Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Appoints Its First Chief Development and Community Engagement Officer

Mark Edmiaston, Accomplished Nonprofit Executive, Brings Extensive Background in Community Engagement and Fundraising

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As the leading pancreatic cancer organization, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is working to expedite progress, improve patient outcomes and double survival by 2020 through key initiatives like Precision Promise and Know Your Tumor®.

MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--()--The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) has promoted Mark Edmiaston to serve as the organization’s first chief development and community engagement officer. Edmiaston, who formerly served as vice president of development, will oversee the overarching strategy of the organization’s development and community engagement departments and will report to Julie Fleshman, JD, MBA, president and CEO of PanCAN.

In his new role, Edmiaston will also ensure that the organization is focusing on its affiliates and strengthening their volunteer network, including the mission-based activities in the markets they represent.

“Our organization is sustainable because of our volunteers, donors and supporters from across the country,” said Fleshman. “Mark’s new role will ensure alignment and efficiencies across all of our fundraising and volunteer-driven efforts, which will ultimately create more opportunities for us to meet our goals and double pancreatic cancer survival by 2020.”

Though the five-year survival has increased one percentage point every year over the past three years, from 6 to 9 percent, the disease remains the deadliest major cancer. To combat these tough statistics, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network invests in groundbreaking initiatives like its Know Your Tumor® molecular profile program and Precision Promise, a first-of-its-kind precision medicine adaptive clinical trial.

“I am honored to be a part of a trailblazing organization that is committed to changing the course of the nation’s toughest cancer,” Edmiaston said. “The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network is on a mission to create a better future for all pancreatic cancer patients and I’m thrilled to be a part of this movement.”

Prior to joining PanCAN, Edmiaston oversaw the fitness and endurance division for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital — a division that he launched and developed to support the organization’s growth objectives. He also served as president of the Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation, where he oversaw the nonprofit’s nationwide efforts to increase research funding, advocacy and patient services for children and their families impacted by the condition.

Edmiaston spent the first two decades of his career with the American Cancer Society, where he played a key role in expanding Relay For Life in terms of revenue, participation and communities served. This culminated with his role as chief development and community engagement officer for a 12-state Division.

Edmiaston holds a B.A. in International Economics and Trade from Texas Tech University.

About the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network

The Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) is accelerating the pace of research progress for one of the world’s deadliest cancers. With an urgent mission to improve outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients and double survival by 2020, the organization, founded in 1999, executes a bold and comprehensive strategy to Wage Hope through research, patient services, advocacy and community engagement. The organization’s visionary goals, world-class programs and services, extensive grassroots network, patient-focused outcomes and advisory board of scientific and medical leaders, provide the critical backdrop to help pancreatic cancer patients today and create transformational change for all patients in the future.

Learn more about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and follow the organization on TwitterInstagram and Facebook.

Contacts

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Cara Martinez, 310-706-3357
Senior Manager, Public Relations
cmartinez@pancan.org

Release Summary

Mark Edmiaston, an accomplished nonprofit executive, has been promoted to chief development and community engagement officer for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Contacts

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network
Cara Martinez, 310-706-3357
Senior Manager, Public Relations
cmartinez@pancan.org