Gail Melissa Graham is an HIV/AIDS activist. Since her diagnosis on April 22, 1997, she has dedicated herself to the fight against HIV/AIDS. In May of 2009, she began the HIV/AIDS Ministry-Outreach Services at the Mount Lebanon Baptist church where she continues to serve as Director.
In 2010, Ms. Graham went on to become a Commissioner on the Baltimore City Commission on HIV/AIDS Prevention and Treatment and continues to serve in that capacity on the now Baltimore City HIV Planning Group. In 2012, Ms. Graham became a Patient Consultant for the University of Maryland PATIENTS Program where she now serves as a PATIENT Professor for their PATIENTS Professor Academy. Ms. Graham received certification as an HIV/AIDS tester and counselor through Jacques Initiatives and since 2012, also serves as the Global Representative of Johns Hopkins University AIDS Clinical Trial Group Network Community Advisory Board. In 2014, she met Dr. Daniel Mullins and his team from the University of Maryland PATIENTS Program. Dr. Mullins became a mentor to her, reminding her of the importance of her voice as a patient as well as an advocate. She consequently began serving as a Stakeholder Advisory Board member on funded projects and has co-presented with Dr. Mullins at numerous federal agencies, patient advocacy, and private sector venues. Ms. Graham has now progressed to the PATIENTS Professor Academy which encourages, teaches, and connects people from all walks in life so that they too can make their communities a better place. There she has become a Patient Professor.
Ms. Graham is a published author in the British Medical Journal, penning an article entitled “The Impact of a Name,” born out of a personal experience in her Dr’s office which effected social justice in the HIV/AIDS patient community. She has subsequently become an official Patient Reviewer for the British Medical Journal, submitting her first two reviews on pending research articles.
In 2017, Ms. Graham became a national board member on the Institute for Medicaid Innovation National Advisory Board and as of November, 2022 has become a governing board member. In 2019, she became a board member of the National Advisory Committee (NAC) for the Community Solutions for Health Equity Program. In 2019, Ms. Graham was also inducted into the SisterLove, Inc. 2020 Leading Women’s Society. Finally, and certainly not least, in 2021 Ms. Graham was elected to the board of Ishshah’s Place a domestic violence 501(c)(3) organization as its Community Engagement Officer. She looks forward to now helping survivors of intimate partner violence find joy and live an abundant life.