ACS CAN Hires New Vice President of Federal Advocacy and New Federal Relations Directors

Washington, D.C.—July 18, 2022—The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is pleased to announce the hire of a new vice president of federal affairs, and two new federal relations directors.

Tammy Boyd will be Vice President, Federal Advocacy and Strategic Alliances for ACS CAN. She comes from the Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and wellness of Black women and girls where she has served as Chief Policy Officer and Senior Counsel. In this role she has overseen the implementation of BWHI’s national advocacy program and has led federal government affairs. Boyd also launched the Sickle Cell Disease Diversity Alliance and Rare Disease Diversity Coalition, a multicultural coalition to identify solutions to alleviate the burden of rare diseases in communities of color.   

Prior to joining the BWHI, Boyd held government affairs leadership roles at TKB Global Strategies, DaVita, Inc. and Johnson & Johnson. She was also Legislative Director for the late Congressman John Lewis, handling Ways and Means Committee issues with a strong health care focus. While in that position, Boyd served an essential leader in legislative efforts to establish the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. She is a member of the American, National, and Mississippi Bar Associations with a law degree from Washington College of Law at American University.

Boyd will start in her role July 25.

Julie Nickson will be the Director of Federal Relations for all appropriations issues at ACS CAN. Nickson has served as Chief of Staff for Congresswoman Barbara Lee since 2005 where she specialized in appropriations and domestic and global health care.

Nickson will start in her role August 2.

James Williams, Jr. will be Director of Federal Relations for all cancer screening and early detection issues at ACS CAN. Williams has been the director of federal affairs for Wayne State University for the last 11 years. Williams’ Hill experience includes serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for former Congresswoman Carolyn C. Kilpatrick.

Williams started in his role July 11.

“We’re thrilled to welcome these three extremely talented individuals to the ACS CAN team and look forward to the important work we will be able to achieve together on behalf of cancer patients, survivors and their families,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of ACS CAN.