The Wright Center for Community Health Staff Selected to Serve on State HIV Advisory Group

Two employees of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Ryan White Clinic will join an advisory group collaborating with the state Department of Health, including its Division of HIV Health and Bureau of Communicable Diseases, as well as the University of Pittsburgh.

Sharon Whitebread, manager of medical case management at the Ryan White Clinic, and Deanna DiGiampaolo, the clinic’s outreach and prevention education coordinator, have been appointed to three-year terms on the HIV Planning Group. The advisory group panel brings together stakeholders from across the state to coordinate efforts in HIV care and prevention planning.

“The HIV Planning Group envisions a future where everyone living with HIV, as well as those most vulnerable to the disease, have access to the latest prevention methods, treatment, care, support, and services,” Whitebread said. “We will offer guidance to the Pennsylvania Department of Health on HIV-related care, prevention, testing, and the state’s progress in achieving the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.”

Whitebread, who holds a degree in human services and a certificate of specialization in criminal justice, has been with The Wright Center for nearly five years and has worked in the HIV field since 2001. Throughout her career, the Luzerne County resident has been an HIV testing counselor for the state Department of Health, an HIV/AIDS instructor and instructor trainer for the American Red Cross, an HIV intervention specialist, and an educator and outreach professional in the field.

DiGiampaolo has a diverse clinical background, working in emergency rooms, laboratories, and pharmacies. The Wayne County resident has a public health degree with a concentration in communicable diseases and a biology degree. 

Membership in the HIV Planning Group is by invitation only. Whitebread and DiGiampaolo, chosen for their unique backgrounds, will join 23 other representatives from across the Commonwealth.

The Wright Center has been a federally designated Ryan White provider since 2003. It delivers comprehensive HIV primary medical care, essential support services, and medications to individuals living with HIV, including the uninsured and underserved, across seven counties in Northeast Pennsylvania.

Currently, The Wright Center serves nearly 500 patients through its Ryan White clinical program, provides specialty health care, and has about 300 clients through its medical case management program. Some individuals are enrolled in both services.

To learn more, visit TheWrightCenter.org/services/ryan-white-hiv-clinic/ or call 570.941.0630.