Research and Data Use (RDU) Appreciation Initiative (RAIn) Member Spotlight

We often say that NAACCR’s greatest strength is its members, and nowhere is that more evident than in the incredible work of our committees. For many of us, serving on a NAACCR committee becomes a genuine highlight of the job—a chance to collaborate, learn from one another, and contribute to work that matters.

In RDU, we often say we have “found our people” once we join a workgroup or task force. The connections we build often grow beyond professional networking into lasting friendships. And, just as with family, the pace of daily work can sometimes keep us from taking the time to show our colleagues how much we appreciate them.

This year, RDU launched a pilot project to celebrate several members whose contributions deserve special recognition. Drawing on feedback from across RDU, we selected two honorees from among our Steering Committee and workgroup leadership and two from our workgroup members. We are delighted to recognize them for the expertise, energy, and spirit they have shared over the past year.

RDU Leadership Spotlight

The RDU Steering Committee first recognizes Paige Miller, Senior Scientist and Epidemiology Team Manager in the Cancer Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch at the Texas Department of State Health Services. A member of the RDU Steering Committee since 2023, Paige is always ready to find meaningful ways to offer feedback and support RDU’s work. She also shines a light on the excellent work of the Texas registry by volunteering herself, and sometimes her staff, to write RDU-focused NAACCR Narrative articles, present Epi Hour topics, and bring a valuable registry perspective to RDU products.

Paige is an avid runner, which may help explain why she is always willing to jump in and help, personally or professionally. She takes time to consider RDU issues from her registry’s perspective and offers feedback that is thoughtful both in the moment and after further reflection. When follow-up is requested, Paige can be counted on to respond by the deadline. One colleague captured her range perfectly: “In the Venn diagram of people who have given me advice on how to prepare my daughters for a dance recital AND advice on interpreting trends, she is the only one in the middle.” Her adventurous side extends beyond running as she loves heights and skydiving, ziplining, and scenic overlooks. She recently shared a zipline adventure with her oldest daughter for her eighth birthday.

Paige’s vision for RDU: To promote innovative methods and data accessibility that drive meaningful research, inform public health action, and improve cancer outcomes.

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The RDU Steering Committee also recognizes Lena Swander, Cancer Epidemiologist with the Wisconsin Cancer Reporting System in the Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health. Lena has chaired the Social Media Work Group since 2024. Under her leadership, the group releases original, data-driven content that highlights research and promotes the use of CiNA data. This work has increased engagement with CiNA, its data products, and NAACCR more broadly among both members and the public. And we know this because Lena showed us how to track the metrics! She brings a forward-looking perspective that enriches our social media efforts and positions us well for the future.

Outside of NAACCR, Lena stays active by running, biking, and playing tennis, and she is a devoted dog parent to Louise. She is also a movie buff and popcorn connoisseur who can often identify a director by the cinematography. Friends and colleagues know her love of mid-century furniture and art, but few may know that she was born with 12 toes. Although she no longer has them, she jokes that swimming might have been more fun if she did; on the bright side, shoe shopping is considerably easier.

Lena’s vision for RDU: A collective of central cancer registry analysts and scientists who set the community’s surveillance and public-reporting standards while organizing, curating, and publishing consistent resources for NAACCR members. She envisions RDU as a welcoming entry point where newer members can work alongside colleagues to solve research and data-use challenges.

RDU Contributor Spotlight

The RDU Steering Committee also recognizes Stephen Roy, Research Coordinator with the Illinois Department of Public Health, Division of Epidemiological Studies, Illinois State Cancer Registry. Stephen has been a member of the Social Media Work Group since it first convened in 2024. Having come to cancer surveillance from outside public health and epidemiology, he brings a genuine eagerness to learn, adapt, and make the most of RDU resources and best practices.

Stephen asks thoughtful, sometimes unexpected questions that can challenge long-standing approaches, and he brings a fresh perspective to the use and promotion of CiNA data. He is open to feedback, engaged in collaborative problem-solving, and consistently encourages knowledge sharing within the workgroup. His contributions to tailored social media posts, especially those featuring innovative visualizations, have strengthened the quality and creativity of our content. Stephen is a positive example of how newer colleagues can become involved and make meaningful contributions to RDU early in their careers.

Stephen’s wife describes him as a true family man and a great dad. For him, exercise time is family time—usually with music playing while he spends time with his three boys. He includes them when building or fixing things and always finds an educational opportunity along the way. His do-it-yourself spirit extends to bargain hunting. He once bought 80 pounds of ground beef for $1.85 per pound after a store accidentally mislabeled the price and honored it. Stephen described the experience as winning the lottery—a very meaty lottery.

Stephen’s vision for RDU: To continue improving data quality and access so that we can more confidently answer patient questions such as, “Why did I get cancer?”

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And the RDU Steering Committee recognizes Nuen Tsang (Matt) Yang, Research Data Analyst in the Cancer Center Office of Population Health at the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. Matt has served on the CiNA Geographic Work Group since its inception in 2023. Working within a comprehensive cancer center, he brings substantial statistical expertise to RDU, along with the perspective of a data user who understands both the strengths and limitations of cancer registry data.

Matt is highly productive within the CiNA Geographic Work Group and still finds ways to support other RDU groups, including the Fitness for Use and Data Assessments Work Group. He is both an effective bridge between external data users and cancer registries and a skilled translator who can make complex statistical concepts and programming challenges understandable to the rest of us mere epidemiologists. An excellent programmer, Matt approaches complicated data issues with rigor, curiosity, and a collaborative spirit.

Outside of work, Matt is friendly and outgoing, with a strong sense of integrity and intellectual curiosity. Colleagues describe him as a dependable coworker who brings warmth to everything he does. At home, he and his wife share life with four Maltese dogs. Matt credits the daily challenge of balancing work, walks, and keeping the canine quartet out of trouble with sharpening his multitasking skills.

Matt’s vision for RDU: To continue bridging cancer registry data with new analytical approaches and emerging data sources, making it easier for researchers to answer important public health questions about disparities, the environment, and population health.

Summary

Volunteers are vital to NAACCR. Their expertise, time, and dedication strengthen cancer registry standards, improve data quality, and advance cancer surveillance. The RDU Steering Committee is one part of that larger effort, focused on ensuring that central registries are equipped to make the fullest possible contribution to future research in epidemiology and cancer prevention. None of this work would be possible without active, engaged volunteers across NAACCR.

This year’s four RDU honorees offer just a glimpse of the many unique contributions made over the past year. Selecting only four was not easy, and we are grateful for every volunteer and for the collaborations we share with other Steering Committees, the Board, and the Executive Office. As we move forward, we hope to see all of these honorees’ visions come to fruition.