Maryum Gibson

Maryum GibsonCourtesy of Jerusalem House

Maryum Gibson is the new president and CEO of Jerusalem House, Atlanta’s oldest and largest provider of housing and services for low-income families and people who experience homelessness and are affected by HIV/AIDS.

Marlene McNees

Marlene McNeesCourtesy of HIV.gov

John Wiesman, DrPH

John Wiesman, DrPHCourtesy of Gillings School of Public Health at UNC

The Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) started meeting again. Eight new members were appointed, bringing the total to 22, including co-directors John Wiesman, DrPH, and Marlene McNeese. PACHA has convened since 1995—except during the Trump era.

Kara Eastman

Kara EastmanCourtesy of TPAN.com

The new CEO of Chicago-based HIV organization TPAN is Kara Eastman. Originally known as Test Positive Aware Network, TPAN also publishes Positively Aware and spearheads the annual anti-stigma campaign “A Day With HIV.”

John Nkengasong, MD

John Nkengasong, MDTwitter/@JNkengasong

President Biden appointed John Nkengasong, MD, as head of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the federal agency that serves people with HIV worldwide. For the first time in its 18-year history, PEPFAR will be headed by an African public health leader.

Andrew Spieldenner, PhD

Andrew Spieldenner, PhDLina Cherfas

A gay man who is living with HIV, Andrew Spieldenner, PhD, became the executive director of MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights. A former vice chair of the U.S. People Living With HIV Caucus, he’s also a regular POZ blogger.

Harold Phillips

Harold PhillipsCourtesy of the Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy

The United States has a new AIDS czar (the post was vacant under President Trump). Harold Phillips, a Black man with HIV, leads the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). On December 1, it will release an updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (Click here to read our Q&A with Phillips.