Dr. Vanessa Sheppard

Dr. Vanessa B. Sheppard is Professor and the Theresa B. Thomas Memorial Foundation Chair in Cancer Prevention and Control at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).  At VCU, Dr. Sheppard serves as Chair of the Department of Health Behavior and Policy in the School of Medicine and as the inaugural associate center director for Community Outreach Engagement and Health Disparities at the VCU Massey Cancer Center. She also has a fully funded lab that is focused on improving breast cancer outcomes for women from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. Dr. Sheppard has led studies focused on factors that have potential to improve cancer outcomes such as treatment adherence, patient-provider relationships, obesity and physical activity. Her team was the first to develop and test decision support and lifestyle interventions for African-American and Latino women. AWCAA has been an important partner and collaborator for Dr. Sheppard’s endeavors and she is honored to support this organization.