amfAR Applauds Choice of Francisco Ruiz to Lead White House Office of National AIDS Policy

amfAR Applauds Choice of Francisco Ruiz to Lead White House Office of National AIDS Policy

Ruiz has spent many years advocating for underrepresented communities impacted by the HIV epidemic

NEW YORK, April 8, 2024 — amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, welcomes the announcement Monday that Francisco Ruiz will take over as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). Ruiz has previously served in roles with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors, and the National Latino AIDS Action Network.

As Director of ONAP, Ruiz will serve on President Biden’s White House Domestic Policy Council and play an integral role in developing and executing domestic HIV/AIDS prevention and care strategies. Ruiz, an out gay man living with HIV, brings an important perspective to the position. Ruiz is the first Latino person to run the Office of National AIDS Policy since the position was created by President Clinton in 1993.

“In Francisco Ruiz, the White House has made an excellent choice. Ruiz’s experience tackling HIV through a social justice lens make him uniquely prepared to address many of the inequities that continue to undermine the HIV response four decades into the epidemic,” amfAR Vice President and Director of Public Policy Greg Millett said. “We look forward to working with Ruiz and ONAP to cut through the chaos of a divided Washington to make a real difference in the lives of those impacted by HIV.”

Ruiz succeeds Harold Phillips, who served in the role from 2021 through January of this year. Among Phillips’s accomplishments during his tenure is the release of the 2022-2025 National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the addition of quality of life indicators within that plan, to ensure that survival isn’t the only measure of success the federal government is tracking for people living with HIV. Ruiz’s background makes him especially qualified to continue the humanitarian nature of ONAP’s work.

About amfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested nearly $635 million in its programs and has awarded more than 3,800 grants to research teams worldwide. Learn more at www.amfAR.org

Media Contact:
Robert Kessler, Program Communications Manager
(212) 806-1602
robert.kessler@amfar.org

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