Annual Meeting Recap

On Thursday, November 21st, over 80 business leaders, strategic partners, public health and community leaders gathered at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta to make meaningful connections, celebrate achievements of the Coalition, and collaborate on strategies and action plans for the coming year.

During the meeting, the Coalition released the 2024 Impact Report highlighting the achievements of the past year. Director of The White House Office of National AIDS Policy Francisco Ruiz and Director of CDC's Division of HIV Prevention Dr. Robyn Neblett-Fanfair also shared an update on the nation’s progress toward ending the HIV epidemic and the importance of ongoing private-sector engagement.

At the event reception, attendees celebrated the first annual 2024 U.S. Business Action to End HIV Award recipients:

🏆 The Action Award was given to Avita Care Solutions, Chevron, CVS Health, Gilead Sciences, Healthvana, Match Group, MISTR, Paramount Pictures, ViiV Healthcare, and Walgreens for completing all six corporate actions as part of Coalition membership.

🏆 The Corporate Leadership Award was given to Mercer for raising awareness of HIV’s economic and human impact.

🏆 The Leadership Award was awarded to Glen Pietrandoni of Avita Care Solutions for his career-long dedication to advancing HIV care and advocacy.

It is remarkable what this Coalition has accomplished over the last two years, and it shows what is possible when passionate and dedicated leaders work together to accelerate efforts toward a common goal.

Check out the press release and post from HIV.gov, recapping highlights from the event and priorities for the year ahead.

Actions From Members

• Welcome New Members: KNU-Co Health, SAP USA, Theratechnologies, US BioTek Laboratories, and Big Magic.
  
• Welcome New Strategic Partners: Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC)
  

• Last month, the Coalition worked closely with Match Group to create a one-hour virtual event for employees designed to deepen understanding of HIV, reduce stigma, and empower individuals to take meaningful actions. It also highlighted how Match Group and its affinity brands are contributing to national efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S.

• The de Beaumont Foundation hosted a panel at the American Public Health Association’s Annual Meeting, focusing on the private sector's role in addressing health issues, including HIV. The panel, “Engaging Business for the Public’s Health,” featured de Beaumont president and CEO Dr. Brian Castrucci, Mercer Senior Partner Tracy Watts, Estee Lauder Chief Medical Officer Dr. Sharon Smith, and Health Action Alliance Co-Founder Steven Levine.
  

• Dr. Umesh Hanumegowda of ViiV Healthcare joined CBIA BizCast with Paul Pescatello to discuss advancements in HIV treatments and the crucial role of the business community in ending the epidemic. CBIA has endorsed the Coalition and is encouraging its members to participate.

• Healthvana presented its voice AI last week on the Hill to lawmakers, regulators and leaders in health AI in a closed door meeting. Ramin Bastani (CEO) and Sam Warmuth (Chief Product Officer) did a live demo where a patient could speak to the AI and learn about their last testing, results, make an appointment and ask any questions about sexual health. Healthvana is one of the largest deployments of patient facing AI (no human in the loop) in the U.S.
  

Actions From the Coalition

• We are thrilled to announce a new collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), SAP, and IBM, the founders of the #workingpositively Pledge, to expand the number of employers supporting employees with HIV and chronic illnesses. By signing the #workingpositively pledge, companies commit to creating safe and inclusive workplaces. Now, through this collaboration, signing the pledge can serve as a key action for companies that make the member commitment to Lead on HIV and publicly support employees living with HIV.

• Ahead of launching Los Angeles Business Action to End HIV in December, the Coalition hosted a community roundtable with leadership from LA service providers and nonprofit organizations to share the vision of the chapter, discuss unique challenges facing the LA epidemic, and explore how local employers can best support the HIV response. Insights and guidance from local HIV leaders will shape the work of the new local chapter, set to launch on December 10, 2024, in Los Angeles.

• Mario was invited by Patrick Kirkland, the Executive Director of the LA LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, to present at the Chamber’s Inaugural Health & Wellness Event on November 14. The event focused on personal and community health topics, including HIV prevention and treatment.

Attendees learned about the significance of HIV awareness and how they can help reduce stigma surrounding HIV in their workplaces and communities, and were invited to join the upcoming LA chapter launch.

• On November 18, in collaboration with The White House, U.S. Business Action to End HIV, and LinkedIn, attendees of The White House Rising Leaders Summit were invited to an exclusive

“Rock Your Profile” session provided by LinkedIn to learn tips and tricks for maximizing their LinkedIn profiles and getting noticed as they launch their careers.

Opportunities for Action

• World AIDS Day is this Sunday, December 1. It’s a time to unite, reflect on those lost to HIV and AIDS, and commit to actions that help end the epidemic. We’re excited to release a new World AIDS Day Toolkit for employers, featuring six impactful actions to raise awareness, combat stigma, and foster supportive environments. We encourage all companies to participate, and share their plans so we can highlight your efforts in December. DOWNLOAD WORLD AIDS DAY TOOLKIT

• The White House Office of National AIDS Policy, in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking input for the next National HIV/AIDS Strategy and related plans for STIs, vaccines, and viral hepatitis. Feedback is invited from individuals and organizations involved in public health, with comments due by December 6, at 11:59 pm ET via an online form. For more details, visit HIV.gov.
  
  
• For 32 years, AIDSWatch has amplified voices, ignited policy shifts, and transformed lives. The event, presented by AIDS United, in partnership with the U.S. People Living with HIV Caucus and the Center for Health Law and Policy Innovation of Harvard Law School, drives policy changes and raises awareness. Becoming a sponsor of the March event offers an impactful way to align your organization with meaningful change. For more information about becoming an event sponsor, please visit the AIDSWatch website or consult the 2025 sponsorship prospectus.

HIV in the News

• Biden-Harris Administration Requires Insurers to Cover Long-Acting PrEP to Prevent HIV, HIV + HEP Policy Institute (Oct. 21) - More details.
• HIV-positive organ transplants allowed under new rule, The Hill (Nov. 26)

Leading by Example

“Leading by Example” is a series from U.S. Business Action to End HIV highlighting inspiring business leaders who are accelerating progress toward an end to the HIV epidemic in the U.S.

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Glen Pientrandoni

Chief Advocacy Officer

Avita Care Solutions

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This month, we are pleased to spotlight Glen Pietrandoni, Chief Advocacy Officer at Avita Care Solutions. Glen was the recent recipient of the U.S. Business Action to End HIV 2024 Leadership Award.

Why do you believe it's important for businesses to play a role in our nation's efforts to end the HIV epidemic?

We know that stigma, staggering health inequities, and social determinants of health cause specific groups to bear the burden of HIV/AIDS more than others. Even though we’ve been battling the virus for a long time, we must constantly innovate personalized ways to engage with people and offer them choices on how to prevent and treat HIV.

Businesses play a vital role in engaging with the communities they serve, as well as the people and families they employ. Employers are often also responsible for providing healthcare to their team members. As such, they are uniquely positioned to help educate their team members, communities, and clients about HIV treatment and prevention. I believe our nation is full of companies that, like Avita, want to do the right thing. It’s good for the health and engagement of their workforce, and it’s also just good for business. The public embraces businesses that care about their customers and communities by choosing them over their competitors.

You have a long history in the fight against HIV. What are you most hopeful about today, and what critical work is there still left to do?

I was a pharmacist on the frontlines of community health during the earliest days of the HIV epidemic, long before the life-saving treatments and destigmatization efforts available today existed. Since the beginning, I’ve made a personal commitment to offering culturally competent patient care and educating other pharmacists about our critical role in ensuring patient access and adherence to HIV treatment and prevention services. While in 2024 there are powerful medications and prevention options that put us much closer to ending HIV, the opportunity to benefit from these programs is still woefully out of reach for too many patients.

What advice would you give to other corporate leaders considering taking action on HIV?

I’d encourage corporate leaders to prioritize educating their team members about healthcare and wellness opportunities. Of course, this includes HIV prevention and treatment, but also other topics, including achieving a better quality of life through optimal diet, exercise, and mental health.

Check out Glen’s full profile on the Health Action Alliance website here.

Coming Up

• December 1: World AIDS Day
  
• December 10: Los Angeles Business Action to End HIV Inaugural Convening, 6-8pm, The Chapel in Los Angeles - RSVP

Thank you for your commitment and leadership. Let's keep up the momentum!