Closing a Chapter with Gratitude
Six years of service, learning, and community with the Ontario AIDS Network
Last week, at the Ontario AIDS Network’s Annual General Meeting, I completed my second term on the Board of Directors. After six years of service, I now step away as a proud former board member. It feels right to take a moment to reflect not only on what this time has meant to me but also on what lies ahead for the network and the communities it represents.
When I joined the Board in 2019, I brought the perspective of someone newly visible as an HIV advocate. I had been sharing my story publicly for a few years, helping to amplify the message of U=U, and learning how to turn lived experience into action. The OAN gave me a platform to deepen that work and to collaborate with others who shared a belief in community-led leadership. What I found was a network of committed people who understood that advocacy must be rooted in inclusion, transparency, and accountability.
Over the years, I have seen the OAN navigate change, strengthen its governance, and renew its purpose. I have also seen the realities that make this work hard. The HIV movement in Ontario continues to face structural barriers that limit how far progress can reach. There are service organizations across the province doing exceptional, community-driven work every day, yet there are also a few that need to take a hard look inward. Aligning programs and leadership with the values the OAN stands for — equity, meaningful engagement, and the leadership of people living with HIV — remains a work in progress. The sector can only be as strong as its collective commitment to those principles.
During my time on the Board, I saw what happens when those principles are lived authentically. I witnessed what collaboration looks like when organizations lead with integrity and listen to the people they serve. I also learned that equity and representation cannot be slogans. They must be practices built into decision-making and measured by outcomes that centre those most affected by HIV. These lessons have shaped how I approach my own work and how I see the path forward for Ontario’s HIV response.
The recently released OAN Annual Report 2024–2025 highlights meaningful progress across the network. It reflects dedication to leadership development, anti-stigma initiatives, and greater inclusion of people living with HIV. It also outlines the organization’s next strategic direction, charting a course toward 2028. Reading it, I felt both pride and urgency. Pride for how far we have come, and urgency to ensure that every organization carrying the OAN name truly embodies its vision and values.
What stands out most from my time on the Board are the people. The ones who work tirelessly to connect communities, support peers, and push systems to do better. They are the heart of this network and the reason I remain hopeful. Serving alongside them reminded me that change happens when courage and compassion meet. It also reminded me that progress is never guaranteed. It must be protected, renewed, and led by those living the realities we are trying to change.
My experience with the OAN reinforced my conviction that U=U remains central to ending stigma and promoting health equity. The message that an undetectable viral load means zero possibility of sexual transmission is more than a scientific fact. It is a statement of dignity and human rights. During my time on the Board, I worked to keep that message visible, accurate, and integrated into every aspect of the work. I leave knowing that responsibility must now be shared and expanded by those who continue to lead.
Stepping down from the Board is not the end of my involvement in this movement. I will continue my work through InclusHIV Consulting, my writing, and public advocacy, all of which are grounded in the same principles that drew me to the OAN. Collaboration, respect, and truth-telling remain at the core of everything I do. The HIV sector cannot move forward without honest reflection, and I intend to keep pushing those conversations forward wherever I can.
I am grateful for everyone who shared this chapter with me, including colleagues who challenged me, staff who supported the work, and community members who reminded me why this matters. I am especially thankful to my husband Aaron, whose patience and encouragement have been unwavering through it all.
Serving on the Board has been an honour and a responsibility. I leave proud of the progress made but clear that our collective work is far from finished. There is still space for growth, for listening, and for alignment between the ideals we hold and the practices we live. The next chapter for the OAN will be defined not only by plans on paper but by the choices made within each organization connected to it. My hope is that those choices continue to reflect the values that brought this network together in the first place.