Two major leadership changes were announced last week at Delaware’s statewide HIV/AIDS care organization that will build on and continue the organization’s recent success.
Starting last month, John P. Gardner assumed the role of executive director at AIDS Delaware. Michael P. Byrne was also unanimously appointed as board chairman at a Feb. 9 meeting in Wilmington.
“It feels great to be working with a dedicated, talented team of people doing meaningful and impactful work in the community,” said Gardner. “I worked in corporate America for over 25 years, so the social-services, non-for-profit world is quite different for me. I look forward to continuing to grow and thrive as we serve those living with HIV/AIDS in Delaware.”
Gardner had been serving as interim executive director since January 2012 before being named to the permanent position. He also served on the board of directors for more than a decade.
Byrne served on AIDS Delaware’s executive committee for several years and is an active volunteer at the agency.
“There have been a number of changes in the AIDS-services community landscape in recent years, and AIDS Delaware has done a very good job of adapting to those changes while maintaining our focus on supporting our clients,” said Byrne. “I look forward to working with such a dedicated board and staff in my new roll as board chairman.”
As executive director, Gardner has overall responsibility for the organization, sets the strategy for the agency and helps remove obstacles to keep all programming on track. The biggest change in making the switch from the interim to permanent position has been an increased focus on strategizing for the agency’s future, he said.
Gardner was lauded for getting the agency on more solid financial ground and creating a successful pharmacy program. He also helped launch an initiative with the Delaware Division of Public Health that connects HIV-positive Delawareans with medical care.
“The pharmacy program is a fantastic benefit for many of our clients as it provides home delivery of their medications and helps them with the cost of staying on their drug regimens,” Gardner said. “The program also provides our agency with additional funding that we’re using to expand services, so it’s a win for both our clients and AIDS Delaware.”
In the future, Gardner hopes to evaluate how the organization can expand its services to better serve its clients, which could include grouping more services under the same roof.
“Many of the people we see have comorbidities with substance abuse and mental-health issues, so it makes sense to investigate adding those services to become more of a one-stop-shop agency,” said Gardner.
The organization’s not-to-be-missed annual fundraiser, IMAGINE, is also coming up, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at Sheraton Wilmington South 365 Airport Road, New Castle, Del. The carnival-themed cocktail party will feature an open bar, heavy hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction and other entertainment and side-show acts. Tickets are $65.
For more information on AIDS Delaware or to purchase tickets for its fundraiser, visit www.aidsdelaware.org.