Ms. Grace Kamau (She/Her) holds a bachelor's degree in Sociology and Political science from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa. She identifies as a female sex worker and has worked in the HIV field in relation to key populations for 18 years. She has previously worked at Bar Hostess Empowerment Programme (BHESP) as Program Officer and worked as a consultant with the Global Network of Sex Work Projects. Her passion has been working with sex workers on issues of HIV prevention, human rights and movement building. She has also worked as the National coordinator of the Kenya Key Population Consortium, and she currently works as the Regional Coordinator at the African Sex Workers Alliance in Nairobi. She sits as a member of Feminist Opportunity Now (FON) Africa Regional Coordination Committee (RCAC). She is also a Supervisory board member of Mama Cash.

Maureen Milanga (She/Her) is the Director of International Policy and Advocacy at Health Global Access Project (Health GAP), where she works across sub-Saharan countries with communities of PLHIV and Key Populations to campaign for increased access to HIV treatment, change outdated HIV treatment policies, mobilize civil society to demand better science, increase meaningful civil society engagement and support the enhancement of key population service delivery by governments and donors. Maureen has been a member of civil society representing various countries during the PEPFAR Planning Meetings since the meetings began in 2014 and was also a co-chair of the Kenya Global Fund funding request for the 2018-2020 cycle. Ms. Milanga was also a member of the UNAIDS advisory group to the Executive Director of UNAIDS(UAG) and a co-chair of the UAG breakout group on Key Populations. She has also supported Key Population-led community-led monitoring programs in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa.

Wanja Ngure (She/Her) is a Kenyan feminist and human rights activist with over two decades of experience in feminism, human rights programming, policy advocacy, and public health. Based in Nairobi, she serves as a Grant Manager at UHAI - the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI), the first indigenous LGBTIQ+ fund in Africa, working with sex workers, LGBTIQ+ communities, and people at the intersections of drug use across seven Eastern African countries.

Wanja has been at the forefront of influencing SRHR funding, leading advocacy with multilateral institutions like the UN, and strengthening protections for marginalized communities in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, the DRC, and Ethiopia as well as supporting Pan-African work.

A strong advocate for Universal Health Coverage that puts communities at the farthest at the center, and a believer in asset-based community development, Wanja believes in building resilient movements and centering communities in development. Her leadership continues to shape transformative policies and initiatives in SRHR, HIV response, and feminist grantmaking across Africa.

Anele Yawa (He/Him) is the General Secretary of Treatment Action Campaign and the Chief Accounting Officer of Ritshidze Project. As a human rights activist, Anele has taken part in numerous campaigns advocating for constitutional rights, social justice, and equality for all irrespective of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, or class. Anele is an executive member of the TAC's board of directors, Member of the Working Class Movement steering committee the SANAC TB steering committee, and SANAC CSF PLHIV sector Representative, Member of the Working Class Movement steering committee 2018 to date. Additionally, he serves as a board member of the Office of Health Standards Compliance (OHSC).

Athena Cross (she/her), Vice President & Chief Programs Officer at AIDS United, is a health care leader with over 15 years’ experience leading market access initiatives, insurance contracting, health care reimbursement, public policy and health care strategy in the public and private sectors. She specializes in improving the public health care delivery system and has also led several initiatives and developed numerous strategies to improve and increase access to reproductive health and women’s health services. 

In 2016, Cross created Cross Health Care Solutions (CrossHCS), a consulting firm that focuses on addressing inequities in health. CrossHCS works with nonprofits, state and local governments, foundations, and community-based organizations to align strategies for social change. Leveraging multiple funding opportunities, CrossHCS works on the local, state and national levels to build community-led initiatives that reduce disparities in health. CrossHCS’s work includes public-private partnerships, city, and statewide initiatives, policy, and advocacy strategies.  

Cross has worked in the pharmaceutical space, leading the U.S. commercialization of a new product. In health care delivery, creating national operations strategies to accommodate the vast policy and reimbursement challenges associated with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. And in the health insurance industry, leading pharmacy, provider networks and various citywide collaborative projects. Before these experiences, Cross worked in business development and pharmaceutical sales. 

Cross holds a Doctorate in Public Health from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and is a social justice warrior, aligning her work with her commitment to addressing inequities in health for marginalized people. 

S. Mandisa Moore-O’Neal (She/Her) is a Black feminist civil rights attorney, a trained facilitator, and a cultural and political strategist based in New Orleans. Prior to joining The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) as Executive Director, she founded The Moore-O’Neal Law Group, a law and policy practice focused on litigation, education, and advocacy on HIV decriminalization, family law, employment and public accommodations discrimination, and police accountability issues. At its core, her legal work is best defined as using a Black feminist and abolitionist framework to craft legal strategies that move us closer to liberation. Mandisa is a founding member of the Louisiana Coalition on Criminalization and Health.

Judy Yu (She/Her) has been a senior program officer in the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) program at Wellspring Philanthropic Fund since 2016. Previously, Judy was the Director of the Juvenile Justice Project at the Correctional Association of New York (CA), where she oversaw and managed the CA’s youth justice advocacy reform efforts in New York. She also served as Director of Programs at APEX for Youth, a mentoring and educational services program for low income Asian and immigrant youth in New York City. Judy led the youth leadership, HIV and violence prevention peer education, and artist activist programs as Associate Director of Youth Enrichment Services of the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center. She served on the board of directors for Queer Arts and is currently on the board of Funders for LGBTQ Issues.

Dr. Russell Brewer (He/Him) currently serves as Research Professor at The University of Chicago (UC) and Director of Health Equity Research for the Chicago Center for HIV Elimination at UC. He is the Project Director of the ViiV Healthcare funded BIA program which is an incubator and accelerator program focused on building the infrastructure and organizational capacity of Black-led organizations in Chicago, Illinois. His research and partnership efforts are focused on addressing the structural barriers to HIV services among Black sexual and gender minorities and criminal legal-involved populations in Chicago and the Southern United States. He has more than 25 years of experience in public health program development, implementation, and evaluation from a variety of settings (e.g., non-profit, governmental public health, and philanthropy) and levels (e.g., local, state, and national). 

Cecilia Kihara (She/Her) is a right-based advocate with over 20 years of experience in the HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health field gained through work in low- and middle-income countries across the globe. Innovation and collaboration are the cornerstone of her approach recognizing that communities hold the expertise and power to change health systems.  

She is currently a Senior Manager in the ViiV Healthcare External Affairs Team overseeing the operational management and steady growth of $35M community giving portfolio which includes providing strategic guidance to the youth work.   

She previously managed the Global ViiV Healthcare Community Portfolio focused on improving HIV outcomes for children, adolescents, and young people living with and impacted by HIV in Africa, Asia and Europe.   

Prior to ViiV Healthcare she led the Adolescent HIV technical portfolio for Frontline AIDS and spearheaded the HIV/SRH integration agenda in East and Southern Africa for the International Planned Parenthood Federation. She holds an MA from the Warwick Business School and an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and has served on several technical think-tanks to advance innovation and support for adolescents and young people living with and affected by HIV. 

Finn Schubert, MPH (He/Him) has over 15 years of experience working in LGBTQ+ health, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV care and prevention. Most recently, Finn has overseen the expansion of LGBTQ+ health services for the largest hospital and licensed nursing home in New Jersey. Finn also works as a consultant with an emphasis on building accountable services and partnerships between healthcare facilities and the LGBTQ+ community and as a capacity coach with the Transgender Strategy Center. In previous roles, Finn managed multimillion dollar initiatives in HIV care and prevention and rolled out national funding and capacity development initiatives aimed at improving access to reproductive health services in rural community health centers. He has over a dozen peer-reviewed publications in medical and public health journals, and has lectured on trans health at many major medical centers. Finn is passionate about writing and storytelling as a means of liberation. His second essay collection, There Are No Rules for a Pregnant Trans Body, will come out in late 2024.

Vance White (He/Him) is the Executive Director and Founder of the School of Opulence. With a mission to enhance the quality of life and life expectancy of Black and Brown LGBTQIA+ individuals in the Chicagoland area, Vance leads efforts in HIV testing, community engagement, education, and advocacy. Drawing from over a decade of personal experience in local and federal prison systems, he brings expertise in reentry issues intersecting with the LGBTQIA+ community. As a member of various influential councils and coalitions, including the Chicago Co-Governance Council, Chicagoland Syndemic Advisory Council and BLACHE, Vance is dedicated to improving access to healthcare and services for marginalized populations. Additionally, he is recognized as a Legendary leader in the House Ball community.

Khloe Rios-Wyatt (She/Her) is an immigrant Transgender woman, activist, and community organizer committed to elevating the quality of life for Transgender individuals. While her advocacy journey began long before, a harrowing experience of physical assault in downtown Los Angeles in 2019 deepened her resolve. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Communications with a Public Relations emphasis and a minor in Spanish from California State University, Fullerton.

As a founding member and CEO of Alianza Translatinx, the first Transgender-led organization in Orange County, CA, Khloe has spearheaded initiatives addressing the diverse health and social needs of Transgender people in the region. Under her leadership, Alianza launched Orange County's inaugural Housing Report, underscoring a commitment to housing justice—a fundamental right for all. The organization serves approximately 2,500 clients annually, providing services that empower Transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals through a community-centered approach.

Khloe actively participates in local planning bodies, including the OC HIV Planning Council and the OC Integrated Plan Committee, reinforcing her dedication to systemic change. With a vision for equitable access to resources and opportunities, she continues to advocate for practices that uplift marginalized voices.

Aliyah Ali (She/Her) is a Principal at Courage Forward Strategies, a woman-owned firm that drives visionary strategic processes for organizations committed to advancing public health systems, programs, and policies. Aliyah has more than 15 years of public health experience, having served at both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minneapolis Department of Health. Aliyah's expertise spans federal, state, and local levels. She has played a vital role in shaping and implementing high-impact initiatives, leading transformational change, and effectively engaging decision-makers to advance evidenced-based policies and practices that enhance community well-being. Aliyah earned her Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences and Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities.

Noelle Esquire (She/Her) is the U.S. Portfolio Lead at the Elton John AIDS Foundation and has been working in HIV program management for over fifteen years. She holds an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Anthropology from New York University, and a Master of Public Health degree in Population & Family Health from Columbia University. Her work began with the charity Keep a Child Alive, that supported small community-based clinics and orphan care programs in sub-Saharan Africa and India. Then, she spent nearly a decade working with ICAP at Columbia University on several large cooperative agreements with the CDC, including a population-based HIV impact assessment project in 14 African countries, as well as Haiti. In her current role, Noelle focuses on grant-making in the U.S., supporting projects that are increasing capabilities of the HIV health workforce, improving equitable access and uptake of HIV prevention and care, reducing stigma, and pursuing policy change.

E. Michael Murphy (He/Him), PharmD, MBA is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pharmacy at The Ohio State University College of Pharmacy and the Senior Advisor for State Government Affairs at the American Pharmacists Association. In these roles he teaches, conducts research, and advocates across the country for increased patient access to pharmacist provided care. He previously was a part of the team working at the Ohio Pharmacists Association on the implementation of legislation covering pharmacists' services by the state Medicaid program in Ohio. He has held several volunteer leadership positions, including his term as a member of the 2017-2018 APhA Board of Trustees. 

Harold Phillips (He/Him) currently serves as Deputy Director of Programs at NMAC, formerly known as the National Minority AIDS Council.

Prior to joining NMAC, Mr. Phillips served as the Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP).  In this position, he led the effort to set the Administration’s domestic HIV/AIDS priorities.  This included monitoring and implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), consulting with the Office of Management and Budget, coordinating with others on the Domestic Policy Council, the National Security Council, and the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator to ensure America’s response to the HIV epidemic was accelerated, comprehensive and reflective of the lived experiences of those at risk of and living with HIV.

Mr. Phillips held prior positions at the Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HRSA/HAB). His work there included serving as Office Director for the Ryan White Program’s AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC), Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) and HAB’s work funded by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).  He was the Deputy Director of the Ryan White Part B and AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAP), and worked with Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients, planning councils, providers and patients. He served on the CDC/HRSA AIDS Advisory Committee (CHAC) from 2003 – 2010. He has a Master’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an undergraduate degree from Kalamazoo College in Michigan and is a person living with HIV.

Sara Zeigler (She/Her) is a public sector executive with over 20 years of experience leading mission-driven community change initiatives. In 2022, Sara founded Courage Forward Strategies – a purpose-driven, women-owned firm providing public health strategy services for organizations committed to advancing health systems, programs, partnerships, and policies. Deeply grounded in equity, Courage Forward Strategies embraces complex and ambiguous challenges, driving strategic processes that move ideas forward to impact. Previously, Sara served as an executive leader at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention providing policy and program technical assistance and leadership in infectious diseases including HIV, STD, viral hepatitis, and tuberculosis, and non-communicable disease programs. Sara spearheaded critical components of several global emergency responses, including the development of the Zika Action Plan Summit, CDC’s COVID-19 Health Equity Strategy and the National Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine. Sara earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and Citizenship at Syracuse University and a bachelor’s in leadership studies from the University of Richmond.

Robyn Dayton (She/Her), MPH, is a Senior Technical Advisor with FHI 360. She has twenty years of experience in public health, including developing, implementing, and assessing HIV, reproductive health, and gender-based violence (GBV) programming domestically and across Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. A former secondary school teacher and direct service provider for survivors of GBV, Robyn currently supports the implementation of international HIV programs through mental health care integration efforts and addressing the structural issues that affect service access and quality of life, particularly for key populations most affected by HIV. Robyn leads the portfolio of implementer security at FHI 360—working with diverse PEPFAR- and Global Fund-supported local organizations—to facilitate the wellbeing of those at the heart of key population HIV programming. Robyn is passionate about the intersection of community engagement, human rights, and mental health. 

Wanja Ngure (She/Her) is a Kenyan feminist and human rights activist with over two decades of experience in feminism, human rights programming, policy advocacy, and public health. Based in Nairobi, she serves as a Grant Manager at UHAI - the East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative (UHAI EASHRI), the first indigenous LGBTIQ+ fund in Africa, working with sex workers, LGBTIQ+ communities, and people at the intersections of drug use across seven Eastern African countries.

Wanja has been at the forefront of influencing SRHR funding, leading advocacy with multilateral institutions like the UN, and strengthening protections for marginalized communities in Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, the DRC, and Ethiopia as well as supporting Pan-African work.

A strong advocate for Universal Health Coverage that puts communities at the farthest at the center, and a believer in asset-based community development, Wanja believes in building resilient movements and centering communities in development. Her leadership continues to shape transformative policies and initiatives in SRHR, HIV response, and feminist grantmaking across Africa.

Maria Phelan (She/Her) works as a Senior Technical Advisor, Key Populations in the Community, Rights and Gender Department at The Global Fund. She has held a number of positions for over 15 years in the health and human rights sector, including most recently as Fund Director of the Robert Carr Fund. Where she led on designing and implementing participatory grant making strategies to sustain and strengthen civil society and communities’ roles in the global HIV response.

Darwin Thompson currently serves as the Associate Director for Corporate Giving were he manages Gilead’s domestic HIV grant-making. Darwin has more than 10 years of experience working with community-based organizations providing social and support services for marginalized populations.  Before Gilead, he served as Executive Director for a community nonprofit organization in Atlanta, Georgia focused on HIV prevention for Black Gay Men, where he provided financial and programmatic oversight as well as developed strategic partnerships and successful programs.  He is also trained in several CDC behavioral interventions including Mpowerment, dUP, Couples HIV Counseling and Testing, and Many Men Many Voices (3MV).  Before his work in Atlanta, Darwin was Dean of Students within the DC Public Schools system and managed corporate partnerships for a nonprofit specializing in housing and healthcare for homeless populations. 

Darwin is a proud graduate of Morehouse College where he earned a BA in Sociology and is also a graduate of the Satcher Community Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine.  When he is not working he spends his time refereeing women’s college basketball.

Felicia Wong (She/Her), Fund Director at the Robert Carr Fund, brings over 20 years of experience working on policy, advocacy, programming, technical support, fundraising and management - with a focus on HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and a strong background in community engagement. She has a specific interest in cross-sector integration and partnerships for accelerating health equity and human rights.

Felicia worked at Frontline AIDS (formerly the International HIV/AIDS Alliance) in a variety of roles, including Head of the Innovation Team and member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Felicia’s work is informed by her family’s immigration journey, her experience as a woman of color and anti-racism activist, LGBTQ+ ally and working directly with communities to design and implement community-based HIV and health programs.

Catherine Connor (She/Her) is Vice President of Public Policy and Advocacy at the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). Ms. Connor leads the Foundation’s U.S. and multilateral advocacy engagement on global health issues, including policies related to maternal and pediatric HIV/AIDS and TB programs. She also manages the Foundation’s global advocacy portfolio, working with field staff to advocate for the elimination of pediatric HIV and AIDS. Ms. Connor is Co-chair of the Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS (CCABA) and serves as the Alternate Board Member for the Developed Country NGO Delegation to the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB and Malaria. Prior to joining the Foundation, Ms. Connor worked as a lawyer and lobbyist specializing in U.S. health care law and public policy. 

Meg French (She/Her) is a proven leader and passionate human rights advocate, with a deep commitment to social justice. Meg is the Executive Director of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, a dynamic, collaborative, feminist organization with an unwavering commitment to supporting grassroots organizations across Africa in countries hardest hit by the HIV epidemic.  

Before joining the Stephen Lewis Foundation, Meg worked with UNICEF, the United Nations Children Fund, for 17 years to protect and promote children’s rights. Most recently she was based in Geneva, leading the organization’s global campaign to improve maternal and newborn health. Before moving to Geneva in 2017, Meg was Chief Program Officer at UNICEF Canada. There she led communications and programmatic work, and advocacy efforts with the Government of Canada. Under her leadership, UNICEF Canada also launched the One Youth Initiative to improve child and youth wellbeing in Canada.  

Early in her career, Meg was a high school teacher in Canada and the Marshall Islands. She holds degrees from Trent University and the University of Toronto. Meg lives in Toronto with her husband and two teenage children. 

Caterina (Cat) Gironda (She/Her) is the Director of Research at Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) where she manages their annual resource tracking project, mapping the landscape of philanthropic support to address HIV/AIDS. During Cat’s tenure with FCAA she has helped to grow their research department and modernize their data collection, security, and analysis capabilities. Her work has helped to integrate FCAA’s research into all programmatic facets and make their data useful and accessible to members and other stakeholders. Prior to that, Cat worked at North Carolina State University in the Gender & Sexuality field. Her previous work at nonprofits and philanthropy includes stretches at Girl Rising and the Third Wave Fund, as well as early work in HIV/STI prevention education. Cat received her master’s degree in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center in New York.

Miriam Hasasha (She/Her) is the Young Mother Ambassador to the Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS. Miriam is from Uganda and has two young boys. She is a very active champion for young mothers and young fathers and their children in her own country and around the world.  As well as advocating via the Coalition since 2018, Miriam is a Mentor Mother with Teens Uganda and part of UNYPA.  You can watch Miriam talking about financing and young mothers here as well as several other videos.

Luann Hatane (She/Her) is the Executive Director at PATA (Paediatric – Adolescent Treatment Africa) with a background in social work and a master’s degree in development studies. She has extensive experience in leadership roles within national and regional organisations serving as a programme manager, capacity builder, rights defender, and civil society advocate.  As co-chair of the Coalition for Children Affected by AIDS and an active member of global / regional working groups, Luann has contributed significantly to papers, briefs, and tools that shape policy and practice in the HIV response with a strong passion in facilitating southern led linking and learning exchange for frontline healthcare providers. 

Charles “Chip” Lyons (He/Him) is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF). Since taking on the role in 2010, Lyons has led the foundation through significant changes to its programmatic trajectory and advocacy portfolio of work transitioning it from several centrally managed, global awards to implementing a broad range of bilateral awards in a dozen countries. During his tenure, EGPAF launched a local affiliate model of partnership with national organizations in Tanzania, Mozambique and Cote d’Ivoire. He provided leadership to catalyze global partnership action through “The Global Plan Towards the Elimination of New HIV Infections Among Children by 2015.” A longtime advocate for children's health and development, Lyons joined EGPAF after decades of managing and developing programs for global organizations including UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He served as a member of the Human Rights Watch Health and Human Rights Advisory Committee, worked to develop the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), and served as the U.S. Representative to the Executive Board of UNICEF appointed by President Obama.

Felicia Wong (She/Her), Fund Director at the Robert Carr Fund, brings over 20 years of experience working on policy, advocacy, programming, technical support, fundraising and management - with a focus on HIV, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and a strong background in community engagement. She has a specific interest in cross-sector integration and partnerships for accelerating health equity and human rights.

Felicia worked at Frontline AIDS (formerly the International HIV/AIDS Alliance) in a variety of roles, including Head of the Innovation Team and member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Felicia’s work is informed by her family’s immigration journey, her experience as a woman of color and anti-racism activist, LGBTQ+ ally and working directly with communities to design and implement community-based HIV and health programs.

Alex Kofi Donkor (He/Him) is a Humanist, Activist, Researcher, Campaigner, and Community Builder with expertise in Sexual Health, and LGBTQ+ Rights Activism in Ghana. Kofi is the founder and current director of LGBT+ Rights Ghana, an organisation that is championing a safe, inclusive, and free society for LGBTQI+ persons in Ghana. He served as Project Manager for Priorities on Rights and Sexual Health and has worked on several research studies in the field of HIV/AIDS among gay, bisexual men, and men who have sex with men (MSM), such as the Ghana Men Study II, Stigma Study, C5 Study and JSI-USAID Care Continuum Project. He is an out-spoken LGBTQI Activist and has engaged with the media for social change on issues impacting the LGBTQI community, specifically in Africa and Ghana. An experienced media representative, Kofi has appeared on many International Television stations including CNN, BBC, DW TV, Bloomberg, and other media platforms. He has been a guest speaker of renowned universities like Princeton University and Columbia University. In July 2021 he was listed in Vogue Magazine as one of seven activists fighting to improve LGBTQ+ Rights Across Africa and in December of 2021 Kofi was again selected as African of the year by The Continent. Kofi is a board member of IMARAA and an alumnus of the University for Development Studies, Tamale.

Allan Mwasa (They/Them) is a Clinical Psychologist and Strategic Initiatives Executive at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). With a Bachelor’s Degree in Community Psychology and a Master of Science in Clinical and Health Psychology, Allan brings a wealth of expertise in applying psychological principles to advance health equity and champion LGBTIQ+ rights in Uganda.

At SMUG, Allan leads transformative programs that enhance Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Quality of HIV/TB services for key populations. They manage HIV-focused initiatives that monitor over 320 public health facilities and 50 key population drop-in centers supported by PEPFAR, analyzing barriers and enablers to HIV/TB services. The data-driven insights inform advocacy efforts, empowering civil society to drive policy change and hold the government accountable for equitable healthcare access.

Allan is a key advocate for mental health access, developing and implementing culturally tailored interventions to address the mental health needs of Uganda’s LGBTIQ+ community. They oversee therapy initiatives tailored to the local context, blending innovative approaches with evidence-based psychological theories.

Allan fosters leadership within the LGBTIQ+ movement and helps sustain its legacy in Uganda by co-coordinating the Quchu Leadership Academy. This yearlong fellowship program connects experienced LGBTIQ+ leaders with emerging young activists, providing mentorship and guidance to strengthen the next generation of LGBTIQ+ leaders in Uganda.

A longtime HIV activist, Andrew Spieldenner (He/Him) is the Executive Director of MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights and currently serves as vice-chair of the United States People living with HIV Caucus and as the North American Delegate to the UNAIDS Program Coordinating Board. Dr. Spieldenner has worked as a nonprofit leader and an academic professor for nearly a decade, focusing his research on the intersection of health and intercultural communication surrounding HIV and the LGBTQ community.

Rachel L. Campbell (She/Her) has worked in Business Planning and Workforce Management for over 23 years. Hailing from Hagerstown, Maryland, Rachel attended the University of Maryland Global Campus, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Management Studies. Rachel moved on to Georgetown University where in 2021, she obtained a Master of Professional Studies in Urban and Regional Planning. Rachel has worked with the Transgender Strategy Center (TSC) for two years, first in a coach capacity and then as of 2024 as a Project Lead for governmental programs. 

Rachel has worked in financial technology, government services, and technology start up industries. Rachel has held positions in capacity management, real time contact center management, workforce management scheduling, project management, standard operating procedure creation, strategic planning, and government contract management. In addition, Rachel has worked to foster the development of future leaders within the private and non- profit sectors. 

Rachel belongs to two non-profit organizations in the greater Washington D.C. area where she lives. Rachel is a fierce advocate for the transgender community, especially making sure transgender people have access to name and gender identity documents. Rachel loves to learn and is always looking for what is the next new thing.

Finn Schubert, MPH (He/Him) has over 15 years of experience working in LGBTQ+ health, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV care and prevention. Most recently, Finn has overseen the expansion of LGBTQ+ health services for the largest hospital and licensed nursing home in New Jersey. Finn also works as a consultant with an emphasis on building accountable services and partnerships between healthcare facilities and the LGBTQ+ community and as a capacity coach with the Transgender Strategy Center. In previous roles, Finn managed multimillion dollar initiatives in HIV care and prevention and rolled out national funding and capacity development initiatives aimed at improving access to reproductive health services in rural community health centers. He has over a dozen peer-reviewed publications in medical and public health journals, and has lectured on trans health at many major medical centers. Finn is passionate about writing and storytelling as a means of liberation. His second essay collection, There Are No Rules for a Pregnant Trans Body, will come out in late 2024.

Beirne Roose-Snyder, J.D., is an experienced advisor and strategist working at the intersections of HIV/AIDS, U.S. foreign policy, abortion rights, human rights, and the law. She is the senior director at The Preclusion Project, and also serves as the senior policy fellow at the Council for Global Equality.

Beirne has previously been the director of public policy for CHANGE and was the managing attorney of the Center for HIV Law and Policy where she developed tools for lawyers to represent HIV-positive clients and wrote and trained on HIV criminalization, particularly its impact on women. She is a Rockwood Fellow in the Gender and Racial Justice Leaders in the HIV Movement cohort, and her writing has focused on women and HIV, broadening access to essential medicines, and the legal and human rights implications of U.S. global health policies. 

She has published articles on Trump’s Global Gag Rule in Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters and ARROW for Change, the U.S. contributions to the global anti-gender movement in iFokus, and on the role of contraception in preventing HIV-positive births for the journal BMC Public Health.

Beirne graduated from Earlham College with departmental and college honors in politics, and from Georgetown University Law Center with a juris doctor and a certificate in Refugees and Humanitarian Emergencies.

Dexter Etter (He/Him) holds a master’s degree in social work from Indiana University. He has spent his career in the realm of infectious disease treatment and prevention. He is passionate about creating care systems with low-barrier entry-points and high retention rates. His passion for reducing treatment barriers is informed by his previous roles as a linkage to care navigator, PrEP navigation, and HIV tester and counselor. During his years of working directly with clients, he witnessed the barriers and discrimination that are created by systems at all levels. 

Dexter left client-facing work to create change at a higher level in the HIV/STI/Viral Hepatitis Division at the Indiana Department of Health. During his time at the Department of Health, he focused on building a stronger quality improvement and health equity infrastructure at the HIV service organizations across Indiana. 

Dexter currently serves as the Director of Prevention at the Damien Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his role, he gets to oversee programs that offer HIV/STI/HCV testing, harm reduction services, linkage to medical care, and community engagement. 

Mr. Stephen Everett (He/Him) brings a unique perspective to The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc. having served the Indiana public health, education and philanthropic sectors for over thirty-three years. Stephen enables those he works with to focus on rapport-building to improve community health outcomes through effective interventions. Ultimately, he strives to provide a historical perspective with up-to-date information, so people are empowered to learn and build relationships to address community disparities in health and life. 

Jason Grisell (He/Him) is the President & CEO of The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc. During the nine years Jason spent in the programs department, he directed more than $15 million in grants and funding for health-related services to Indiana’s most vulnerable populations. Grisell obtained his MBA in Management & Strategy from Western Governors University and holds his certificate in fundraising management and non-profit executive leadership from The Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University – Purdue University of Indianapolis. The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis’ mission is to support health-related projects and organizations that serve the community’s most vulnerable citizens. 

Ryan McConnell (He/Him) has served in the HIV/AIDS arena for more than 16 years. Starting in the field as a social worker and later managing the care coordination department at Indiana’s largest AIDS Service Organization. Ryan currently serves as the Program Director at The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis, Inc, managing grantmaking activities for the organization and has managed over $20 million in grants for administration, emergency financial assistance programs, harm reduction and syringe service programs across the state of Indiana. Ryan also oversees management of the Indiana chapter of the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the Indiana AIDS Memorial. In addition, Ryan has acted as the Chair for several planning bodies and committees, such as the Ryan White Planning Council and the Comprehensive HIV Services Planning and Advisory Council in Indiana. He is passionate about the field of HIV care and the people he serves through non-profit leadership and service to the community.