Nadine J. Barrett, PhD, MA, MPH, professor of Social Sciences and Health Policy and senior associate dean for Community Engagement and Equity in Research, has started her term as president of the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC).
A medical sociologist by training, Dr. Barrett is a health disparities researcher, expert equity strategist and a nationally-recognized leader in facilitating community/stakeholder and academic partnerships to advance health equity and developing training and methods to address implicit bias and structural and systemic racism that limits diverse participation in clinical and translational research and access to quality healthcare. Her goals are to integrate diverse stakeholder engagement in the research process and quality improvement efforts in healthcare systems, enhance enrollment and retention of underrepresented groups in research through innovative interventions and diversify the healthcare workforce to advance health equity.
Prior to her time at the School of Medicine, Dr. Barrett served as co-director for Equity and Stakeholder Strategy at Duke’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute and founding director of the Duke Center for Equity in Research, leading Duke Health’s efforts to enhance trustworthiness in their health care and research. She was also founding director of and the Duke Cancer Institute’s Office of Health Equity, where for eight years she led a team to create a nationally awarded community engagement model to advance health equity through patient navigation, nationally funded pipeline training programs for underrepresented race and ethnic groups, and authentic community partnerships to inform and drive research and quality healthcare as advisors, experts and participants. Her leadership in both nonprofit and academia spans local, national and international partnerships to better serve and engage historically marginalized and underserved populations.
The ACCC is a powerful community of more than 34,000 multidisciplinary practitioners and 1,700 cancer programs and practices nationwide. Founded in 1974, ACCC brings together healthcare professionals across all disciplines in oncology to promote quality cancer care. It is estimated that 65 percent of the nation's cancer patients are treated by a member of ACCC.