This week on AHF: After Hours, we connect with some of the team members who are working every day to serve AHF patients, advocate for social justice issues worldwide, and much more. Don’t miss this powerful inside look at the day-to-day missions, struggles, and victories happening at AHF.
AHF Employee Spotlight: Where We Started & Where We Are
On a special Employee Spotlight Episode, meet some of the people that make AHF tick
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CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:
[5:14] -- From Pharmacy to Protest March
Staci’s perspective on her evolving view of AHF
Staci recounts how when she started at AHF, her perspective on the organization was mainly limited to research she’d done online. But soon she was stepping out from her pharmacy tech role to attend protests and more, eventually coming to find that passion for social justice was integrally tied to the AHF’s central mission.
[11:32] -- Advocacy Everywhere
Whatever your title, you’re an advocate
Antigone speaks on how central advocacy is throughout AHF, regardless of your role. “I think it’s amazing,” she says, “that no matter what department at AHF you work in there’s always an opportunity to participate in the advocacy.” That opportunity is available to anyone at AHF, regardless of their position or how long they've been with the organization.
[13:16] -- Leading by Example
What makes AHF unique
Silvia shares her perspective on what makes AHF unique, and why she’s stayed as long as she has— “Our example comes from above.” At AHF, commitment to every aspect of the organization’s mission is evident from its top leadership all the way to its summer interns. That’s a powerful thing, and makes the culture at AHF unlike almost any other organization’s.
[15:46] -- Advice for the Next Generation
What each of our three guests has to share
Looking to take your next step at AHF? “Don’t allow anyone to dictate your growth,” Silvia says. Antigone advises to “take advantage of every opportunity there is to learn and meet different people,” while Staci urges a high level of activity: “Jump in when you can participate. Whenever there are advocacy efforts in the area, jump in there and do it.”
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ABOUT AFTER HOURS:
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is the world’s largest HIV/AIDS service organization, operating in 45 countries globally. The mission? Providing cutting-edge medicine and advocacy for everyone, regardless of ability to pay.
The After Hours podcast is an official podcast of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, in which host Lauren Hogan is joined by experts in a range of fields to educate, inform, and inspire listeners on topics that go far beyond medical information to cover leadership, creativity, and success.
Learn more at: https://www.aidshealth.org
ABOUT THE HOST:
Lauren Hogan is the Associate Director of Communications for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and has been working in a series of roles with the Foundation since 2016. She’s passionate about increasing the public visibility of AIDS, the Foundation's critical work, and how everyday people can help join the fight to make cutting-edge medicine, treatment, and support available for anyone who needs it.
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In Detroit, history was made when Barry Gordy opened Motown Records back in 1960. More than just discovering great talent, Gordy built a systematic approach to launching superstars. His rigorous processes, technology, and development methods were the secret sauce behind legendary acts such as The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
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Lauren Hogan:
Get unfiltered lessons from our leaders at AHF, as we uncover real raw stories of where we came from and where we are going. Join us for an unscripted look at the connections our senior leadership have to our mission, core values and hot initiatives. AHF is the world's largest HIV AIDS service organization, operating in 45 countries globally, 16 states domestically, including DC and Puerto Rico. Our mission is to provide cutting edge medicine and advocacy, regardless of ability to pay.
Lauren Hogan:
Hello and welcome to the After Hours podcast. I'm your host Lauren Hogan, serving as your liaison to take you through this journey to learn more about AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Before we start the show, please make sure to remember to check out the show notes so you can follow along. Now let's get started.
Lauren Hogan:
So hello everyone, and welcome back to another episode of the After Hours podcast. As always, I'm your host Lauren Hogan. And today we have another employee spotlight episode, which we're so excited about. So really quickly, I'm just going to go around and have you guys introduce yourselves and then we'll get started. So Stacy, let's start with you.
Staci Mullins:
All right. Thanks Lauren. My name is Staci Mullins. I'm the geography regional director here at AHF.
Lauren Hogan:
Antigone.
Antigone:
Hi, my name's Antigone Robinson and I am the senior program manager of advocacy in public health division.
Silvia Trujillo:
And hello, I'm Silvia Trujillo, I'm the director of linkage services for the West.
Lauren Hogan:
Perfect. So getting right into it, when did you guys all join AHF and how long have you been here?
Staci Mullins:
So this is Staci, I've been with AHF since October of 2015 and started out in pharmacy working my way up.
Antigone:
I started in the summer of 2019, actually as an intern. And then I moved over to managed care where I was the social worker and it's been about three years.
Silvia Trujillo:
And I'm Silvia, I started with AHF back in September, 2004. So I've been with AHF for almost 18 years. And I started my journey with the healthcare center, actually in multiple positions for an office benefit counselor office administrator, and recently moved out of the director of healthcare center operations into public health as a director of [inaudible 00:02:28] service.
Lauren Hogan:
So Silvia's a veteran of the group, obviously. So you guys kind of all touched on it a little bit, just can you really quickly, where are you now and what exactly are your roles in contributing to this organization?
Staci Mullins:
So Staci again. As being the geography regional for the Midwest, I oversee the operations for sites in our Columbus, Ohio location, as well as Illinois and the things that we're doing in Indiana, as well as any growth. So I focus on expansion and growth, seeing how we can get out there to help patients more effectively and getting into areas that we haven't been in before, making sure that we're able to provide HIV and STI services to as many people as possible.
Antigone:
I think the simplest way to explain what I do as the senior program manager of advocacy is support of a chef's efforts within research and advocacy. So far I've been to protests, the Disney protest, that was a great one, I attend the city council legislative meetings, and I analyze different data and do research for different topics in order to either maybe... We had a survey, I think, coming from marketing to determine what clients in AHF staff prefer to be named. So I kind of made a report to send to Michael Weinstein in order to showcase those different results. I've also been working with John Hassell and Laura Boudreau on 340B. Don't say gay is another campaign we've been working on. So kind of just all around different support with research and advocacy.
Lauren Hogan:
So we can say you're an integral part of our advocacy efforts Antigone, we'll just go with that for sure.
Antigone:
Yeah. For sure.
Lauren Hogan:
Data's important. Go ahead, Silvia.
Silvia Trujillo:
Yeah, I am now in the public health division under the linkage to care services and linkage to prep, so I oversee the linkage to care staff and linkage to prep. Our role is pretty much to identify those clients who test positive, are returning into care, and those patients that test negative and are looking to get into some type of prep services.
Lauren Hogan:
So quick question for you guys, since you started to where you are now, how has your view of AHF grown or changed over the past five years for you Silvia, Antigone I know you said three and Silvia, we got to save you a veteran best for last because. I'm curious about your answer. So go ahead and start Staci.
Staci Mullins:
All right. Yeah. So, oh my gosh, it's changed so much, but it's all for the good. When I started out, I knew very little about the organization outside of just research that I've done over the internet before I started my position. So whenever I did start in my role as pharmacy tech like it was definitely like boots on the ground, just really trying to meet the immediate need in Indiana during the epidemic that we had. And as I started to grow and throughout the years, it just progressed. I had done some protests within those first couple of years, a protest, and then that really broadened my perspective of AHF and really kind of made me feel like this was my place as far as the passion that's involved and just the way it makes you feel like you're giving back to people and you know, just humanity in general. The organization has allowed me to do that throughout the course of being in this role.
Staci Mullins:
Not only have I've been able to be in new areas and see what people are needing in different ways, but also watching it grow from now having food efforts and then the housing efforts. It's amazing what all we're able to do as an organization for others. And to see how the things that we do domestically are also able to enhance the services that we provide globally. It's just amazing. I've continued to be in awe on a regular basis. So it's cool.
Antigone:
When I started as a social worker, I was really on the ground kind of like what you were saying during COVID some of the worst times where I had to try to find resources for housing, food, all sorts of things, caregivers, emergency shelter. So that was just like a good two years of just feeling really sad for everything that was going on, on just a epidemic level, but also, I guess, personally it was a little bit hard. And now it's amazing to be able to work in public health because I get to put my hands in every different division or service line in AHF. I can help with data in housing, like we were talking about, or I can help with data to make sure healthcare and HIV medications are accessible to everyone. So I'm excited to just continue refining those skills. And then also to continue learning about the different ways that AHF serves the community and maybe eventually help in our global efforts as well.
Silvia Trujillo:
Well, for me, I learned very quickly that this was more than just a job. I think that being part of the healthcare centers or department of medicine, where I played different services for our patients in different roles, I've learned that no matter who you are, this affects everybody. And being a young, Latino woman in my household we did not talk about sex or that wasn't a topic and not during our dinner table. So coming into AHF, I was very naive of a lot of what HIV meant, AIDS. How did you get it? How do you pass it on? So my interests grow very, very quickly in knowing that I was able to service different kind of people, not just my own, because usually you kind of want to help those that look like you. Learning that this is a disease of everybody and not just one, which is what I had interpreted as a child, was very rewarding to continue to do what I do every day.
Lauren Hogan:
So what makes you guys proud to work AHF... To work at AHF? Excuse me. It could be an event. It could be the fact that the advocacy efforts that we do. What makes you proud to work for AHF?
Staci Mullins:
Gosh, I feel like there are so many different things that make me proud to work with AHF. One of them definitely is the response that we have in our advocacy efforts. Sometimes it might take a little bit longer for us to see the results, but just like our efforts toward our protests with Disney, and it was almost immediate it seemed. But to see the change that we made throughout the United States, that I felt like we were kind of the trailblazers in that advocacy model. And then just to watch the patients that we serve, whenever they come in, we're able to really see on their faces just how much we're helping. And it could be the smallest thing, somebody might just come in and need a shoulder to lean on because of the stigma that's surrounding them at their home.
Staci Mullins:
But to hear the responses from the clients and to have them reach out and actually say like, I'm so glad that this person is my doctor. I recently had one of my colleagues from Columbus reach out saying that it was great to feel like she was being heard and that the things that she was filling as though we needed to tackle in her city, that she knew that I was listening and that we were going to be able to do something in the community. It's just nice to know that we are more of an immediate response, we're able to take these things on and we can change the world in some form.
Antigone:
I think it's amazing that no matter what department and AHF you work in there's always an opportunity to participate in the advocacy. As a social worker I was a little bit frustrated because I felt like no matter what resources I tried to provide to the members, that there was some systemic issue that was standing in the way for me helping them to create a sustainable solution. So now that I'm in PhD and I get to be part of these advocacy efforts, it just makes me realize more and more that the opportunity was there even when I was a social worker and it's available to anyone.
Antigone:
I don't know, I got to just learned specifically like the different strategies about how we get these different things accomplished. So I don't know, AHF is just amazing. We help so many people domestically and around the world.
Silvia Trujillo:
I have to say that the commitment of our leader, which is Michael Weinstein, is what truly keep us motivated and going. I think if he wasn't as committed our motivation would not be as strong. Usually people say things come from the top down and I think that's a good demonstration of that's what it is. When you feel supported, when you feel that the leader cares or that you're not alone in this fight, I think your efforts come just naturally.
Lauren Hogan:
So for my next question, Silvia, I'm actually going to start with you. Like I said, you're the veteran of the group. So what has made you stay at AHF for so long?
Silvia Trujillo:
I have to kind of go back to my same statement. I think that I've gone through a lot of different leaders, kind of ground level, who I have report to. I think that the word have gone through many. AHF is not for everybody, our culture is very, very unique. And I do believe sincerely that our example comes from above. And if that example, the commitment from Michael was not there, I probably wouldn't have stayed this long.
Antigone:
I don't think that there are many other organizations that I know that have their hands in so many different things. Like I was talking about before with housing and healthcare and out of the closet and impulse. What makes me stay is just the opportunity to be able to learn from all of those different divisions. And I mean, take those lessons and apply them to other things that we were having issues with, like Roe v. Wade. How can I take these lessons and apply them in my own life? I can go out and protest. I can go talk to my legislators. I can go write them letters. I can do all these different things that AHF is teaching me how to do.
Staci Mullins:
Yeah. I agree with those things. And it's exciting to me, like she was saying, it changes on a regular basis. We're always involved in something. The atmosphere, the people that I work with, I absolutely love everyone that I meet. To me it's family, and it's a family that you're able to enjoy your time with and you're able to do something productive at the same time. I'm kind of nerdy in that way to where I always want to do productive things and being able to have a position like this to where I'm really able to utilize my time in various ways and to see the results in the end from a national level on our calls. Those are just things that I kind of thrive off of. So that's definitely why I say I feel like I'm being used and I like it. Used in a good way.
Lauren Hogan:
So we are almost at time. So I've got one more question for you guys before we wrap. What advice would you give to people looking to take their next step with an AHF? Silvia, you've had quite a career already, Staci, you've been here for almost seven years and Antigone, you're approaching three years too. So you guys have had some time with the organization. So what advice would you give to people that are looking for their next step? Whether it's career development or just wanting to further pursue passions within the organization, what would you tell them?
Staci Mullins:
Silvia, you want to take this one first?
Silvia Trujillo:
Sorry, Staci. Follow your dream and don't allow anyone to dictate your growth. I think that's very important in anything that you want to do, you have control of you and your future.
Antigone:
I think I would advise them to take advantage of every opportunity there's to learn and to meet different people within the organization. And when you feel that it's time for the new challenge, then just go for it and it may take like one or two swings before you hit it all the park, but AHF likes to promote from within. So, just give it a go.
Staci Mullins:
Yeah, absolutely. I agree with that. I think work for it, jump in when you can participate, whenever there is advocacy efforts in the area jump in there and do it, don't be afraid to speak up and talk to leadership, pick their brains. Whenever I was moving up in the company, I didn't even know that I was, I had actually reached out to HR asking if I could do some career development. And they're like, hey, you've been doing that for a little bit now, already. It's nice because you really do have some amazing people to look up to. You're like our chief Donna Tempesta like, I will say some things in emails and I'm like, oh, that's something Donna taught me. So it's really nice that like you're able to have those mentors to look up to in the organization and working up is awesome. But just put in the effort, let your leadership know that you're wanting to move up and that you have the interest in participation.
Lauren Hogan:
Well, I want to say thank you ladies so much for taking the time. This was very insightful and I know people are going to appreciate the advice that you're giving in the stories. And as always, we'll see you next time on another episode of the After Hours podcast.
Antigone:
Thank you, Lauren.
Staci Mullins:
Thanks Lauren.
Silvia Trujillo:
Thanks.
Lauren Hogan:
Thank you so much for joining us. If you enjoyed this episode and you'd like to help support the show, please subscribe, share it with your friends, like, post about it on social media, or leave a rating and review. Follow us on Instagram @AfterHours. And see you next time.