Carrie Ullmer, M.Ed.

Carrie is a two-time breast cancer survivor and a Senior Program Development Coordinator in the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement at UC Irvine’s Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age 24 and diagnosed again at age 38. Breast cancer has also profoundly affected her family; her sister was diagnosed at age 34 and is living with metastatic breast cancer.

Carrie’s experiences as a young adult with cancer shaped her commitment to patient advocacy, early detection, and prevention. Because both of her diagnoses occurred before she would have met standard screening guidelines, she understands the importance of recognizing individual risk, listening to patients, and helping people advocate for themselves within complex healthcare systems.

In her professional role, Carrie works to connect cancer research with the priorities and lived experiences of Orange County communities. Her work supports community-engaged research, outreach, education, and efforts to identify and address disparities affecting cancer prevention, screening, treatment, navigation, and survivorship.

Before joining UC Irvine, Carrie spent more than 20 years working in higher education, developing extensive experience in strategic planning, program development and administration, finance and operations, grant management, and cross-cultural engagement. She brings this professional background, along with her perspective as a patient, survivor, family member, and community-engagement professional, to the CDOC Patient & Community Advisory Group.