November 21, 2018: Positive Women’s Network – USA is a national membership body of self identified women living with HIV (WLHIV), which we define as including women, people of trans experience, non-binary and gender nonconforming people living with HIV who choose to be part of PWN’s membership body.

Founded in 2008 by 28 diverse women leaders living with HIV, PWN-USA develops a leadership pipeline and policy agenda that applies a gender and racial justice lens to the domestic HIV epidemic,

Every day, Positive Women’s Network – USA inspires, informs, and mobilizes women living with HIV to advocate for changes that improve our lives and uphold our rights. All of our work is grounded in a human rights, gender justice and racial justice framework.

We utilize the following primary strategies to advance human rights and dignity for all people living with HIV:

  • Leadership development;
  • Policy advocacy and policy change;
  • Base Building;  
  • Mobilizing and supporting people living with HIV to be active in issue-based and electoral campaigns; and
  • Narrative and culture change to end stigma.

We are proud that our board of directors consists entirely of women, including women of trans experience, openly living with HIV, who represent the communities most impacted by the US epidemic.

We welcome any self-identified women living with HIV in the U.S. to self-nominate for a seat on the board. As part of our commitment to racial and gender justice, we especially seek board members who:

  1. represent communities most impacted by the epidemic and least represented in policy spheres: people of trans experience; Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and multiracial women; folks ages 30 and under; and based in the U.S. South; and
  2. bring relevant life, organizational development and strategy development experience, including but not limited to: experience in parenting; electoral organizing and base building; campaign planning and policy work; fundraising, financial management, human resources, and serving on boards.

PWN-USA Board Members serve a three year term and are primarily responsible for ensuring that PWN-USA is accountable to our diverse national constituency of U.S. women living with HIV, while overseeing the strategic direction and financial health of the organization.

Board members are expected to commit to the following:

  • Participate in monthly board meetings (held via phone or webinar)
  • Participate in face-to-face board meetings (approximately once every 1-2 years as funding allows)
  • Actively participate in at least one of the following board committees:
    • Board Engagement
    • Fundraising
  • Assist with special projects and serve on ad-hoc board committees as needed;
  • Fundraise to support PWN-USA
  • Contribute or fundraise annual board financial commitment (currently $250/year)
  • Participate in internal political education processes designed to advance our own understanding of racial, gender, and economic justice.
  • Be openly disclosed about their HIV status on PWN materials, including website.

On average, our board members are expected to dedicate approximately 5-8 hours a month to PWN-USA board business.

To apply, please fill out the online application here.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact PWN-USA Board Chair Barb Cardell at [email protected].  

Thank you for your interest! Applications are due by 11:59pm PST Monday, December 10, 2018.