ATLANTA, GA (October 5, 2011) – John Daniel, the American Cancer Society’s Vice President for Federal, Georgia and Emerging Issues in the South Atlantic Division, is the recipient of the prestigious national Alan Mills Award. Daniel was honored by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) inWashington,D.C. for his tireless work to help make cancer a national priority.
The Alan Mills Award recognizes a staff person who has consistently demonstrated leadership and excellence in the area of advocacy and public policy. This award is presented in recognition of an individual’s outstanding contributions and service within the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN.
“John has been an essential team member and a passionate cancer advocate,” said Eileen McGrath, the Society’s Senior Vice President for Government Relations in the South Atlantic Division. “We are honored to recognize John for his outstanding leadership role in local grassroots organizing and cancer-fighting public policy advocacy in our community.”
Daniel joined the American Cancer Society in Atlanta in 2001. Previously, he served with the AARP for 25 years in a variety of positions in advocacy, programs and field services across the country, including the New England, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, Western, and Southeast regions, and at AARP headquarters in Washington, D.C. Daniel’s career highlights include being tapped to establish AARP’s first state office in California in 1992, which became a model for today’s AARP state offices. Prior to joining AARP, John was executive director of the Athens (Georgia) Community Council on Aging, Inc.
Daniel grew up in Michigan and earned his undergraduate degree in secondary education at Eastern Michigan University, where he received All America cross country and track honors. He earned a master’s degree in gerontology at the Universityof Michigan. He is a resident of DeKalb County, Georgia. Daniel and his wife, Judy, have three grown sons and four grandchildren.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in Americawho have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
About ACS CAN
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.acscan.org.