In 1996, The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Office of Liaison Activities was established when Eleanor Nealon created the entity to help support NCI research and related programs by fostering strong communications and relationships with the cancer advocacy community, professional societies, scientific organizations, and federal agencies.

Under Ms. Nealon’s leadership, the Liaison Office helped pioneer the concept of integrating the consumer advocate’s voice into the research process and subsequently served as a model for establishing other public liaison offices in each of the National Institutes of Health’s various institutes and centers.