Board of Directors

LaTrischa Miles, BBA, CHW, is the manager of the Peer Treatment Adherence Program at the Kansas City CARE Health Center. She has over 17 years’ experience in HIV services, and she is nationally recognized with expertise in training, supervision, advocacy, treatment adherence and community education.

In her advocacy, Ms. Miles prioritizes HIV decriminalization. On December 8, 2011, Ms. Miles, Positive Justice Project, and the Center for HIV Law & Policy held the first public meeting to discuss HIV decriminalization strategies. She has testified twice–on May 9, 2018, and February 4, 2019–before Missouri’s House Committee on Health and Mental Health to garner support for HB 166 and HB 167, which would update the current HIV laws to reflect modern science. Ms. Miles is a member of Empower Missouri’s HIV Justice Coalition, and she currently serves on its Legislative Committee. On June 9, 2019, Empower Missouri presented Ms. Miles with the Elaine Aber Humanitarian Award in recognition of her steadfast commitment to and advocacy for HIV decriminalization.

Additionally, Ms. Miles has worked with organizations in Florida, Missouri, and Boston, assisting persons living with HIV and AIDS to become Peer Educators. She served as Chair of the Kansas City Ryan White Planning Council, which serves an 11-county area with over 4,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. She also has served on local, regional and national quality management committees to improve efforts for consumers in HIV care and treatment services. She is one of 28 co-founders of the U.S. Positive Women’s Network (PWN) and is a current Board Co-Chair. Ms. Miles is founder and President of GRACE of Greater Kansas City, a Women’s monthly support group for women of faith with HIV. In 2015, Ms. Miles received the Martin Luther King, Jr. “Keeping the Dream Alive” Award in Medicine/Health Care from the American Business Women’s Association.

Ms. Miles’s hobbies include reading and running, both half-marathons and 5Ks. She is a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 6, and she enjoys spending time with her family.

Tana Pradia is a mother of three children, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother. She has been living with HIV since 1999. She almost died from TB, having a T-cell count of 14 and a viral load she describes as “out of control.” After being given a second chance, Tana became a patient mentor at Thomas Street Health Center. She began her advocacy work with a Project LEAP class, a training course offered by the Ryan White Planning Council (RWPC). She was appointed Secretary of the RWPC in 2019, and she now chairs it. Tana initially participated in the Positive Organizing Project to learn how to advocate, and she has been one of the mentors for the last five years. Tana is one of the co-founders of the Positive Women’s Network–Greater Houston Area Chapter, now the Texas Chapter, which she currently co-chairs. She is a graduate of the 2018–2019 PWN–USA Policy Fellowship.

Tana is one of trainers for the AIDS United POP grant that was awarded to the Texas Chapter. She is also the secretary of the Texans Living with HIV Network. Today, Tana is doing things she truly loves and accredits her work to maintaining her sobriety.

Lisa Johnson-Lett is an entrusted Living Well peer supporter, mentor, educator, navigator, linkage-to-care Network Treatment Adherence and Prevention Specialist at the Living Well Outpatient Center (LWOC)- under AIDS Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. She currently serves on the following planning bodies: Positive Leadership Council (PLC), AIDS Alabama; Patient Advisory Board (PAB), UAB 1917 Clinic; Clinic Host- UAB 1917 Clinic; and Positive Women Network (PWN)-USA . Recent accomplishments are as follows: acceptance as active member for Alabama Consumer Advisory Board (ACAB); guest speaker for HIV Update with KC Vick in Montgomery Alabama on November 18, 2016; AIDSWatch 2016; Speaker for Advocacy Awareness Day- Montgomery, Alabama; published article relating to HIV & Stigma- PWN; published article relating to HIV & Treatment- POZ Focus.  Previously serving 10 Years in the United States Armed Forces holding positions as Public Speaker and Public Announcer for Awardees at diverse ceremonies as well as retirement ceremonies for colonels and sergeant majors.

Lisa holds a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS)- Human Services from the Audrey Cohen School of Human Services and Education and has an Associate Degrees in human services as well as speech communication from Gadsden State Community College. In collaboration with AIDS Alabama, UAB’s 1917 Clinic, AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), the United Way and Quarterly Case Management trainings, Lisa is a product of selfless service and advocacy for the HIV Community.

Octavia Y. Lewis, MPA is an activist, advocate, mother and scholar.  She is currently working as a Community Ambassador with AmidaCare. As a Transgender woman of color living with HIV, she understands the intersectionality and nuances of the complexities of her identities and how it correlates with the world around her. While employed at the Hetrick-Martin Institute, she led all Transgender related programing and services providing the youth with transferable skills needed to navigate the systems which are in place to assist them while teaching them to find their voices to advocate for themselves, educating ally’s on what it means to be an ally, and leading through exemplary leadership skills on living one’s authentic life unapologetically.  

Octavia Y. Lewis, MPA holds an Associate in General Studies from Atlanta Metropolitan College, a Bachelors in Business Administration/Marketing from Georgia Gwinnett College, a Master’s in Public Administration/Health Services Management, and is a Doctoral Candidate in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University.  She remains rooted in community issues that plagues the Transgender community through mentorship of other young Transgender youth to one day takes her place in the fight for equality. She is focused on her professional development through scholarly practice and engagement with industry leaders who are willing to not only address the disparities of the disenfranchised and impoverished but are willing to allow them a space to create solutions toward sustainability.

As the Director of Residential Housing at Chicago House and Social Service Agency, Turk channels her mission to empower and uplift others through love and compassion. By overseeing residential housing programs, she ensures comprehensive support for individuals impacted by HIV/AIDS. Her leadership fosters community collaboration to address societal issues like violence and inequality, exemplified by initiatives such as coordinating a Consumer Advisory Board to enhance services and engagement.

As the Founder, President, and Chief Strategist of Heartworks Consulting, Turk leads initiatives focused on ending the HIV epidemic through local, evidence-based testing, linkage, and treatment strategies. By providing services designed to strengthen community health systems, her advisory focuses on delivering sustainable, scalable solutions in and beyond Chicago.

Turk’s commitment to empowerment and inclusivity is evident in her impactful work as a public speaker and author. She has published works, including “Securing the Future of Women’s Centered Care,” and conducted groundbreaking research on “Depression, Anxiety, & Stress Among Individuals with HIV/AIDS.” In recognition of her contributions, Turk was honored as a Community Champion for her efforts in education and community-building.

Previously, as the National Field Organizer for Positive Women’s Network, Turk developed new programming and led awareness campaigns. She also held community leadership roles at Prism Health and the University of Chicago, where she expanded access and engagement to health services. Additionally, she has served on boards including the National Youth Pride Services and the Gilead Compass at Emory University.

With a degree in Community Health and Preventive Medicine from South Suburban College, Turk’s educational background is complemented by numerous certifications, including Healthy Relationships Certification, Community Health Worker Certification, and Access to Services Certification.

As a proud mother of both birth and adopted children, and a national advocate living with HIV for over 20 years, Turk embodies perseverance and compassion. An indispensable leader in public health and community empowerment, she is relentless in her dedication to transforming lives and inspiring hope for a brighter, more inclusive tomorrow.