ALSAC Marks Five Years on Fast Company’s Innovators List
ALSAC—the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital—has again been named to Fast Company’s 2024 Best Workplaces for Innovators list. This year’s nod makes five in a row, a streak that began in 2020 and underscores a sustained, organization-wide commitment to new ideas put to work for a clear purpose.
What This Recognition Reflects
Fast Company reviewed nearly a thousand organizations across industries and borders to identify the top 100 workplaces where creativity isn’t just encouraged but expected. ALSAC earned the #12 ranking and received recognition in the General Excellence category, which highlights workplaces that build conditions where innovation can take root, grow, and show results.
Recognizing Team Efforts
“We are honored to be recognized as a global leader in fostering innovation,” commented Richard C. Shadyac Jr., President and CEO of ALSAC. “This award reflects the hard work of our more than 1,600 team members who are dedicated to innovating for a greater purpose. Our relentless drive for new solutions enables St. Jude to support the 400,000 children who battle cancer worldwide each year.”
Innovation With a Mission
ALSAC’s push to innovate is inseparable from its mission: to help St. Jude cure childhood cancer and confront other life-threatening diseases around the world. In 2018, as St. Jude launched a global initiative to improve treatments and cures for children, ALSAC moved in lockstep—building collaborations with foundations positioned to advance that effort and extending the reach of its support beyond borders.
Global Outreach and Support
Today, ALSAC provides training and guidance to more than 130 nonprofit organizations in 64 countries. Much of this work takes place in low- and middle-income regions, where cure rates lag and resources are often stretched thin. “In keeping with our spirit of innovation and our foundational principles of inclusion, we partner with others to understand their needs, develop unique solutions, and share knowledge and resources to empower them,” Shadyac elaborated.
How ALSAC Cultivates New Ideas
Inside ALSAC, creativity isn’t reserved for a single department or job title. Employees at every level are invited to propose, test, and refine new approaches. The organization runs innovation challenges and hackathons, and it opens doors through internships that give rising talent space to experiment. These programs generate fresh solutions to real problems and help keep a culture of innovation alive and moving.
The Impact of Open Discussion
“Children’s lives depend on our ability to foster open dialogue and innovative problem-solving,” Shadyac stated. “We ensure that every team member understands that innovation is not just a priority; it is something to be nurtured, appreciated, and celebrated.”
Join ALSAC's Visionary Team
If you’re drawn to work that pairs bold thinking with measurable impact, ALSAC invites you to be part of its mission-driven team. Every role supports St. Jude and its guiding mantra: Finding cures. Saving children. Whether you bring technical skills, creative insight, or on-the-ground experience, there’s room to contribute.
About St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is dedicated to understanding, treating, and ultimately defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its mission is clear and constant: Finding cures. Saving children. As the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children, St. Jude has led advances in pediatric care since 1962. At that time, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Today, through unrelenting research and treatment progress, the overall survival rate has risen from 20% to over 80%. The goal remains urgent and simple: ensure no child dies from cancer.
St. Jude freely shares discoveries with local hospitals and cancer centers worldwide so that children, regardless of where they live, can benefit from the latest insights. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food, allowing them to focus entirely on their child’s care. For real stories of determination and progress, visit St. Jude Inspire. To support the mission, consider donating at stjude.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ALSAC, and how does it support St. Jude?
ALSAC stands for the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities. It serves as the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, rallying resources and support so St. Jude can focus on research and treatment for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
What does Fast Company’s 2024 recognition say about ALSAC?
Fast Company named ALSAC to its 2024 Best Workplaces for Innovators list, ranking it #12 and honoring it in the General Excellence category. It’s the fifth consecutive year—since 2020—that ALSAC has earned a place on the list, signaling a durable culture that nurtures ideas and turns them into action.
How is ALSAC driving global impact through innovation?
Aligned with St. Jude’s 2018 global initiative, ALSAC collaborates with foundations and supports more than 130 nonprofit organizations in 64 countries. Much of this work focuses on low- and middle-income regions, pairing training, guidance, and shared knowledge with local needs to help improve access to treatment and strengthen outcomes.
How does ALSAC encourage employees to innovate day to day?
ALSAC creates space for experimentation at every level, from innovation challenges and hackathons to internships that cultivate emerging talent. Leaders champion open dialogue and make it clear that new ideas should be nurtured, appreciated, and celebrated—because better ideas can lead to better solutions for children and families.
How can I get involved with ALSAC and support St. Jude?
You can explore career opportunities at ALSAC, participate in community fundraising, or donate directly. St. Jude shares its stories through St. Jude Inspire, and gifts can be made at stjude.org—each action helping sustain the mission of Finding cures. Saving children.
