Rogel Cancer Center expands leadership roles to enhance DEI, health equity

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Erika Newman, Simpa Salami named to new associate director roles

ANN ARBOR, Michigan — The University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center has created two new associate director positions to further advance cancer health equity for patients and communities across the State of Michigan and inclusive excellence for the center’s research workforce and leadership teams.

Erika Newman, M.D., will serve as associate director for cancer health equity, and Simpa Salami, M.D., M.P.H., will be associate director for research workforce and leadership development.

Newman, associate professor of pediatric surgery at Michigan Medicine, has served since 2020 as Rogel’s associate director for diversity, equity, inclusion and justice. In her new role, she will transition to focus on Rogel efforts and partnerships to reduce the burden of cancer by improving access to care and promoting health equity for cancer patients, survivors and all at risk of cancer throughout the state of Michigan. Newman will partner with the center’s Community Outreach and Engagement team and others within Michigan Medicine and the University of Michigan to help ensure every Michigan resident is able to attain their highest level of health.

Salami, associate professor of urology at Michigan Medicine, takes on a newly created position focused on efforts to enhance the diversity, excellence and impact of the Rogel research workforce, as well as to advance leadership opportunities across the center’s range of missions. He will be responsible for the Plan to Enhance Diversity component of the center’s National Cancer Institute Cancer Center Support Grant. As associate director, Salami will partner with the center’s Training, Education and Career Development team to enhance faculty career development opportunities. He will also assist in strategic recruitment and retention efforts and in leadership development efforts at the center.

“This important change will give us two outstanding leaders focused on health equity and inclusive excellence initiatives and goals. Dr. Newman will work across the care continuum statewide to ensure the Rogel Cancer Center serves diverse communities and patients, while Dr. Salami will help us support a more diverse research workforce and leadership teams, by ensuring all our members – from early career to mid-career and even senior level – can pursue their career goals and achieve impact in the cancer field. These efforts require more than just one leader. With Drs. Newman and Salami providing strategic direction, we believe the Rogel Cancer Center will make even greater impact for our patients and our current and future cancer center faculty members,” says Eric Fearon, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Rogel Cancer Center.

Newman is the section head of pediatric surgery and surgical director of the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital Solid Tumor Oncology Program, as well as the Michael W. Mulholland, MD, PhD Research Professor. She joined the University of Michigan faculty in 2010. Her focus is on finding innovative treatments for children with high-risk neuroblastoma. Newman’s lab is actively engaged in preclinical drug development and is currently collaborating on designing a series of highly promising small molecules targeting aberrant DNA repair mechanisms in resistant neuroblastoma and in pediatric cancer.

Salami completed a fellowship in urologic oncology at the University of Michigan before joining the faculty in 2017. His clinical work focuses on early detection and treatment of prostate and kidney cancer. Salami’s research interests are in early detection and staging of prostate and kidney cancer. The goal of his research is to develop novel cancer biomarkers and elucidate optimal paradigms for early detection of cancer, risk stratification, prognostication and prediction of treatment response. Salami recently served as chair of Rogel’s Emerging Leaders Council.

The appointments are effective Aug. 1.

Grant support: National Cancer Institute P30 CA046592