Scot Ackerman, M.D., Board Certified in Radiation Oncology, is the Medical Director of Ackerman Cancer Center and is a Fellow of the American College of Radiology. After completing his training at Columbia University in New York City, he came to Jacksonville and has been in private practice for more than 35 years, serving as an integral force in Florida’s fight against cancer. He held the position of Chief of Radiation Oncology at St. Vincent’s Medical Center prior to opening Ackerman Cancer Center in 1997. Currently, Dr. Ackerman serves on the Florida Board of Medicine and served as Chair in 2023. He was appointed to the Florida Board of Medicine by Governor Ron Desantis and works alongside the First Lady of Florida, Casey Desantis, on the Florida Cancer Connect Collaborative.

Nicholas J. Panetta, M.D., FACS is an Associate Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of South Florida and the Department of Breast Oncology at the Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Panetta treats the full spectrum of complex, cancer-related reconstructive surgical needs, with a clinical and research focus on cancer-related lymphedema. He received national recognition for pioneering a clinical program to treat cancer-related lymphedema (USF/Moffitt Cancer Center Multidisciplinary Lymphedema Program). His research centers on the efficacy of microsurgical interventions in preventing breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), identifying patient populations at greater risk for BCRL and evaluating an applied multidisciplinary care algorithm aimed at the treatment and prevention of cancer-related lymphedema. He plans to validate this therapeutic approach to cancer-related lymphedema, paving the way for broad implementation and increased patient access.

Dr. Panetta graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine and completed his general surgery training at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine. He completed a plastic surgery research fellowship at Stanford University, where he served as the Hagey Fellow in Pediatric Regenerative Medicine. He completed his plastic and microvascular surgery fellowships at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He holds board certifications in general surgery and plastic surgery. His memberships include the American College of Surgeons, the American Society of Plastic Surgery, the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery and the American Council of Academic Plastic Surgeons.

Joseph A. Ladapo, M.D., Ph.D. is the State Surgeon General of Florida. He also serves as Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida, where his research examines behavioral economic strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk in low-income and disadvantaged populations. Dr. Ladapo graduated from Wake Forest University and received his medical degree from Harvard and PhD in Health Policy from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. He completed his clinical training in internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Jason Weida serves as the Secretary at the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney at the United States Department of Justice, where he received the Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service. Weida earned his bachelor’s degree in Latin and history from Gettysburg College and juris doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Debbie Mayfield serves as the Florida Representative of District 32. She is a former Florida Senator who served as the Majority Leader from 2020-2022. She also previously served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2008-2016, holding the position of Majority Deputy Whip from 2009-2010. A retired banking executive, she graduated from Santa Fe College and the Florida Banking School.