Dr. Alan Balch works for the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and the American Heart Association (AHA) as the Vice President of their Preventive Health Partnership. This initiative's goal is to encourage the prevention and early detection of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke by increasing public awareness about healthy lifestyles, increasing the focus on prevention among healthcare providers, and supporting legislative action to increase funding for and access to prevention programs and research.

Previous to this position, Alan was the Executive Director of Friends of Cancer Research - a Washington D.C. based non-profit that works with members of the medical, scientific, and advocacy community to identify and overcome barriers to the advancement of cutting-edge cancer research.

Alan received his doctoral degree in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 2003. His doctoral work focused on political economy, environmental policy, pollution prevention, and recycling. Alan has extensive teaching and research experience in numerous policy related fields. He also holds a Master's in Environmental Sciences from the University of Texas in San Antonio, which he earned while working for the Nature Conservancy of Texas.

Alan volunteers as a member of the Board of Directors for the Center for a New American Dream and the Colorectal Cancer Coalition.