Collaborate With Us
For information, please email MCWCCCOE@mcw.edu.
Communities and Cancer Research
Community outreach engagement strengthens cancer research by bringing researchers and the people they serve together. Our work focuses on:
- Building community partnerships: Creating lasting connections between Cancer Center researchers and communities
- Informing cancer research: Bringing community priorities and experiences into research planning and development
- Expanding research participation: Connecting more people and communities with opportunities to participate in cancer research.
COE Leadership
Staci Young, PhD
Associate Director, Community Outreach and Engagement
A lifelong Milwaukeean, Young leads the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement and brings over 25 years of experience in research, advocacy, and leadership to promote equitable health for all, including African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and under and uninsured individuals statewide. She is an expert in culturally relevant, community-informed methods to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions to address health disparities, including cancer.
COE Team Members
Debra Nevels, MSHCM
Program Director
Deb has served as program manager of community outreach and engagement at the MCW Cancer Center since 2019. Her career spans 7 years leading healthcare initiatives at the American Cancer Society to support newly diagnosed cancer patients and decrease the cancer burden across populations.
Rachel Bloom-Pojar, PhD
Program Manager, Community Outreach and Engagement
Rachel started at MCW in 2026 after working for almost a decade as a writing and rhetoric professor and community-engaged researcher. She is fluent in Spanish and has extensive experience working with promotores de salud (health promoters). Rachel is especially interested in increasing visibility and support for community-engaged work in healthcare.
Melanie Burns
Program Coordinator, Women’s Health and Faith-based Outreach
Melanie is a leader in volunteer services, with extensive experience guiding program development for non-profit faith-based and healthcare organizations. She is an inspirational public speaker and an advocate for social justice.
Ambrose Wilson-Brown
Program Coordinator, Men's Health Outreach
Ambrose came to MCW in 2022 after a decade in public service roles in education, health, and well-being. He is using his passion for wellness coaching to support men’s health initiatives in the community, including a support group for prostate cancer survivors.
Adrena Luckett
Patient Navigator
Adrena has a deep-rooted passion for patient advocacy and healthcare accessibility. She is a certified oncology navigator and financial navigator, accredited by the George Washington University Navigation program. She brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the healthcare system having previously served as Member Advocate, then Senior Community Relations Advocate at United Healthcare.