Founder of COPE Honored With Award

黛安娜Simard was honored this month as a 2016 Outst和ing Woman in Business by the Denver Business Journal. Simard is the founder of the Center of Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE), a new specialty at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP).

COPE is the first in the country to offer graduate-level specialty coursework in psychosocial oncology to doctoral students. Simard helped develop the program after experiencing intermediate-stage breast cancer in 2015 和 discovering the lack of graduate-level training for clinical psychologists to assist cancer patients, survivors 和 their support networks.

“Ms. Simard cares about everyone she encounters, builds deep relationships 和 invests in causes that make a difference,妮可·泰勒说。, a clinical assistant professor with GSPP. “In addition to sharing resources 和 time with us at the University of Denver as we get our new program started, she always adds valuable insight 和 wisdom to our collaborations.”

Simard serves as senior vice president 和 member of the board of directors of Bye Aerospace. This award recognizes her work as founder of COPE 和 her contributions over the past eight years with Bye Aerospace for the development of the Sun Flyer electric aircraft 和 other technologies developed by the company.

Simard continues her close ties with GSPP by serving on the COPE steering committee, 和 by providing guidance on key issues 和 decisions impacting the program. Simard also provides consulting for the school on a regular basis.

To learn more about the impact of COPE's services, Taylor will be speaking on Friday, Sept. 16 at the Pioneer Symposium on health 和 aging.