Nina Chavez has been named Senior Vice President of Growth at Exigent Research Network, the independent community oncology research platform announced June 5, 2026. The appointment signals Exigent's push to expand partnerships with standalone cancer practices as the company scales its clinical trial infrastructure beyond its original network membership. Chavez, who spent six years leading strategic partnerships at Flatiron Health before joining Exigent, brings two decades of experience in oncology practice operations and partnership development to a company that has grown from 25 founding member practices in 2022 to over 185 sites serving more than 660 providers.
Dr. Sibel Blau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Exigent Research Network, said in a statement that Chavez's "unwavering commitment to empowering independent oncology practices throughout her career has made a lasting impact across our industry." Blau noted that Chavez's "passion for community oncology, coupled with her ability to drive strategic growth, makes her the ideal leader to help guide Exigent through its next chapter of expansion and impact." No search firm was mentioned in the announcement. Chavez said she was drawn to Exigent because the company brings together "innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to improving outcomes," the three elements she has prioritized throughout her career in healthcare oncology.
Chavez's professional background reflects deep roots in community cancer care infrastructure. At New Mexico Cancer Center, where she served as Chief Operating Officer from 2004 to 2020, she oversaw a 150-person staff and 22 physicians while driving operational transformation and value-based care adoption. She led the practice's conversion into a National Committee for Quality Assurance level III oncology medical home and secured participation in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Oncology Care Model, unlocking quality-adjusted and performance-based Medicare reimbursement gains. She served on the boards of the Association of Community Cancer Centers and the Coalition of Hematology and Oncology Practices and is recognized as an expert in pharmacy dispensing operations. At Flatiron Health, a healthcare technology company focused on accelerating cancer research and improving patient care, Chavez held multiple roles starting in February 2020, eventually overseeing strategic partnerships, customer experience, value-based care solutions, and account management across the company's 2,000 clinicians in 800 community-based cancer care locations. She holds an MBA from the University of Phoenix.
Exigent Research Network was formed in 2022 from a merger of the Quality Cancer Care Alliance (QCCA) and the National Cancer Care Alliance (NCCA), two independent oncology practice networks seeking to democratize access to clinical trials in community settings. The company operates a proprietary centralized data warehouse and provides master clinical trial agreements, contracting support, budgeting, and institutional review board coordination to accelerate trial enrollment at member practices. According to recent published research, Exigent's partnership with Tempus AI's clinical trial screening technology reduced trial agreement execution time to 7.6 days on average, compared to 200.5 days at traditional sites. As of August 2024, Exigent offered access to one of the largest trial portfolios of any network organization in the United States, supporting Phase I-IV, first-in-human, pragmatic, and accelerated-trials-on-demand studies.
Chavez's elevation to SVP of Growth suggests that Exigent is preparing to recruit practices beyond its original 25-member founding cohort and expand its geographic footprint. The appointment also reflects a strategic shift in how independent practices will compete for trial volumes as larger healthcare systems invest heavily in research infrastructure. By securing an executive with Chavez's operational credentials and relationships across community oncology leadership, Exigent is positioning itself to become the preferred research partner for independent practices seeking to diversify revenue streams and expand patient access to innovative therapies without relocating to academic medical centers. The move implies that network consolidation in community oncology research remains a priority for Exigent's leadership as the company navigates an increasingly competitive landscape dominated by academic health systems and integrated care delivery networks.
