Date: Mon, 07 Apr 97 18:07:30 EST From: "Phil Attey" Subject: Thurman A Strong Choice To Lead Office of National AIDS Poli _____________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: hrc@hrc.org WWW: http://www.hrc.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, April 7, 1997 THURMAN A STRONG CHOICE TO LEAD OFFICE OF NATIONAL AIDS POLICY, HRC SAYS Combines Leadership Skills, Commitment, Access WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign commended the selection today of Sandra L. Thurman as the new White House "AIDS czar." "Sandra Thurman is a solid choice to take the Office of National AIDS Policy to the next level," said Elizabeth Birch, HRC's executive director. "She brings the right mix of leadership, political skills and commitment to the fight against HIV and AIDS." Winnie Stachelberg, HRC's legislative director, said Thurman has the experience to design and execute the administration's programs in the changing struggle to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. "Thurman was intricately involved in the creation and enactment of the Ryan White CARE Act in 1990 and its reauthorization in 1995," said Stachelberg, who is a member of the executive committee of the umbrella group National Organizations Responding to AIDS. "She knows AIDS policy and politics from the inside--a critical combination of skills for this job." Thurman becomes the third person to hold the position known informally as the national AIDS czar. She replaces Patsy Fleming, who stepped down after President Clinton's re-election. Thurman, a native of Atlanta, is past executive director of AID Atlanta, the Southeast's first and largest AIDS service provider. Under her stewardship, AID Atlanta tripled in size, becoming a multimillion-dollar direct service agency with 90 staffers and more than 1,000 volunteers, serving thousands of individuals and families with HIV and AIDS. Most recently, Thurman was a White House appointee to the U.S. Information Agency, responsible for cultural and professional exchange programs. Thurman has a history of political and public service. In 1996, she held a variety of positions with the Democratic National Committee and the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign. From 1993 to 1996, Thurman was director of advocacy programs at the Task Force for Child Survival and Development in Atlanta. The task force is sponsored by such respected organizations as UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the Rockefeller Foundation. Thurman's AIDS-related activities include serving on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS; on the Georgia State AIDS Task Force; the Fulton County HIV Planning Council; and the executive committee of Cities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief. In addition, she has served on the board of directors of the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, Sisterlove Inc. and the Atlanta AIDS Interfaith Network. In 1995, Thurman testified before Congress with Elizabeth Taylor on federal AIDS programs and priorities. Before joining AID Atlanta in 1988, Thurman was public affairs director for AmeriPlan Health Services, Georgia's largest health maintenance organization, and as a job placement specialist working with ex-offenders at the Georgia Department of Labor, Correctional Services Division. She holds a bachelor's degree in human resources administration and management from Mercer University in Georgia. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. - 30 -