Community Oncology Alliance Welcomes Julie McDowell as Director of Communications

Veteran Health Care Communications Executive Will Lead COA Communications and Media Strategy

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) announced today that Julie McDowell has joined the team as Director of Communications. McDowell brings more than 20 years of experience leading communications for national health care associations at the intersection of cancer care, federal health policy, media relations, and member engagement.

In her new role, McDowell will lead COA's communications strategy and execution, helping tell the story of independent community oncology practices, professionals, and patients. She will oversee media relations, digital and editorial content, and messaging across COA's advocacy priorities, professional networks, events, and special initiatives. McDowell will work closely with COA leaders, members, and partners to strengthen the organization's national voice and expand engagement with policymakers, the media, and the broader cancer care community.

“Julie understands how to turn complex health policy and clinical issues into communications that reach the people who need to hear them,” said Nicolas Ferreyros, managing director of COA. “Her experience advising physician leaders, building national media programs, and leading health-focused campaigns makes her exceptionally well prepared to lead COA's communications. She will be a strong partner in advancing the work of COA and independent community oncology.”

McDowell joins COA from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), where she most recently served as Director of Strategic Communications and Digital Content. At CAP, she led organization-wide communications across media relations, digital, social media, email, podcasts, and the web. She also directed communications for federal and state advocacy priorities, including Medicare physician reimbursement, laboratory-developed test oversight, and artificial intelligence and digital pathology policies.

Her work at CAP included developing a national media briefing series that earned a 2026 ASAE Gold Circle Award and connected physician experts with CNN, NBC, FOX, and NPR, generating more than 70 broadcast segments. She also led communications for the 2026 Pathologists Leadership Summit, which reached 175 congressional offices, and directed communications for CAP's electronic cancer protocols, standards that support cancer reporting and treatment decisions.

“Community oncology practices provide high-quality, personal cancer care close to home, and their perspective belongs at the center of national health care conversations,” McDowell said. “I am honored to join COA and look forward to working with its members, advocates, and staff to communicate the value of independent community oncology and support policies that protect patient access to care.”

A journalist by training, McDowell previously held communications and editorial roles at the Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine and Washington G-2 Reports. She earned a Master of Arts in nonfiction writing from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

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About the Community Oncology Alliance
The Community Oncology Alliance (COA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to the highest-quality, most affordable, cutting-edge cancer care close to home. COA is the only national organization focused exclusively on community oncology, where the majority of Americans with cancer receive treatment. Through policy, advocacy, and community, COA works to support independent community oncology practices and advance access to high-quality cancer care for patients nationwide. Learn more at www.communityoncology.org.

Julie McDowell
Community Oncology Alliance
info@coacancer.org