LEADERSHIP, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION: PROJECT SUMMARY The Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC) Leadership, Planning, and Evaluation is led by Louis Weiner, MD (LCCC Director) and carried out through LCCC’s Executive and Senior Leadership, with support from Internal and External Advisory Committees. In 2020, a rigorous process resulted in the 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, to be succeeded in 2026 by a 2027-2031 Strategic Plan. Through this iterative process, Weiner engaged senior leaders, members, the Community Advisory Council (CAC), and the Executive Committee (EC) to define a new mission and vision. LCCC’s mission is to pursue transformative research and its application in order to more effectively prevent and treat cancer while reducing disparities at the individual, community, and global levels, inspired by the LCCC community and a diversifying workforce. LCCC’s vision is to impact its diverse catchment area, the nation, and beyond by advancing scientific knowledge, creativity, and application; serving all with compassion, equity and respect; and preparing individuals who will devote themselves to reducing the severity of cancer on the individual, family and community through improved access to care. The strong commitment to Planning and Evaluation has resulted in strategic enhancements during the project period, including the remodeling of leadership to reinvigorate and more fully anneal the Consortium by adding a Deputy Director for Consortium Integration and Strategic Initiatives, a Deputy Director for Clinical Services at the NJ Consortium partner, and appointing five new Associate Directors (ADs; 80% women); reorganization of Research Programs with added scientific depth and six new Research Program leaders (50% women); improved rigor of clinical research operations; and improved cohesion across the LCCC Consortium. The diverse LCCC Senior Leadership Committee (SLC) is composed of Deputy Directors and ADs and serves as a major decision- making body for the Center. Under Weiner’s direction, the SLC determines and confirms LCCC strategy and aims and ensures Research Programs, Shared Resources, and Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) components are operational and efficient with the resources needed to meet their goals. The EC is composed of Senior Leadership, Research Program Leaders, and others key to LCCC strategy and operations across the Consortium. Chaired by Weiner, the EC serves as a critical forum for bidirectional communication with the SLC on strategies and decisions for achieving overarching goals and advancing the LCCC mission and vision. In addition, the LCCC Director relies upon multiple advisory mechanisms for input and advice: The External Advisory Committee reviews the progress of the center and provides objective evaluation and advice; the CAC ensures that communities are respected, informed, and engaged to collaborate on culturally relevant study designs, data collection instruments, and dissemination methods. The Inter...