei, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
- Julie Fischer, MD, MSCI-TS, Clinical Assistant Professor Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology
- Xiang Gao, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Surgical Oncology
- Jenna Gedminas, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology
- Sara Claire Horton, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology
- Michelle Howard, PhD, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology
- Helen Lillie, PhD, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
- Ananya Panda, MBBS, MD, DNB, FRCR, Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology, Body Imaging
- Mariana Pilon Capella, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
- John Rieth, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
- Hira Shaikh, MBBS, Clinical Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine - Hematology/Oncology
- Jennifer Sukalski, PhD, MS, RDH, Assistant Professor of Preventive & Community Dentistry
- Cathy Yea Won Sung, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biology
- Moon Ley Tung, MBBS, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Medical Genetics and Genomics
- Shujie Yang, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology
- Jessica Zimmerman, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics - Hematology/Oncology
Apply
Ready to grow as a leader and contribute to center‑wide priorities? The ELC application for 2026 is now closed, it will open again in June 2027.
Eligibility Requirements
To apply for the Holden Emerging Leaders Council, you must:
- Be appointed as an Assistant Professor in the tenure track, research track, or clinical track, or be appointed as an Associate Professor who is new to the position or new to the UI campus (within 2 years)
- Be an affiliate, associate, or full member of the cancer center
- Be willing and able to attend monthly meetings and contribute to the success of Holden
- Have a letter of support from your Department Chair
Benefits
ELC members can leverage numerous benefits from their service. Such benefits include:
- Travel and registration fees (up to $500/yr) for a cancer conference trip or leadership training opportunity for ELC members who attend at least 50% of the council meetings
- A deeper understanding of Holden’s mission, vision, and strategies
- Ability to provide strategic input to Holden leadership at various meetings and forums
- Opportunity to interact with internal and external leaders in cancer research
- Visibility on the cancer center website, promoted internally and externally