Speaker Profile

M.D., Ph.D., MPH, FACS, Associate Director, Community Engagement, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCSF School of Medicine

Biography
Dr. Rhoads' background and scholarly work spans the full cancer continuum including basic science research in cancer angiogenesis, clinical care as a colorectal surgeon, research on the quality of care and cancer disparities; training in health policy at Harvard and as the inaugural Philip R. Lee Fellow in Health Policy at UCSF. She has formal training in community organizing at the Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland, California; and Community Based Participatory Research training from the UCOP California Breast Cancer Research Program. Before returning to the faculty at UCSF, Rhoads founded the Community Outreach and Engagement program for the Stanford Cancer Institute. Rhoads views community engagement and institutional partnerships as substantive pathways to promote health equity and eliminate disparities.