December 21, 2023

December Action Report

As we wrap up this inaugural year of U.S. Business Action to End HIV, we want to thank you all for your commitment, and most of all, your action. We hope you have a restful and rejuvenating end of year, and look forward to collaborating in 2024 as we work toward our goal of ending the HIV epidemic. As always, find highlights from the past month below. Happy Holidays!

Annual Meeting & Reception

On November 30, Coalition members gathered in Washington, DC for our Annual Meeting and World AIDS Day reception.

The meeting brought together nearly 60 business leaders who met to reflect on the impact the Coalition and member companies made in 2023, and preview 2024 priorities. Members also heard from distinguished speakers including White House Director of National AIDS Policy Harold Phillips, CDC Acting Director of HIV Prevention Dr. Robyn Neblett-Fanfair, and KFF Director of Global Health & HIV Policy Jen Kates, who spoke to the role the private sector can play to advance efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S.

Members then joined with other guests at the Hay Adams Hotel for a reception to honor World AIDS Day, with a keynote address from Dr. Anthony Fauci.

It was an exciting day - thank you to those of you who were able to join us. It was a great way to wrap up this first year and set the stage for what’s to come.

Action from Members

Welcome New Members - B Brand and Pyxis Partners!‍
Mercer Spotlights World AIDS Day - On December 1, Mercer marked World AIDS Day by sending a newsletter to all of their clients that included an article about the role employers can play in helping end HIV, and premiering of a new video they produced with HAA spotlighting their involvement in the Coalition. Look out for much more from Mercer in 2024 as they make HIV a priority in their work!‍
Can a Drag Queen AI Help End HIV? Ramin Bastani, CEO of Healthvana, was making the rounds with media leading up to World AIDS Day sharing more about the new HIPAA-compliant generative AI chatbot they’ve developed to help answer basic questions about HIV, other STIs and PrEP. Check out an interview Ramin gave with the ABC affiliate in DC on World AIDS Day on their work.‍
Walmart Pilots Free HIV Screenings at Two Virginia Pharmacies - On World AIDS Day, Walmart announced a new HIV screening pilot at two of their pharmacies in Virginia. Free HIV screenings, counseling and results will be offered at locations in Petersburg and Ashland during the pilot phase. The store locations are already HIV-focused Specialty Pharmacies of the Community and staffed with HIV-trained pharmacists and Community Health Workers who are uniquely equipped to support HIV/AIDS patients throughout their journey to health.

Action from the Coalition

Coalition Joins Accenture World AIDS Day Event - On December 19, Mario Harper and HIV Leadership Advisory Council member Carl Schmid were invited to speak during a 2023 World AIDS Day event hosted by Accenture’s U.S. Pride, African American, and Hispanic American employee resource groups. The event brought together over 110 of Accenture’s U.S.-based employees to celebrate the theme of “Remember and Commit.”

Opportunities for Action

Coalition members are invited to join a special "Action Spotlight" meeting on January 16 at 3pm ET to hear the latest updates from our first Industry Action Cohort and efforts to expand access to HIV services in community pharmacies. You’ll learn how interested companies can engage in this work, both on the federal and state levels.
February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - a day to observe and acknowledge how HIV disproportionately affects Black people in the U.S. Consider how your company might recognize this day and share information with employees and communities you serve.

Coalition in the News

Behind the Scenes

This month we are pleased to introduce you to another member of our HIV Leadership Advisory Council:

Mario Perez
‍Director of the Division of HIV and STD Programs
Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Brief bio/description of your current role:

I proudly serve as the Director of the Division of HIV and STD Programs for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health where I am responsible for guiding the work of more than 300 employees and managing the annual investment of nearly $120 million in local, State, and federal resources that support the delivery of HIV and STD services through more than 65 partner organizations.

In my role, I have learned that progressive policy change is crucial to advancing health equity and mitigating the disproportionate impact of the HIV and STD epidemic in our communities. As such, I proudly served three terms on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS during the Obama Administration, and I currently serve on the Board of NMAC and the National Coalition of STD Directors.

I’ve testified before Congress, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and the Los Angeles City Council to address a range of HIV and STD issues. I earned a Bachelor degree in Biology from UC Berkeley and a Master of Public Health degree from UCLA. I am married to Karly, and we are proud parents to Luca and Mai.

How do you hope to see U.S. Business Action to End HIV and coalition members contributing toward ending HIV in the U.S.?

The U.S. Business sector is a crucial partner in efforts to both create and advance strategies that promote the health and wellbeing of communities, including a workforce that drives innovation, productivity, and economic growth. COVID offers the best recent example of how promoting and protecting the public’s health has a direct benefit on the ability of public agencies and private sector businesses to perform at their best. The Coalition can play a role in Ending the HIV Epidemic by:

Helping raise awareness of not just this public health issue, but several related syndemics (e.g.., substance use disorder, STDs) that together with HIV, amplify their respective negative effects
Leading efforts to support inclusion of marginalized groups including LQBTQ persons as well as fighting HIV stigma and shame, transphobia and homophobia
By developing new biotech tools to improve diagnostics that appeal to younger generations that have different health care consumption patterns compared to older generations.

The members of the Coalition and business leaders who practice good corporate citizenship, and who are joined by responsive governments, an engaged civil society, and mobilized communities, can help marshal the practices and solutions necessary to end epidemics, including HIV. There is no doubt that we can join business leaders to build initiatives modeled after the (Red) Campaign or the NFL’s Pink Campaign to accelerate our progress against the domestic HIV epidemic.

Why have you personally decided to dedicate yourself to working on HIV?

I was born in Los Angeles and raised in South Los Angeles during a formative decade of my life where I witnessed firsthand the profound impact of two epidemics: crack and gang violence. During that same period, as a teenager, I read an informational brochure sent to every home in America by United States Surgeon General C. Everett Koop about AIDS. Years later as a pre-med student at Berkeley, I accepted an offer from a professor in the school of Public Health to help raise awareness about HIV in the East Bay. In many ways Oakland reminded me of South Los Angeles, and I wanted to help prevent a third epidemic. After graduating from Cal, my dream of medical school was deferred, and I made a commitment to help fight the HIV epidemic back home in Los Angeles.

Save the Date

Action Spotlight: Expanding Access to HIV Services in Community Pharmacies
Tuesday, January 16, 3pm ET (45 mins, virtual) - Register
National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
Wednesday, February 7 (More information)
Q1 Quarterly Coalition Meeting
Thursday, March 7, 2pm ET (60 mins, virtual)

Thank you for your commitment and leadership. Let's keep up the momentum!