CSC’s New CEO Debbie Weir Will Help Lift the Voices of People Impacted by Cancer

March 3, 2022
A headshot of CSC's new CEO Debbie Weir shows her smiling and wearing a purple blouse and black blazer with a cancer awareness ribbon lapel pin

Debbie Weir has spent her career lifting the voices of people impacted by life-changing events and expanding the visibility of those causes. Now, Debbie is bringing her vision, passion, and business acumen to the Cancer Support Community as its new CEO, starting March 7.

“I’m so excited to join CSC,” says Debbie. “Patients and families living with cancer deserve psychosocial support and education to navigate their journeys. I started my career as a medical social worker and, to my core, I am passionate to lead an organization that provides direct support and services.”

Debbie understands in an extremely personal way the impact of a cancer diagnosis. She lost her father to suicide after a lengthy, debilitating cancer diagnosis and treatment. She also has cared for her mom, a breast cancer survivor, and recently served as her brother’s primary caregiver until his death from esophageal cancer.

“Patients and families living with cancer deserve psychosocial support and education to navigate their journeys."

On the professional side, Debbie has more than 30 years of proven success in nonprofit management. She has built large, complex, mission-driven organizations. She also has vast experience leading advocacy efforts and grassroots engagement initiatives on a national, state, and local level. Debbie describes health equity and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) as moral imperatives to be a voice and resource for people who historically have lacked access to comprehensive healthcare and services. 

“When I look at all the work I’ve done,” says Debbie, “there’s so much of what CSC is doing in it that I believe I can seamlessly bring my skills and leadership to help grow the mission and reach even more people.”

Most recently, Debbie served as Chief Mission Officer at Everytown for Gun Safety. Among her many accomplishments in that role, Debbie worked to build the Everytown Survivor Network, a nationwide community of thousands of survivors working together to end gun violence. Prior to joining the staff at Everytown, she spent 15 years at Mothers Against Drunk Driving in roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in her serving as MADD’s National CEO. Prior to her work at MADD, Debbie built and directed St. Paul’s Hospice program in Dallas, after leading the Social Services Department at St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Worth for 4 years.

Informed by her own experiences as a cancer caregiver, Debbie deeply understands the critical importance of CSC’s mission to serve patients and their loved ones. “So many people have been impacted by cancer, whether it's a friend, a family member, a loved one, a coworker,” she says. “I am authentically passionate about CSC’s mission. I can’t wait to lead and work with others so more people will know the tremendous impact of this organization that provides support in a way nobody else is quite doing.”