Gail Bolan, MD

Director of STD Prevention, CDC

Dr. Bolan is Director of the Division of STD Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A graduate of Dartmouth Medical School, she completed her training in internal medicine at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. She received subspecialty training in infectious diseases at the Tufts New England Medical Center and Stanford Medical Centers and in medical epidemiology as a CDC Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in the Respiratory and Special Pathogens Branch. Prior to joining CDC in February 2011, she served as the Chief of the STD Control Branch at the California Department of Public Health from 1997 to 2011, and as the Director of the San Francisco City and County STD Prevention and Control Program and as Medical Director of San Francisco City Clinic from 1987 to 1997. She directed the California STD/HIV Prevention Training Center for over 20 years. Dr. Bolan is a leader in the field of STD Prevention and is nationally recognized for her contributions in applied research on the epidemiology and prevention of STDs, for implementation of science-based programs and for effective STD program policy development. Dr. Bolan has authored or co-authored over 150 scientific publications. She has served on the CDC HIV/STD Prevention Advisory Committee, CDC Office of Infectious Diseases Board of Scientific Counselors, and the American STD Association (ASTDA) Executive Committee. She is past chair of the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and past vice chair of the American Social Health Association (ASHA) Board of Directors.

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Derek Spencer, MS, CNRP

Global Director of FOCUS, Gilead Science

Derek Spencer serves as the Executive Director for the FOCUS Program (Frontlines of Communities in the United States) of Gilead Sciences. The program supports the expansion of routine blood born virus (HIV, HCV and HBV) screening, diagnosis and linkage to care through funded projects in 3 countries including the U.S., Spain and Portugal. Earlier in his career, while working at the Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Derek engaged multiple sectors of Baltimore including the faith-based community and the University of Maryland Founding Campus’s academic and clinical programs. This work led to the development of what the White House called a “transformational approach to addressing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.” Derek has a compelling message of purpose and the power of meeting needs.

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Gina Brown, MSW

Community Engagement Manager, Southern AIDS Coalition

Gina Brown is the Community Engagement Manager with Southern AIDS Coalition. She has worked in the field of HIV for 15 years and has been living with HIV for 24 years. Gina graduated Magna Cum Laude from Southern University at New Orleans, with a Bachelor of Social Work and a minor in History in 2011. She received her master’s degree in Social Work in 2012. Gina is a former member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) and has served on numerous boards and committees. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Black AIDS Institute. Gina is a passionate public speaker and celebrated community advocate appearing in many magazines and publications including being recently featured in Ebony and Jet. Gina is also an Ambassador for the Greater than AIDS Initiative, appearing in the Women, HIV, and Intimate Partner Violence video. Gina truly believes in service work and has made it her life’s mission to help the broader community gain a higher level of health literacy.

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