AIDS United announces Advisory Council to Advance Mission in Ending the HIV Epidemic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AIDS United announces Advisory Council to Advance Mission in Ending the HIV Epidemic Contact: D. D’Ontace Keyes (communications@aidsunited.org)  WASHINGTON, D.C. — AIDS United is pleased to announce the establishment of its inaugural Advisory Council comprised of esteemed leaders from business, education, media and medicine, and experts in public health advocacy, philanthropy and health equity. The council will serve a pivotal role in supporting AIDS United's mission to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.   The Advisory Council is tasked with providing strategic assistance to AIDS United's Board of Trustees and executives and act as advisors and ambassadors for enhancing AIDS United’s resources and advancing its national role in strategic grantmaking, capacity building and advocacy. Dr. Jamie Nesbitt, a person living with HIV who served as secretary of AIDS United’s Board of Trustees, will chair the council.  Dr. Eugene McCray, retired director of the CDC’s Division of HIV Prevention and who currently serves as chair of AIDS United’s Board of Trustees will also serve as vice chair of the council. Under the leadership of these two individuals living with HIV, the council will operate as a special committee of the Board of Trustees, to ensure alignment with organizational goals and strategic plans.   "We are thrilled to launch the AIDS United Advisory Council and welcome these distinguished members to our team," said Jesse Milan Jr., President and CEO of AIDS United. “Each member brings a wealth of professional experience from their fields and strong personal commitment to ending HIV/AIDS. Their collective wisdom and passion will be instrumental in supporting our efforts to address the challenges the HIV sector faces in this political and economic environment.”   The inaugural members of the Advisory Council represent a diverse range of expertise and backgrounds. Please see here: 

• Dr. Jamie Nesbitt, Council Chair, Patent and Trademark Director at Alector, and former AIDS United board of trustee’s officer.  
• Dr. Eugene McCray, Chair of AIDS United’s board of trustees and ex officio council vice chair. 
• Dr. Judith Auerbach, Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco and noted science and policy consultant.   
• Dr. Chris Beyrer, Gary Hock Distinguished Professor in Global Health, Director of Duke Global Health Institute, and Professor of Medicine, Duke University.  
• Craig Chicoine, Real Estate Business Process Manager, McKesson. 
• Duane Cramer, Founder and Creative Director, Duane Cramer Creative, and former AIDS United board of trustees’ officer. 
• Dr. Erica Johnson, Assistant Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and chair of the Infectious Disease Board of the American Board of Internal Medicine.  

• Pamela Garman Johnson, National Vice-President, Health Equity Impact and Partnerships at the American Heart Association. 
• Naina Khanna, Founding Director of the Positive Women’s Network and former AIDS United trustee. 
• John Roberts, Emmy-nominated actor for the voice of Linda Belcher on the Emmy-winning animated prime-time comedy Bob's Burgers.

  Dr. Jamie Nesbitt, Chair of the Advisory Council, expressed enthusiasm for this new role: "I am honored to lead this esteemed group of professionals and contribute to AIDS United's vital work in addressing HIV/AIDS. Together, we will leverage our collective expertise to advance solutions and drive meaningful change."  Each advisory council member will serve an initial three-year term. Five of the inaugural members are living with HIV and reflect AIDS United's dedication to the HIV community and meaningful involvement at every level. “I look forward to the advisory council helping AIDS United continue moving forward to reduce HIV stigma, discrimination and criminalization, to help promote HIV treatment and prevention, and advance racial justice and health equity for people living with vulnerable to HIV,” added Milan. The council is expected to offer expert advice and support on programmatic and policy activities and facilitate access to financial and other resources critical to supporting AIDS United's initiatives. As ambassadors for the organization, they will help raise awareness and promote AIDS United's mission. Learn more about the advisory council here. About AIDS United   AIDS United’s mission is to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. through strategic grant-making, capacity-building and policy & advocacy. AIDS United works to ensure access to life-saving HIV care and prevention services and to advance sound HIV-related policy for populations and communities most impacted by the U.S. epidemic. As of January 2021, our strategic grant-making initiatives have directly funded more than $118 million to local communities, and we have leveraged more than $184 million in additional investments for programs that include, but are not limited to, syringe access, access to care, capacity-building, HIV prevention and advocacy. Learn more at www.aidsunited.org.