Beth brings a unique combination of sharp business expertise and women's health insight to her leadership of the organization. Beth has worked in the health care industry for more than 25 years helping to define and drive public education programs on a broad range of women's health issues. She launched and has expanded the HealthyWomen.org brand. As a result of her leadership, HealthyWomen was recognized as one of the top 100 women's health web sites by Forbes for three consecutive years, and was recognized by Oprah magazine as one of the top women's health web sites. HealthyWomen now connects to millions of women across the country through its wide program distribution and innovative use of technology.
Beth is responsible for the business development and strategic positioning of HealthyWomen. She creates partnerships with key health care professionals and consumer groups to provide strategic, engaging and informative award-winning programs. She serves as the organization's chief spokesperson, regularly participating in corporate, non-profit, community and media events. She also is a practicing nurse in maternal child health at Riverview Medical Center- Hackensack Meridian Health, in Red Bank, NJ.
In addition to her nursing degree, Beth holds degrees in political science, business and public administration from Marymount University.
To stay sane, she loves to run and compete in road races. She enjoys skiing and sailing with her husband and young son, and welcoming new babies into the world.
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One moment, HIV/AIDS didn't exist—and the next moment it was all over the news.
That's not exactly true, but that's what it felt like. Seemingly overnight, there were reports of people—mostly homosexual men—dying at an alarming rate.
It was terrifying and shocking. With few drugs to treat the virus, it was a death sentence for many. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 673,538 people in the United States died from AIDS between 1981, when the epidemic started, and 2013, the most recent year when data was available.
And the disease didn't stay confined to gay men. Currently, one in four people living with HIV is a woman, and nearly 90 percent of cases are due to heterosexual sex.
That's why HealthyWomen.org is pleased to be a part of the HIV: The Long View Coalition. We've joined forces with the American Academy of HIV Medicine, Gay Men's Health Crisis, the National Council on Aging and the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, in partnership with Gilead Sciences and the Future Foundation, to bring awareness to the challenges of dealing with HIV and AIDS.
We've helped produce the HIV: The Long View report because we are dedicated to helping educate everyone living with or at risk for HIV in the United States. This report examines current challenges for those living with HIV and looks toward future health care trends and opportunities for improved treatment and management.
Here is a look at how far we've come:
The earliest case of AIDS dates back to a blood sample drawn from a Congolese man in 1959. The cause of his infection? Unknown. We now know that AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is caused by HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus. It attacks the body's immune system, making it more vulnerable to viruses, bacteria, infection and other diseases.
Because of our increased knowledge and advanced technology, the HIV infection rate has begun to decline in the United States. The rate of new HIV infections fell by 19 percent between 2005 and 2014, the CDC reports. Equally important, new antiretroviral drugs can manage the disease and improve quality of life, similarly to managing diabetes or heart disease.
The sooner these treatments are started, the better chance there is of delaying symptoms of infection. However, as women, many of us tend to put our own health last, because we're busy caring for children, spouses or aging parents, for instance.
We need to better understand how HIV affects women. Here is a start:
Women lag in HIV awareness and treatment, as well as access to health care. This is particularly a problem among women in underrepresented and underserved minority populations, such as African American, Latino and transgender women.
In 2014, approximately 1,350 Hispanic/Latino women, 1,483 Caucasian women and 5,128 African-American women were diagnosed with HIV. Hispanic/Latino women have a rate of new infection that is four times higher than among Caucasian women. And the risk is highest for transgender women, partly due to a high rate of sex work and multiple sex partners.
It's important to take charge of your own health and know some important facts about HIV/AIDS:
Being educated is empowering. You can take charge of your health for the long-term and learn how to prevent and live with this virus. HIV: The Long Viewhas provided an evidence base to help us set up that vision of care and support.
