Harm Reduction Provider & Founder of Forbes Consulting

Alfred Forbes earned his BA in Philosophy from Dartmouth College and completed his MBA at the University of Phoenix. Mr. Forbes has worked in the health field since 1990 serving as an HIV Buddy, member of the Community Planning Group, Community Health Educator, and Ryan White Case Manager. He is also a certified Life Coach, and Universal Life Church Minister. In 2000, Al joined the Gay Men of African Descent (GMAD) CDC Gay Men of Color Northeast Capacity Building Assistance Program, providing technical assistance addressing the HIV needs of agencies serving African American/Black MSM/SGLM in the Northeast.

In 2003, he started Forbes Consulting and has provided organizational development and capacity-building assistance to departments of health, community and faith-based organizations, social justice organizations, and businesses in over 30 states in North America, Africa, and Brazil. As a subject matter expert Mr. Forbes has presented at national, state, and regional conferences and authored or co-authored HIV curricula on HIV Testing -for non-medical testers, Black MSM/SGLM and Transgender Women, and Cultural Competency.

He currently chairs the Community Advisory Board for Project WISH, the Clinical Studies Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a member of the Hoosier Harm Reduction Coalition, the National Black Harm Reduction Network, state and national Ending the HIV Epidemic and HCV initiatives, and serves as a consultant for Health Resources and Services Administration’s HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB).

Executive Director at Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition

Danny has over a decade of experience in public health program design and implementation. During the Peace Corps, they established health programming in 50 rural elementary schools. They received their MPH from Emory University in 2017 and worked for 3 years on medicaid expansion and HIV decriminalization. Having lost a family member to HIV, they are deeply committed to stopping the spread of HIV and providing quality services to oppressed communities.

Deputy Director at Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition

Prior to her current role of Deputy Director of Virginia Harm Reduction Coalition (VHRC), Barbie served as VHRC Program Planning and Evaluation Manager and spent 3 years providing sexual and reproductive health services to incarcerated women as project manager of a health department program she designed. She received her MPH from George Washington University in 2017 and is currently completing a DrPH program at Loma Linda University. Barbie has research experience related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and incarcerated women and expertise in SRH, substance use disorder treatment, and hepatitis C treatment. She is committed to improving sexual and reproductive health among underserved women and sexual and gender minorities and providing harm reduction services to people who use drugs.

Risk Reduction Specialist/Health Educator

Laura provides HIV/HCV testing with the Harm Reduction/Syringe Services Program in a mostly rural Appalachian community, and is passionate about finding ways to better meet the needs of participants and the community.

Education and Data Manager at Choice Health

Sam Armbruster is currently the Education and Data Manager at Choice Health Network Harm Reduction in Knoxville, TN. They have an MPH degree with a concentration in Behavioral, Social, and Community Health from Indiana University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Gender Studies from New College of Florida. Sam is invested in increasing access to harm reduction services and promoting health equity for queer and trans people; those living in rural communities; and people who use drugs.