Longtime Sexual Health Worker to Leave SFAF

A man who for years directed a program that provided HIV testing, counseling, and other services to thousands of people in San Francisco is leaving the position.

Steve Gibson, 50, who had served as director of Magnet and is currently director of sexual health services at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, will mark his last day at the nonprofit Friday, April 22. He's set to become the HIV prevention branch chief at the State Office of AIDS in Sacramento.

"I'm very proud of my nearly 25 years of developing innovative HIV prevention programs in San Francisco and the successes we've seen here in reducing new HIV infections," Gibson said in response to emailed questions. "I am humbled by the strides we've achieved in San Francisco and look forward to representing our achievements, address barriers to more effective prevention strategies, and identify new initiatives of prevention across the state."

Gibson left the Stop AIDS Project in 2001 to head the strategic planning process that led to Magnet's opening as a program of UCSF in 2003. Magnet left the university and became an SFAF program in July 2007, and Gibson's been an employee of the nonprofit since then.

Men regularly lined up outside Magnet's 4122 18th Street site to get tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, along with other services. Community events and exhibits were also hosted at the center.

Magnet recently moved out of the 18th Street spot and went to Strut, SFAF's center for gay and bi men's health at 470 Castro Street, which opened early this year. Magnet services are now also known as sexual health services, and Gibson is the division's director.

"The sexual health services provided in the Castro and the other SFAF locations are national and international models of care. The staff and volunteers are leaders in their roles," Gibson said. (The foundation's headquarters are at 1035 Market Street and it also offers assistance at other sites.)

He called his decision to leave "difficult," but said Magnet's move "allowed me to take inventory of the next chapter in my professional development."

The Office of AIDS HIV Prevention Branch, where Gibson is heading, "funds initiatives to assist local health department and other HIV service providers to implement effective HIV detection and prevention programs," he said.

Asked about his biggest achievement at SFAF, Gibson said, "I'm proud of the work my team does every day whether it be at Strut, on the mobile testing unit, or at the SFAF main office on Market Street."

However, he said, his biggest recent accomplishment was the rollout of the PrEP health program at Magnet and at 1035 Market Street. Gibson said he and others worked "to develop a sustainable model of offering PrEP services in a sex-positive environment."

In the Castro, the program focuses primarily on gay, bi, and transgender men, while the 1035 location focuses more on trans women and men who're sexually active with other men "but wouldn't feel comfortable coming to the Castro," Gibson said.

In emailed comments, Tim Patriarca, Strut's executive director, said, "Steve is a visionary of public health. At the Stop AIDS Project, Magnet, and the AIDS foundation, he led teams to develop a model of HIV and STI prevention, testing, and community health that has been replicated all around the world. Since he joined us in 2007, he has expanded HIV and STI screening services tenfold, launched our PrEP program and overseen increased capacity at Strut."

Gibson's position is being re-written "to reflect the new integrated services at Strut," Patriarca said. Joe Hollendoner is set to take over as SFAF's new CEO May 2. Patriarca said he's "hopeful" that the search for Gibson's replacement can start by the end of May.

In his current role, Gibson, who declined to state his salary, oversees a staff of 35 employees and more than 100 volunteers.

There will be a free, public going away party for him from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, April 21 at Strut.