By Barb Rybacki, contributing writer, Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center
While the fun in the sun in Miami may be behind us, the important work at cancer centers across the country continues.
If this was your first CMCA conference, you might be wondering: How can I stay involved with CMCA throughout the year? How can I stay in touch with the people I met?
The good news? Whether you’ve got five minutes or a few hours to spare, CMCA offers several ways to stay connected and engaged — on your terms.
Ways to Get Involved Year-Round:
Write a Blog Post
Do you have a timely topic, successful campaign, event or insight to share with other cancer marketers? Consider writing a blog post for the CMCA website. Submit your post here.
Join an Affinity Group or the Programming Group
These groups bring together members with similar roles and interests. They meet virtually once a month and are a great way to share ideas, stay current and expand your network.
Affinity Groups:
- Digital Strategies
For members focused on web development, social media, CRM and digital marketing.
Contact: Javier De Jesus at javier.dejesus@emory.edu - Events
For those planning conferences, community events, and internal meetings.
Contact: Melissa Hall at melissa.hall@osumc.edu, Jessica Leib at jleib@kumc.edu, or Julie Hawkins at julie.harbin@duke.edu - Media Relations
Ideal for members working with press and media coverage.
Contact: Jane Kollmer at jkollme@bsd.uchicago.edu or Kim Polacek at kimberly.polacek@moffitt.org - Physician Relations
For those involved in business development, physician marketing and referral outreach.
Contact: Barbara Buesse at barbara.buesse@wustl.edu or Ashley Snowden - Programming (Our newest group!)
Help shape CMCA content—webinars, blogs and more.
Contact: Candace Gwaltney at cmgwaltn@iu.edu
Attend a Webinar
CMCA hosts a range of timely, members-only webinars throughout the year. Look for sign-up emails—and if you miss one, catch the recordings in the member portal.
Speak at Next Year’s Conference in Toronto
Have a great campaign, strategy, innovative case study or success story to share? Pitch your idea to a steering committee member to explore speaking opportunities.
Prefer to stay behind the scenes? Submit your project for a CMCA Award and showcase it as a poster at next year’s conference. Awards will open for submissions in early 2026.
Run for the Steering Committee
Want to help guide CMCA’s future? Consider running for a two-year term on the Steering Committee. Responsibilities may include shaping programs, sharing updates and working on initiatives.
Elections are held annually in June. Keep an eye out for your chance to nominate yourself.
Stay Connected on LinkedIn
Did you connect with new colleagues at the conference? Keep the momentum going by following and engaging with your peers on LinkedIn. Bonus: tag and reshare CMCA’s LinkedIn page.
Explore the Member Portal
Your CMCA membership includes access to our members-only portal where you can:
- Watch past webinars
- Read past blog posts and newsletters
- Browse the job board
When our new website launches later this summer, the member portal will have even more ways to connect with colleagues across the country.
Follow CMCA on Social Media
Stay in the loop and help spread the word:
Whether you’re ready to write, join a group or just stay informed—there’s a place for you in CMCA. Let’s keep the collaboration going all year long!