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“Perspectives” is a series that highlights our advisors who are leaders in the HIV field and provide guidance to the Coalition, ensuring that our priorities are informed by the latest scientific research and best practices.

This month, we are pleased to spotlight Jesse Milan Jr., JD, Member of our HIV Leadership Advisory Council and CEO Emeritus at AIDS United.

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Please share a brief bio and description of your career in the HIV field.

I retired in July 2025 as President & CEO of AIDS United after serving in that role for nine years.  2025 was my 40^th year working in the HIV field that began in 1985 with the death of my late partner from AIDS. Over the years I’ve served as AIDS Director for the City of Philadelphia, conducted for the State Department three solo speaking tours across Africa on HIV, and served as board chair of five HIV organizations including most recently Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA).  As a lawyer, I’ve served many times as chair or member of federal HIV advisory and grant review committees including on the CHAC, PACHA and the PEPFAR Scientific Advisory Board. Before joining AIDS United, I served fifteen years as vice president for two federal public health contract firms where I led HIV projects for CDC, HRSA, SAMSHA, NIH and the World Health Organization. Today in retirement I serve also on the board of AVAC and on the Council of the American Board of Internal Medicine. 

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Why have you personally dedicated yourself to working on HIV?

This work has been my life’s calling. I want no one to ever experience as my late partner did the devastating sickness, death, stigma or discrimination that HIV/AIDS can wrought.  I’ve been living with HIV myself for over 40 years. I know the wonder of U=U, the miracle of HIV treatments and prevention, and the joy of living healthy with HIV.  And I met my husband of 37 years working together in the HIV field!  So, this work is deeply personal and professional for me, and I feel called to do it and support it until my life or the HIV epidemic ends. 

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

Coalition members can be models for HIV advocacy and support. I hope to see the members use their individual and collective power to influence public policy and funding for HIV, and to use their individual and collective voice to break down HIV stigma and help stop HIV discrimination and criminalization. I especially hope coalition members enact within their companies HIV policies and benefits, and corporate giving strategies to provide financial support to HIV organizations.  

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You've been a long-time leader in the HIV field. What is unique about this moment, and what does it mean for the role of business? 

This is a frightening and ugly moment. We’re facing a federal government and many state governments that are destroying America’s public health infrastructure, eroding civil rights and advances in diversity, and undermining and destabilizing our efforts against HIV. The business community is needed to stand up and fight against policies and appropriation levels that make ending the HIV epidemic harder, and against laws that denigrate LGBTQ people and people of color. In short, the business community is needed now as much as ever to publicly support people living with and vulnerable to HIV and help strengthen and sustain HIV programs and advocacy at local, state and federal levels. 

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What's one simple action a company could take this year to support the local HIV response in their community?  

Give an unrestricted gift to an HIV organization!  Unrestricted dollars are a lifeline for non-profits and allow them to use the funds for immediate and long-term needs without the onus of fitting the funds into a donor’s prescribed approach.  Our HIV organizations need resources to help them be flexible, resilient and strategic to sustain their work and meet the rising needs of their communities. 

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As someone who has devoted so much of your career to this work, what message would you leave with Coalition members?       

‍We are in an era where the ear of the federal Administration is most attuned to the voice of business.  Coalition members, your voice is powerful and your voice is needed in HIV advocacy. And your resources are needed to support the HIV response in whatever way you can – locally and nationally.  Know also that your corporate names associated with the HIV community is huge and the impact of your resources can be huge too. Pooling corporate resources for a funding collaborative could have a tremendous impact in this era of uncertain federal support. We can all do more together than alone, and that includes the business community. Most of all, thank you coalition members for your commitment! Ending the HIV epidemic has always required a multi-sectoral approach and your commitment to the coalition is leading the way for our nation’s business sector.