"A Positive Way Forward" Fall Policy Fireside Chat Series

Timothy Jackson (he/him) is Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy at AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC). His work at AFC includes developing and managing the organization’s government relations activities specializing in HIV-related state legislative matters regarding appropriations, health care reform and policy issues impacting the social determinants of health and health disparities. He brings extensive experience in HIV advocacy, grassroots organizing, political campaigns and lobbying to the Policy and Advocacy team. Timothy was born and raised in the Deep South and recently served as a staffer to a Member of Congress prior to joining AFC. He also had the privilege to serve as Board President for Thrive Alabama—an AIDS Service Organization and Federally Qualified Health Center providing medical and support services care to the people of north Alabama. His career is centered on a promise made to a late aunt who died from AIDS-related complications that he would spend the rest of his life advocating on behalf of people living with HIV and amplifying their voices. Timothy is a proud Political Science alum of Mississippi State University. Hail State!

Jeff Berry is the executive director and co-founder of The Reunion Project, the alliance of long-term survivors of HIV. Diagnosed in 1989, Jeff has dedicated over 30 years to advocacy, journalism, and community leadership. He served as Chief Editorial Officer of TPAN and editor of Positively Aware from 2005 to 2022 and now leads The Reunion Project full-time. Jeff has amplified the voices of people living with HIV through his writing, public speaking, and roles in national advisory boards, including the Illinois Commission on LGBTQ Aging and the CRISPR for Cure Community Advisory Board. His work has been featured in the Huffington Post, The Advocate, TheBody.com, and in the Emmy-nominated docuseries, HIV and the Journey Toward Zero. Honored with multiple awards for his contributions, Jeff continues to champion HIV and aging issues at conferences worldwide. He lives in Chicago with his husband, Stephen, and their two furry companions. 

Kim L. Hunt has used her platforms in storytelling, public speaking and civic engagement to curate brave, inclusive spaces for social change for over 25 years. Kim’s personal vision is to co-create the Beloved Community that MLK and others have dreamed about, and her mission is to ensure that all the co-creators are at the table. She is currently the Executive Director of Pride Action Tank (PAT), a project of AIDS Foundation Chicago, where she also serves as the Vice President of Special Projects and Innovation in the Policy & Advocacy department. Kim drives the innovation, collaboration and learning necessary to make PAT a leader in improving the health, safety and progress of individuals and groups within the LGBTQ+ community. She has served on the AMA Foundation LGBTQ+ Health Fellowship Commission, was appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to serve on the Illinois Council on Aging and Illinois Commission on LGBTQ+ Aging Issues and by Mayor Brandon Johnson to serve on the Chicago LGBTQ+ Advisory Council. She has also been on boards and advisory councils of several organizations. Kim has been a live commentator for the Pride Parade for ABC Chicago since 2022, is a founding co-host of OUTSpoken: LGBTQ Storytelling! and is a Curve Power List 2025 honoree.

Vanessa Johnson brings more than 35 years of lived experience and professional expertise to her work at the intersection of public health, community empowerment, and organizational development. As a long-time survivor of HIV, she has dedicated her life to promoting equity and transforming care systems for communities most affected by stigma, discrimination, and chronic health conditions. Her areas of specialization include trauma-informed and healing-centered care, harm and stigma reduction, entrepreneurship and micro-enterprise development, and strategic disclosure for individuals living with HIV. Vanessa co-founded Ribbon – A Center for Excellence (www.ribbon3.org), a national nonprofit organization focused on improving community and individual health outcomes, particularly for people with hidden disabilities and chronic conditions. Through Ribbon, she leads efforts to enhance the capacity of organizations and individuals by providing training, technical assistance, coaching, and technology transfer. Her work is grounded in community-led solutions, cultural humility, and long-term sustainability. In addition to her leadership and advocacy, Vanessa is an accomplished proposal and grant writer, having successfully secured funding from government agencies and private foundations. Her vision and dedication continue to shape more inclusive and responsive health systems, ensuring that the voices of those most impacted by health inequities are centered in every aspect of care and service delivery. 

Tori Cooper, MPH is a trusted leader in the HIV and trans communities. For over thirty years, she has worked to improve health outcomes and ensure greater access to employment and other opportunities for whom society deems marginalized. Having worked in the private sector for many years, Tori switched to a career in public health working for the CDC as a co-author of TWIST, the only intervention created for and by trans women, as a Health and Equity Consultant working with NIH, higher education and big pharma to bring greater equity into funding and research. Ms. Cooper became one of the highest ranking Black trans women in the federal government when she was appointed to the President’s Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS, also known as PACHA. She has earned numerous awards and been recognized by The Advocate, Poz Magazine, NBC, the Georgia LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, OUTGeorgia and a host of others. Tori is committed to breaking down doors so others can walk into any room as their full and most authentic selves. 

Leisha McKinley-Beach is an author, thought leader, inspirational strategist, trainer, and community organizer. Mrs. McKinley-Beach is the founder and CEO of The Black 
Public Health Academy. Leisha also serves as a consultant who provides training on 
Black health issues including HIV, medical mistrust, racism in public health, cultural 
humility, and community engagement. She has been fortunate to participate in nationally recognized projects such as PrEP in Black America, Gilead Sciences Champions of Change: A Celebration of Black Women Changemakers in HIV, ViiV Risk to Reasons national movement to retire the word “risk” associated with sexual health for women, the Florida Department of Health Sistas Organizing to Survive (SOS), a first-ever statewide campaign to address HIV among Black women, and initiatives to engage faith-based communities in the HIV response across the South. McKinley-Beach received her bachelor’s degree (Community health) from the University of Florida and her master’s degree in health science (Psycho-social health) from the University of West Florida. Leisha is a 2023 inductee into the University of Florida College of Health and Human Performance Hall of Fame. 

Omar Martínez González is the Sr. Manager of Policy & Advocacy at AIDS Foundation Chicago. In this role, he leads AFC’s federal advocacy efforts, which includes developing and executing policy priorities related to HIV treatment and prevention, Medicaid, the ACA, and Medicare, and advocating for robust federal HIV funding. Omar has almost two decades of experience in the HIV/AIDS field, and his areas of expertise include prevention and linkage to care, barriers experienced by undocumented and immigrant populations, LGBTQ+ health and wellness, and PEP/PrEP access and retention. Omar is a graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology, where he received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biology.

Keith R. Green, PhD, MSW, is a native Chicagoan with strong community roots and an extensive history as an organizer, educator, scholar and advocate. He currently serves as Executive Director for the Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus – a grassroots community-based organization focused on advancing health equity for Black gay, bisexual and same gender loving men. He is also the community co-chair for the Chicago Methamphetamine Task Force. As a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, Dr. Green earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a PhD in social service administration from the University of Chicago. He previously served as an associate editor for Positively Aware magazine and as director of federal affairs for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. Dr. Green is also an award-winning spoken word artist and was inducted into the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel in 2012. 

Drew Gibson, MSW, is an HIV and drug user health policy expert with more than a decade of experience both working in and advocating for organizations who serve people living with HIV and people who use drugs. Gibson is currently the Director of Advocacy at AIDS United, where he leads on a wide range of federal, state, and local efforts to increase funding for and access to HIV and harm reduction programs throughout the United States, highlighting the importance of increased government and private sector support for evidence-based and community-driven drug user health policies. 

Aces Lira serves as Senior Manager of State Policy and Advocacy for AIDS Foundation Chicago where his work centers on leading state legislative, policy, and administrative efforts to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Illinois. Working closely with the Getting to Zero Illinois initiative, he focuses on the efforts to increase access to HIV prevention and treatment services and supports and often includes a broad range of coalition work. As a social worker by training, Aces has direct service experience in education, child welfare, and migrant aid which informs his policy advocacy work. 

Michael Elizabeth is the Director of Public Health Policy at Equality Federation. In this role, they lead our Public Health Department, which mobilizes Equality Federation state partner organizations to leverage their advocacy capacity to influence Public Health policy and ensure effective implementation of those policies, with a focus on HIV and other health issues that disproportionately affect LGBTQ+ communities. They have spent the last 14 years rooted in LGBTQ+ political and community organizing ranging from LGBTQ+ policy work with state and local elected officials in Texas to HIV advocacy fighting against HIV Criminalization laws and for adequate public health funding and culturally competent prevention services. Most recently, Mike was elected as Vice Chair of the U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus. Mike is very proud of their role as former President of the Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus, growing the organization to be one of the most diverse and largest membership-driven LGBTQ+ civil rights organizations in the South, which held local elected officials accountable to the LGBTQ community while helping elect pro-LGBTQ+ candidates. 

Alex Sheldon is the Executive Director of GLMA and a professional researcher, strategist, and advocate with over 15 years of experience in the field of human rights with a concentration in LGBTQ+ rights. Prior to joining GLMA, Alex was the Head of Research & Social Impact at an LGBTQ+ start-up company, where they specialized in economic inclusion for LGBTQ+ people. Previously, Alex served as the Deputy Director of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) at the Clinton Foundation, and they held roles at Everytown for Gun Safety, the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), and several international nonprofits. They received an MA in International Human Rights with a concentration in Global Health Affairs from the University of Denver, a BA in Psychology from Whittier College in California, and a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice. Alex is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Equality Federation. 

An attorney by training, Aisha N. Davis has dedicated her legal career to civil rights and human rights advocacy. Aisha and has worked in policy and advocacy both domestically and internationally, and currently serves as senior policy counsel at the ACLU of IL. In this role, she focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and policing in the state of Illinois. Although she calls Chicago home, Aisha was born and raised in the Washington, DC area. Growing up near the nation’s capitol inspired Aisha’s passion for advocacy, and her family’s influence sparked her desire to use her voice alongside her communities. She obtained her JD from Columbia Law School and LLM from the University of London in Human Rights, Conflict, and Justice, completing the degree program with a dissertation on intersectionality and international human rights. Outside of her work in advocacy, Aisha enjoys Black speculative fiction and most things nerdy. 

Kae Greenberg (he/him), Staff Attorney at the Center for HIV Law and Policy, previously worked as a supervising attorney in the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services (CLS) in Philadelphia. His practice focused on providing legal representation to indigent tenants facing eviction and helping them maintain housing. Prior to CLS, he was an assistant defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia as a member of the Juvenile Unit. Among other honors, Kae was a Beasley Scholar at Temple University Beasley School of Law, class of 2011. His published work includes, “Still Hidden in the Closet: Trans Women and Domestic Violence,” in the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law, and Justice, and “Best Practices in Policing,” in the book Transgender Intimate Partner Violence. In his past life, Kae worked as a theater electrician and lighting designer in NYC.

Kerry S. Thomas is a nationally recognized advocate working at the intersection of HIV decriminalization, racial justice, and mass incarceration. He currently serves as Policy Strategist for the Sero Project, where he helps lead efforts to modernize HIV laws, support people living with HIV who are criminalized, and elevate community-led solutions. Kerry brings powerful lived experience to his advocacy, having navigated the criminal legal system while living with HIV. He has collaborated with the Center for HIV Law and Policy, Vera Institute of Justice, and state departments of correction to promote humane, evidence-based policies. Kerry is a sought-after speaker, trainer, and storyteller whose work emphasizes dignity, equity, and transformative change. His leadership continues to inspire national dialogue and mobilize action toward ending the HIV epidemic.

Reyna Matoaka Ortiz (she/her/hers) is a proud Indigenous Trans woman who was born and raised in Chicago. Currently serving as Program Director at TaskForce Prevention and Community Services, her experiences navigating through this society, poverty and varies levels of systemic oppression has given her a great understanding of the needs in her community. She is an advocate, activist, and author. Reyna works hands on with her community, providing vital resources and has dedicated herself to building and working with her Trans community.

Marnina Miller is a highly accomplished Human Rights Activist, Speaker, Trainer, and Social Media Strategist with a profound commitment to fostering positive change in society. Marnina is honored to serve as the Co-Executive Director of Positive Women’s Network-USA. 
 
Marnina’s journey with Positive Women’s Network-USA began in 2017 when she joined the local Greater Houston Area Chapter. Marnina completed PWN-USA’s Policy Fellowship in 2018 and has represented them as a Health Not Prisons Collective Advocate. Her commitment deepened as she assumed a vital role on the Board of Directors in 2018, a position she held until her transition to the PWN-USA staff in 2024. 
 
Under her brand “MarninaTheQueen,” she harnesses the power of social media to address social injustice and spread awareness of critical issues that impact people living with HIV. With an impressive following of over 100,000 followers and millions of video streams across platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, Marnina is a force to be reckoned with in the digital realm. Her expertise in HIV Activism has garnered significant recognition, leading to features on prominent media outlets such as Vice News, National Public Radio (NPR), and the YouTube Original Series: HIV Disclosure and Dating.

Judith Montenegro joined the Latino Commission on AIDS and their Latinos in the South program in 2013 as their Director of Community Organizing and in 2016, she became the Program Director. As a Mexican immigrant living in North Carolina, Judith is passionate about working with immigrant populations, focusing on immigration reform and improving health care access for Latine communities. She has served on the boards of directors of the American Heart Association, Durham Central Park, Alianza Americas, and El Centro Hispano. She is currently a board member of El Vinculo Hispano and serves on numerous advisory committees. Before joining the Latino Commission on AIDS, Judith was a paralegal focused on medical case management and workers’ compensation claims.  Follow her at @latinodeepsouth.

Meg McElroy (she/her) is the Director of Special Projects at AIDS Foundation Chicago, where she leads statewide efforts for Getting to Zero Illinois—a public-private partnership working to end the HIV epidemic in Illinois by 2030. In this role, Meg advances equitable, systems-level strategies while centering the voices and experiences of communities most impacted by HIV. Previously, Meg served as Senior Program Director on the Advocacy team at the ACLU of Illinois, where she led a dynamic policy team in developing and executing a legislative agenda grounded in coalition building and community priorities. Before that, she was the Manager of Policy and Advocacy at AIDS Foundation Chicago, where she played a key role in shaping public health policy, leading coalitions, and contributing to the early work of Getting to Zero Illinois. Meg’s professional background is rooted in both clinical practice and advocacy, with a focus on maternal and infant health, LGBTQIA+ well-being, and gender equity. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology and a BA in Social Work with a minor in Women’s Studies from Lewis University. Meg is committed to building more just systems through policy, partnership, and the power of community.