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MARTIE GILLIN: FOUNDER AIDS ALIVE, INC. and SpeakUp! OBJECTIVE As parents of ten children who lost our oldest son to HIV/AIDS in 1992, we felt the need to “put a face” to this disease and to help change people’s attitudes about those infected and affected by it. In 1997, our family formed AIDS Alive, a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS. In the process of delivering the AIDS Alive program it became more and more evident that effectively stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS requires not just increased awareness but improved self-esteem for young people’s ability to make informed positive life choices. Students consistently communicated to us a need for a program to help them better engage with parents and educators and develop the skills to deal with the issues they confronted on a daily basis. Accordingly, we developed the SpeakUp! model to discuss their concerns. This began as a large group experience and now includes smaller onsite workshops and follow up series designed for schools, organizations and community groups.

AIDS EDUCATION
Drexel AIDS Education Institute
Curriculum Development Program
Philadelphia Department Public Health
HIV/AIDS Education Training Program

BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
AIDS Alive, Inc. & SpeakUp! (Founder and Vice President)
Melmark Home Inc.
Prayer Power
St. Edmond’s Home for Crippled Children
Siloam

MEDIA COVERAGE
Good Morning America
Host of “Coming to Terms”
TV Programs
CN8 The Comcast Network
Good Day Philadelphia
New Orleans TV News
Mademoiselle
Catholic Digest Magazine
Catholic Standard and Times
Main Line Life
Philadelphia Inquirer
Suburban Wayne Times
PBS Special “Mothers March”
KYW Radio
Fox TV News
Channel 6 News
“Womanly Wise”
Main Line Times

AWARDS
The Catherine McAuley Award, The Holy Child Cornelia Connelly Award, The Visiting Nurses Caring Award, St. Francis Country House Award, University of Notre Dame Award, CYO Award, Maynooth College-Ireland Award, Huntington’s Disease Society of America’s “Women of Distinction Award”, Philadelphia Eagles-Fly for Leukemia, Magee Rehabilitation Hospital Humanitarian Award.

EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Through presentations and seminars to students, parents,community organizations, and TV programs, AIDS Alive has reached millions of people including Philadelphia and outlying areas New Orleans , New York, Archdiocese of Washington & groups such as Catholic Education Convention, Montgomery County IntermediateUnit, West Chester University Faculty, Montgomery County Youth Detention Center, Graterford Prison & the University of Pennsylvania.

Martha W. Gillin
AIDS Alive, Inc. & SpeakUp!
1084 E. Lancaster Ave
Rosemont , PA 19010 19010-1515
610-519-9600 (Ph) 610-526-9630 (Fax)
United Way #6357
www.AIDSAlive.org
aidsalive@aidsalive.org
www.SpeakUp2000.org
speakup2000@speakup2000.org

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