PROJECT SUMMARY: LEADERSHIP, PLANNING, AND EVALUATION Stephen D. Nimer, MD, was appointed as Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center (Sylvester) Director in 2012. Under his leadership, Sylvester has experienced impressive growth, driven by a dedicated leadership team, an experienced External Advisory Board, a productive relationship with University of Miami (University) leadership, and an adherence to processes with clear standards, timelines, goals, and deliverables. Nimer’s authority over the Oncology Service Line (OSL), research, and education provides synergistic opportunities to advance scientific discovery and translate findings to the clinic and impact the community. Nimer leads Sylvester with a senior leadership team composed of a Deputy Director, nine Associate Directors, and a Physician-in-Chief and a Sr. Associate Vice President for the OSL. This team establishes and implements a vision for the Center, through strategic planning, evaluation, and counsel to the Director. The goals of the 2024-2028 Strategic Plan (SP) are to 1) promote team science, 2) advance precision medicine initiatives, 3) invest in big data analytical capabilities, 4) develop Shared Resources, 5) enhance education, training, and faculty development opportunities, 6) increase impact of clinical research, 7) engage more of the community, and 8) optimize organizational effectiveness. In addition to guidance offered by the senior leadership team, the Cancer Center has ten internal leadership review committees and four advisory boards/ committees, three of which are external. Together, their feedback promotes effective internal and external evaluation, sets priorities, optimizes decision-making, and informs the SP. These activities will drive Sylvester’s mission and vision in the next project period, maximizing its ability to advance robust goals and policies and enabling it to maintain the highest standard of research, education, and clinical care. Sylvester serves its members and diverse catchment area (CA) through the following specific aims to 1) enhance senior leadership’s ability to develop, guide and oversee basic, translational, clinical, and population-based cancer research in a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment aligned with Sylvester’s CA; 2) employ a broad-based, data-informed, transparent planning and evaluation process that promotes stakeholder inclusion, communication, and goal- oriented decision-making; and 3) establish priorities and ensure adherence to a thoughtfully constructed SP with clear objectives and deliverables to achieve Sylvester’s research, clinical, educational, service, and community outreach and engagement goals. To achieve these aims, Sylvester will continue to strengthen its leadership team and expand the opportunities available to build the next generation of diverse leaders, through leadership training and the recruitment of faculty who can strengthen priority areas of research and become leaders with mentorship and proper s...