Read Time: 5 Minutes
Takeaways:
- Jessica Moehle and Holly Zullo were chosen by the CEO Cabinet as the recipients of the 2026 Huntsman Cancer Institute Leadership Distinction Awards.
- This prestigious honor recognizes director-level administrative leaders who have made a lasting impact on Huntsman Cancer Institute’s mission and vision.
Impact: Leaders like Moehle and Zullo represent Huntsman Cancer Institute’s commitment to excellence in leadership, collaboration, and progress in research and patient care.
Two staff members of Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) have been honored with the 2026 Leadership Distinction Awards.
The honorees—Jessica Moehle, CCRP, and Holly Zullo, PhD—were chosen by the Huntsman Cancer Institute CEO Cabinet in recognition of their dedication, innovation, and commitment to excellence that exemplify the highest standards of service and leadership.
Established in 2025, this prestigious honor recognizes director-level administrative leaders whose sustained contributions and exceptional leadership have made a lasting impact on Huntsman Cancer Institute’s mission and vision.
Moehle and Zullo were recognized at the Annual Huntsman Cancer Institute Awards Dinner on June 18, 2026. Both of their names will also be featured on special signage honoring Leadership Distinction awardees at Huntsman Cancer Institute.
Jessica Moehle, CCRP
In June 2026, Moehle marked two milestones: receiving this prestigious award and celebrating 20 years at Huntsman Cancer Institute, where she began as a clinical trials regulatory manager.
Moehle now serves as the senior clinical research administrative director at Huntsman Cancer Institute, where she helps lead the Clinical Trials Office (CTO). She oversees large-scale clinical trials operations, leads in key committees of the Association of American Cancer Institutes nationally, mentors research leaders and teams, and helps shape the future of clinical research administration through strategic Huntsman Cancer Institute initiatives that broaden patient access and advance promising therapies.
“She can plan, execute, and operationalize complex work better than anyone I have ever seen. Her ability to deliver results is exceptional,” Max Loveless, MBA, senior administrative director at Huntsman Cancer Institute, says. “Jessica educates herself on any topic and dives deeply into every assignment. I never worry when Jessica is at the helm of a strategic initiative. People look to her naturally as a leader, and her teams do not just respect her, they love her. I have learned so many things from Jessica over the years and hope to be able to learn more in the years to come.”
Moehle says the most rewarding aspect of her role is helping bring cutting-edge therapies to patients across the Mountain West. “It is deeply meaningful to help advance a clinical research enterprise that expands access, supports innovation, and ultimately improves patient care,” she says.
She adds that receiving the award reflects the collective effort behind the CTO, including steadfast support from senior leadership.
“What makes me most proud is the culture we have created together—one grounded in trusted partnerships between CTO administration and clinicians, an unwavering commitment to the patients we serve, and a shared belief that no trial is too complex for us to deliver,” she says.
“Clinical trials move discovery from our research enterprise into the lives of patients, and for the past 20 years, Jessica has strengthened that bridge between discovery and patient care,” Kevin Cheney, MBA, CPA, executive director of finance and administration at Huntsman Cancer Institute, says. “When she began in 2006, our clinical trials office had 30 staff members. Today, she leads 200 people across 16 teams—the largest department at Huntsman Cancer Institute—and supports more than 550 active trials and 760 new patient enrollments each year. Jessica leads with exceptional effectiveness, turning clinical research into opportunity and hope for people facing cancer. She reflects the best of Huntsman Cancer Institute.”
“Having worked alongside Jessica throughout her entire 20-year journey at Huntsman Cancer Institute, I have seen firsthand her remarkable growth as a leader and the profound impact she has had on our clinical research programs,” says Theresa Werner, MD, deputy director of Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of internal medicine at the U. “She is trusted, respected, and admired across our institution and nationally within clinical trial operations, and her dedication to advancing opportunities for patients and investigators alike has helped shape who we are today. I am delighted to see her recognized with this honor.”
“Jessica brings an exceptional combination of strategic vision, operational expertise, and immense dedication to patients,” says Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS, executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center and chief scientific officer at Huntsman Cancer Institute, Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor in Cancer Research, and distinguished professor of population health sciences at the U. “She has been instrumental in aligning our clinical trials infrastructure with Huntsman Cancer Institute’s purpose to pursue groundbreaking science while expanding opportunities for patients across the Mountain West to participate in lifesaving clinical research.”
Holly Zullo, PhD
Zullo joined Huntsman Cancer Institute in the Research Development Office in 2017 after more than 20 years teaching undergraduate mathematics. Now, as director of research development, she leads a team that supports large grant submissions, including the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG), in support of institutional priorities.
Her impactful work in research development has been instrumental to Huntsman Cancer Institute’s success as a research institution. During a recent CCSG submission process, she was a critical part in the grant writing effort. She applies her experience as a faculty member and educator to further the work of Huntsman Cancer Institute, including submitting grants that fund education initiatives to ensure a robust cancer research workforce for the future.
“Holly Zullo is one of a kind. She is assertive, smart, and deeply dedicated to Huntsman Cancer Institute,” says Loveless. “Her background as faculty gives her a unique perspective on the teams we support every day. Her attention to detail is unmatched. She does the research, identifies the best path forward, and remains open to others’ ideas, even though often, her own instincts are exactly right. Holly is also a tremendous leader. Her leadership style combines high expectations with the support needed to help people succeed. She is a joy to work with and has made a profound impact in my life.”
Zullo says she is honored to receive the award, calling the recognition of her work “very meaningful.”
“I love supporting researchers who are doing such amazing work to prevent cancer and to improve outcomes for patients with cancer,” she says. “It is a privilege to assist teams with their grant applications and to learn about their research. I also thoroughly enjoy working with our extremely talented staff. We have terrific colleagues at every level who truly embody our guiding principles of ‘united effort’ and ‘excellence in all we do.’”
“Holly goes above and beyond every day in her role as director of research development,” says Ulrich. “She is a trusted strategic partner and an active contributor to our leadership discussions, helping shape the future direction of research at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Holly has an exceptional ability to identify opportunities, build collaborative teams, and bring complex initiatives from concept to successful execution. Her leadership, insight, and commitment to excellence were absolutely instrumental to our Cancer Center Support Grant submission this year. Huntsman Cancer Institute is extraordinarily fortunate to have Holly as a leader.”
This is the second year the Leadership Distinction Award has been offered at Huntsman Cancer Institute. In its inaugural year, it was granted to Kat Stevens, chief of staff to the CEO, Alyson Harding, MS, ML, director of support services, and Max Loveless, MBA, senior administrative director.
“Jessica Moehle and Holly Zullo truly lead with distinction and exemplify the very best of Huntsman Cancer Institute,” says Bradley Cairns, PhD, CEO of Huntsman Cancer Institute. “Their exceptional leadership, dedication, and sustained contributions have strengthened our organization in important and lasting ways. Jessica and Holly lead with purpose, elevate those around them, and help advance our research for the benefit of patients and their families. We are deeply grateful for their impact and proud to recognize them as recipients of the 2026 Huntsman Cancer Institute Leadership Distinction Award.”