Staff
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation’s staff manages the programs and services necessary to fulfill the organization’s mission.
Chris Collier
Executive Director
Chris Collier
Executive DirectorChris Collier joined the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in February 2019 as Executive Director, bringing over thirty years of experience in business, education, and nonprofit leadership to the position. He has served on and chaired numerous nonprofit boards throughout central Arkansas. Professionally, he most recently served as the Director of Organizational Development for Arkansas Teacher Corps, a non-profit arm of the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
As APCF’s Executive Director, Chris has the experience and perspective to guide the organization as it continues to expand its depth and breadth across the state of Arkansas. He provides daily leadership for his staff and drives relationship building statewide and beyond with patients, supporters, and stakeholders. A frequent speaker and presenter, he leads various organizational and educational outreach activities. In addition, he oversees strategic planning initiatives in support of the continued growth and development of the foundation. Under his leadership, the APCF has expanded their services and reach to previously unserved areas of Arkansas, developed strategic partnerships with a large number of entities heretofore untapped, implemented new patient and donor databases for the first time in the foundation’s 20 year history, and installed streamlined technology capabilities to provide greater efficiencies. Chris was recently re-elected to the Arkansas Cancer Coalition’s (ACC) state board of directors and is a member of the National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions (NASPCC), Board of Directors, having begun his term in 2023.
A native Arkansan raised in Hot Springs; Chris earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Hendrix College in Conway.
Chris has two sons and two grandsons. He and his wife, Brenda, live in Conway, Arkansas.
History
Recognizing the need for prostate cancer control in Arkansas, six community leaders, who are all prostate cancer survivors, and a Medical Advisory Committee of physicians from around the state formed the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation (APCF) in 2000. The Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public charity, has a mission to promote awareness, encourage timely detection and support improved treatment of prostate cancer in Arkansas.
Believing that all men in the state, regardless of disparities in cultural competence, financial resources or proximity to care should have access to information, diagnosis and treatment, APCF implemented its education and screening program in 2001, a model that has increased participation ever since by working with healthcare providers and community partners who are vested in men’s health. In 2006, the first regional prostate cancer support group located in Little Rock was added to the program model.
Three years later, three additional regional support groups located in Fayetteville, Ft. Smith and Jonesboro were also added. All of these groups, now known collectively as the Peer Network, provide confidential environments for diagnosed men to share about their experiences with prostate cancer. The Peer Network is ongoing with plans to grow into other areas in the future. Finally, the program model was expanded to include a Patient Navigation program and a Survivor Mentor program.
The Navigation program provides a trained professional navigator to guide individual men with suspicious prostate findings through the cancer care system from diagnosis to treatment and recovery, making sure that each man gets the resources and support he needs. The Survivor Mentor program connects newly diagnosed men one-on-one with a survivor who provides information and support.
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation is a proud participant in the National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions.
Sponsors
The Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation’s Corporate Partners commit $20,000 or more annually in funding and donated goods and services. To learn more about becoming a corporate partner, please contact the Foundation office by phone (501) 379-8027 or at info@arprostatecancer.org.
