Founder’s Award Recipient
Jerry Mitchell, a resident of Marin County, California, has been advocating for the HIV/AIDS community for nearly 40 years, having suffered the loss of many friends in the earlier days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This advocacy has led to many roles on various non-profit boards, including serving as a board member and chair of the former Under One Roof in San Francisco and the NorCal AIDS Cycle of Sacramento. Jerry is particularly drawn to offering his support to those persons and communities who are marginalized and often overlooked, doing what he can to make sure these persons and communities know that they matter and that they are cared for. Professionally, Jerry is a 38-year employee of the American Express Company, serving as a Senior Manager within its commercial services group.
President’s Award Recipient
George and RuthAnn Fisher have been dedicated leaders in business and community service for more than five decades. George founded Fisher Company of NSL, Utah, where he led executive and creative operations and earned several patents in plastic coatings. He served on boards and committees across the pharmaceutical, nuclear, and semiconductor industries. RuthAnn, the company’s former CEO, played a vital role in its financial planning and long-term success. Both have been active in their church and have worked extensively with youth, particularly in Spanish-speaking congregations. Together, they served a two-year volunteer mission among LDS Church members in Lima, Peru, exemplifying their lifelong commitment to service, leadership, and faith.
Angel Award Recipient
Lili Carbone Joy, MPH, has been in the public health field for over 40 years, working in Los Angeles and San Francisco before starting her consulting business, Community Health Impact (CHI), in the Sacramento region. With a focus on prevention and treatment of HIV, she provides program development, evaluation, technical assistance, grant writing and grants management services. One of Lili’s biggest successes has been securing over $200M in grants for her clients. Lili has endless gratitude for the people she’s worked with at County Health Departments, nonprofit agencies and private foundations. Together, we have provided a broad range of critical services to populations most affected by HIV and other STIs. We are making a difference
Angel Award Recipient
Terry Sidie is often recognized as one of the founders of Midtown’s cherished Lavender District. In 1985, he opened Faces Nightclub, which has since become Northern California’s largest LGBTQ+ bar and dance club for nearly 40 consecutive years. Terry is the visionary founder of the Rainbow Festival, held every Labor Day weekend in the Lavender District, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. Terry has been involved with CGNIE – the United Courts of Sacramento, Redding, Chico, and Stockton – the Sacramento Midtown Association, and the International Court Council, the second-oldest gay organization in the world. Through his contributions and leadership, Terry has shaped the Sacramento LGBTQ+ community, creating vital community spaces.
Angel Award Recipient
Dr. Marisa Ramos has been with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for 17 years. Currently, she serves as the CDPH Office of AIDS Chief. She has 30 years of experience managing research projects, data systems, and surveillance efforts, and has authored publications and presented at local, state, national, and international conferences on refugee and Latinx health issues. Prior to coming to CDPH, she was an Adjunct Professor of Biology at the University of California, Davis, where she currently serves as a volunteer Professor of Public Health. She completed both Masters and Doctoral programs in Biological Nutrition with an emphasis in Epidemiology from the University of California, Davis.
Angel Award Recipient
Everardo Alvizo began his career with Gilead in October 2023 as a Community Liaison for the Sacramento/Fresno/Reno territories of the West. Throughout his time in this role, he has built and fostered relationships with internal and external partners and strengthened local coalitions focused on HIV prevention and treatment efforts. Prior to this role, Everardo was the HIV Syndemic Policy Program Supervisor for the City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services, where he led their local plan to end the epidemic. He also served as the Co-Chair for the Long Beach Comprehensive HIV Planning Group and represented the City of Long Beach on the Los Angeles County Commission on HIV. Additionally, as a David Bohnett Fellow, he worked in the Office of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Housing and Homelessness Policy team. He has served on the boards of the Latino Equality Alliance and UCLA’s Lambda Alumni Association. Everardo received his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Master of Social Welfare (MSW) from UCLA, and he’s a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with his own private psychotherapy practice.
Angel Award Recipient
Nancy McKernan and Cindy Baudoin started volunteering together in 1994 not long after they became a couple. They first volunteered with a group of women to paint the inside of the Lambda Center. They have volunteered for many different LGBTQ+ organizations including, BENT, Sacramento Pride Festival, SACWN, The Lambda Players, Lavender Library, PFLAG Greater Placer County and Placer LGBTQ+ Center. When they see a need and have the capacity to help, they do.
Angel Award Recipient
The Bolt Family at The Bolt bar has been a cornerstone of Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ nightlife since opening in the early 2000s. The venue quickly gained popularity for its welcoming atmosphere and strong support of the leather, kink, and bear communities. Known for its themed nights, inclusive events, and community fundraisers, The Bolt became a safe space for expression and connection.
Angel Award Recipient
Staci Syas is a native of Sacramento and received her B.S. in Psychobiology from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree with a dual specialization in Health Communication and Education and Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health from Tulane University. For over 29 years she has worked for the Sacramento County Division of Public Health in various capacities developing, implementing, evaluating and managing public health programs. For the majority of her career, she has worked in the field of HIV/STD services and is currently the Sexual Health Promotion Programs Manager–providing coordination and oversight for County programs addressing the full continuum of HIV and STD service efforts including the HIV/STD Prevention, the HIV/STD Surveillance, and the HIV Care Services, and the Sexual Health Clinic. Throughout her career she has worked passionately to amplify and address social and racial inequities driving intergenerational health disparities among BIPOC communities. She feels honored that her life’s work has been as a public servant to the community which raised, nurtured and inspired her.