Nishith Pandya

Nishith Pandya

Director, Federal Relations

Director, Federal Relations

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Nishith Pandya is Director, Federal Relations at the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, focusing on FDA and tobacco issues. Prior to joining ACS CAN, Nishith spent nearly 16 years on Capitol Hill working for former Rep. Bobby L. Rush (IL-01), where he was most recently Chief of Staff. While in Rep. Rush’s office, Nishith worked on a variety of issues focusing on the Energy and Commerce Committee, including legislative and regulatory efforts to limit menthol and other flavors in tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and the role of environmental pollution and tobacco use on asthma rates. Nishith also led Rep. Rush’s legislation on prostate cancer prevention and insulin affordability. Nishith is from the Chicago, Illinois area and a proud alum of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Go to the 22nd Annual Summit Session:

Derek Clouthier, PhD

Derek Clouthier, PhD

Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader

Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader

Johnson & Johnson

Derek Clouthier is a Senior Global Medical Affairs Leader at Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, focused on advancing innovative therapies for prostate cancer.  He holds a PhD in Immunology from the University of Toronto.   Derek has worked as a staff scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for nearly 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry, where he has extensive experience in immuno-oncology, biomarker discovery, clinical research, drug development, and medical affairs, with a particular interest in improving outcomes and bringing new medicines for patients with genitourinary cancers.  He lives in Ottawa, Canada, and enjoys pickleball, volleyball, long-distance running, and spending time with his husband, Jamie, and their Frenchie, Apollo.  

Go to the 22nd Annual Summit Session:

Elizabeth Goldsmith McGee

Elizabeth Goldsmith McGee

Elizabeth Goldsmith McGee

Elizabeth Goldsmith McGee

Global Head of Inclusive Health Accelerators, Community Impact & Partnerships

Elizabeth Goldsmith McGee is an accomplished attorney and pharmaceutical executive with extensive leadership experience at Novartis. She began her career in complex commercial litigation before transitioning to Novartis Oncology.

During her career at Novartis, McGee has held senior legal leadership roles, including Vice President and Head of U.S. Legal and General Counsel of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. She has also served on key U.S. and global leadership teams.

McGee earned her B.A. from Cornell University and her J.D. from Fordham University School of Law. Her work has emphasized patient-focused leadership and the role of legal counsel as a strategic business partner.

Go to the 22nd Annual Summit Session:

Rev. Dr. Derrill A. Blue

Rev. Dr. Derrill A. Blue

Pastor, Presiding Elder

Pastor, Presiding Elder

Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church

Rev. Dr. Derrill Antonio Blue, a native of Broadway, North Carolina, is the son of Jerry and Gail Quick. After graduating Lee Senior High School (class of 2001), Dr. Blue earned his undergraduate degrees in Business Management from North Carolina A&T State University and Organizational Leadership from the University of Memphis. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Saint Paul School of Theology in Oklahoma City and, in 2024, earned his Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership from Boston University.

Dr. Blue preached his initial sermon on June 9, 2002, and began his pastoral career at the age of 23. Over the years, he has faithfully served multiple A.M.E. Zion congregations across North Carolina, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Connecticut. In December 2017, he was appointed Pastor of Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Rochester, NY, and, in July 2018, became the Presiding Elder of the Rochester-Syracuse District.

In addition to his pastoral duties, Dr. Blue brings a wealth of experience from the banking sector and higher education, specializing in assessment and accreditation. He serves as a Cultural Ambassador to the Yale Clinical Research Program and is an adjunct professor at Northeastern Seminary.

Go to the 22nd Annual Summit Session:

Dr. Bettina Drake, PhD, MPH 

Dr. Bettina Drake, PhD, MPH 

Michael F. Neidorff Professor, Division of Public Health Sciences

Michael F. Neidorff Professor, Division of Public Health Sciences

Washington University School of Medicine

Dr. Bettina Drake is the Michael F. Neidorff Professor in the Division of Public Health Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine and Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement for Siteman Cancer Center. She is a cancer epidemiologist, and her research has focused on identifying preventive strategies and integrating community engagement approaches to reduce cancer disparities.

She received funding from the Department of Defense (DOD) to identify strategies that improve quality of life for metastatic prostate cancer patients and to recruit and maintain a diverse prostate cancer biorepository to foster multidisciplinary prostate cancer research. Currently, she leads two National Cancer Institute (NCI) centers. She is a co-principal investigator on the NCI-funded PECGS grant meant to determine patient engagement among patients of rare cancers and high-risk populations.

She leads as the principal investigator for the community-engaged health equity center, developing the Advancing Cancer Control Equity Research through Transformative (ACCERT) solutions. As Assistant Vice Provost for Community-Engaged Research, she is fostering community engagement as part of the University’s academic mission. She is also the Director of the St. Louis Confluence Collaborative for Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Practice.

Go to the 22nd Annual Summit Session: