Alexander Trac is currently the HIV Health Educator for the Peers Empowering Peers program, a community level intervention based on the diffusion of innovation theory which aims to increase safer sex activities and reduce HIV rates within LA County. Alex has two years of experience in HIV/AIDS prevention, with certification for HIV counseling and testing. He started as a Comprehensive Risk Counselor for APAIT's Orange County prevention programs in 2008 and was elected voting member of the Orange County Prevention Planning Committee. Being a current Orange County resident, his future plans are to help foster the growth of the Orange County office and to assist in the sustainability of our programs for years to come.

Army Cachero is a Program Coordinator overseeing the Asians and Pacific Islanders Together Overcoming Meth In our Community (ATOMIC) program and the San Gabriel Valley Crystal Meth Coalition program. Mr. Cachero is also a member of the Act Now Against Meth Coalition, Health Justice Network, and the Hepatitis C Task Force. Currently, he is interning for his credentials as a Certified Addiction Specialist. Mr. Cachero also serves as a consultant/instructor for the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse (NAPAFASA) and Eric Brotman, PhD Seminars-a training and certification company for Adult Residential Facility (ARF) workers.

Barbara Crofford, LCSW, is the Clinical Supervisor for APAIT's unique mental health service: the Mind, Body, Spirit, & Wellness Program. It is a strengths based program where individuals learn about their own positive coping skills, and then, continue to empower themselves by managing stressors involved, not only in everyday life, but in lives as HIV positive people. Ms. Crofford has been involved in the field of HIV and AIDS for 20 years, working as a therapist in private practice, a program manager for motivational and educational workshops for HIV positive individuals, both men and women, and a clinical supervisor in a number of AIDS Service Organizations in the Los Angeles area. She received her MSW degree in 1990, and her license in 1995.

Catherine Lamorena is the current Administrative Program Assistant, providing front office support and technical assistance to multi-program staff at APAIT. Catherine graduated from UC Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science, and has previous work experience in the HIV field when she interned at the Santa Cruz AIDS Project and HIV Resource Drop-in-Center at the needle exchange and harm reduction program.

Cha See is the Health Educator for the Vibe program, a support group for gay/bi-sexual/questioning Asian & Pacific Islander Men. Currently, Cha is working with the Los Angeles County Office of AIDS Programs and Policy in their youth event planning committee. Cha has worked in the field of public health for the past two years, and is currently completing the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at California State University, Northridge.

Dan Field, LCSW, is the Clinical Manager for TEAM 360, APAIT's outpatient drug treatment program for Asians and Pacific Islanders. Working with a team of dedicated staff, TEAM 360 has already assisted over fifty clients in their recovery with weekly support and relapse prevention groups, individual counseling and recreational outings. A graduate of UCLA, with over five years of residential and outpatient experience in substance abuse, Dan is very happy to be part of the APAIT Family.

Elizabeth Mediano is the current Program Manager for the Orange County division of APAIT. Ms. Mediano started her service with APAIT as a Peer Health Educator and as Outreach Specialist for the early Bionic Program in 2000. She has been an active member and Community Co-Chair of the Orange County HIV Prevention Planning Committee for the last 5 years. She leads the national API Social Anti-Stigma and Media Campaign "The Banyan Tree Project." As a member of the National Asian and Pacific Islander Capacity Building and Technical Network (CBA), she led a 5 year West Coast Based Regional CBA program and was key to the planning and coordination of various local and regional organization and program development conferences for many API leaders and organizations. Elizabeth graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles. Her other interest includes travel and she is an active ambassador for an international travel and Latin dance network.

Hiromi Yamamura is the Mental Health Coordinator for APAIT's Mind, Body, Spirit, & Wellness Program, which serves to improve the quality of life for persons impacted by HIV/AIDS through counseling and psychotherapy, alleviating psychological symptoms or problems associated with the disease. She's had over two years of professional experience in social work including the UCLA Medical Center and the Veteran's Administration hospital, and came to APAIT as a mental health intern in 2007. She earned her Master degree in social work at UCLA in 2008. Hiromi recently received certification at the Matrix Institute to provide outpatient substance-abuse treatment.

Inthava Bounpraseuth is one of the Case Managers at Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team. He has an undergraduate background in Psychology and Social Behavior with a Minor in English from the University of California, Irvine. For five years now, Inthava has worked in the HIV/AIDS field starting out as an HIV/AIDS Health Educator and HIV Testing Counselor. As a Case Manager, Inthava works directly with those who are living with or who are affected by HIV/AIDS. His position allows him to provide services that are client-centered and that are coordinated toward improving health outcomes and facilitating client self-sufficiency.

Jason Tran started volunteering with APAIT during his high school years. Jason was hired at the APAIT Orange County office as the second Prevention Case Manager (would later be known as Comprehensive Risk Counseling and Services). Jason is also the founder of OC's "Turntable" program, a social support group for API youth and allies in Orange County. He is also key to the development of the first ever HIV-positive support group for APIs in Orange County called "LETS Talk," which stands for Learn, Educate, Teach, and Support. Throughout his years with APAIT, Jason has worked on a variety of programs aimed at preventing HIV infection in the API community. These programs included the Men of Asia Testing for HIV (MATH) Study, Peers Empowering Peers (Popular Opinion Leader DEBI), and most recently the Los Angeles HIV/Hepatitis Co-Infections Study. Jason now works under the "Know Now" HCT program at the Los Angeles office as the Senior HIV testing counselor. In the summer of 2008, Jason Tran was also certified as a phlebotomist.

Jennifer Kim is the Mental Health Support Specialist in APAIT's CARE Unit, providing direct services to those living with HIV/AIDS. She has been involved in community health since she was an undergraduate at UCSB and as a Peer Health Educator intern in 2006. Jennifer is also a full time graduate student at USC, currently working on her Master of Public Health.

Jury has been an AIDS advocate since 1995. He began as a volunteer with AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) providing psychosocial support for terminally-ill AIDS patients under the "Buddy Program." He joined APAIT in May 1998 as the Substance Use Coordinator. He also served as Mental Health Coordinator (1999-2001) and Associate Director (2001-2002) before taking the leadership role of Division Director in 2002.

He has advocated for better HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment & research funding and policy reform over the years. He has testified for the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA), the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the Office of National AIDS Policy, the State of California Legislature Health Committee, and at the local HIV prevention and treatment policy recommending groups. He is a member of the National Minority AIDS Council and the American Public Health Association, and served as Chair of the API HIV Caucus of Los Angeles County from 2000-2004.

Outside of the HIV/AIDS arena, Jury is passionate about advocacy efforts on behalf of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) communities. He currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of the California-statewide Asian Pacific Islanders Community Action Network / APIs CAN. He has served as a Task Force member of the California state and LA County Viral Hepatitis Advisory Boards, President of the local Asian Pacific Policy and Planning Council / A3PCON, Co-Founder of the local Act Now Against Meth Coalition, Founding Member of Q*POC-LA, a queer people of color coalition, and Founding Member of API Equality-LA where he is currently the Fundraising Co-Chair.

Fiona Ka Wa Ao This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it is the Health Educator for the Sisterhood Program, an HIV prevention program serving limited English speaking Chinese women who work at massage parlors. Fiona received her Master of Public Health and is currently a candidate in the Doctorate of Education Program at USC.

Manuel Falcon Padua is the Senior HIV Testing Counselor for APAIT's new Know Now HIV Testing Program, which provides testing services for all communities in the Los Angeles Metro Area. He is also the co-chair for Los Angeles County Prevention Planning Committee's HIV Counseling & Testing workgroup, a sub-committee tasked with research & recommendations for improving HCT standards and best practices. He is a certified Phlebotomist, HIV Testing Counselor Basic 1 & 2, and certified Partner Services Counselor. In addition, he also makes use of his background in computer arts & animation by designing essential program flyers & brochures.

Nancy Sekizawa is the Certified Addiction Specialist for TEAM 360, an outpatient substance abuse treatment program funded by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. Nancy has over 20 years of experience in the substance abuse field both in outpatient, residential treatment and correctional facilities. She is recognized in the recovery community, advocating abstinence from harmful drugs and alcohol, especially for the underserved population of Asian American families. Nancy has developed programs for the Asian community to help lower crime and drug trafficking. She was a counselor for the Asian American Drug Abuse Program and worked at National Asian Pacific Families Against Substance Abuse.

Nick Truong has been working in the field of HIV and AIDS since 1999. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at the University of Cal State Fullerton in June 1996. He started working at APAIT as a Prevention Specialist by providing HIV/AIDS education & prevention to the Asian & Pacific Islanders community. He is the current HIV Program Manager for the CARE service unit and works to empower those living with HIV/AIDS. He helps them be self-sufficient and accountable for their overall well being by providing services with compassion, while respecting the uniqueness of each individual. He is a member of the Los Angeles County HIV Metropolitan Service Planning in Area 4 and also the County of Los Angeles, HIV Commissions. He is also very involved with the HIV Homeless Task Force and a certified reviewer for the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA). He also received intensive training and is now certified in Viral Hepatitis Co-Infection through the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project. He is also a certified Matrix Specialist, working with the substance abuse population. He is considering going back to school to get a Master degree in Social Work as one of his long term goals.

Noel Alumit has worked in the AIDS field for 20 years, sixteen of them with APAIT. He is a founding member of the HIV Prevention Planning Committee, a body that prioritizes HIV prevention dollars in Los Angeles. Other organizations that Noel has done AIDS work for include the Chris Brownlee Hospice, the LA Free Clinic and the UCLA Art | Global Health Center. He has written extensively about AIDS as a columnist for A&U, America's AIDS Magazine; the Global Voice, the official newspaper for the XVII International AIDS Conference; and Frontiers in LA. Other writing has appeared in USA Today, The Huffington Post, Asian Week, The Advocate and others. He is widely anthologized for his work in the gay and Asian American communities. Noel wrote the novels Letters to Montgomery Clift and the LA Times Bestselling Talking to the Moon.

Peter Cruz oversees APAIT's prevention and research programs which targets men, women, youth, and transgenders who are at-risk for HIV/AIDS throughout Los Angeles County. Peter has worked in the HIV/AIDS field since 2003. Peter was a voting member of the Orange County Prevention Planning Committee from 2005-2007 and was actively involved in development of the 2007-2010 Orange County HIV Prevention Plan. Peter hopes to mentor the youth of today to become future leaders in the fight against HIV/AIDS, in honor of his mentor and friend, the late Patrick Sullivan.

Ren Laforteza is Program Specialist of APAIT's CARE unit. Current roles include providing assistance to APAIT's core CARE programs including, but not limited to, Case Management, Emotional, Psychosocial and Mental health services to HIV-infected Asian and Pacific Islanders and their families. Ren is in charge of coordinating the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) programs and transportation services. This included disbursement of bus stickers, taxi and bus tokens to eligible clients, and the preparation and implementation of monthly dayroom activities for APAIT's HIV+ support groups.

Ryyn A. Chua is a Program Coordinator for the Prevention, Education, and Research Services, focusing on the Comprehensive Risk Counseling Services program targeted toward MSM and MTF transgender individuals. After graduating Magna Cum-Laude in Psychology from the CSULB, Mr. Chua began his 5 year tenure at APAIT. His HIV prevention efforts have earned him commendations from California's Board of Equalization and the California State Senate. Mr. Chua served as the 2009 co-chair at the Institute for HIV Prevention Leadership, facilitated by the Association of Schools of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia.

Samuel Ou is the Research Analyst for APAIT for the HIV/Hepatitis co-infection study, focusing on highlighting the barriers to services and treatment for Asians living with both viral Hepatitis and HIV. Samuel works to maintain the integrity of the study's data. Samuel graduated with a B.A. from UC Berkeley, and worked for a year in China before joining the team at APAIT.

Savann Duong has been an HIV Case Manager with APAIT since Dec. 2007. As the very first Khmer HIV Case manager with APAIT, she was an HIV Case Manager for another ASO in East San Gabriel valley servicing mostly Hispanic and African American individuals. She also currently worked as an HIV counselor and Health educator for two years before transitioning into case management services and have been an active participant in the Los Angeles HIV Case Manager Task force since 2006. Ms. Duong will be graduating from CSULA with my Masters in Social Work in June 2010. Her emphasis in social work is in the older adult population.

Sion Lee is the webmaster for Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team and has served in this capacity since 2004. He also provides web services to other Southern California non-profit organizations including API Equality Los Angeles and Act Now Against Meth. Sion has a Masters in Integrated Media Systems, a Bachelors in Biomedical Engineering, and recently concluded a project with the 2009 Advancing Justice Conference in Washington, D.C.

Stacy To is the Program Analyst, providing assistance in the coordination of programmatic evaluation, quality management activities, and data analysis. She also assists in program development and grant writing as well as project liaison and operation. Stacy graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor in Science and Master of Public Health, and has previously worked for Asian Pacific Health Care Venture and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health- Office of AIDS Programs and Policy.

Tara Sellars is the Programs Associate for APAIT. She provides programmatic support and administration coordination, including human resources and fiscal monitoring. Tara has over seven years of experience in the field of Human Resources. Her educational background includes the attainment of a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership; as well as, a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications Studies with a minor in Ethnic and Women Studies.