Staff
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Cyndee Clay, Executive DirectorEmail: cyndee (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Clay is an internationally recognized expert with over 20 years experience in program development, nonprofit management and evaluation for improving the health and safety of injection and non-injection drug users, sex workers, and transgender individuals. She is a graduate of the UCLA/Johnson & Johnson Health Care Executive Program at UCLA Business School, convened DC’s first working group on drug user health, and serves as the DC Prevention Planning Group’s community co-chair elect, DC community representative for the Urban Coalition of HIV/AIDS Prevention Services UCHAPS, and the DC Recovery Advisory Council.
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Elizabeth MacIntosh, Director of ProgramsEmail: elizabeth (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Elizabeth MacIntosh has been with HIPS since Valentine’s Day 2003. Elizabeth works closely with the Executive Director in all aspects of program development and organizational goals. She is responsible for HIPS program supervision, evaluation and administration as well as acting as a liaison to foundation and public funders. Elizabeth has developed and implemented numerous interventions including, “Choices” for NJ DOH and “Charm School” for HIPS which provides peer support, health education, goal setting and advocacy geared towards women who use drugs. She has also worked as a consultant for NECAPT (Northeast Center for the Application of Prevention Technologies-) and has presented various workshops on peer based strategies regarding public health and issues around the sex work community at national and international conferences. Elizabeth possesses an AA in Liberal Studies from Harcum College, BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a MS in Clinical Psychology from California Coast University. While not doing HIPS stuff, she likes collecting 80’s punk and metal records, watching Celtic F.C. matches, and experimenting with street and mail art.
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Sara Knotts, Director of Finance and OperationsEmail: sara (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers or they/them/theirs As Director of Finance Operations, Sara is responsible for all grants management, human resource management, IT infrastructure, and organizational and fiscal compliance. Sara grew up in Greenville, North Carolina where she attended East Carolina University and obtained a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Operations Management in 2004. Sara is a member of the American Society for Quality and the National Association for Professional Women since 2003. Sara joined HIPS in 2013 as the Operations Manager and became Director of Finance & Operations in 2016 . When Sara's not at HIPS, she's spending time with her family, planning off road adventures, and brainstorming nonprofit hacks.
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Shakita Chapman, Low Barrier Services ManagerEmail: shakita (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Shakita joined HIPS in 2013 as a Community Health Worker. She is a certified Treatment Adherence Specialist, HIV and HCV tester and brings 6 years of experience in the HIV care and prevention field. Shakita spends her days helping our clients navigate the healthcare system with the overall goal being to decrease barriers in accessing medical care and support our clients in leading healthy lives. In her current role as the Drop-in Center Manager, she supervises peer educators, oversees support groups, and manages meal and shower services. Shakita is well known for her passion for helping others and is a self-proclaimed “Person for the People” because of her love for giving back to the community. Shakita has a strong interest in addiction and recovery is currently taking steps toward becoming an Addiction Counselor. When Shakita is off the clock, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and enjoying life to the fullest!
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David Sternberg, Clinical Services ManagerEmail: dsternberg (at) hips.org
Pronouns: he/him/his As Clinical Services Manager, David oversees the HIPS Infectious Disease Clinic, Medication-Assisted Treatment Clinic, and distict-wide targeted HIV and Heptitis C testing initiative. He comes to HIPS after 11 years of providing health care to marginalized populations in Florida, Illinois, and California. He holds a BA in Sociology from California State University East Bay.
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Phyllis Bijole, ID Clinic CoordinatorEmail: phyllis (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Phyllis coordinates HIPS' Infectious Disease Clinic. She conducts Hepatitis C and HIV tests as well as links clients to medical care. She joined HIPS in January 2017 as a direct service intern performing syringe exchange and outreach in the community. Phyllis graduated with a master's degree in public administration from Troy University and possesses a BA in global affairs. She is passionate about serving others and interested in the ways that community education and engagement impacts health outcomes. When she is not working, she loves watching TV and spending time with family and friends. |
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Dana McCullough, MAT Services CoordinatorEmail: dana (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers As the MAT Services Coordinator at the HIPS Clinic. Dana's goal is to inspire her clients to work towards a safe and harm reducing lifestyle. Dana ensures her clients know of all HIPS' services such as the HEP C Clinic, syringe exchange, and others. Dana meets her clients with empathy and compassion, an open heart and is always willing to listen. Dana has been affiliated with HIPS since 2003 in so many ways. She started as a client, a volunteer, and became a Peer Educator, facilitating groups on harm reduction techniques. Dana became a syringe exchange secondary and is now Community Health Worker and an all around around for sex worker's rights. Dana attends college at the University of the District of Columbia for her Bachelors in Nursing and looks forward to many more years of service to her clients in the community! |
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Rebecca Hurd, Mobile Services CoordinatorEmail: rebecca (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Becca started at HIPS as a Direct Service/Housing Case Management Intern before graduating to her position as Mobile
Services Transition Specialist. In this capacity she helps to manage the HIPS hotline, coordinate volunteers, collate data, manage inventory, and support interns among other things. She will graduate from George Washington University in Spring 2019 with a degree in International Affairs concentrating in Global Public Health and a minor in Public Health. She is passionate about harm reduction, and when not at HIPS she is probably doing theater or kicking butt at martial arts. |
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Ms. Kenney Mayo, Drop-in Services CoordinatorEmail: kenney (at) hips.org
Pronouns: any pronouns Ms. Kenny has worked at HIPS for five years and has been dedicated to maintaining a positive and safe environment in the Drop In Center. Ms. Kenny conducts HIV tests, manages the showers, community lunches, clothing closet, and receptionist area. When Ms. Kenny isn't at HIPS, she likes to watch old black and white movies, shop, and travel.
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Earline Budd, Non Medical Case Management SpecialistEmail: earline (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Earline Budd is a long time DC resident and transgender woman who has worked tirelessly over the last 20 years to advocate for the rights and inclusion of transgender people and other members of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LBGTQ) community. She is one of the founding members and former Executive Director of Transgender Health Empowerment, Inc. (T.H.E.) and was the District of Columbia’s first transgender women appointed to the Office of Human Rights. Earline currently works as a Treatment Adherence Specialist at HIPS and represents HIPS and the trans community on the Mayor’s Commission on HIV/AIDS and on the DC Ryan White Planning Council. Earline has two years of college in Business Administration and attended the Brookwein Business Institute of Washington, D.C. Earline comes to HIPS everyday with a grocery bag of home cooked snacks and goodies and keeps everyone who walks through the doors well fed regardless of whether or not they are on her caseload. She describes her everyday hobby as just wanting “to help her community, even if it’s just by getting them something to eat just for today, and being there to work on the next step tomorrow.”
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Randy Kier, Community Health WorkerEmail: randy (at) hips.org
Pronouns: he/him/his Randy is a Community Health Worker with HIPS and has been with the organization since 2014. Randy’s work involves assisting clients with linkage to medical care, performing HIV and HCV testing, facilitating treatment adherence, participating in mentorship opportunities, and providing counseling sessions. He is currently studying Social Work with a concentration in public health at the University of District Columbia. In addition to his studies, Randy serves as the Vice President for the Student Government Association at UDC. Randy is a member of the LGBT community and has always possessed a passion to combat HIV/AIDS and to educate his community with intent to change it for the better. Randy strongly believes that working together we can bring an end to HIV/AIDS.
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Maurice Abbey-Bey, Syringe Exchange SpecialistEmail: maurice (at) hips.org
Pronouns: he/him/his Maurice, affectionately known as Moe, is a Washington DC native who came to HIPS in 2013 as Secondary Exchange Peer Educator providing syringe access and support to his community. Maurice has watched HIPS grow in the community and has seen his own role grow within it as well. In and out of prison, jail, chaotic drug use, and substance abuse treatment since the age of 13, Maurice says that those years were when he realized he has to “reach the lowest depths before reaching the highest heights”. Today Maurice serves as HIPS’ full time Syringe Exchange Specialist, supervising HIPS mobile syringe exchange program, the linchpin of HIPS' street based services. Moe serves as the President of HIPS & Drug Policy Alliance IDU Health Working Group, The Chosen Few. The Chosen Few provides overdose education to HIPS' stakeholders both on site at HIPS and out in the community at various sites, trains HIPS clients, staff, and volunteers on how to administer Naloxone in the IDU community, and is cornerstone of the DC community. He greatly enjoys working hands on and using his easy and welcoming manner and drawing on his deep network of relationships to make Washington, DC a healthier and safer place to live. While not at HIPS, you can find Maurice at the dog park with his two Maltese puppies, Lily and Bear!
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Cindy Binette, Drop In Operations ManagerEmail: cindyb (at) hips.org
Pronouns: she/her/hers Cindy joins HIPS with over 20 years of management experience. As Operations Manager, Cindy is responsible for keeping HIPS running like a well oiled machine by supporting all of the programs HIPS has to offer. Cindy is a native Washingtonian, and grew up in Oxon Hill, MD. Cindy has always had an interest in helping others and is excited to help with the HIPS mission. When Cindy’s not at HIPS she enjoys traveling with her wife, spending time with their exotic short-hair cat, Hershey, helping her grandmother, and watching reality TV.
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Jack Buyske, Community Health Worker, Health Corps Fellow 2018-2019Email: jack(at) hips.org
Pronouns: he/him/his Jack Buyske is originally from New Jersey and recently graduated with a BA in Public Policy Analysis from Pomona College, a small college in Southern California. When in college, Jack worked in the HIV Department of a local community health center and wrote his senior thesis about naloxone distribution in Los Angeles. He is new to the D.C. area and will be with HIPS for the year as the AmeriCorps Fellow, working primarily with the Medication Assisted Therapy Clinic. Outside of work, Jack is a huge baseball and basketball fan and an avid hiker.
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Tristan Sullivan-Wilson, HIPS Legal & Advocacy Fellow
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Miriam Jones, Patient Access SpecialistEmail: miriam (at) hips.org
Pronouns: She/her/hers Miriam A. Jones is a native Washingtonian and very compassionate about our community. I currently work with Hips in NE DC fighting the epidemic with HIV and curing HCV viruses. I am the Patient Access/Early Intervention Specialist under the HIPS clinical services department. |
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Tamika Spellman, Policy and Advocacy FellowEmail: advocacy fellow@hips.org
Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Tamika is originally from Buffalo New York but has lived in Washington D.C. on and off since 1988. Tamika has worked with HIPS since June 2017. She has served as a peer educator then worked as a part of the needle exchange program. She has volunteered her time with mobile services giving new works and safer sex supplies to people throughout the District. Tamika knows first hand what the war on drugs has done to the community. She is dedicated to helping others and working to create positive policies and laws to help those involved in sex work and drug use. She has testified on behalf of HIPS at the D.C. Council, spoken on several harm reduction panels, and is very active in both SWAC and the DC LEAD Coalition. HIPS is extremely honored to have Tamika as part of our policy and advocacy team.
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