We are proud to announce the 2021-2022 class (year 5) of PWN-USA Policy Fellows! This program, now in its fifth year, will build the policy leadership bench for women and people of trans experience directly impacted by the epidemic and historically underrepresented in the federal health policy advocacy arena. The program kicked off on April 10, 2020, with an orientation webinar preluding a year-long curriculum where they will develop skills in policy analysis, research, coalition, and relationship building as emerging leaders in the field.

Click here to learn more about the PWN-USA Policy Fellowship.

Click on the year to meet our Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, and Year 4 Policy Fellows.

Lizzie Bellamy-Richardson (South Carolina)

Lizzie is a native of Longs, South Carolina, and was born on February 25, 1976. She graduated in 1995 from Loris High School. Lizzie is a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 12 grandchildren. She was diagnosed with HIV in 1997 and began taking a stand and advocating for herself and others after her induction into Positive Voices in 2012. She then became part of A Family Affair, a Serenity Garden program that helped her and her kids to be able to talk more freely about HIV. Her life has been enriched and empowered with wonderful sisterhoods, organizations, and mentors that have brought dignity and joy to her life and help her continue living her best life. Lizzie now serves as the Cochair of PWN’s South Carolina Regional Chapter, the Board Chair of A Family Affairs Living Our Best Life HIV Ministry, on the South Carolina HIV Planning Council, on the Waccamaw Equal Opportunity Council Inc., and as a Policy Council and Health Advisory Assistant Secretary for Longs Head Start.

Martha Cameron (Virginia)

Martha was born and raised in Zambia, Africa, and is the Executive Director for the International Community of Women Living with HIV (ICW) North America. She has served on the board of ICW Global and most recently, worked as the Director of Prevention for Women’s Collective (TWC), a leading community health and human service agency in Washington, DC. Other past positions include Director of Policy & Advocacy at TWC, and Executive Director of an international, faith-based non-profit called Every Orphan’s Hope Inc. (EOH) where she had hands-on experience running HIV programs for orphans and widows. Martha still does consulting work for EOH and with Children’s AIDS Fund International. Martha is actively involved in Positive Women’s Network, US PLHIV Caucus, and DC Center for AIDS Research. She has a bachelor’s degree in education (English/French) and a master’s degree in Public Health.

Myra Franks (Alabama)

Myra is the fourth child of seven and was born and raised in rural Alabama. She faced many obstacles in her life but is an overcomer. She received her associate’s degree in Office Administration in 2004. Myra is the proud mother of five children and grandmother of five grandchildren. After her diagnosis in 2001, she realized that she was not alone and that there were many other people in rural Alabama living with HIV who were alone and afraid. Together, they managed to make it to one of the larger AIDS service organizations in Alabama which began her journey in education and advocacy.

Erin Fulton (Nebraska)

Erin lives in Omaha, Nebraska, and has been living with HIV for 27 years, since she was 17 years old. Erin has been married for 11 years, has 2 daughters, and works full-time in the finance industry. Erin’s journey to HIV advocacy began when her family was invited to a summer camp for kids that live with HIV or had been affected in some way. The experience left her wanting to help others, so she became a volunteer HIV Testing Counselor for her local HIV/AIDS community resource center. Erin enjoys making new connections because she feels like she spent the first 10 years living in shame. She feels like she took her power back and loves participating in medical studies and patient panels. Erin enjoys cooking, camping, waterskiing, and is completely addicted to Pinterest.

Angela Hunt (Florida)

Angela Hunt is an African American, transgender woman living with mental health challenges, substance use disorder, and HIV. Angela does not let these things define her, in fact, she has learned to navigate these things and find power from the circumstances of her life. She joins us today as an example of what happens when we find power from our past and use it to fuel our passion for service to the community. She guides others through the difficulties of an HIV-positive diagnosis and was appointed to the Central Florida HIV Planning Council by the mayor of Orange County. Angela knows that by sharing her story, the difficulties, and the hardships that she has been able to overcome she can help others in our community in their own journey. Angela uses her voice to advocate for others and her professional accomplishments are a testament to her perseverance and passion. She joins us today not as a victim of circumstances but as a model of resilience and a peer.

Lesley Williams (Texas)

Lesley was diagnosed with HIV at age 16 in December 1995. She’s a mother and grandmother. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology while remaining a passionate advocate of HIV education, treatment, and prevention services/programs for women, children, youth, and families for more than 20 years. Lesley has previously served on her local Ryan White Planning Council as well as starting various Title IV Consumer Advisory Boards (CABs) in Houston, Texas. She is active in the Texas Children’s CAB, Baylor CAB, and Legacy CAB. As part of her position with the national Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) CAB, she helps negotiate concept sheets, capsules, and policy/procedures through the National Institutes of Health that will become programs that will create a better quality of life for families affected by HIV/AIDS.