Advocates Archive - F
[please choose the first initial of the Advocate's last name]
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Cindra Feuer
New York City, USA
IRMA Steering Committee Member
Born in Brooklyn, Cindra Feuer, Policy and Communications Advisor at the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), has been involved with IRMA since its early inception as IRMWG (International Rectal Microbicide Working Group.) Her primary contribution at the time was researching and authoring IRMWG’s first report "Rectal Microbicides: Investments and Advocacy." She believes "the development of a rectal microbicide would reduce the harm to [MSM] communities and bring the net HIV rate down throughout the world. Plus, it would be a boon to women who participate in anal sex, which apparently is a more common act than regularly recognized."
A journalist by training, and specialized in HIV/AIDS reporting, Cindra has contributed at both POZ and HIV Plus magazines. She also helped produce a WNYE labor radio show, "The Communique," that addressed policies for the poor.
Before working in media, Cindra was a community organizer and case manager for homeless people living with AIDS during the pre-ARV era. She was one of those who helped organize sex workers in New York City during Mayor Giuliani’s siege on adult businesses. As she recalled, “It was then that I learned how to navigate and influence the media to cover challenging and ‘controversial’ topics.”
At AVAC she works on the promotion of research for new HIV prevention technologies, including rectal microbicides, by developing materials and participating in key stakeholder meetings. Cindra welcomes every opportunity to speak at a range of global HIV prevention tables—from training journalists in Uganda, where she lived intermittently, to regularly interfacing with government representatives. She has a lot to share since her experience took her to various communities: the grassroots, sex workers, women, AIDS activists/advocates, journalists, researchers and scientists, African groups, laborers, policy makers and others.
If you are looking for someone to watch movies with, she’s the person to ask.
[Posted March 2009]
Anna Forbes
Kensington, Maryland, USA
Originally from central Illinois, Anna Forbes currently resides in Maryland while working in Washington D.C. She is the Deputy Director of the Global Campaign for Microbicides. She became involved with IRMA after talking to Jim Pickett and David Munar back in 2003 about the need to pick up and expand on an online rectal microbicides advocacy effort she had originally started in 2000. The duo offered to take it on, and that effort grew into what is now IRMA.
Rectal microbicides are a very important priority among new HIV prevention technologies because, as she puts it, “Everyone needs and deserves a way to protect themselves from HIV.” Via SafeGuards in Philadephia, Anna initiated the first incarnation of lifelube.com. She made her debut national presentation about rectal microbicides at the Second Gay Men’s Health Summit in Boulder, Colorado.
In 2002, Forbes published her first national U.S. article on the need for rectal microbicides. The same year, she gave an international workshop on the same subject at the UK CHAPS conference, leading to the publication of her first international article. After such impressive successes, Forbes has steadily written, spoke, presented, and organized around rectal micobicide advocacy ever since.
Anna’s hard work is paving the way for the future of rectal microbicides. So dedicated is she to her advocacy work that when asked what she does in her free time, she could only respond, “What free time?”
[Posted October 2008]
Edward Fuchs
Baltimore, USA
IRMA Steering Committee Member
Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Edward Fuchs “didn't stray far from home” when he was looking for a job: he’s now the Associate Director of the Drug Development Unit at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore where he started in 1984.
Ed’s interest in rectal microbicides began in 2001 when Johns Hopkins received a CDC contract to conduct research related to rectal microbicides. In the process, their group began to consider the effect of sexual activities, such as enema and lubricant use, that may increase the risk of rectal transmission of HIV. Around the same time Ed got involved with IRMA to learn from others, particularly about the community issues involved in promoting rectal microbicide development.
He recently became principal investigator of the Hopkins site for a study examining behavioral
correlates of rectal sex among men and women who may or may not have a history of having rectal sex, regardless of HIV status. While recruiting participants for the trials he often has a chance to educate and advocate with community organizations and health care providers by presenting background information on the need for rectal microbicides and sharing the results of some of his research.
A physician assistant by training, Ed has a longstanding interest in the ethics of clinical
research, including presenting a number of ethics topics at the Association of Clinical Research
Professionals (ACRP) annual meeting. He also served on the ACRP Legislative Affairs committee, and participated in a delegation visit to Capitol Hill to discuss issues of protections of research subjects with members of Congress.
In between conducting clinical trials and increasing public awareness of the importance of rectal
microbicides, both among MSM as well as in heterosexual relationships, Ed collects Pueblo Indian pottery, rides his bicycle around the roads of rural central Maryland, helps his teenage son with his photography and tries to keep his wife happy. He also enjoys “writing his annual satirical
Christmas letter, which basically pokes fun at "all the wonderful things my family has not
accomplished.”
[Posted April 2009]
