Escape to THRIVE Leadership Conference 2026 Presenters
Welcome to the Escape to THRIVE Leadership Conference presenters’ roster. The presenters below are excited to share their experiences, knowledge, and skills with our participants at THRIVE 2026!
As we continue planning for THRIVE 2026, we will update this page with confirmed speakers. Please return here as we get closer to the event to what speakers are confirmed.
2026 Escape to THRIVE Speakers
Stephanie B. Broussard, DSW, LCSW-S, APHSW-C
Sharing time and space with individuals and families during their most difficult days has given Stephanie a sincere and unique perspective on life. This is evident in her rare ability to aid individuals as they navigate the complexities of living life while simultaneously providing support to others during their final days. Stephanie shares her passion for life and the pursuit of purpose at every available opportunity.
Dr. Stephanie Broadnax Broussard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Supervisor (LCSW-S), an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Care Social Worker (APHSW-C), and a Certified Advanced Care Planning Facilitator and Trainer. A proud Louisiana native, she is a graduate of Louisiana Tech University and continued to the University of Texas at Arlington, where she received her Master’s degree. She received her doctorate in Social Work from the University of Kentucky.
Stephanie is the Director of Social Work at Thyme Care and the Vice President of Policy and Strategy at Adjuvant Behavioral Health.
While others avoid uncomfortable moments, Stephanie enjoys educating the community and other clinicians on the importance of communication and having difficult conversations while equipping them with the necessary skills. Recognizing the impact and weight of life’s transitions and being saddened by seeing others miss the opportunities of beauty and hope even within those most challenging times inspired Stephanie to speak and share intentional, powerful messages about purposeful living.
As a motivational speaker and educator, Stephanie engages and challenges her audiences with her witty yet straight-forward approach. The versatility of her messages has afforded her opportunities to grace national and local platforms.
Stephanie serves her community in many capacities. Stephanie is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Stephanie currently serves on the Board of Directors of Women in Power Empowering, Care, and Prepare (formerly the Coalition for Quality End-of-Life Care). Stephanie was appointed to the State of Texas Palliative Care Advisory Council.
Although proud of her professional accolades, Stephanie holds being the wife to Cory and the mother of her two boys, Cory and Corben, as her most significant honor. A self-declared “foodie”, Stephanie believes she has a chef’s palette but is keenly aware that this has not translated into an ability to make great food.
Rina Fox, PhD
Dr. Rina Fox is an Assistant Professor in the University of Arizona College of Nursing and a Member of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Spanish from Tufts University, a Master’s degree in Public Health with a focus on Epidemiology from the San Diego State University Graduate School of Public Health, and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the San Diego State University / University of California, San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology.
Much of Dr. Fox’s work is dedicated to leading research to identify ways that cancer survivors can have better quality of life and lower symptom burden without changing their medications. Currently she is focusing on identifying the best ways for cancer survivors who have difficulty sleeping to get better sleep, and on developing an online program to improve stress management skills and increase peer connection for young adult cancer survivors.
Jenna Hatcher
Dr. Hatcher is Vice Provost and Special Advisor to the Provost. In these roles, she leads Campus Community Connections, a unit reporting to the Office of the Provost, with a mission to support internal campus community groups, external community councils, and programming that fosters an environment where all communities are connected, valued, and able to thrive.
Dr. Hatcher is also a professor at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health and Associate Director of Community Outreach and Engagement at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. In this role, she oversees the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement and demonstrates a strong commitment to engaging communities for improved health and educational outcomes. As the leader of community engagement for the Cancer Center, her work includes establishing and leading the Community Advisory Board—composed of members from communities across the state—collaborating with Indigenous communities to implement vital cancer prevention initiatives, and developing programming such as the Research Outreach for Southern Arizona program, which aims to improve cancer outcomes for communities throughout Southern Arizona.
Dr. Hatcher’s background is rooted in nursing and public health. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from West Virginia University, and holds both a Master of Public Health and a Ph.D. in Nursing from the University of Kentucky.
Her research and initiatives in higher education over the past two decades have focused on collaborations within and across communities. Prior to that, she spent two decades working as a nurse in the clinical areas of critical care, intensive care, and psychiatric care. Her community-engaged research has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2006, with a concentration on communities that have experienced disparate health outcomes, especially those related to cancer.
Before joining the University of Arizona, Dr. Hatcher served as the inaugural leader of inclusion for the College of Nursing at the University of Kentucky, where she led initiatives to embed inclusive values into the college’s strategic plan, classrooms, and community. In this role, she was instrumental in helping the College of Nursing acknowledge and celebrate multiple communities.
Richard Noel
Richard Noel facilitates Creating Joy & Harmony ,Spiritual drumming workshops for large groups, as well as private individual sessions that focus on sound therapy. His objective in leading these workshops and private sessions is to release people from negative emotional distress.
He has spent the last 20 years of his lifetime using percussion as a positive modality to influence people through delivering a rhythmic experience they will never forget. He encourages community reconciliation through annual events such as “Drum up for Peace,” in collaboration with “International Day of Peace.”
His heartfelt dedication to his practice inspires his keen intuition as he applies rhythmic tones, vibrational frequencies and incantation techniques to guide individuals along a healing journey and reconnect with their authentic self. Preview his Spirit & Soul series.
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP
Shelley Fuld Nasso, MPP, is CEO of Cancer Nation—the voice of the 18 million Americans living with, through, and beyond cancer. Under her leadership, Cancer Nation (formerly the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship) pushes for bold policy change to ensure every survivor has the right to not just survive—but thrive. From Capitol Hill to cancer centers, Shelley elevates survivor voices and demands care that actually works for the people living it.
A defining part of her work is helping survivors and caregivers find their voice in the democratic process—whether it’s their first visit to Capitol Hill or telling their story to someone in power. Through advocacy training and deep community-building, she empowers people to speak out, be heard, and help shape the policies that shape their lives.Before joining Cancer Nation in 2013, she led public policy initiatives at Susan G. Komen. She holds degrees from Rice University and the Harvard Kennedy School. Shelley’s advocacy is deeply personal – rooted in love for her friend Dr. Brent Whitworth, a compassionate physician who died of cancer at 43, and in solidarity with countless others in her life affected by cancer.
She lives in Maryland with her husband and three sons. When not pushing for a cure for care, she’s likely found on a paddleboard, in a yoga class, or solving a crossword.
Scout, MA, PhD
Scout (they/he) is the Executive Director of the National LGBT Cancer Network and the principal investigator of both the CDC-funded LGBTQ tobacco-related cancer disparity network and Out: The National Cancer Survey. Scout has a long history in health policy analysis and a particular interest in expanding LGBTQ+ surveillance and research.
The organization spends much of their time providing technical assistance for tobacco and cancer focusing agencies expanding their reach and engagement with LGBTQ+ populations. They have faculty appointments at both Brown University and Boston Universities’ Schools of Public Health and are a new member of FDA’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee, a longtime member of the NIH Council of Councils, on the Advisory Panel for NIH’s All of Us initiative, and the former Co-Chair of the NIH Sexual and Gender Minority Research Office Work Group. Their work has won them recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, two state governments, and many city governments.
Scout is an openly nonbinary and trans father of three, a vegetarian, an avid hiker and climber.
Monica Yellowhair, PhD (Diné)
Dr. Yellowhair is of the Towering House people (Kinyaa’áanii), born for the Red House people (Kinłichii’nii); her maternal grandfather is the Manygoats clan (Tł’izílání); and lastly, her paternal grandfather is the Reed people clan (Lók’aa’ Díne’é). Her research demonstrates her commitment to addressing critical issues, such as the impact of depleted uranium on DNA and the need to increase colorectal cancer screening rates among American Indians in Arizona.
As the Assistant Director of Native American Partnerships, Dr. Yellowhair is dedicated to empowering tribal communities through bold, strategic initiatives that tackle cancer health disparities faced by Native American populations in the state. Her work focuses on developing sustainable programs that enhance cancer prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship. Dr. Yellowhair ensures that all initiatives respect tribal sovereignty, build trust, and effectively address the community’s identified needs. Her efforts not only promote health equity but also pave the way for a healthier future for Native Americans in Arizona.
