The American Cancer Society has announced the appointment of four new members to its Board of Directors, strengthening the organization’s leadership as it continues its work to advance cancer prevention, research, advocacy, and patient support.
The newly appointed members are Justin Butler, Courtney della Cava, Bryan McLaughlin, and Dr. Ruben A. Mesa. They will join the Board at a time when the American Cancer Society is shaping its strategic priorities through 2031, with a continued focus on improving outcomes for people facing cancer and their families.
New Leadership for a Pivotal Phase in Cancer Care
The American Cancer Society stated that the four new members bring broad experience across healthcare innovation, organizational leadership, finance, governance, oncology research, and patient advocacy. Their appointment reflects the organization’s continued effort to expand its leadership capacity and strengthen its impact across the cancer care continuum.
Terri McClements, Board Chair of the American Cancer Society, will welcome the new members during their first board meeting in May in Atlanta. She noted that Courtney della Cava, Justin Butler, Ruben Mesa, and Bryan McLaughlin each bring a strong commitment to the mission of the organization, along with perspectives that can support the Society’s future direction.
Justin Butler: Advancing Innovation and Patient Support
Justin Butler, based in Palo Alto, California, is an entrepreneur and investor focused on healthcare and life sciences innovation. His work centers on helping move scientific discoveries into clinical practice, with particular attention to care delivery, biomanufacturing, precision medicine, and life-science infrastructure.
Beyond his work in innovation, Butler has been deeply involved in cancer research and patient support. Through endurance events including the Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race and the Ironman World Championship in Kona, he has helped generate millions of dollars in funding for research focused on financial toxicity and the economic burden carried by patients and families affected by cancer.
Butler earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is the co-founder and Board Chair of Nucleus RadioPharma, a board member of Capstan Medical, and the co-founder and President of a precision medicine company.
He also leads the Kathryn Butler Foundation, established in honor of his late wife, with a focus on supporting individuals and families affected by cancer, particularly those facing financial hardship during treatment.
Courtney della Cava: Governance, Talent, and Organizational Strategy
Courtney della Cava, based in San Francisco, California, is an executive advisor at Blackstone. She most recently served as Senior Managing Director and Global Head of Portfolio Talent and Organizational Performance at Blackstone, where she worked across a portfolio of 270 companies to support leadership effectiveness, organizational performance, governance, succession planning, and workforce strategy.
Before joining Blackstone in 2021, della Cava was a partner at Bain & Company, where she spent more than two decades advising clients across multiple sectors. Her work included CEO and board effectiveness, organizational design, talent strategy, and leadership development. She also previously served as a partner and managing director at Russell Reynolds Associates, held a leadership role at Mars, Inc., and began her career at WPP plc.
Her governance experience includes service on the boards of Mphasis, Renaissance, and Rover. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Culinary Institute of America. Della Cava earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Bryan McLaughlin: Finance, Strategy, and Longstanding ACS Support
Bryan McLaughlin, based in Los Gatos, California, is a senior global business leader and partner at PwC. He brings more than 30 years of experience advising Fortune 100 technology companies on growth strategy, finance, and large-scale transformation.
McLaughlin has also been a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society’s Western States region. His volunteer leadership has included work in development, fiduciary oversight, and alignment with the organization’s national priorities.
In addition to his work with the American Cancer Society, McLaughlin serves on the Silicon Valley Leadership Group board and has held leadership and advisory roles with Hillbrook School, the Golden Gate University School of Accountancy Advisory Board, and the Boston College Alumni Board of Directors.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in management from Boston College and an MBA with merit from Alliance Manchester Business School. He is also a certified public accountant with active licenses in California, New York, and Massachusetts.
Dr. Ruben A. Mesa: Hematology Leadership and Cancer Research
Dr. Ruben A. Mesa, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is President of the Advocate Health Cancer National Service Line and Executive Director of the National Cancer Institute-designated Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center.
A practicing hematologist and internationally recognized researcher, Dr. Mesa has focused much of his career on leukemia biology and therapeutic innovation. He has led or co-led the development of six U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs for myeloproliferative neoplasms.
Dr. Mesa has also been a longstanding partner of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. His volunteer and leadership roles have included service across Arizona, Texas, and North Carolina. Nationally, he has served on the boards of Blood Cancer United and the Association of American Cancer Institutes.
He received the 2025 Ernest Beutler Prize from the American Society of Hematology and was named a 2024 Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Mesa earned his medical degree from Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, where he also completed his residency and fellowship in hematology and medical oncology.
Strengthening Strategic Direction and Accountability
The Board of Directors serves as the governing body of the American Cancer Society. Its responsibilities include providing strategic direction to the chief executive officer, establishing organizational priorities, reviewing and approving integrated strategic and financial plans, monitoring financial health and risk mitigation, and ensuring responsible stewardship of funds.
With the addition of Butler, della Cava, McLaughlin, and Mesa, the American Cancer Society is adding leadership experience across sectors that are increasingly important to cancer care and cancer research: clinical innovation, executive governance, financial oversight, organizational performance, and patient-centered advocacy.
Their appointments come as the organization continues to pursue its long-standing vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone, while supporting patients, families, researchers, clinicians, and communities across the cancer landscape.
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Written by Nare Hovhannisyan,MD