Dromm Honors Long-Time HIV/AIDS Advocate Michael Camacho

PHOTO CAPTION: Council Member Daniel Dromm (second from right) presents a proclamation to AIDS Healthcare Foundation Executive Michael Camacho (on Dromm’s left).  Council Members Rosie Mendez (far left) and Deborah Rose (far right) joined Dromm for the presentation.

On Monday evening, NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm, NYC Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and members of the LGBT and Black, Latino and Asian Caucuses honored AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Executive Michael Camacho at the Council’s annual World AIDS Day commemoration at City Hall. 

Active in the HIV/AIDS field for over 20 years, Camacho has focused his career primarily on HIV prevention efforts with young gay and bisexual men. 

“I am pleased to honor Michael Camacho, a professional who has dedicated his career to fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm.  “For years, I have worked alongside the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and their affiliate, the AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) to meet the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and to prevent new infections.  Our movement has progressed thanks in no small part to Michael’s advocacy and perseverance.  Our community owes him a tremendous debt of gratitude for all he has done.” 

About Michael Camacho:

Michael Camacho, MPH

Regional Director of Pharmacy Sales – Northern Region 

Camacho started his career in 1998 as the Recruitment Coordinator for Project ACHIEVE at the New York Blood Center.  Here he worked on several NIH-funded prevention research projects including the EXPLORE HIV behavioral study, the VAXGEN HIV vaccine trial, and various HIV testing studies.  He was also the Project Coordinator for the CDC-funded National HIV Behavioral Surveillance project in collaboration with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). 

In 2005, Camacho joined the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center as Project Coordinator for the NIH-funded Connect to Protect (C2P) community mobilization research study.  The goal of C2P was to mobilize a community coalition that implemented and monitored structural changes that impact the HIV prevention activities among young gay and bisexual men. Collectively, the C2P Coalition focused on issues of homophobia, homelessness, and access to medical services to improve the lives of young men in NYC. 

In 2009, Camacho joined the NYC DOHMH’s HIV Planning Group (formerly PPG) where her served for six years in several leadership roles including the Community Co-Chair Elect and Chair for the MSM workgroup.  Under his guidance as Community Co-Chair the HPG transitioned from a population-based to a strategy-based planning group to be in line with President Obama’s National HIV/AIDS Strategy.  He also served as the NYC Community Representative on the Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services (UCHAPS) which works to strengthen HIV prevention efforts in U.S. urban areas most impacted by HIV/AIDS. 

In 2010, he joined the Adolescent AIDS Program at Montefiore Medical Center as Project Manager for NIH-funded Latino HIV Testing Study.  Here he worked closely with Bronx community gatekeepers to identify and address barriers to HIV testing and access to medical services for young Latino gay and bisexual men. 

In 2012, Camacho joined the AIDS Healthcare Foundation as the NYC Regional Director where he played a pivotal role in the establishment of AHF services in the NYC area.  Camacho’s leadership established AHF as a vital player in the NYC HIV community. He opened five healthcare centers across NYC, implemented public health services including a free STD screening/treatment program in Brooklyn, and launched the INSTI 1-minute HIV test in the NYC market. He also played a vital role in the establishment of an affiliation between AHF and AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) which now serves as a model of HIV service delivery.  

Recently, Camacho was promoted to the Regional Director of Pharmacy Sales for AHF’s Northern Region.  In this role he leads a team of pharmacy representatives in New York City, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland, and Philadelphia, to effectively service the pharmacy needs of patients living with HIV and Hepatitis C.

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