- Meet our CAPS / PRC / CFAR Community Advisory Board
- Recent CAPS TownHalls
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Meet our CAPS / PRC / CFAR
Community Advisory Board
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The board members, representing various agencies and communities across the Bay Area, play a crucial role in providing feedback to shape the research agenda for CAPS/PRC, focusing on HIV prevention. Additionally, they spearhead special projects aimed at bridging the gap between HIV prevention science and the community. The concerns and suggestions raised by the Community Advisory Board (CAB) are also relayed to an external Scientific Advisory Board, convened by the CAPS Administration Core, to inform decision-making processes.
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The CAB …
- Provides leadership and scientists with feedback on projects, as requested.
- Alerts scientists to community issues and hot topics in HIV prevention.
- Reviews grant proposals and journal articles, when feasible.
- Assists in developing community dissemination and outreach strategies.
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Michael Benjamin
CAB member since 2022
Position: Director of Services at CAL-PEP
With over 25 years of experience in HIV prevention and community engagement in Oakland, Michael has dedicated his career to addressing health disparities affecting communities of color, particularly African Americans, through program management, outreach, and supportive services. His work focuses on advocating for health equity for marginalized groups including LGBTQIA communities, ethnic minorities, and the homeless. He has an AA degree in Community Social Services.
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Jesse Brooks
CAB member since 2010
Position: Advocacy Coordinator at AHF
Jesse, an established activist in Oakland, wrote a weekly column for the Post News Group (2009 – 2019), focusing on HIV/AIDS reaching over 40,000 readers weekly. Diagnosed in 1993, he has experience both as a client and care provider and was involved in various research projects, creating impactful media like the film "The Ceremony" that he wrote and co-produced, and speaking at events to advocate for self-empowerment and HIV awareness, particularly among youth.
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Ramirez Brown
CAB member since 2023
Position: Youth Engagement Specialist, EBGTZ
Ramirez, a 24-year-old black gay man is pursuing a BFA degree in Fashion Merchandising. He is from Los Angeles and has lived in the Bay Area since 2017. Driven by his personal experience with HIV, he advocates for and fights to end the epidemic. He actively participates in organizations like NMAC and CHIL to support his mission of ensuring love, acceptance, and prevention within the black LGBTQ+ community.
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Nasheedah Bynes-Muhammad
CAB member since 2009
Position: Atlanta Area Director of Operations/TIEH Program, Director at Team Management 2000 Inc., a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.
Nasheedah has been involved in non-profit management and public health since 1996, with previous roles including HIV Program Supervisor in California. She is active in the House of Mizrahi and the West Coast Ballroom Scene drawing inspiration from Black Queer and Feminist traditions to advocate for HIV/AIDS control within communities, leveraging artistic, literary, and activist approaches.
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Carmen Foster
CAB member since 2022
Position: Clinic Manager, TRUCHA, La Clinica de la Raza
Carmen has dedicated her adult life to HIV-related work, starting at the AIDS Services Foundation in Southern California. As a Latina leader, she has expanded services at La Clinica, including HIV care linkage, PrEP/PEP navigation, HCV testing, and youth education, benefiting many Latinx individuals through her efforts. Services offered are conducted in both Spanish and English, reflecting Carmen's commitment to accessibility and inclusivity.
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Isaac Jackson
CAB member since 2017
Position: Volunteers at the
Urban Survivors Union (drug users union).
Isaac is a community organizer who has worked with drug users for more than a decade. He co-founded two drug user organizations in San Francisco and has advocated for their dignity and rights. He graduated from MIT with a doctorate in media arts and sciences. He has volunteered, interned, and worked with local organizations, where he served drug users and emphasized the importance of their voices in creating user-friendly products and processes.
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Alainia Kollasch
CAB member since 2016
Position: Conduct outreach and assist with nursing services at high schools.
Alainia is a dedicated youth rights activist in the HIV, STD, and STI treatment community. She is known for her persuasive speeches at local high schools, encouraging youth to get tested. She has also assisted in conducting research with organizations like CAL PEP and EBAC, and aims to advocate for women's health, recognizing the importance of breaking the silence around women's health issues. Outside of her activism, she is a mother of four.
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Carolyn Kuali`i
CAB member since 2017
Position: Member, Community Planning Group, CDPH, Office of AIDS.
Carolyn, of Native Hawaiian and Apache heritage, pioneered the first Native HIV/AIDS case management programs in Hawaii, expanding her efforts as an independent consultant with Health and Human Services. In addition to her work with the CDPH, she co-chairs the National Native HIV/AIDS coalition and co-founded Kua`aina Associates an arts non-profit. She is a mother of six and grandmother of four and currently lives in Berkeley with her partner.
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Ramón Ramirez
CAB member since 2011
Position: community activist and health educator.
Ramon, originally from Mexico City, began his work in HIV prevention and education in Los Angeles during the early AIDS pandemic. After moving to San Francisco and completing his education in Psychology, he focused on HIV/STI prevention and education, particularly within marginalized communities like LGBTQIA+, recent immigrants, and Latinx individuals. In his spare time, he transforms into MamaDora and his sister persona to spread messages of love on stage through drag performances.
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Jenna Rapues
CAB member since 2018
Position: Program Director, Gender Health SF, SFDPH.
Jenna leads innovative programs at the SFDPH to provide transgender surgeries and support services. With nearly two decades of experience in transgender health and HIV prevention, Jenna prioritizes community voices to enhance access to gender-affirming healthcare. She has an MPH degree and has contributed to research on HIV and health disparities among transgender communities, previously directing programs at UCSF's Center of Excellence for Transgender Health.
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Andrew Reynolds
CAB member since 2012
Position: Hepatitis C Wellness Manager, SFAF.
In addition to Andrew’s work with SFAF, he also operates as an independent consultant for Reynolds Health Strategies, focusing on hepatitis C and harm reduction. With over 20 years of experience in HCV, HIV, and STD awareness and treatment, he contributes to health education materials, authors the Positively Aware “Annual Hepatitis C Drug Guide,” and sits on the AASLD/IDSA HCV Guidance Panel. He actively engages in drug user health, harm reduction, and advocacy efforts (e.g., serving on "End the Epidemics" Campaign for California Organizing Committee).
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Georgia Schreiber
CAB member since 2017
Position: Associate Program Specialist, ACPHD.
Georgia specializes in STD and HIV surveillance, linkage to care, and partner services. With 30 years of experience in gender and health equity, she transitioned from women's health advocacy to focusing on men's and LGBTQ health, notably as a prisoner rights advocate volunteering with the California Prison Focus. Georgia holds an MPH in Health Education and has been involved in various initiatives such as the Alameda County Department of Public Health Criminal Justice Workgroup of Place Matters and the HIV Linkage and Retention Workgroup.
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CAB INPUT ON RESEARCH PROJECTS |
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During this NIH funding cycle (2021-2026), so far, the CAB has provided input on 22 research projects, engaging in discussions with members of the respective research teams. Topics were diverse and included: |
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- National Clinician Scholars Program fellows regarding CAB responsibilities
- Research instruments, surveys, and interview guides
- COVID vaccine uptake
- Structural racism, discrimination, older men’s health inequities
- Translation products
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- Community-engaged research and co-authorship
- Ending the HIV epidemic supplemental projects
- Community use of social media platforms
- National AIDS Research Centers conference planning
- Immigrants and HIV care
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Members of the CAB also participated in five research peer reviews, providing valued input on the respective research topics and aspects of projects related to community engagement. Peer review topics included:
- Racial healing justice and young Black adults
- PWID subgroups and geospatial HIV, HCV, and overdose risks
- Empowering engagement in HIV Self-testing
- Water insecurity and HIV-related health
- Mobility, homelessness, and care engagement
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VIDEO: A Real Discussion about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Research. We discussed the potential of Artificial Intelligence in the world of research. This session equipped attendees with an enhanced understanding of AI, providing a solid foundation for informed decision-making in their research endeavors.
Dr. William Brown, III is an Associate Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology and Biostatistics at UC San Francisco, an AMIA Board Director and was a Vice Chair for the AMIA 2022 conference, and a John A. Watson Faculty Scholar.
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A Real Discussion about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Research |
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Pharmacy-Based Approaches to Improving Equity in HIV and Substance Use-Related Harms |
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VIDEO. Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to 1) define a structural intervention, 2) describe the epidemiology of the HIV epidemic in the US by race and geography, and 3) describe the ways pharmacies can decrease HIV transmission.
Dr. Natalie Crawford is an Associate Professor in Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. She is also the Co-Director of the Prevention and Implementation Sciences Core in the Center for AIDS Research at Emory.
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Using Photographs to Understand the Context of Health: A Novel Two-Step Systematic Process for Coding Visual Data |
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VIDEO. Unlocking the power of visual data in health research. Learn about the latest two-step systematic coding process developed by Antony Nguyen MPH & Jane Jih MD MPH MAS. Dive deep into the potential applications of this novel approach.
Jane Jih, MD, MPH, MAS is a practicing general internist, investigator, and Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine at the University of California San Francisco.
Antony Nguyen, MPH is a recent graduate with a concentration in Epidemiology from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, but a long-time research assistant to Prof. Jane Jih at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Division of General Internal Medicine.
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Stay informed. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for insightful videos on HIV prevention in behavioral and biomedical sciences. Don't miss out on the latest research, strategies, and community initiatives. |
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Are you working to prevent HIV in your community?
We are home to 101 prevention scientists, researchers, and staff who conduct high-impact HIV prevention science. We also provide Technical Assistance in the use of HIV science.
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- Consult with one of our researchers
- Review program materials
- Targeted review of grant proposals and surveys
- Assistance in facilitating research and community partnerships
- Consultations on intervention curricula
- Review assessments and measurement tools
- Evaluation resources
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The mission of the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies is to end the HIV epidemic and associated health and social disparities by conducting high-impact HIV prevention science and building capacity among researchers and communities to effectively address HIV. Project #2P30MH062246
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The mission of the UCSF Prevention Research Center is to maintain an interdependent network of community, academic, and public health partners to design and implement prevention research aimed at answering significant and innovative HIV research questions and promoting the wide use of practices proven to promote health for those infected and affected by HIV. Project # U48DP006374
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