October 15, 2018 Taking Aim at Cancer in Louisiana announces executive director and chief medical officer

Terry Birkhoff, executive director

Birkhoff’s professional career spans over 21 years with the American Cancer Society (ACS), where she has held a variety of leadership positions focusing on public health cancer control initiatives. Her last four years there were spent working with clinicians and federally qualified health centers on quality improvement projects focused on increasing cancer screening rates in populations with the poorest health outcomes. The experience she gained in navigating patients through the health care system proved beneficial when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer and her father underwent a quadruple bypass within six weeks of one another.

In 2006, Birkhoff was one of 50 nominees for New Orleans City Business’ Woman of the Year. That same year, she received the Beacon Award from the Mid-South Division of the American Cancer Society for her leadership following Hurricane Katrina.

Birkhoff attended the University of New Orleans, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Performance and Health Promotion with a concentration in exercise physiology. Her time in New Orleans included running a practice for a group of pediatric gastroenterologists and nutritionists at Children’s Hospital. And this past year before joining TACL, she helped run the practice of primary care physician in Lutcher, LA in St. James Parish.

Chancellor Donald, MD chief medical officer

Dr. Chancellor Donald has joined the Taking Aim at Cancer in Louisiana (TACL) initiative representing the Louisiana Department of Health as the TACL Chief Medical Officer through in-kind contribution of his time from Tulane University School of Medicine.   

He currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Tulane University. His academic focus is advocacy and health disparities regarding patients with hematologic disorders and malignancy.  He previously cared for patients in a community practice at Lourdes Oncology Associates in Lafayette, Louisiana.  

Dr. Donald attended Florida A&M University for undergraduate studies and the University of Miami School of Medicine for his medical degree.  He completed his internship, residency and fellowship at Tulane University.  He was selected as Chief Resident and Chief Fellow during his training.

Dr. Donald is the immediate past President of the Louisiana Oncology Society.  He has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Community Oncology Alliance. The American Society of Hematology granted him selection for its Committee on Practice and Quality Measures Oversight Subcommittee.  He also holds the position of the American Society of Hematology’s delegate to the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates.  Additionally, he has served as Louisiana’s representative on the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s State Affiliate Council. 

Since 2012 he has served as the Hematology Representative for Louisiana for the Medicare Carrier Advisory Committee (CAC).  He functioned as co-chair of the 2017 and 2018 annual CAC meeting in Washington, D.C. Most recently, he was appointed to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Examination Committee.

Dr. Donald has current board certifications in Internal Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology.