VTAAC Co-Chairs
Rebecca Hewson-Steller, RN, CN-BN (she/her)
Nurse Navigator, Southwestern Vermont Medical Center
I love the opportunity to share what I’ve learned about the incredible power of collaboration in VT and have the opportunity to contribute to an organization that has supported me and my community for so many years.
Dana Bourne, MPH (she/her)
Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Vermont Department of Health
I am grateful to be a co-chair at VTAAC as I feel the cross-section between tobacco use and chronic disease is vast. By joining VTAAC, and now acting as a co-chair, I feel I am able to work with more partners to improve tobacco screening and cessation across the state, while also providing support for lung cancer screenings in an effort to reduce the burden of chronic disease for all Vermonters.
Taskforce Chairs
Lisa Purvis, EdD, MPH, MBA
Director, Community Outreach and Engagement, Dartmouth Cancer Center
As a public health specialist, I have a life-long interest in community-based efforts to improve the health and well-being of residents. As a Vermonter, I am particularly interested in the health status of Vermonters and the health system and services available in Vermont. I hope that I can contribute to programs and initiatives that will benefit Vermonters.
Rachel Zwynenburg (she/her)
Senior Cancer Outreach Program Director, University of Vermont Cancer Center
As a fourth generation Vermonter I have an ingrained dedication to Vermont, its land and its people. The work of the University of Vermont Cancer Center and Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer is deeply personal to me after watching many loved ones, too young, slip away from cancer. I look forward to continuing to build bi-directional collaborations with community stakeholders and increase access to cancer prevention and detection for all Vermonters.
Dana Bourne, MPH (she/her/hers)
Tobacco Treatment Specialist, Vermont Department of Health
I am grateful to be a co-chair at VTAAC as I feel the cross-section between tobacco use and chronic disease is vast. By joining VTAAC, and now acting as a co-chair, I feel I am able to work with more partners to improve tobacco screening and cessation across the state, while also providing support for lung cancer screenings in an effort to reduce the burden of chronic disease for all Vermonters.
OPEN!
Reach out to Hanna at coordinator@vtaac.org to learn more about becoming the Quality of Life Taskforce Co-Chair!
HPV Taskforce
Leigh Sampson
Associate Director, State Partnerships, American Cancer Society
VTAAC gives partners the opportunity to share information and collaborate on statewide projects. I’ve made new partners, launched interesting projects, and learned new things from my involvement in VTAAC with the shared goal of reducing the cancer burden in Vermont.
Matt Dugan
Public Health Communication Specialist, Northern New England Clinical Translational Research Network, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Everyone knows someone who’s been affected by cancer. And every one of us has skills that can contribute to the greater effort to help prevent it, inform about it, treat it, or help destigmatize it so that we can take away its power and put it back where it belongs, with people.
OPEN!
Reach out to Hanna at coordinator@vtaac.org to learn more about becoming the Skin Cancer Taskforce Co-Chair!
Rachel Zwynenburg (she/her)
Senior Cancer Outreach Program Director, University of Vermont Cancer Center
As a fourth generation Vermonter I have an ingrained dedication to Vermont, its land and its people. The work of the University of Vermont Cancer Center and Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer is deeply personal to me after watching many loved ones, too young, slip away from cancer. I look forward to continuing to build bi-directional collaborations with community stakeholders and increase access to cancer prevention and detection for all Vermonters.
VTAAC Staff
Sharon Mallory, MPH (she/her)
Vermont Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Director, Vermont Department of Health
Like most people I know, several of my family members and friends have been impacted by cancer. I feel very lucky to have the opportunity to address cancer in Vermont through my work with VTAAC and the coalition’s numerous passionate members.
Hanna Snyder (she/her)
Program Manager for Coalition Activities, Vermonters Taking Action Against Cancer
I care deeply about Vermont and the health and well-being of Vermonters. I look forward to continuing to build community and connect with neighbors to reduce the burden of cancer in Vermont.
Michael Flaherty, MPH
Data Analyst, Comprehensive Cancer Control Program, Vermont Department of Health
Michael attended the University of Southern Maine where he received his MPH and focused his studies on biostatistics and geographic information systems. Before entering the world of Vermont cancer data, he was an infectious disease data analyst for VDH’s COVID-19 Response. In 2022, he moved from Infectious Disease to the Vermont Cancer Registry and as of 2025, his role has expanded to cover both the Registry and Comprehensive Cancer Programs.