Public Health Expert Joins AIDS Action

Washington, DC -- AIDS Action today announced that Jeff Jacobs will join its staff as Legislative Director effective October 6th. Jacobs has served as Director of Congressional Affairs at the American Public Health Association (APHA) where he has led their policy agenda and handled a broad range of health issues for the past nine years.

"A leading public health expert on AIDS Action's staff will once and for all end the misperception that AIDS and public health policy are somehow at odds," said Daniel Zingale, AIDS Action's Executive Director. "As the AIDS crisis shifts medically and demographically, so must our public health policy. Jeff's unique understanding of health care access issues will allow AIDS Action to advance our agenda of care, research and prevention for HIV and AIDS."

At APHA, Jacobs has been the senior lobbyist to Congress and the Administration on issues such as Medicaid, FDA, child health, Medicare as well as AIDS issues. Jacobs' expert understanding of health access issues will be vital to AIDS Action's proposal to ensure that government health standards are consistent with advances in treatment.

"As the AIDS crisis reaches a critical crossroad, public health policy provides the signpost for the direction the epidemic takes," said Jacobs. "There could be no greater challenge and no greater reward than working to ensure proper health care for people with HIV disease."

Jacobs received a BA from the University of Minnesota, an MA from the American University in Washington, DC and completed a post-graduate studies program at the University of Stockholm in Sweden.

"Jeff's skills will help AIDS Action ensure that new breakthroughs in AIDS treatment are no longer denied to an entire class of Americans," added Christine Lubinski, AIDS Action Deputy Director for Programs. "AIDS Action has always maintained an advocacy operation second to none and Jeff continues that tradition and in fact exceeds the standard."

Contact: Steve Fisher
(202) 986-1300, Ext. 3065

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AIDS Action is the nation's leading AIDS advocacy organization, representing all Americans affected by HIV/AIDS and over 2,000 community-based organizations that serve them.