Dr. Kim Rhoads is a Multiple Principal Investigator at the Research Coordinator Center (RCC) of the Multiple Chronic Diseases Disparities Research Consortium (MCD-DRC). She is also an Associate Director of the Organizational and Management Unit and Director of the Community Engagement Unit of the RCC.

Dr. Rhoads' background and scholarly work crosses the full cancer continuum from basic science (endothelial cell regulation and angiogenesis); to clinical care as a colorectal surgeon; through health services research in cancer disparities; and training in health policy (as a California Endowment Scholar in Health Policy at Harvard (2005-2006), and as the inaugural UCSF Philip R. Lee Fellow in Health Policy (2007-2008)). She has formal training in community organizing at the Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland, California; and Community Based Participatory Research as a member of the first cohort of academic-community partnership teams trained by the California Breast Cancer Research Program. Before joining the faculty at UCSF, Rhoads founded the Community Outreach and Engagement program for the Stanford Cancer Institute. Rhoads views community engagement and institutional partnerships as substantive pathways to promote health equity and eliminate disparities.