Dr. Juan A Bailey
Dr. Juan Bailey is currently an attending physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in the Department of Medicine and Chemical Dependency. He specializes in treating HIV/AIDS-infected adults. He began his career in HIV medicine in 1991 as a clinical associate at the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute in Bethesda Maryland. He was involved with the early trials of combination therapy for HIV/AIDS. He also participated in research related to AIDS-related malignancy including Kaposi’s Sarcoma. In 1994 he joined Saint Vincent’s Hospital AIDS Center as the Medical Coordinator for the Air Bridge Project. This project was an initiative aimed at coordinating medical care for HIV positive individuals who travel back and forth between New York and Puerto Rico. Dr. Bailey joined Beth Israel Medical Center in 2003. The focus of his work is HIV/AIDS and addiction medicine. He is also part of the teaching faculty at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Bailey is very highly regarded by the community of persons living with HIV/AIDS. He is best known as a “competent, compassionate provider who truly cares and gives the utmost to his patients”.
Mr. Humberto Cruz
Humberto Cruz has served in management positions in New York State government and community-based organizations for 25 years. For the last 17 years, Mr. Cruz has been with the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health. He has served as Director of the AIDS Institute for the last four months. Before that, he served as Executive Deputy Director of the AIDS Institute. Mr. Cruz has been instrumental in the development of a comprehensive continuum of care for people with HIV and AIDS in New York. Among his major accomplishments are the development of enhanced Medicaid rates for HIV care, the implementation of client-centered programs that reimburse providers for the delivery of care to the uninsured, the development of managed care for persons with HIV, the development of service programs that target specific populations impacted by the epidemic, the initiation of HIV service programs that serve those who migrate between New York and other parts of the world, and programs that provide training and skills-building for persons living with HIV/AIDS to facilitate their participation in planning bodies. Mr. Cruz’s involvement in HIV/AIDS policy extends well beyond New York State. As an executive committee member of the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), he has been able to deliberate HIV/AIDS policy at the national level, most recently in support of the needs of New Yorkers with HIV/AIDS in the context of Ryan White reauthorization. Also among his chief accomplishments is the development of extraordinary partnerships within government, with the provider community, and with the PLWHA community.
Aid for AIDS, Inc
AID FOR AIDS International, Inc. (AFA) is a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization committed to improving the quality of live of people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) in developing countries and of those who are immigrants in the United States. AFA began as an antiretroviral recycling program in 1996 and has grown to be the largest collector and re-distributor of unused, unexpired HIV medication in the world. Since its inception, AFA has sent over 40 million dollars worth of antiretroviral medication to more 3000 individuals in 30 different countries. Recycled antiretroviral medication is managed by AFA’s AIDS Treatment Access Program (ATAP), which monitors each client, carefully reviewing laboratory and medical reports. In addition to ATAP, AFA operates HIV training sessions for rural physicians in Latin American countries, and holds the honor of being the only organization that sits as a representative of the Latin American civil society at the Board Meetings for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Managing AFA’s presence at GF Board Meetings is the Department of Advocacy’s newest initiative, Observatorio Latino. This forum acts as a watch dog for Global Fund activities and projects financed by the fund. Observatorio Latino has a presence in 17 Latin American countries, carrying the voice of local activists who promote social and political change, fight for the rights of PLWHA, and work to reduce stigma and discrimination. Currently, AFA operates satellite offices in 6 different countries, including the United States, Chile, Dominican Republic, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. AFA programs are also run in Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Ecuador. In the past ten years, AFA has developed and fortified numerous contacts and networks, spanning the entire Latin American and Caribbean region. Our staff is familiar with cultural and situational obstacles associated with HIV care and treatment, and complementarily, AFA continues to be recognized as an organization of reliability and professionalism in the region. The work of AFA has been recognized by international organizations such as The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the MAC AIDS Fund, the Robin Hood Foundation, and the Elton John Foundation. These foundations have all awarded grants to AFA, allowing us to continually improve the services we provide and accomplish our stated goals. Several months ago, CNN networks acknowledge Jesus Aguais, AFA’s Executive Director as one of its “Heroes” and People En Español recognized Jesus as one of the 100 most influential Latinos in the United States. In 2007, Jesus, AFA, and our programs were also featured on media outlets such as Telemundo, WNBC and Univision.