TUPELO, Mississippi – North Mississippi Health Services has named Daniel Lenard as vice president for Oncology.

Lenard has served the past seven years as the regional director of Oncology Services at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford, overseeing Baptist Cancer Centers in Oxford, New Albany and Grenada. He will join the NMHS team in January 2024.

“Daniel brings tremendous experience as a leader and a health care professional who has delivered care to cancer patients,” said David Wilson, president of North Mississippi Medical Center and chief operating officer for North Mississippi Health Services. “We believe he can guide our stellar Cancer Care team in Tupelo and Starkville to even greater heights as they deliver the best care for patients and their families.”

NMMC Cancer Care brings together the expertise of oncologists, radiologists, surgeons, specialized physicians, nurses, pharmacists, genetics counselors, social workers, dietitians and rehabilitation therapists. With NMMC Cancer Care clinics in Tupelo and Starkville, our team promotes awareness and early detection and helps patients navigate through diagnosis, treatment and surveillance. Our nationally accredited program diagnoses and treats approximately 1,850 new cancer cases annually.

Lenard began his health care career in 2005 as a radiologic technologist at University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, caring for emergency and surgical patients. His journey in oncology began as a radiation therapist with Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Tennessee.

“My early clinical experience has been my source of inspiration, shaping me as an oncology leader,” Lenard said. “I am eager to ensure that every cancer patient receives a comprehensive and personalized approach that reflects our dedication to excellence. I am honored to lead this extraordinary team as we make a meaningful impact on cancer patients’ lives.”

Prior to moving back to Mississippi in 2016, Lenard served as director of radiation oncology at University of Colorado Health-Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. He also served as a regional administrator for 21st Century Oncology in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.

Lenard earned a bachelor’s degree in radiation oncology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a master’s degree in business administration-project management from Louisiana State University. In 2024, Lenard will serve as board chairman for Mississippi’s chapter of the American Cancer Society, and he represents Mississippi as a delegate on the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.

Lenard and his wife, Heather, have a 7-year-old daughter, Maggie. He is a deacon at Pinelake Church- Oxford. An avid elk hunter, triathlete and handyman, Daniel is a lover of everything outdoors.