Piper Fellow:
Debbie DiCarlo

DiCarlo’s Fellowship plans include a combination of academic study at Northwestern Kellogg Nonprofit; intensive personal, staff, and board training by the National Training Institute on Race and Equity; and, experiential, in-place learning and networking focusing on urban and rural American Indian relationships. Through her Fellowship, she will strive to develop into a more mature leader to help drive the culture and strategy of CSCAZ more authentically and effectively, and will work to gain clarity concerning bias, privilege, and the unique lens her experiences create. She intends to build upon her leadership skills, and in collaboration with CSCAZ Board of Directors and staff, address the health inequities that disproportionately impact families of color impacted by cancer.

The CSCAZ informal mission is serving all families in Arizona who are impacted by cancer. However, this omits a critical aspect of the mission—community. The Piper Fellowship will provide the tools to help identify those who are missing from the CSCAZ community due to their feeling a lack of belonging and trust that deter engagement. CSCAZ desires to go beyond “serving” to walking alongside its clients. This is a nuanced but important difference. It changes everything and demands sensitive, informed, and bold leadership.