Outstanding HIV/AIDS Health Care Providers Honored at HRSA Conference
August 26, 2008

The awardees were honored at the fifth biennial Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Training and Technical Assistance Grantee Conference held Aug. 25-28 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. The conference was attended by more than 2,500 Ryan White Program grantees and representatives of public and private organizations.

“Because of the first-rate, comprehensive HIV/AIDS care that these honorees and their fellow Ryan White grantees provide, thousands of Americans are living longer, healthier lives,” U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt said. “From inner cities to rural communities, every day their efforts have a tremendous impact in our fight against HIV and AIDS.”

The awards and winners include:

Associate Administrator's Award
David Reznik, DDS, chief of dental services for Grady Health System, Atlanta, Ga.

For his years of passion, dedication commitment and national leadership on HIV oral health care, and for serving as a champion for national health care provider education.

Hank Carde Award for Metropolitan Services
Adrienne F. Rogers, Ryan White HIV/AIDS program coordinator and fiscal agent for the Sacramento, Calif., Transitional Grant Area

For her years of dedicated service as the Sacramento Ryan White program administrator and for providing outstanding leadership in adapting the services system to meet the needs of a changing epidemic.

Dr. Nicholas Rango Award for State Services (Awarded Posthumously)
Stephen “Steve” George Sherman, coordinator of the North Carolina AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP)

For his commitment, tireless energy, and dedication to assure that people living with HIV/AIDS could afford the drugs and care they need to live normal lives.

Gabe Kruks Memorial HIV/AIDS Service Award
Lynn Besch, MD, division director of the HIV Outpatient Program, Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans

For her exceptional leadership, persistence, and ingenuity in re-establishing HIV medical services in the New Orleans area in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Rebecca Denison Award for Family Care
Rolando Jimenez-Mercado, MPHE, director of the Puerto Rico Pediatric AIDS Comprehensive Care and Family Network Program

For his passionate commitment to the needs of families affected by HIV/AIDS and his extraordinary efforts to ensure that appropriate care and support services are available for HIV-positive women, infants and children.

Russell E. Brady Award for Innovative Services Delivery
Allan Rodriguez, MD, associate professor of clinical medicine and associate director of Adult HIV Services at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine

For his outstanding work and innovation as principal investigator of the University of Miami's Special Projects of National Significance Caribbean Initiative project and for successfully integrating and evaluating a quality HIV service delivery model in a hospital setting.

AIDS Education and Training Centers Award
Ronald Wilcox, MD, HIV Clinician, Faculty, program director and principal investigator at the Delta Region AETC (AIDS Education and Training Center) in New Orleans

For his ingenuity, innovation and dedication in rebuilding the Delta AETC after Hurricane Katrina and re-establishing it as the premier provider of quality training in HIV/AIDS treatment and care in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas.

The honorees accepted their awards at a special conference-wide ceremony on Tuesday, August 26.

Since fiscal year 2001, the Bush administration has spent $16 billion in Ryan White Program funds to help more than 530,000 individuals each year access life-sustaining care and services. President Bush has requested nearly $2.2 billion in fiscal year 2009, an increase of $1.1 million over FY 2008.

For more information see the Ryan White Act and HIV/AIDS http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2008/rwawardsaugust.htm