HealthTree Foundation
South Jordan, Utah
Valarie Traynham works in community engagement with the HealthTree Foundation, South Jordan, Utah.
She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and later with breast cancer, experiences that led her to become actively involved in patient education and clinical research participation.
Her work includes supporting educational programming, outreach initiatives, and patient involvement in research across blood cancers. This has included collaboration with national myeloma and blood cancer organizations focused on patient education and outreach.
Valarie has worked closely with diverse patient and caregiver populations, including individuals who have historically experienced barriers to care and limited access to clinical studies. This experience has informed her understanding of how study design, communication, and administrative processes influence patient trust and participation. She has participated in formal community scientist and survivor–scientist training programs and has served as a patient reviewer for the American Cancer Society, contributing a patient perspective to the evaluation of cancer research proposals.
Valarie brings a patient-informed perspective to clinical research review, grounded in lived experience, structured training, and direct involvement in research evaluation. As a CIRB Patient Advocate, Valarie contributes to research review with a focus on ensuring patient perspectives are meaningfully considered in clinical trial design and oversight.