International AIDS Society: Executive Director, 2009-2010
It seemed like the perfect next step. My first international AIDS conference was in 1989 (Montreal) and I had enjoyed being the first ever Community co-Chair of the 1998 Conference, Bridging the Gap, held in Geneva. How logical to then step up to Lead the Secretariat of the IAS that was then serving the global membership organization of 14,000 professionals from a broad range of scientific and health backgrounds, and working in 190 countries. Well it wasn’t quite what I had expected, but we did some great things. I hired Alan Brotherton – my most amazing colleague from Australian days, whose death in 2015 still shakes me. With other fine people we did some great work, developing a new Strategic Plan and steering a new approach to advocacy and communications that has been built on brilliantly by current IAS ED Kevin Osborne. I love watching what he is doing now. He has picked up and taken bold steps on many of the most important challenges that defeated me. The leadership of Presidents Chris Beyrer, Linda Gail Bekker and now Anton Pozniak have shaken up the IAS to become the organisation that the AIDS Crisis needs right now. Kudos to all of you!
Key achievements:
- Substantial resource mobilization to secure recurrent funds for annual budget over $30million from diverse sources (governments, foundations, private sector, members);
- Delivered a new Strategic Plan, steering a participative strategic planning process with staff, Board and key stakeholders;
- Initiated an organizational effectiveness process that re-shaped the organization and continues to have substantial impact;
- Innovated new policy and advocacy campaigns.