LEADERSHIP, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION (LPE): PROJECT SUMMARY The Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center (WFBCCC) Leadership, Planning, and Evaluation is an essential multi-level process that identifies strategic opportunities, performs ongoing evaluation, and develops Center initiatives. The Cancer Center Director establishes the vision for the WFBCCC with input from the Senior Leaders and feedback from the various planning and evaluation activities and committees. WFBCCC’s vision is to be a preeminent leader in advancing the understanding of cancer through research innovation, discovery, and translation into innovative therapies and prevention strategies through exemplary collaboration and community engagement. WFBCCC’s mission is to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality along the rural southeast Appalachian region of the United States, as well as nationally and internationally, through cutting-edge research and treatment, community education and outreach, and transdisciplinary training of next-generation biomedical scientists and healthcare providers. Implementation is guided by a well-developed Strategic Plan, which was informed by Cancer Center stakeholders, including its advisory bodies, the Institution, the community, and Center members. Planning and evaluation activities address both the strategic priorities and Center operations. They also thoroughly assess program goals, transdisciplinary and translational research, community outreach and engagement, education and training development, strategic recruitment, pilot project support, the clinical trial portfolio, and accrual strategy. The strong commitment to planning and evaluation activities has been critical to WFBCCC’s achievement of its strategic goals. The process relies on both internal and external boards. Internationally renowned translational researcher and WFBCCC Director, Boris Pasche, MD, PhD, leads a team of eight Associate Directors who comprise his Senior Leadership team. They contribute their unparalleled expertise, vision, and strategic planning skills to mobilize the support required to bring initiatives to fruition. Senior Leadership comprises the Executive Committee, which is the primary research advisory body for WFBCCC that makes mission-critical recommendations to the WFBCCC Director for all facets of the Cancer Center related to research. It reviews the progress and future directions of the research programs, shared resources, and other components of the Cancer Center Support Grant. In addition to his Senior Leadership, Pasche relies upon the following major advisory mechanisms for input and advice: the External Advisory Board, comprised of outside experts who provide essential independent and objective evaluation and advice for the WFBCC; the Community Advisory Board, which advises the Center on effective ways to integrate community engagement into clinical, research, and educational activities, with the goal of reducing cancer burden in the cat...