Hilda Ortiz-Morales,
Hilda Ortiz-Morales, MSN, ACNPc, AACRN, is Adjunct Professor at Herbert H. Lehman College in the Bronx, New York, and Coordinator of the HIV/HCV Specialty Service in the Infectious Diseases Clinic at Montefiore Medical Center, also located in the Bronx, New York. Ms. Ortiz-Morales earned her Master of Science degree in nursing from the College of New Rochelle in New Rochelle, New York, specializing as an acute care nurse practitioner. She also completed Hepatitis C preceptorships at Cabrini Medical Center in New York, New York, and HIV preceptorships at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Ortiz-Morales will receive her PhD in healthcare administration from the University of Phoenix in June 2009. As a nurse practitioner, Ms. Ortiz-Morales works as a primary care provider for HIV/AIDS patients and is involved in coordinating care and maintaining quality assurance. She has participated in numerous research protocols and several studies, and is a contributing author to a handbook about the management of side effects that occur during treatment for Hepatitis C. Board-certified as an acute care nurse practitioner, Ms. Ortiz-Morales is an advanced AIDS certified registered nurse. She also holds certifications in advance life support and as an HIV specialist; the latter from the HIV Medicine Association. She is a member of various professional organizations, including the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, the American Nurses Association, and the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.
Luis López-Detrés,
Luis López-Detrés was the editor and principal writer of SIDAahora from 1994-2000. Published by the People with AIDS Coalition of New York (PWAC/NY) and later by Body Positive, SIDAahora was the first AIDS magazine published in Spanish in the world and was written by and for Latinos with HIV/AIDS. As Editor, Luis ensured that state-of-the-art AIDS-related information was accessible in clear and simple language to an estimated readership of 45,000 people in 35 countries. When Luis tested HIV+ himself, he recognized that self-empowerment was vital to his survival. Since, he has dedicated his life to helping others living with HIV/AIDS to do the same. He used his work and SIDAahora as a platform to educate others on the complexities of living with HIV/AIDS. Luis gave hope to others by sharing strategies for living a long life in spite of HIV at a time when the possibility of long term survival was very doubtful. Through his work and by example, Luis shared the idea that as human beings there was no need to apologize to anyone for having HIV/AIDS. He insisted that Latinos with HIV not live in shame or stigma. Instead, he worked tirelessly to assure that they received valuable information to make better decisions about treatment and living with HIV. Currently, Luis works for Weill Cornell Medical College as a Regulatory and Outreach Coordinator for the Cornell HIV Clinical Trials Unit where he continues to educate our community with the same level of commitment and enthusiasm as he did 15 years ago. Luis’ contributions continue to impact the lives of countless people living with HIV the world over. He is inspirational and is living testimony of the courage of people living with HIV.
The Hispanic Federation
The Hispanic Federation mission is to serve our community by building and supporting Latino institutions. It is a service-oriented membership organization that works with nearly 100 Latino health and human services agencies to promote the social, political and economic well-being of the Hispanic community. Since its inception in 1990, the Federation has grown to become one of the premier Latino organizations in the nation by providing a wide range of services that strengthen Hispanic families and support Latino institutions.