PRESS RELEASES

UCHAPS Announces Selection of New Executive Director

LOS ANGELES, CA, June 20, 2017 — UCHAPS, the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services, has named Kevin T. Jones, M.P.H., M.Ed., as its national Executive Director effective immediately. Jones’ appointment is the culmination of an exhaustive national search led by members of UCHAPS’ Board of Directors and representatives from its Community and Government Advisory Committees. According to UCHAPS’ Board of Directors, Jones was selected in part because of his extensive work in HIV/AIDS encompassing community health advocacy, academic research and evaluation, and nonprofit leadership. His work in the field throughout his career has focused on marginalized populations in underserved communities who have always suffered a disproportionate burden in HIV/AIDS and related public health issues.

Jones joins UCHAPS from the D.C. Promise Neighborhood Initiative where he served as the Chief of Programs and Director of Data & Evaluation since 2015. Previously, he was the Director of Evaluation & Training at Metro TeenAIDS in Washington, D.C. Earlier, Jones was a qualitative researcher and project manager at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. His projects there included designing and implementing ethnography-based community engagement strategies to introduce communities to HIV/AIDS vaccine trials and early PrEP studies, and designing studies to understand why people participate in these efforts. Jones is the founder of the Black LGBT Archivists Society and has served as an advisor and/or Board member to organizations including ViiV Healthcare, NMAC (formerly, the National Minority AIDS Coalition), D.C. Center for AIDS Research, Soulforce, Many Voices, and Washington Evaluators.

“We are incredibly happy to have Kevin Jones joining the UCHAPS team. It’s hard to imagine anyone whose lived and professional experience has better prepared them for this leadership opportunity. Throughout his career, Kevin has demonstrated a deep personal commitment to the kind of work

UCHAPS does and the people and organizations we serve,” said Tony Sillemon, UCHAPS Board President. “His ability to lead our public health, community-based, and national partners will further strengthen our one-of-a-kind coalition. We couldn’t be any more thrilled.”

Since its founding, UCHAPS has sought to bring enhanced attention and resources to metropolitan areas that have faced a disproportionate burden of HIV infections since the very beginning of the epidemic. UCHAPS believes that by working together, government officials, community planning leaders, and those impacted by HIV can develop and implement sound public health programs that prevent new HIV infections and increase the health and well-being of individuals.

“I am grateful for this opportunity to work with the membership and on behalf of communities affected by HIV/AIDS around our vital mission. Over the last 30 years, we have learned a lot about this public health issue, yet it still feels like a crisis in some communities. There’s never been more urgency for leadership and action in responding to the unique needs facing urban communities. UCHAPS will continue to help provide that leadership,” said Jones. “This is a bit of a ‘coming home’ for me after spending nearly three years examining other critical issues facing urban communities and neighborhoods. This work continues to be

deeply personal. I’m humbly excited to lead the coalition to greater impact and success.”

Jones grew up in Detroit, MI. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2000, and received Master’s Degrees from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the University of Pennsylvania.

Based in Washington, D.C., the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services (UCHAPS) is a national collaboration of community partners and health departments dedicated to preventing new HIV infections and reducing health disparities, morbidity, and mortality. UCHAPS member jurisdictions include Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, New York City, Philadelphia, City and County of San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

About Kevin Chase Executive Search Group

Kevin Chase Executive Search Group is a national consulting and executive search firm serving mission-based, non-profit organizations in the human services, social justice, healthcare philanthropy, education, and arts & culture sectors. In addition to highly customized search services, Kevin Chase Search partners with Boards, Search Committees, Senior Leadership Teams, and stakeholder goups on critical leadership transitions.

Contact:
Kevin Chase
Managing Partner
kevin@kevinchasesearch.com

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