Thomas Judd Care Center Events
Thomas Judd Care Center hosts and participates in events throughout the year to raise awareness of our work for community members living with HIV/AIDS and our prevention efforts. We hope you will join us!
Northern Michigan HIV Summit
Friday, Sept. 27, 9:30 am - 3 pm
Hagerty Center
715 E Front St., Traverse City
Registration has closed.
Healthcare professionals and members of the public are invited to attend this free event hosted by Thomas Judd Care Center. The summit will feature four educational sessions related to HIV/AIDS issues (continuing education credits are available), the presentation of this year's Community Collaborations Award, and a 30-year Thomas Judd Care Center anniversary celebration video.
Tickets to the VIP “Safe Sips” reception are sold out!
CEU Information:
Agenda
9:30 am — TJCC Welcome, Anniversary video, presentation of Community Collaboration award
10 am — Benjamin Raap, "HIV and Cancer Navigation"
11 am — Levi Berkshire, "The Power of Prevention"
Noon — Lunch
1 pm — Panel discussion: "HIV Criminalization in Michigan: Past, Present, and Future;" Michigan Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie, ACLU Attorney Jay Kaplan, and PA Caleb Youngblood, Moderated by Comedian Roz Hernandez
2 pm — Keynote speaker Dr. Stella Safo, "Empowering Wellness: The Vital Role of Sexual Health"
3 pm — Adjourn
Speakers
Benjamin Raap
Benji Raap has an MA in public administration and more than 10 years of public health experience. He has been a community health worker, an HIV Medical Case Manager, and now with the Cancer Prevention and Control Section of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) as the Cancer Screening Project (CaSPr) Navigator. CaSPr’s objective is to help people with HIV get screened for colorectal, cervical, breast, and lung cancer in Michigan. When Benji is not working with patients or projects, you can find him playing his cello and video games.
Levi Berkshire
Levi has been with the State of Michigan as the Biomedical Prevention Coordinator since 2020. Levi has done HIV testing and education for community organizations for many years, and HIV prevention is his passion.
Levi has shared a cover of Positively Aware Magazine, won The University of Michigan World AIDS Day award, and has worked as a non-medical case manager and early invention specialist with those living with HIV.
Roz Hernandez
Roz Hernandez is a transgender comedian, actor, and host who stars in Hulu's "Living for the Dead." Known for her energetic and stylish performances, Roz has hosted a popular show at Hollywood Improv and performed at notable venues like Largo and Dynasty Typewriter. Her podcast "GHOSTED!" delves into supernatural experiences and has been recognized by Vulture magazine as one of the best comedy podcasts of 2022. Roz's charm and wit have made her a favorite on various top podcasts and Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live." She resides in Los Angeles, where she enjoys collecting antiques and customizing her wardrobe.
Jay Kaplan
Jay Kaplan has been the staff attorney for the ACLU of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ Project since its founding in 2001. He has worked on cases including challenging undercover sting operations targeting gay men, fighting Michigan’s constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex couples from marrying, defending the validity of second parent adoptions granted in Michigan, and recently the Aimee Stephens case, which went up to the United States Supreme Court, resulting in a decision protecting LGBTQ employees from discrimination. Jay was honored with the 2006 Unsung Hero Award from the Michigan State Bar and the 2010 Virginia Uribe Civil Rights Award from the National Education Association (NEA).
Aghogho Edevbie, Michigan Deputy Secretary of State
Aghogho Edevbie currently serves as Michigan’s Deputy Secretary of State. Before Secretary Benson appointed him in March 2023, he was the Michigan State Director of All Voting is Local. Aghogho has played a crucial role for more than a decade in protecting voters through his advocacy for ballot drop boxes, early voting, increased funding for clerks, and protections for election workers. During the 2022 election cycle, Aghogho served on the drafting committee for the successful voting rights Proposal 2 ballot initiative, which amended Michigan’s Constitution. A Detroit native, Aghogho has a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a juris doctorate from the University of Michigan Law School.
Caleb Youngblood
Caleb Youngblood, PA-C, AAHIVM, has been a physician assistant with the Be Well Medical Center in Berkley, MI since 2011. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Health Sciences from Grand Valley State University and earned his physician assistant degree (called a Master’s of Medical Science) from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. He then passed the certification of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants, which allows one to apply for licensing in any state. He successfully completed a post-graduate fellowship in HIV Medicine at the AIDS Health Care Foundation in Los Angeles, where he exclusively saw HIV patients in both in-patient and out-patient settings. Be Well is perfect for someone with his background and interests. Caleb and his wife have two young children. He’s a big sports fan and a marathon runner. 3:43 is his best time so far, but he’s working on improving that.
Stella Safo, MD, MPH
A board-certified practicing HIV primary care physician and public health practitioner, Dr. Stella Safo is dedicated to ensuring everyone has access to the best healthcare. Dr. Safo is a Ghanaian-American, board-certified practicing HIV primary care physician and public health practitioner who has led teams dedicated to healthcare improvement in various settings. In 2021, Dr. Safo created Just Equity for Health, a health care improvement company that uses advocacy, education and care model design to ensure equitable care delivery across all sectors of medicine.
Trained at Harvard for her B.A., M.D. and M.P.H., she completed internal medicine training at Montefiore’s Primary Care Social Medicine program with a fellowship in HIV care through the HIV Medicine Association.
Currently, Dr. Safo is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mount Sinai where she holds dual appointments in Medicine and Medical Education. She is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Montefiore Medical System where she serves as the current Director for the Social Medicine Curriculum. Her research areas focus on qualitative analyses of challenges to healthcare delivery for vulnerable populations around the world. She has lectured nationally and continues to teach and mentor students and trainees. In addition to consulting on projects around equitable care model design and to a commitment to social justice work, Dr. Safo also provides clinical care to HIV+ and LGBTQ+ patients in New York. She also continues to be an advocate for gender and racial equity in medicine.