Person-Centred Care Research Collaborative - Meeting February 2025

Emma Willliams is the Project Manager for the Person-Centred Care programme. She has a background in chemical engineering, modelling and management consulting. She has been active in the HIV response since 2018, working on modelling for HIV point-of-care diagnostics. Since 2022, she has been focused on the implementation of person-centred care approaches for people living with HIV and people vulnerable to HIV acquisition and providing technical support on activities related to integrated healthcare needs for people experiencing homelessness, harm reduction and the prevention of HPV-related cancers.

With over 20 years of experience managing complex public health programs, until recently Jessica provided technical assistance to JSI’s international HIV and infectious disease projects, led JSI’s person-centred care work, and supported the use of data to enhance decision-making for improved performance and to identify and respond to capacity strengthening needs. She collaborates with local and international organizations, governments, funders, and private sector partners to collaboratively improve health systems and service delivery for better health outcomes. Jessica, who is fluent in French and Spanish, has lived in 10 countries and has an MPH from Tulane University’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Rodenie Arnaiz Olete, MSc, RN, is committed to advancing person-centred approaches in HIV care through research, programme development and community engagement. As a member of the IAS Advisory Committee on Person-Centred Care, Rod is eager to advocate for practical strategies to address the psychosocial and socioeconomic challenges and other non-biomedical needs faced by people living with HIV. Rodenie has been actively involved in such initiatives as the Open Doors Home programme, which provided temporary shelter and integrated psychosocial and socioeconomic support for Filipino people living with HIV experiencing unemployment and homelessness. Another key project, PsySE-SDN, focused on building capacity and service delivery networks to improve access to person-centred care. Rodenie also spearheaded the enhancement of the #telePrEPph initiative, which aimed to expand PrEP access nationwide for LGBTQ+ communities using telehealth services.

Rodenie’s research includes studies addressing critical topics, such as the mental well-being and economic empowerment of people living with HIV, the impact of chemsex on HIV adherence among men who have sex with men, and disparities in HIV outcomes among migrants. These findings have informed community-based interventions and national strategies. Currently pursuing a PhD in public health at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, Rodenie is exploring behavioural and implementation science frameworks to support inclusive HIV care. His work reflects a commitment to developing collaborative, evidence-informed solutions that prioritize the unique needs of individuals and communities affected by HIV.

Shawn Malone directs the Men’s PULSE project, which applies consumer insights and human-centred design approaches to better understand men’s individual, social and structural barriers to care and to develop, test, and support scaling of solutions. In its current phase, the project is supporting stakeholders across East and Southern Africa in adapting and scaling evidence-based solutions for reaching men as well as developing, testing, and catalysing scaling of an AI-powered digital companion that complements face-to-face interventions by providing personalized, high-quality virtual support. He holds a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.

Todd Pollack is the Global Primary Health Care Director of Implementation Science at the HMS Center for Primary Care. He is an infectious disease clinician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the Medical Director of the Partnership for Health Advancement in Vietnam (HAIVN), a Harvard University Global Program with a mission to improve healthcare in Vietnam. His work focuses on strengthening primary healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries and on improving access to quality and equitable care for people living with HIV and viral hepatitis. Dr. Pollack leads clinical training, capacity building, and health system strengthening projects in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. He has tested and scaled up innovative approaches to care delivery, healthcare worker capacity building, patient and community empowerment, and efforts to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination in healthcare settings. He is also the co-PI of the IMPACT-MED Alliance, a USAID-funded initiative to support medical education reform and improve infection control and antimicrobial stewardship in Vietnam. Dr. Pollack received his MD from Temple University School of Medicine and completed a residency and chief residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Marie-Claude Lavoie is an epidemiologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMB). She is also the Director of Strategic Information and Evaluation at Ciheb, UMB, where she oversees the monitoring and evaluation strategy and activities for large-scale HIV programmes in central, eastern, southern and western Africa. Her research includes HIV prevention and treatment, substance use, evidence synthesis and implementation science in the US and globally. Before joining UMB, Marie-Claude worked as a regional technical advisor for the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization for the Latin American and Caribbean region.