ECOG-ACRIN has established a Task Force on Advancement for Women under the leadership of Barbara Burtness, MD (Yale University). Goals of the task force include identifying barriers to opportunity, ensuring that pathways to leadership roles are pursued—and appointments made—with parity as a conscious and short-term goal.

Dr. Burtness has been a leader in advancing gender equity. She was recently named Interim Associate Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Yale Cancer Center and has successfully mentored trainees and faculty throughout her career. She noted that EA’s Task Force will be looking to “improve the process for advancement in the group at every stage, through a lens of opportunity.”

Among the preliminary objectives identified to guide the task force work is to examine the current construct of EA membership in such areas as Principal Investigators, Committee Chairs, Executive Committee representation, Study Chairs, NCTN steering committee and task force appointments, presentation opportunities at national meetings, and publication authorship.

The 16-member task force will begin its deliberations this summer with an eye to delivering recommendations for concrete steps to increase the representation of women at every level within ECOG-ACRIN.

“Ultimately, our goal is to safeguard a level playing field on which all of our members feel included and supported to become the leaders of the future,” said Dr. Burtness.