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People

Meet the Team

SUSTAIN Staff

samiraali.jpg Samira Ali (she/her), PhD,LMSW - Center Director

Dr. Ali (she, her) is a scholar activist who collaborates with communities and organizations to work on justice-led public impact research. She is committed to community-led solutions and strategies to build structures and systems that actually work.

uh_marcus-5.jpg Marcus A. Stanley (he/him), MPH, MCHES® – Director of Programs, Project Officer

Marcus A. Stanley, MPH, MCHES® (He, Him, His), is a scholar, change agent, public health practitioner, and orator. He has dedicated over 20 years to trauma-informed, community-based participatory research and advocacy.

masonia-traylor.png Masonia B. Traylor (she/her) - 2x Emmy Nominated, BS Public Policy - Project Officer, Transformative Grant Partner Liaison

Masonia BurgAndy Traylor, pronounced "Mah-sahn-yah / Bur-gan-dee / Tray-lor," is a mother, global activist, scholar, strategist, & community champion living with HIV since 2010. Since 2012 she has been dedicated to helping others leverage their lived experiences to transform leadership in the areas of trauma-informed care, research, std/sti perinatal transmission, maternal care,racial justice,and leadership coaching.

bkm-32_final.jpg Bec Sokha Keo (they/them), PhD - Research Associate, Action Liason, Public Impact Scholar

Dr. Keo, pronounced “gow,” (They, Elle), is a scholar and activist committed to justice focused research, education, and movements. They have been involved in sexual health, gender affirmative, and HIV scholarship and community practice since 2010. They are a dog parent, outdoor “enthusiast,” and aspiring animal photographer.

maria-wilson.jpeg Maria Wilson (she/her), EdD, LMSW, LVN - Program Manager, ACTION Liaison

Dr. Wilson (ella/she/her) is a social worker, scholar and activist collaborating with folx and communities most impacted by physical and mental health disparities in the Deep South. She has dedicated over two decades in the area of health disparities, medical social work, health promotion and prevention efforts, mental health, substance use disorders, behavioral health, sexual health, HIV/AIDS, language justice, capacity building and enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration.

megan-stanton.png Megan Stanton (she/her), PhD, MSW - Evaluator

Dr. Stanton (she, her) is a participatory action researcher. She collaborates with communities and organizations to build on and share community-centered strategies to address complex structures impacting health. She is especially interested in how systems and organizations can implement programming in ways that center health equity and justice.

katiemccormick.jpg Katie McCormick (she/her), PhD, LMSW - Program Manager

Katie (she/her) is a social worker, scholar, and advocate committed to justice-centered research, teaching, and practice. Katie works with organizations to integrate harm reduction and trauma-informed approaches to sustainably enhance care for communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS.

LladiraAguilar.png Lladira Aguilar (she/her), MSW - Capacity Building Assistance Manager

Lladira Aguilar (She, Her, Ella) is a social worker and program director at the SUSTAIN Center with 15 years of experience working to end the HIV epidemic. Her roles have included health education, HIV testing and outreach, case management, and, most recently, capacity-building assistance with organizations across the US South

alejandra-aviles.png Alejandra Avilés (she/her), MPH, MSW –  Communications Manager, Public Impact Storyteller

Alejandra (she/her/ella) is a public health practitioner and social worker with six years of experience working on HIV and sexual health programs. She is passionate about creating engaging and meaningful media content and using storytelling to lift the work of community-based HIV service organizations.

2023-2024 Collective for Community Action Advocacy Group Members

The Collective for Community Action (CCA) Advocacy Group is a diverse group of members from southern US states disproportionately affected by HIV.

Drawing from their lived expertise, community involvement, and grassroots advocacy backgrounds, they advise on our programming, processes, and evaluation based on the MIPHA (Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS) principles.

These members proudly serve as disclosed ambassadors to increase awareness and drive change.

darnell-d.-lewis.jpeg Darnell D. Lewis - Co-Chair, CCA Advocacy Group Member, North Carolina

Darnell Lewis currently serves as a full-time Paramedic for Stanly County EMS in Albemarle, NC, and remains an Advocate for those impacted and/or living with HIV/AIDS. Darnell has been living with HIV for 25+ years and continues to be a leading voice for many others diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

He has served in many different capacities in the arena of public health/service including the Jackson Coordinator for ACCELERATE! In Mississippi and STEPS Program Coordinator for Priority Health Care in the Greater New Orleans area.

Darnell continues to stay close to advocacy work on behalf of those individuals living with HIV. His focus areas include the provision of high quality, stigma-free, and patient-centered HIV care. He is particularly supportive of the programs and services that focus on underserved, under-resourced communities.

titan-capri.jpeg Titan Capri (He/Him/His) Co-Chair, CCA Advocacy Group Member, TX

Titan Capri is a proud Black Gay Male, and Army Vet of 8 years who is 53 years thriving and aging with HIV celebrating 19 years.  Titan hosts and curators a positive platform, The Titan Capri Experience.  He curates a morning show called Titan In The Morning on Tuesday and Thursday.  He discusses topics including HIV 101, advocacy, LGBTQIA+ issues, education, and ways to uplift the community.  He currently serves on the Ryan White Planning Council, where he lends his voice to eradicating stigma and Ending the HIV Epidemic. He is a member of the CCA (Collective for Community Action) group, where he adds his voice to advocacy for people of color living with HIV in the South.  He is also part of the award-winning short film from the T.R.U.T.H Project, called And We Rest On Giants, where they highlight the stories of those thriving with HIV.  Within the last 5 years, Titan has come into his own creative expression through spoken word, storytelling, and facilitations. As a current recipient of the Exceptional Community Leader Award from The Normal Anomaly. He understands that his efforts to bring the Human aspect back to service is needed and warranted.  He believes that HIV is still a thing, and we still have work to do. Titan's mantra is:  I am the H in HIV, I AM HUMAN!!

nathan-maxey.jpg Nathan Maxey, MPA - CCA Advocacy Group Member, TX

Meet Nathan Maxey, a proud first-generation college graduate from Texas Southern University who earned a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Public Administration. Nathan is a dedicated and passionate advocate with over ten years of management experience in the healthcare and not-for-profit sectors.

Nathan lives by the mantra, "Nothing for us without us." This mantra embodies his unwavering commitment to HIV advocacy, as he has openly lived with HIV for the past twenty-four years. His personal experience fuels his passion and vigor in making a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by HIV.

brandon-montanez.png Brandon Montanez - CCA Advocacy Group Member, FL

My name is Brandon Montanez and I was born with HIV. I have been positive for 33 years. Although growing up positive has been a struggle, it has given me opportunities and strengthened me. I have worked in the HIV field since 2016 and currently work as a Medical Assistant and participate in HIV advocacy & research.

I watched my sister, who was born positively as well, pass away at the age of 5. In memory of her passing, I dedicated myself to providing the best care possible and letting others know that they can take control of their life and that they are also not alone.

kayla-quimbley.jpeg Kayla Quimbley - CCA Advocacy Group Member, GA

Kayla is a Graduate of Columbus State University with her B.S. of psychology, and Masters in Public Health. She is a full-time advocate with her focus being on policy advancement surrounding HIV and reproductive health. Kayla also serves on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, where she and other members advise and make recommendations on the improvement of policy centered around HIV in various communities to President Biden’s Assistant Secretary of Health. In her free time, Kayla is a spoken word artist who travels and uses her voice to tell stories and messages through her words as a way to express herself and educate others based on her lived experience.

jamel-ashely-ware.jpeg Ja'Mel Ashely Ware - Advocacy Group Member, GA

Ja'Mel Ashely Ware is an entertainer, entrepreneur, and educator renowned for his significant contributions to HIV awareness, reproductive health for transmen, and entrepreneurship in the LGBQ and Trans community.

Born with HIV, Ja'Mel has been an inspirational figure. Since the tender age of seven, he has traveled the nation, sharing his life story and instilling hope and compassion in countless individuals. Ja'Mel attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a degree in Social Work, and is now pursuing an MBA at Emory Goizueta Business School. Propelled by his passion, he manages the IR Agency, which focuses on propelling organizations in the intersections of business and public health.

The SUSTAIN Advocacy Group (SAG) is a diverse group of members comprised of nine deep south states disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. Each member, chosen by HIV leaders to represent his/her/their respective state, brings a combination of lived expertise, community involvement, and grassroots advocacy backgrounds to this collaborative experience. Using MIPA (Meaningful Involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS) principles, SAG’s mission is to advise the University of Houston’s SUSTAIN Leadership Team on matters of programming, processes, and evaluation. Further, the SAG membership is committed to serving as disclosed ambassadors for all its collaboration during each member’s tenure.
Warren A. O’Meara-Dates Warren A. O’Meara-Dates - AL
maria-mejia.jpg Maria Mejia - FL
rs1029.jpg Alexis Powell - LA
rs1029.jpg Kerry Auzenne - LA
rs1029.jpg Sa'Maya Johnson - MS
jose-romero.png Omni Romero - NC
eddie-wiley.jpg Eddie Wiley - AR, SAG Co-Chair
venita-ray.jpg Venita Ray - TX