After 15 years as Executive Director of NAACCR, Betsy Kohler has notified the Board of Directors that she would like to start the transition to retirement. Betsy has been the Executive Director through a tremendous period of growth and development of NAACCR and the field of cancer surveillance. She told the board "I only expected to stay in this position for 5 years, and it has been 15 which is a testament to how much I love my job and the NAACCR Community. I am so grateful to have worked with such outstanding professionals in this field, and in the NAACCR office. It has been an honor and extremely rewarding. "
Betsy has been involved in NAACCR since its creation in 1987, serving as Member at Large, and President before being named Executive Director in 2008. Prior to that time, she served as the Director of Cancer Epidemiology Services at the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services. Betsy also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Association of Cancer Registries and as an Advisor to the National Firefighters Cancer Registry. Recently she has been working closely with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), IACR, NCI and CDC to improve cancer surveillance in the Caribbean.
Over the next few months, the Board of Directors will be working with Betsy on a transition plan that will involve the identification of a new Executive Director, and their onboarding process. Betsy's last day will be determined as we move through the process. We will keep the Membership informed of key steps in the process and look forward to a smooth transition and the beginning of the next chapter of NAACCR's growth and evolution.
The Board wants to thank Betsy for her above and beyond dedication to NAACCR. Per Betsy's employment letter when she became the Executive Director, she is only required to give a six-week notice. The fact she is willing to stay through the transition demonstrates the outstanding leader she is.
Sincerely,
Wendy Aldinger
President
NAACCR