Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Network

Aug. 19–20, 2019 • Seattle

The Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Network (WIN) is a Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer initiative seeking to promote and elevate women in the cancer immunotherapy field. Championed by SITC Immediate Past President Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD, the society's first female president, WIN provides a forum for women to discuss important topics relevant to their advancement in the field.

On Aug. 19-20, 2019, SITC hosted the WIN Leadership Institute (View Schedule) in Seattle. This free, one-and-a-half day program organized by female luminaries in the cancer immunotherapy field sought to empower emerging female leaders in the field.

THANK YOU TO OUR ORGANIZERS:

• Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD – Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy/University of California San Francisco
• Mary L. Disis, MD, FACP – University of Washington
• Olivera J. Finn, PhD – University of Pittsburgh
• Kristen Hege, MD – Celgene Corporation/University of California San Francisco
• Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD – Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center – Jefferson Health
• Solange Peters, MD, PhD – Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois
• Padmanee Sharma, MD, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
  

The WIN Leadership Institute explored an array of topics relevant to women, including:

• Learning to break through the glass ceiling
• Exploring negotiation techniques
• Mastering the art of saying no
• Survive in a political world
• Developing leadership skills, including conflict resolution strategies and public speaking

These topics were addressed through presentations from experienced female leaders, panel discussions that allowed participants to ask questions and interact with these leaders, and informal networking opportunities were present throughout the program.

This program is supported in part by grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Genentech, Incyte Corporation, Merck & Co., Inc., and Pfizer, Inc. (as of July 11, 2019)

Inaugural WIN Leadership Institute Participants

Following an overwhelming applicant response (more than three times as many applicants than available spaces), SITC was pleased to announce the participants of the inaugural SITC WIN Leadership Institute, which took place Aug. 19-20, 2019, in Seattle!

Available to SITC members, the WIN is creating a database that can be used to better identify female experts to engage in society activities.

The network is seeking women interested in presenting data, speaking at meetings, serving as subject matter experts, conducting article reviews for the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), serving as meeting chairs, co-chairs, organizers, and more. Female SITC members are asked to sign up for this opportunity via the SITC Volunteer Pool to indicate your interest and be included in this database. SITC will use this information to better ensure balanced representation in all society activities. Please join now to be a part of this exciting effort within the society.

If you have questions about the database, please contact Senior Administrative Manager, Rosanne Stelpflug.

SITC Professional Interest Communities are an original series of online communities created exclusively for SITC members. Within these communities, researchers and clinicians in the cancer immunotherapy field expand their network and receive career development support from colleagues.

The Women in SITC Community is open to women who share a common interest in immunology and cancer. Open to professional women, the goal of the community is to increase females in leadership roles within the society, foster connections and working opportunities among members, discuss immunotherapy toxicities (open to other specialties that deal with toxicity of immunotherapy), create mentorship opportunities, discuss gender bias and professional opportunities and contributions to the field of oncology/immunotherapy.

Not a member? Join SITC today and gain immediate access to the Women in SITC Community!

On Friday, Nov. 9, 2018, SITC hosted its second-annual Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Reception.

Held during the society's 33^rd Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2018), the event was a continuation of an effort by the society to connect female professionals in the cancer immunotherapy field to network and discuss important issues they are facing.