Chioma Nnaji, MPH MEd

Project Director
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Department of Quantitative Health Sciences
University of Massachusetts Medical School
55 lake Ave North
Worcester, MA
USA 01655

Biographical Sketch: Ms. Juliet Sithole-Berk is a native of Zimbabwe. Juliet works with the MA Department of Public Health, Bureau of Infectious Disease Control, Prevention and Services-Office of HIV/AIDS (in this forum she is not representing the MDPH). Prior to joining the Office of HIV/AIDS, Ms Berk worked with Lowell Community Health Center in Lowell, MA coordinating the HIV Counseling, Testing and Referral Services program and initiated the African HIV outreach program. In addition, she has worked as a Direct Care Consultant for the Africans for Improved Access program; a program of the Multicultural AIDS Coalition in Boston, Massachusetts; where she facilitated community based HIV education forums to various communities and African community leaders and also initiated the Sub-Saharan African Faith-Based HIV initiative. In addition Juliet has facilitated on HIV Cultural competency to HIV service providers who serve African born-immigrants at statewide, regional and national conferences. Ms. Berk holds an Msc in Community Economic Development. She is a Fellow with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention /Association of Schools in Public Health (CDC/ ASPH) in HIV Prevention Leadership. She is actively involved locally in HIV/AIDS issues in the African community and other civic organizations. Juliet is one of the core founder members of the National African HIV Initiative, (NAHI) which is an African –led organization seeking to improve health outcomes among African- born immigrants and refugees living in the US through culturally competent, prevention education, advocacy, data collection and research. She is also a current Board member of One Lowell Inc. an immigrant advocacy organization in Lowell, MA. Chioma Nnaji is a Program Director at the Multicultural AIDS Coalition were she oversees the Capacity Building and Technical Assistance program, Community Health Nexus, and the State of Emergency Initiative, which increases awareness about HIV in Boston’s Black communities. She also manages the Africans For Improved Access (AFIA) Program – an HIV prevention and education program targeting Sub-Saharan African (SSA) immigrants and refugees. The Multicultural AIDS Coalition is a non-profit AIDS serving organization committed to mobilizing communities of color to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Ms. Nnaji has worked in public health for the past 10 years as a direct care provider, researcher, and administrator. She has conducted trainings and workshops with providers and participated on panel discussion focusing on Cultural Competency, Effective Outreach Strategies to Sub-Saharan Africans, Being African and HIV-Positive, and What are the Needs of Sub-Saharan Africans? She is currently a member of the Harvard University IRB and a founding member of the National African HIV Initiative. Ms. Nnaji holds a Masters degree in Public Health in International Health from Boston University School of Public Health and a Masters of Education – Curriculum Design & Instruction from Boston College.

Papers:
1005.0 Group presentations & discussion