Larner College of Medicine

Rural Health and Cancer Conference

The Rural Health and Cancer Conference aims to improve rural cancer outcomes by convening a wide-array of experts from across the nation in rural cancer healthcare delivery and building cross-disciplinary collaborations amongst rural cancer health experts.

Rural Health and Cancer Conference Graphic

The University of Vermont Cancer Center is pleased to announce the Rural Health and Cancer Conference to be held June 2-4, 2026, in Burlington, Vermont. Register for the 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference

Submit an Abstract for the 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference

2026 Conference Information

2026 Conference Information

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Conference Registration

  • In-person registration and badge pickup will open Tuesday, June 2nd at 4:00PM and remain open until 5:00PM. Additional registration will be available Wednesday, June 3rd from 7:00-8:45AM.

Conference Venue

  • The 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference will be held at Hotel Champlain in Burlington, Vermont. 

Getting To and From the Airport

  • Burlington is a relatively small airport. Uber and Lyft both offer rides from the airport. In addition, there are also taxis available. There is a city bus that runs to and from the airport, but it isn’t always the most consistent. More information available here.

Things to Do in Burlington - Hello Burlington is a great resource for both things to do and places to eat. 

Conference Registration

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Registration for the 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference is now open.

Register for the 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference Registration Includes:

  • Welcome reception with keynote address on the evening of June 2nd
  • Full access to all conference sessions
  • Meals throughout the conference
  • Lake Champlain dinner cruise aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen on the evening of June 3rd.
 

Early Registration

(Through March 15th)

Standard Registration

(Through April 26th)

 

Late Registration

(Through May 10th)

Trainee (Undergraduate, Graduate, Medical Students, Post-Docs, Residents)

$100

$150

$200

UVM Cancer Center Member$100$150$200
All Others

$250

$350

$450

Conference Agenda

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Tuesday, June 2, 2026

TimeDescriptionLocation
4:00 - 5:00 pmConference Registration and Badge PickupOutside Lake Champlain Salon
Hotel Champlain
Burlington, VT
5:00 - 5:15 pmOpening Reception Welcome and Introduction

Katelyn Queen, PhD
Deputy Associate Director for Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination, University of Vermont Cancer Center		Lake Champlain Salon
5:15 - 6:00 pmOpening Reception Patient Story and Keynote
Rural Patient Story and Remarks 

Keynote - Alissa Thomas, MD, Associate Professor, University of Vermont Cancer Center		Lake Champlain Salon
6:00 - 7:00 pmNetworking Reception with Hors d'oeuvresLake Champlain Salon

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

7:30 - 8:30 amConference Registration and Badge PickupOutside Adirondack Rooms
Hotel Champlain
7:30 - 8:30 amNetworking Breakfast and Exhibitor Tables OpenAdirondack AB
8:30 - 8:45 amWelcome

Randall Holcombe, MD
Director of the University of Vermont Cancer Center 

Richard Page, MD 
Dean, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine 
 		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
8:45 - 9:45 amKeynote

Taking ACTION to Reduce Cancer Disparities in Appalachian Kentucky

Nathan L. Vanderford, PhD, MBA
Director of the Appalachian Career Training in Oncology Program, Director of Administration for the Center for Cancer and Metabolism, Assistant Director of Pathway Programs and Student Success, Associate Professor, University of Kentucky, Markey Cancer Center  
 		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
9:45 - 10:00 amCoffee/Tea Break and Exhibitor Tables OpenAdirondack AB
10:00 - 11:15 amSession 1
Addressing Challenges in Rural Cancer Care

10:00-10:25 Jan M. Eberth, PhD, MSPH, FACE
*Invited speaker and session moderator
Title: Turning the Tide in Lung Cancer: the Essential Role of Primary Care in Rural Communities
Professor and Department Head of Population Health Sciences at Virginia Tech

10:25 – 10:40 Gabriel Sutton and Haley Moriarty  
Gaps and Opportunities in Food Insecurity Screening and Referral Practices in Rural Oncology Settings, University of Vermont

10:40-10:55 Kevin Stein, PhD, FAPOS
Evaluation of a Training on Psychosocial Oncology for Mental Health Practitioners in Maine, MaineHealth

10:55-11:15 Q&A with all speakers  
 		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
11:15 am - 12:30 pmSession 2
Novel Approaches to Improve Rural Cancer Health Outcomes

11:15-11:40 Erika Moen, MS, PhD *Invited speaker and session moderator
Title: Studying Rural Cancer Care Delivery Using Network Analysis
Associate Professor, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine


11:40-11:55 Todd Burus, PhD 
Cancer InFocus: Rural/Urban – A Dashboard for Assessing Place-bed Differences in Cancer Risk and Outcomes, Markey Cancer Center

11:55-12:10 Whitney Ann E. Henry, BS
Establishing Indigenous Patient Navigator Programs for Indigenous and Rural Communities in Western and Upstate New York, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center 

12:10-12:30 Q&A with all speakers		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
12:30 - 1:45 pmNetworking Lunch and Exhibitor Booths OpenAdirondack AB 
Hotel Champlain
1:45 - 2:45 pmLightning Talks

1:50-1:58 Marvella Ford, PhD
Cross-Catchment Collaboration for Rural Lung Cancer Screening: Design and Preliminary Recruitment Outcomes of a High-Impact Navigation Intervention, Medical University of South Carolina

2:00-2:08 Brianna Holston
Rural-Urban Differences in Lung Cancer Screening Eligibility and Adherence, University of Southern Maine

2:10-2:18 Cait Sharma, MA
Reducing Lung Cancer Risk in Rural New York State: A Collaborative Approach to Radon Mitigation and Education, University of Rochester Medical Center – Wilmot Cancer Institute 

2:20-2:28 Kirsten Eom, PhD, MPH
Addressing Rural Cancer Care Inequities: A Scoping Review of Implementation Gaps and Intervention Targets for Survivors and Caregivers, Kate Marmion School of Public Health UT San Antonio

2:30-2:45 Q&A with all speakers 
 		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
2:45 - 3:30 pmPoster Session and Exhibitor TablesAdirondack CD
Hotel Champlain
3:30 - 3:45 pmCoffee/Tea Break and Exhibitor Tables OpenHotel Champlain
3:45 - 5:00 pmSession 3
Increasing Screening/Prevention Services & Uptake in Rural Communities

3:45-4:10 Diana Redwood, PhD *Invited speaker and session moderator 
Title: Colorectal Cancer Prevention in the Alaska Tribal Health System
Senior Epidemiologist, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Epidemiology Center

4:10-4:25 Marvella Ford, PhD
Improving Rural Cancer Screening Rates Through Community-Engaged Multi-Level Patient Navigation: A Study in a South Carolina Academic Health System, Medical University of South Carolina

4:25-4:40 Felicia McDuffie 
Reaching Rural Workers Where They Work: A Workplace-Based Implementation Model to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening, Mayo Clinic

4:40-5:00 Q&A with all speakers  		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
6:30 - 9:00 pmDinner

Networking Dinner Cruise on Lake Champlain - Sponsored by the UVM Cancer Center		Spirit of Ethan Allen
Burlington, VT

Thursday, June 4, 2026

7:30 - 8:30 amNetworking BreakfastAdirondack AB 
Hotel Champlain
8:30 - 8:45 amFriday Recap and Announcements

Erika Ziller, PhD
Director of UVM Larner College of Medicine Health Services Research Center		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
8:45 - 9:45 amPolicy Panel Plenary 
Facilitated by Erika Ziller, PhD - Director of UVM Larner College of Medicine Health Services Research Center

Panelists  
Mike Rollo *Invited speaker and session moderator  
New Hampshire & Vermont Government Relations Director, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network 

Edward Miller *Invited speaker and session moderator  
Former CEO of the American Lung Association of Maine and Senior VP for Public Policy for the American Lung Association of the Northeast		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
9:45 - 10:00 amCoffee/Tea Break 
10:00 - 11:15 amSession 4
Survivorship in Rural Communities

10:00-10:25 Whitney Zahnd, PhD
*Invited speaker and session moderator 
Title: Addressing the Needs of Rural Cancer Survivors and Caregivers
Assistant Professor, University of Iowa

10:25-10:40 Nancy Gell, PhD, MPH
Rural-Urban Differences in Physical Activity Participation and Advising for Adult Cancer Survivors, University of Vermont

10:40-10:55 Liz Scharnetzki, PhD
Bridging the Gap: Understanding Lung Cancer Survivors’ Needs and Care Access Challenges MaineHealth 

10:55-11:15 Q&A with all speakers 		Adirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain
11:15 - 11:30 amConclusionAdirondack CD 
Hotel Champlain

 

 

Invited Speakers

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 SpeakerSession Details

 

Photo of Nathan Vanderford
Nathan Vanderford, PhD, MBA

Associate Professor, Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology
Director, Appalachian Career Training in Oncology Program
Director of Administration, Center for Cancer and Metabolism
Assistant Director of Pathway Programs and Student Success, Markey Cancer Center		Keynote

"Taking ACTION to Reduce Cancer Disparities in Appalachian Kentucky"
Photo of Jan Eberth
Jan M. Eberth, PhD, MSPH, FACE

Professor and Department Head of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech		Session 1
Addressing Challenges in Rural Cancer Care

Turning the Tide in Lung Cancer: The Essential Role of Primary Care in Rural Communities
Photo of Erika Moen

 

Erika Moen, PhD, MS

Associate Professor, Department of Biomedical Data Science and The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice at Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine		Session 2
Novel Approaches to Improve Rural Cancer Health Outcomes

Studying Rural Cancer Care Delivery Using Network Analysis
Photo of Diana Redwood
Diana Redwood, PhD

Senior Epidemiologist, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Epidemiology Center		Session 3
Increasing Screening/Prevention Services Uptake in Rural Communities

Colorectal Cancer Prevention in the Alaska Tribal Health System
Photo of Whitney Zahnd

 

Whitney Zahnd, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy,  University of Iowa  		Session 4
Survivorship in Rural Communities

Addressing the Needs of Rural Cancer Survivors and Caregivers
   

Abstract Submission

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Abstract Submission is Now Open. Abstracts are due March 15th, 2026. 

Submit an Abstract for the 2026 Rural Health and Cancer Conference

A limited number of session talks, lightning talks, and poster presentations will be selected from abstract submission. Session talks must fit one of the session themes and will be 15-minutes long. Lightning talks do not have to fit a specific theme and will be 8-minutes in length. All individuals selected for a lightning talk must also present a poster during the poster session. 

Trainee Travel Awards

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The UVM Cancer Center is dedicated to supporting trainee career development. In alignment with this dedication, the Rural Health and Cancer Conference is pleased to offer competitive travel awards for trainees. Trainees include University students (undergraduate, medical, graduate), postdoctoral associates, postdoctoral fellows, residents, and clinical fellows. To be eligible for a travel award trainees must submit an abstract. An internal review committee will review abstracts for travel award consideration. 

Travel awards provide up to $500 towards travel and lodging expenses and include free registration. Registration fees will be reimbursed for selected trainees.

Submit an Abstract and Apply for a Trainee Travel Award 

Lodging

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A limited number of guest rooms are reserved at Hotel Champlain at a discounted rate of $259 per night. The cutoff date is 5/12/2026. Click here to book your room. *Room rate does not include fees or applicable taxes. 

Additional hotels within walking distance of the conference venue include Hotel Vermont, Hilton Garden Inn, and Courtyard Burlington Harbor. 

Sponsors

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The University of Vermont Cancer Center invites organizations to partner with us as sponsors of the second annual Rural Health and Cancer Conference. 

Sponsorship directly supports essential event costs, including speaker honoraria, venue space, and educational materials, ensuring that this important gathering can reach its full impact.

For questions or to secure your sponsorship, please contact crtec@med.uvm.edu.

2026 Sponsorship Levels & Benefits
Non-Profit ExhibitorCommunity SponsorPresenting Sponsor
One exhibit table (6')Name and logo on conference slidesOne exhibit table (6')
 Recognition as a sponsor by the emceeName and logo on conference slides
 One free registrationRecognition as a sponsor by the emcee
  One free registration
Free!$1,500$2,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

2026 RHCC Conference Sponsors

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Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is now Blood Cancer United

The Blood Cancer United mission: Cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families. Blood Cancer United funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world, provides free information and support services, and is the voice for all blood cancer patients seeking access to quality, affordable, coordinated care. For more information on blood cancer support, information and resources, visit the Blood Cancer United website

Pharmacosmos Therapeutics

Pharmacosmos Therapeutics is a leader in providing innovative treatments for unmet patient needs, with a focus on iron metabolism and blood related disorders. 

Prior Sponsors

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Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships logo

The Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships operates alongside the Office of Engagement with the mission to build collaborations between the University of Vermont and state partners for the benefit of our rural places. 

We envision a future in which all Vermont communities have an opportunity to thrive, and we believe that strong UVM-Community partnerships can play a vital role in achieving that future. To help build those partnerships, the Leahy Institute connects interested parties with a wide range of UVM resources, including: 

  • Financial and technical assistance 

  • Faculty expertise and research 

  • Student projects and internships 

  • Startup and innovation programs 

  • Service and community-focused learning programs 

 

This work takes several forms including Grants, Engagement Initiatives, and Convenings. 

To learn more, visit the Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships website

 

 

Logo of Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the global leader and innovator in creating a world without blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure blood cancer and improve the quality of life of all patients and their families. LLS is focused on accelerating research, providing free support, education and services, and advocating for policies to ensure access to quality, affordable care. Committed to health equity, LLS works to eliminate barriers to care and address the unique needs of underserved communities, guided by a mission that reflects the diversity of those it serves. 

For more information on blood cancer support, information and resources, visit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society website

 

Future Conferences

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The 2027 Rural Health and Cancer Conference will be June 9th - 11th, 2027.

Open Positions in Rural Cancer Health Services

Rural Cancer Health & Policy Faculty Position

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The UVM Cancer Center and the Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine in the Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine at the University of Vermont seeks a full-time, tenure track pathway faculty member at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Professor level in rural health services cancer research and policy. 

View the full position description (PDF)