The National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), in partnership with the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD), invites you to join this webinar exploring the intersection of HIV and aging.
This webinar will examine how healthcare providers and public health professionals can better address the evolving needs of people aging with HIV. The discussion will bring together two complementary perspectives: the geriatric lens, which considers how aging and age-related conditions influence HIV care, and the HIV disease intervention lens, which explores how chronic HIV infection and its effects on the immune system may influence the aging process. Participants will learn about current challenges, evidence-based approaches, and opportunities to improve health outcomes and quality of life for people aging with HIV.
Geraldine Luna, MD: Dr. Geraldine Luna is a board-certified Geriatrician who serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Aliya Healthcare and was formerly the Medical Director at the Chicago Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Response Bureau. She also serves on the executive boards of various non-profit organizations, including President of the Illinois Unidos Coalition, Vice President of the Medical Organization for Latino Advancement and Chair of the National Hispanic Medical Association Chapters, to improve the living conditions of Hispanic communities nationally. She has been involved in healthcare for nearly 20 years, with a particular focus on serving historically marginalized communities. Dr. Luna graduated from San Juan City Hospital and the University of Illinois at Chicago in Internal Medicine with a Geriatric subspecialty and a Master’s in Public Health in Health Policy and Administration. Additionally, she completes an Executive Master’s in Business Administration at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Leandro A. Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA: Leandro A. Mena, MD, MPH, FIDSA, is a physician, public health leader, and academic whose career has focused on addressing health disparities in HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly among underserved populations in the United States. He currently serves as Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine and Chief Medical Officer of NMAC, a national organization founded in 1987 to address the disproportionate impact of HIV on communities of color. Dr. Mena previously served as Director of the Division of STD Prevention at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he led national efforts to modernize STI prevention and care, advance health equity, and strengthen public health infrastructure. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly two decades in Mississippi, where he developed nationally recognized models of inclusive sexual healthcare. He served as the founding Medical Director of Open Arms Healthcare Center, which provides comprehensive services for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Deep South, and was the founding Chair of the Department of Population Health Science at the John D. Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Board certified in infectious diseases and a Fellow of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Dr. Mena has held numerous leadership roles in academia, public health, and clinical care. His work has advanced syndemic-informed approaches, expanded access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and integrated social determinants of health into STI and HIV prevention strategies. He has authored more than 180 peer-reviewed publications and has served on multiple national and international expert panels and guideline committees. Dr. Mena is widely recognized for his commitment to health equity, community-engaged research, and mentorship of the next generation of clinicians and public health professionals.
Susan Olender, MD, MS: Dr. Susan Aileen Olender is Medical Director of the NYP West Campus HIV Program (Comprehensive Health Program) and the New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Designated AIDS Center. She has extensive expertise in HIV care, implementation science, and data-driven quality improvement. Dr. Olender has led and implemented multiple pilot programs focused on aging with HIV, with an emphasis on translating evidence into patient-centered models of care that better meet the needs of people aging with HIV. She serves on the New York State Quality Advisory Committee and is a frequent presenter for New York State programs, the Ryan White Care Conference, and local HIV and aging education initiatives.