Grant Colfax Named Director of White House Office of National AIDS Policy

President Obama has appointed Dr. Grant Colfax to be director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP). Dr. Colfax succeeds Jeffrey Crowley, who announced his resignation in November.

“Dr. Colfax has been instrumental in the decline of new HIV infections in San Francisco in recent years,” said San Francisco AIDS Foundation CEO Neil Giuliano. “His unique blend of experience serving on the front lines of the epidemic, implementing the national strategy at the local level, working as a direct service provider within the Ryan White CARE system, and conducting cutting-edge research makes him the right person at the right time to lead the Obama administration's efforts to end HIV/AIDS in the United States.”

As director of the HIV Prevention and Research Section at the San Francisco Department of Public Health, Colfax was known for elevating the role of community-based health research in local planning and funding decisions and implementing innovative, evidence-based HIV prevention tools, such as assessing community viral load and improving HIV testing and linkage to care, making San Francisco's HIV prevention and service system an example for other cities across the nation to follow.

Throughout his career, he also maintained his role as a physician at Ward 86 at San Francisco General Hospital, the nation's first HIV/AIDS-specialized clinic.

“Having worked closely with him on complex issues and having seen his consensus-building skills among diverse populations, including communities of color, I am confident that the AIDS community will have a strong advocate within the administration,” said Ernest Hopkins, director of legislative affairs at San Francisco AIDS Foundation. “I know Dr. Colfax will work to ensure that the coming changes to our health care system are made thoughtfully, carefully, and with a strong focus on improving the health status of the most vulnerable people.”

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!