The Addressing Cancer Together coalition is working with members of the Austin Area Research Organization (AARO) Health Committee, Dell Medical School, and many more, to facilitate the development of a regional model to improve cancer care for high-needs patients. This new model targets surrounding counties without a healthcare district tax base for their residents, starting with Bastrop, Williamson, and Hays counties, and ultimately aims to serve all of Central Texas.
Susan Dawson, MBA
Chair & Co-Founder, Central Texas Addressing Cancer Together (CTX-ACT)
Susan Dawson is a Texas entrepreneur, business, and civic leader. As a successful business entrepreneur turned social entrepreneur, Dawson has led multiple technology firms and she founded and leads the E3 Alliance (for Education Equals Economics), a regional collaborative to increase economic outcomes by aligning our education systems to fulfill the potential of every student. E3 Alliance has been recognized across the country for its groundbreaking work in systemic change for education.
Dawson has served the community as Chair of the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce as well as board chair/executive member of AARO, Leadership Austin, Children’s Optimal Health, Workforce Solutions, American Youthworks, and Austin Partners in Education, among many other community groups. Her many awards include the Leadership Austin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Community Trusteeship, Austin Under 40 “Austinite of the Year”, Hero for Children by the State Board of Education, Austin Profiles in Power “Profile Leader”, Ernst and Young “Entrepreneur of the Year”, Dell Medical School Health Hero, UT McCombs School “Trailblazer Award” for the distinguished woman alumni trailblazer in business and community, and a CEO of the Year by the Austin Chamber. In 2011 the Austin Business Journal named Dawson one of “Austin’s 30 Most Influential” leaders in shaping Austin’s economy and culture in the last 30 years; in 2019 she was named the national Cradle to Career Champion by StriveTogether; and she was recently named the 2020 Austinite of the Year.
Dawson has a BS Cum Laude from Princeton University and an MBA with Highest Honors from UT Austin McCombs School of Business. She is wife of Dr. Ken Mannas and mother of two public school graduates: one in dental school and one at Purdue University. She is surviving Stage 4 breast cancer first diagnosed in 2016, and has spent significant time over the last few years understanding and working to improve the cancer research, prevention, and clinical care infrastructure in our region and our state, particularly for those who are most underserved.
Moderator: Sarah Churchill Llamas, JD
Shareholder and Chair, Healthcare & Life Sciences Industry Group, Winstead PC
Sarah Churchill Llamas is a healthcare and health information technology attorney and a nationally-recognized expert in health IT solutions, having been appointed a Health IT Fellow by the Office of National Coordinator for Health IT under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sarah is a shareholder in Winstead's Austin office, and is a member of the firm’s Healthcare and Technology Industry Groups as well as the Corporate Securities/Mergers & Acquisitions Practice Group.
Sarah represents a broad range of health information technology and biotechnology companies who are working diligently to improve the healthcare system in a variety of ways from mHealth to precision medicine and machine learning. In addition, she represents the entities that intersect with health technology including hospitals, health plans, large physician groups and accountable care organizations, managed services organizations, self-insured employers and venture capital firms.
Sarah is widely regarded as being a seasoned business development and operations executive with a strong focus on strategy and a passion for innovation in the healthcare technology space. She joined Winstead from private industry working for an international healthcare company.
