SFAF Vice President Resigns

A leading San Francisco AIDS Foundation staff member has announced his resignation.

Asked in an interview Monday why he's leaving, SFAF Senior Vice President James Loduca, 42, referred to Neil Giuliano, who departed SFAF in 2016 after five years as CEO.

"When Neil stepped down almost a year ago I made a commitment to the board I'd remain in a lead role until the new CEO was identified and on board to ensure a stable transition," Loduca said. "Nearly a year later that day has come." (Joe Hollendoner started as CEO in May.)

In a group email, he said he felt "immense gratitude and pride" for what's been accomplished in the seven years since he joined the organization.

"Because of your support and commitment, we opened new service centers for clients in the mid-market and Castro neighborhoods - and raised nearly $15 million to fund the latter," he said, referring to the Strut health center at 470 Castro Street, which opened in January. SFAF's headquarters is at 1035 Market Street.

"We expanded testing throughout the city with a new state-of-the-art mobile testing unit," Loduca continued. "We created one of the biggest PrEP clinics in the world. We tackled some of our city's most difficult health policy challenges. Together with our partners, we created Getting to Zero and dramatically accelerated the pace by which San Francisco will become the first U.S. city to end HIV transmission."

Loduca told the Bay Area Reporter that he hasn't settled on what he'll do next.

"There are a couple things I'm looking at," he said. "I should have a better idea in the next couple months."

He does plan to stay in San Francisco, where he lives.

Loduca said that since he joined SFAF, which was founded in 1982, the biggest achievement has been "the dramatic expansion of free services and programs."

The nonprofit, which has a budget of more than $30 million, provides HIV testing and counseling, syringe access, support groups, and other assistance to thousands of people a year.

"Never before in the history of the foundation have we expanded to help more people with more services," he said.

However, Loduca said, there's still a need "to fight the public perception that the fight against HIV and AIDS is less urgent than it once was, when in fact it's more urgent than it's ever been. We're so close to ending HIV that to not double down now would be to walk away from 30 years of investment in this work, and that would be a travesty."

Loduca's last day at SFAF will be October 31. In the coming weeks, he'll be working to get Democratic presidential nominee Hilary Clinton elected. Among candidates in other races, he's also supporting gay San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener, who's running against fellow Supervisor Jane Kim to replace outgoing gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco).

Loduca declined to share his salary. According to SFAF's 2014 tax documents, the most recent available, his total compensation was about $252,000.

In response to emailed questions, Hollendoner said, "The community is stronger and healthier as a result of James' work at San Francisco AIDS Foundation. During his tenure, James helped us expand programs and services, including procuring a state-of-the-art mobile testing unit and overseeing the Campaign for Health and Wellness, which has raised almost $15 million and resulted in the opening of Strut earlier this year. He has also been central to the success of AIDS/LifeCycle, which he not only helped produce but also participated as a rider for 15 years, raising more than $230,000 to support the programs and services of the foundation."

The LifeCycle bike ride raises money for SFAF and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Hollendoner said he hopes to have someone new overseeing fundraising efforts early in 2017.

"Until then," he said, "I have great confidence in the team that James has built and know that they will continue to be successful in raising awareness of and support for San Francisco AIDS Foundation."

SFAF board Chair Philip Besirof said in an email, "On behalf of San Francisco AIDS Foundation's board of directors, staff, and clients, I thank James for his seven years of service to our community. James has been a tremendous asset to San Francisco AIDS Foundation and I'm grateful for his leadership in helping the Campaign for Health and Wellness achieve 96 percent of its $15 million goal. James will be missed, and I wish him much success in his future pursuits."