Katie Coleman
Software engineer, patient advocate, author, and podcaster
Austin, Texas
Summary
Patient-led advocacy and nonprofit leadership: As a stage IV rare kidney cancer survivor, Katie founded and leads the Chromophobe and Oncocytic Tumor Alliance (COA) to raise awareness, fund research, and build community for patients with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma and oncocytic tumors. coakidney+1
Technology and product engineering focused on patient impact: Katie transitioned from a motorsports software career to building patient-centered tools and leading product/engineering at the Rare Cancer Research Foundation, applying engineering skills to platforms that connect rare cancer patients and researchers. rarecancer+2
Communicator, author, and podcaster: She documents and shares her rare-cancer journey publicly through a memoir, social media, and the Oncology Unscripted podcast to educate patients and clinicians and to promote advocacy and research funding. flyleafbooks+2
Research governance and translational innovation leadership: Katie has been appointed to leadership roles that bridge advocacy and research, including joining the AACR Foundation Board of Trustees and serving as Senior Advisor for Translational Innovation at OSUCCC17James, reflecting her role in advancing research priorities for rare cancers. aacr+2