Promoting Equitable Cancer Care and Research in Chicago's Communities of Color in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Dr. Olusimbo (Simbo) Ige's public health career spans nearly two decades. Before her appointment as the Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, she served as the Managing Director of Programs at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Ige oversaw partnerships with health organizations nationwide working towards making public health and health care systems accountable and equitable. She also previously served as the Assistant Commissioner for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, where she provided oversight to a wide range of programs, including the city’s pandemic response, food security programs, housing and health initiatives, mental health programs, violence prevention, and the Public Health Corps initiative.

Dr. Ige received her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery and her Master of Science in Epidemiology and Biostatistics from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. She received her Master’s in Public Health from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Edwin K. McDonald IV, MD, is dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities through nutrition education. Dr. McDonald is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Chicago. He works with patients with small bowel diseases, obesity and other conditions affecting the digestive system. His work also focuses on health care disparities and colon cancer prevention. 

Dr. McDonald’s interest in the effects of nutrition on health and disease stem from his experience with Project Brotherhood — an innovative clinic dedicated to providing accessible, affordable care for black men on Chicago’s South Side. While training barbers to serve as health educators, he became keenly aware of the impact of social determinants of health, including the role of nutrition. In 2012, Dr. McDonald received a certificate in professional cookery from Kendall College School of Culinary Arts.

Dr. McDonald also is an active researcher. He recently investigated the effects of vitamin deficiency in patients requiring parenteral nutrition (intravenous feeding) and studied the usefulness of fecal calprotectin in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. He also created a web-based mobile program to assess the utility of applications in managing inpatient hepatology patients. Dr. McDonald’s work has been funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Tawa became involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) after her husband, Mark, was diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) in 2011. LLS has been a consistent source of reliable information and support for the Mitchell family for over a decade and the Mitchells have attempted to reciprocate with a deep commitment to the organization and its initiatives.

Over the years, the Mitchell family has enthusiastically created teams and solicited financial support for several LLS campaigns including the now-defunct Blood, Sweat, and Tears cycling event, the Leukemia Cup Regatta, Light the Night, Student Visionaries of the Year, Visionaries of the Year (formally, Man/Woman of the Year), and Scenic Shore. In 2015, Tawa served as an inaugural member of the LLS Illinois African American Advisory Committee and was honored to attend the 2017 LLS Volunteer Leadership Conference in Washington, DC where she amplified Mark’s story and joined others in lobbying members of congress for additional resources to support vital cancer research efforts. Tawa joined the LLS Illinois Region Board of Directors in 2018 and she served as Vice Chair at the conclusion of her term in 2024.

Tawa is a Senior Program Officer at the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation where she has responsibility for grantmaking in the Chicago Commitment program. Prior to joining MacArthur, Tawa spent thirteen years in a variety of education policy and program roles in city government, including the Offices of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Mayor Richard M. Daley, the City Colleges of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools.

Tawa holds an M.A. from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice and a B.A. from Spelman College. In addition to LLS, Tawa currently serves on the Board of Directors for Illinois Humanities, the Parks Foundation of Oak Park, and Oak Park - River Forest Community Foundation. Tawa is a Class of 2018 Leadership Greater Chicago Fellow, the region’s premier civic leadership development program and is also a member of the Theta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, and the Lake Shore (IL) Chapter of the Links, Incorporated, organizations dedicated to community service and advocacy.

Adrian Talbott is participating in this event in a personal capacity, as a cancer survivor and advocate. He also serves as the Associate Dean for Civic Engagement at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. In this role, he develops strategic partnerships with elected officials, community organizations, and other civic leaders that leverage the University’s strengths in research and teaching to collaboratively address pressing social issues impacting communities across Chicago. Prior to joining the University, he co-founded and ran Generation Engage, a nonpartisan youth civic engagement initiative and directed CGI Lead, the Clinton Global Initiative's program for emerging global leaders. Adrian chairs the board of Sunshine Enterprises, a Woodlawn-based nonprofit that develops community entrepreneurs. Adrian earned a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Adrian is a 2022 USA Justice Eisenhower Fellow.