LEADERSHIP, PLANNING AND EVALUATION – PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Effective, proactive leadership, planning, and evaluation are essential to the success of YCC and are instrumental in supporting our specific aims and attaining our mission. YCC Center Director, Eric Winer, MD, has overall responsibility for LPE and works closely with Associate Director, Administration, Edward Kaftan, PhD, who oversees the implementation and progress of the Strategic Plan and leads the Administrative team that provides the organizational and analytical support for LPE activities. Dr. Winer benefits from input from YCC Leadership committees, including the Senion Leadership Team (which includes the Deputy Directors), Director’s Cabinet, and Executive Committee, which he Chairs, and from the External Scientific Advisory Board, the Internal Advisory Board, the Shared Resource Oversight Committee, Membership Committee, Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination Council, Clinical Trials Advisory Committee, Translational Incubator Steering Committee, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. Together, the internal and external advisory boards, as well as the operational and leadership committees help to maximize YCC’s success by providing in-depth evaluation and guidance for all basic, translational, clinical, and population- based programmatic areas, training and education, shared resources, and center administration. Based on recommendations from internal and external advisory groups, the Center Director and Senior Leadership worked with a broad group of stakeholders to develop an innovative and comprehensive Strategic Plan to set the course for YCC over the next five years. Goals of the Strategic Plan include: 1. Conduct exceptional research in basic, translational, clinical, and population sciences and translate findings into improved prevention and treatment strategies. 2. Reduce the cancer burden and disparities among disenfranchised populations in Connecticut and beyond. 3. Foster an inclusive culture that embraces diversity at all levels, allows members to thrive, and ensures all have equitable opportunity to advance. 4. Increase workforce diversity and prepare future leaders in cancer research and clinical care through exceptional training and advancement opportunities. 5. Provide unsurpassed multidisciplinary cancer care to all patients across the care continuum. To meet the goals of Strategic Plan, LPE will create a leadership framework that facilitates and empowers the YCC to achieve its mission, develop initiatives that support YCC’s mission, and set strategic priorities for the Center and assess, evaluate, and improve essential components of the Center.