Monica Baskin, PhD
Monica L. Baskin, PhD, has been appointed as Deputy Director, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. In her new role, she will collaborate with current Deputy Director Jeremy Rich, MD, to promote and invest in strategic new projects at UPMC Hillman to improve cancer center recruitment, shared resources, and pilot programs.
Dr. Baskin joined UPMC Hillman Cancer Center as Professor, Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement, Associate Director of Health Equity, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community Health Equity on July 1, 2022. During her time here, she has worked with the UPMC Hillman leadership team, directing and reorganizing community outreach and engagement in the catchment area served by the cancer center, and leading screening and prevention efforts to quantify and overcome barriers to screening and early detection of cancer in under-represented minority and rural populations across the Hillman network.
She has restructured and expanded the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement (COE) to include three new program directors that oversee the main functions of the office including outreach and education, prevention and early detection, and research facilitation and evaluation. The team has launched new communications tools targeting the larger catchment population including cancer awareness flyers and a monthly newsletter and has increased health promotion messages on social media. Under Dr. Baskin’s leadership, the Office of COE has also secured additional extramural funding for COE efforts from the American Cancer Society, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to advance cancer prevention and early detection and address cancer health disparities.
In her newly expanded role, her primary responsibilities will include collaborating with the Associate Directors for community outreach and engagement; cancer research education, training, and career development; population sciences; and the plan to enhance diversity. She will also help lead national recruiting for some of these senior leader roles. Dr. Baskin will work to increase engagement of cancer center members in activities and strategic planning and ensure bi-directional communication and partnership between diverse stakeholders across the catchment area and senior leadership. She will also work with administrative staff to support fundraising and other activities to support cancer research, while fostering a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion in UPMC Hillman policies and practices.
