BREAKING BARRIERS SYMPOSIUM - MAY 26 & 27, 2021 PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
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BREAKING BARRIERS SYMPOSIUM – MAY 26 & 27, 2021
PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES
DAY ONE: May 26, 2021: Breaking Barriers Symposium: HIV in Alabama
Laurie Dill, MD, AAHIVS
Keynote
For many actively engaged in the field of HIV care, Dr. Dill requires little introduction. Dill served as
Medical Director for Medical Advocacy and Outreach (MAO) from 2006 through 2019, although her
expertise, passion and involvement with MAO and its patients truly began in 1996 when she came
onboard as a physician. Dr. Dill, an Alabama native, received her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt
University and attended medical school and residency at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
Medical School. She is Board Certified in Internal Medicine in addition to being certified as an HIV
Specialist by the American Academy of HIV Medicine. In her career, she has undertaken medical mission
work in Belize, worked as an Instructor in Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
as part of their Faculty Development Program, and served as the County Health Officer of the
Montgomery County Health Department. Her influence extends far outside of Alabama, having
presented in many settings including her talk on HIV and Women in the South to the 45th Meeting of
the President’s Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA) in Washington D.C. Dr. Dill has co-authored
articles on Domestic Violence in primary care. She helped implement MAO’s service model including the
successful integration of a nationally recognized telemedicine program. In 2016, Dr. Dill was named as
one of POZ Magazine’s POZ 100, and in 2017, Dr. Dill was presented with The Samaritan Counseling
Center’s Maury D. Smith Award for Excellence in Professional Ethics. In 2019, she was honored by the
University of Alabama Medical Alumni Association with the Martha Myers Role Model Award. At the end
of 2019, Dr. Dill passed the mantle of Medical Director for MAO to Dr. Cordelia Stearns and transitioned
into the critical position of MAO’s Liaison on the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative. When not engaged
in policy and strategic work, she continues to support the care needs of patients throughout South
Alabama.
Michael R. Murphree, LICSW
Presenter
A lifelong resident of Alabama, Michael Murphree is a graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery
and the University of Alabama. He received his Master of Social Worker degree and is licensed at the
LICSW level. Murphree serves as the Executive Officer for Medical Advocacy and Outreach (MAO)
based in Montgomery, AL. Prior to his hire at MAO, he served as Interim Executive Director for theSouthern AIDS Coalition. The great majority of his life has been spent living and serving in rural areas of
Alabama. Having grown up in that environment helped instill an extra sensitivity to the specific needs
and cultural differences that rural communities experience. This background was particularly helpful in
the expansion of HIV specific medical and social service care to rural communities in Southeast and
West Alabama during his service at Montgomery AIDS Outreach. Michael Murphree has been a
presenter at 3 White House-sponsored programs discussing Telemedicine services in the Deep South
as well as a panelist and presenter for numerous Department of Health and Human Services webinars
and conferences. A requested speaker on Telehealth, Social Work, Case Management, Mental Health
and HIV issues at national, state and local conferences and programs, his work and life experiences
have contributed greatly to his goal of educating people on the importance of serving others.
Lynn Matthews, MD, MPH
Presenter
Lynn T. Matthews is an Associate Professor and Director of Global Health Research in the Division of
Infectious Disease at University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). She completed her undergraduate
training at Swarthmore College, her medical degree at the University of Miami, Internal Medicine
residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Infectious Disease fellowship at Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, and an MPH at Harvard School of Public Health. She was faculty at Massachusetts
General Hospital and Harvard Medical School for 7 years prior to relocating to UAB.
Panel Discussion
Shakita Brooks-Jones, MSW, MPA
Panel Moderator
Shakita Brooks-Jones is the Assistant Clinical Professor for the Department of Sociology, Anthropology
and Social Work at Auburn University. She graduated from Troy State University with a B.S. in social
work and a master’s in social work from the University of Alabama, a master’s degree in public
administration and a nonprofit management certification from Auburn University Montgomery, and is
the founder of Central Alabama Alliance Resource & Advocacy Center.
Thomas Chavis, LPC
Panelist
Mr. Thomas J. Chavis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice with Chavis
Counseling Service, LLC in Montgomery, AL. He received his M.S. in Counseling and Psychology in 2012
from Troy University before eventually becoming a LPC in private practice. He worked for six years with
various substance abuse counseling services and non-profit organizations. Mr. Chavis is a member of the
Alabama Board of Counselors and is licensed through The Board of Examiners in Counseling for the State
of Alabama. He is married to Tony Hickman and resides in Montgomery with their dog Ginger. He is an
artist and enjoys working in their garden.
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 2Tori Cooper
Panelist
Tori Cooper is a health and equity advocate, community organizer, educator, published author and
leader in the transgender and HIV communities. She leads with more than 30 years of experience at all
levels of HIV service, from volunteer roles to her service as executive director and founder of Advocates
for Better Care Atlanta, LLC. She now serves as the Human Rights Campaign’s Director of Community
Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative. In this role, her focus includes economic
empowerment; capacity building programs; public safety; and expanded public education campaigns.
She is currently matriculating towards her Master of Arts degree in Public Health.
Tony Christon-Walker
Panelist
Tony Christon-Walker currently serves as Director of Prevention and Community Partnerships at AIDS
Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. Other positions previously held by Christon-Walker for AIDS Alabama
include Men’s Health Coordinator and Civic Engagement Coordinator. As a passionate person who has
been living with HIV for several years, he has become an influential advocate for the HIV and AIDS
Community and devoted to helping countless individuals navigate the path from diagnosis to treatment
and care. Many of the relationships formed in his lifetime became the crux of Walking in Truth:
Fatherhood, a (lightly) fictionalized memoir Christon-Walker published in 2020 that, as he described to
The Body.com, “is the first in a planned trilogy of books about my life.”
Marguerite Barber-Owens MD, AAHIVS
Panelist
Marguerite Barber-Owens is a graduate of Howard University Medical School. She is assistant medical
officer for Medical Advocacy and Outreach (MAO) based in Montgomery, Alabama; the medical director
of Southern Care Hospice, also in Montgomery, Alabama; and a board certified Internist. Having been
trained in internal medicine, Dr. Barber-Owens was in private practice from 1990 to 2014 where she
specialized in adult health care (teen years through senior adult) with a concentration in Diabetes
Mellitus. Because her commitment to health care extends beyond the role of primary care physician, Dr.
Barber-Owens has also been a staff physician for the Accountability Healthcare system and a Medical
Reviewer for VIVA Health. Her empathy, passion, and understanding of today’s issues, events, and
policies, along with her obvious skill and knowledge, makes her uniquely qualified to help, educate,
support, and inform the community, especially on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, diabetes mellitus, medical
inequalities, breast cancer, and issues germane to today’s youth. Outside of the clinic setting, Dr.
Barber-Owens is an active volunteer and community leader. She organizes and participates in many
community health fairs; serves as a guest lecturer in community and academic settings on health issues,
especially HIV. She is a member and past president of Capital City Medical Society; a founding member
of Dr. Seay Wilson Medical Society; a member and presenter of SISTAS (Sisters in Survivorship Through
Action and Support), a cancer education and control service; a member of NMA (National Medical
Association); a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (since 1976) and Montgomery Alumnae
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 3Chapter (since 2006); and a member of Southeast AIDS Education and Training Center (SE AETC) Steering
Committee. Dr. Barber-Owens is Board certified by AAHIVM (American Academy of HIV Medicine).
DAY TWO: May 27, 2021 Breaking Barriers Symposium: COVID-19 in Alabama
Michael Saag, MD
Keynote
Michael S. Saag is a physician and prominent HIV/AIDS researcher at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham. He holds the Jim Straley Chair in AIDS Research, is Director of the Division of Infectious
Disease and of the William C. Gorgas Center for Geographic Medicine, Director of the Center for AIDS
Research, and the Associate Dean of Global Health. Dr. Saag received a B.S. in chemistry with honors in
1977 Tulane University and earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville. During medical
school, he served for three years on the Medical School Admissions Committee and received the Presley
Martin Memorial Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine. He completed his residency and infectious
disease and molecular virology fellowship training at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. During
his fellowship training, Dr. Saag made seminal discoveries in the genetic evolution of HIV in vivo. He
evaluated isolates of virus obtained from individual patients at different periods in time and cloned and
molecularly characterized these isolates to determine the degree of diversity of co-existing viral variants
and to describe their evolution over time (Nature, 1988). While working with Dr. Dismukes, Dr. Saag
designed and led a multi-center national AIDS clinical trial on the management of cryptococcal
meningitis. This study included 194 patients and demonstrated the role of oral azole therapy in the
treatment of this disorder in HIV-infected patients (NEJM, 1992). During the last 6 months of his
fellowship, Dr. Saag conceived the concept of a comprehensive HIV outpatient (1917) clinic dedicated to
the provision of comprehensive patient care in conjunction with the conduct of high quality clinic trials,
basic science, and clinical outcomes research. Within the clinic structure, he established a clinical trials
unit, a data management center, and a Clinical Specimen Repository designed to support the activities
of the newly established Center for AIDS Research at UAB. In essence, the clinic became a “hub” for the
clinical, basic science, and behavioral science investigators within the Center by creating a dynamic
interface between the patients and the investigators.
Since the establishment of the clinic, Dr. Saag has participated in many studies of antiretroviral therapy
as well as novel treatments for opportunistic infections. He has published over 260 articles in peer
reviewed journals, including the first description of the use of viral load in clinical practice (Science,
1993), the first description of the rapid dynamics of viral replication (Nature, 1995), the first guidelines
for use of viral load in practice (Nature Medicine, 1996), the first proof of concept of fusion inhibition as
a therapeutic option (Nature Medicine, 1998), and directed the ‘first-in- patient’ studies of 7 of the 25
antiretroviral drugs currently on the market (including indinavir, efavirenz, abacavir, and enfuvirtide).
Dr. Saag has contributed over 50 chapters to medical textbooks, has served on the Editorial Board of
AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses, Co-Edited a textbook entitled AIDS Therapy (Churchill
Livingston, now in its 3rd edition, and currently serves as an Editor of the Sanford Guide for
Antimicrobial Agents and the Sanford HIV Guide. He recently served on the Board of Directors of the
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 4American Board of Internal Medicine (and as Chair of the Infectious Disease Subspecialty Board), has
twice served as a member of the HIV Disease Committee of the Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment
Program for the American College of Physicians, and has served recently on the NIH Office of AIDS
Research Advisory Council. Dr. Saag currently serves on the International AIDS Society-USA Board of
Directors, is President-elect of the HIV Medical Association, as a member of the HHS Guidelines Panel on
Antiretroviral Therapy, and on numerous state, local, and national committees. He was elected into the
American Society of Clinical Investigation in 1997. Among his other awards, Dr. Saag has received the
Myrtle Wreath Award from Hadassah, was listed as one of the top ten cited HIV researchers by Science
(1996), and has been listed as one of the Best Doctors in America since 1994. He received the
Outstanding Medical Research Achievement Award from the AIDS Task Force of Alabama, an Excellence
in Teaching Award from the Medical Association of the State of Alabama, was named a “Health Care
Hero” by the Birmingham Business Journal (2003), received a Service Award from the AIDS Survival
Project in Atlanta (2003), was a 2004 honoree of the Birmingham Chapter of the National Conference on
Community and Justice (NCCJ), a recipient of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce Spirit of
Birmingham Award (2005), was a recipient of the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award (The
Arnold P. Gold Foundation), and was a recipient of the UAB Alumni Society Hettie Butler Terry
Community Service Award (2007).
Cordelia Stearns, MD, AAHIVS
Presenter
Dr. Cordelia Stearns serves as the Medical Officer for Medical Advocacy and Outreach (MAO) and a
board certified internist and certified HIV specialist. She received her medical degree from the
University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine where she received the coveted 21st Century Gamble
Scholar recognition including a full merit scholarship to the University, the Anna Chirico Award for
Excellence in Primary Care, and the Spencer Morris Prize for highest academic achievement. Stearns
completed her residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the
Health Equity and Advocacy Training Pathway Program at San Francisco General Hospital, considered a
global leader by many in HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, research, and education since 1983.
Prior to assuming her leadership role for MAO, Dr. Stearns supported MAO’s clients part time as an HIV
specialist for almost two years in addition to actively practicing in other settings for the last decade. She
is an equally respected researcher and educator. Most recently, she held the role of Clerkship Director
for Internal Medicine, University of Alabama (UAB) Montgomery Medical Campus and Associate
Program Director for the UAB Internal Medicine Residency Program. These roles came after having
already served as Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine for UAB Montgomery. During her time with
UAB, Dr. Stearns earned accolades from peers and students. Beyond her classroom, residency, and
office commitments to advancing the next generation of medical professionals, Dr. Stearns has been a
frequent contributor and reviewer for many industry publications, including the Substance Abuse
Journal and the Journal of General Internal Medicine. She has also been a certification standard setter
for the American Board of Internal Medicine. Alone or in collaboration with peers, Dr. Stearns has
contributed articles to an extensive list of publications and academic texts, including the Journal of
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 5Hospital Medicine, AIDS Care, the Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Academic Emergency
Medicine, to name a few, on a range of topics including: provider perceptions and practice, patient
outcomes, patient transitioning from clinical trials to routine care, as well as an exhaustive list of
subjects derived from studies into contemporary health issues. A popular presenter, Dr. Stearns has
canvased the nation as a result of invitations to present at conferences, leader gatherings, and medical
training programs.
Latesha Elopre, MD, MSPH
Co-Presenter
Latesha Elopre currently serves as Assistant Professor of Medicine for the University of Alabama at
Birmingham’s School of Medicine, Department of Medicine/Infectious Diseases. Dr. Elopre is also
currently an Attending Physician at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) 1917 PrEP Clinic,
the UAB 1917 HIV/AIDS Clinic, and the UAB University Hospital, in addition to serving as Director of
Diversity and Inclusion for UAB’s Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine Program. Dr. Elopre was
previously a Post-doctoral Fellow, in the UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases,
a Research Fellow, in the UAB Department of Medicine, and an Attending Physician in the Emergency
Room for the Birmingham VA Medical Center, where Dr. Elopre continues to serve as a Hospitalist
Physician. Prior to completing residency at UAB, Dr. Elopre taught 9th Grade Honor Biology at Stanton
College Preparatory School in Jacksonville, Florida and gained initial exposure to healthcare at the
Medical Group of North Florida. Dr. Elopre holds a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Florida,
College of Medicine; a Master’s of Science in Public Health in Applied Epidemiology from UAB; and
Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Florida State University. Dr. Elopre
completed post-doctorate training as a Post-doctoral Fellow and Clinical Fellow at UAB’s Department
of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases. In addition to having filled countless guest lecturer and
instructional roles, Dr. Elopre is an Assistant Professor in UAB’s Department of Medicine, Division of
Infectious Diseases, is the Co-Chair for the DCGME Diversity Committee at the UAB School of
Medicine, serves as Co-Investigator for UAB’s Center for AIDS Research, and Director of Diversity and
Inclusion for UAB’s Department of Medicine, Internal Medicine Residency Program. Having been the
recipient of an exhaustive list of awards and recognitions, Dr. Elopre has elevated field-related efforts
by serving on a list of specialized committees including, but not limited to: CDC Women and PrEP
Discussion Series, Incentivizing and Rewarding Faculty for Research, the Dean’s Council for Graduate
Medical Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB’s CFAR HIV Adherence Work Group, the
HPTN 078 Work Group, Questionnaires Writing Team Sub-Group, the UAB Department of Medicine
Culture Work Group, and the UAB Intern Selection Committee, to name a few. In addition to serving
as an educator and physician, Dr. Elopre is also a dedicated researcher. Currently, Dr. Elopre is engaged
in research to increase uptake of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis among high-risk populations to abate
growing health disparities in the HIV epidemic. The effort includes focusing on racial and sexual
minority populations, as well as, economically disenfranchised communities. Dr. Elopre is credited in
more than eight peer-reviewed manuscripts in addition to being the co-author of Our Stories: The
Impact of Religion on Sexual Health (2014 with Van Wagoner N.) in Martha Kempner, MA (Ed.),
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 6Creating a Sexually Healthy Nation: Celebrating 100 Years of the American Sexual Health Association.
(pp 26-27) Research Triangle Park, NC.
Anthony Merriweather, MSPH
Co-Presenter
Anthony Merriweather currently serves as the State STD Director for the Alabama Department of Public
Health (ADPH) in the Bureau of Communicable Diseases. He previously directed the HIV Surveillance
Branch for the AIDS Division and also worked in the Injury Prevention Branch. In 2020, Merriweather
served as the State Trainer for COVID-19 contact tracing and tracking for statewide field investigations.
He has worked in State government with the ADPH for the last 19 years. He is a graduate of the
University of Alabama at Birmingham where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and a
Master of Science Degree in Public Health with a major in Epidemiology. He also obtained a Master’s
Degree from the United States Army War College in Pennsylvania. Anthony Merriweather holds the rank
of Colonel in the United States Army Reserves for which he has served in 5 deployments spanning the
last 34 years.
Elana M. Parker Merriweather, Ed.S., AADC, BCC, BC-TBH
Presenter
Elana Merriweather serves as the Behavioral Health Officer for Medical Advocacy & Outreach (MAO).
Prior to joining the MAO team, Merriweather served as the State Medical Reserve Coordinator and
Minority Special Populations Coordinator in the Center for Emergency Preparedness for the Alabama
Dept. of Public Health, as well as a Health Services Administrator, AIDS Coordinator and Public Health
Educator for the HIV/AIDS Division, Cancer Screening Division, Office of Minority Health, Office of
Women's Health and Center for Emergency Preparedness. She also served the Alabama Dept. of
Corrections as Correctional Reentry Coordinator for two years. Merriweather earned an Education
Specialist Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Alabama State University, a Master of
Education Degree in Community Agency Counseling, and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree
in Marketing from the University of Montevallo. In addition to her training and administration roles,
Merriweather is a Licensed Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Certified Sex Offender
Treatment Specialist, Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor, Associate Prevention Specialist, and Distant
Credentialed Counselor. She is a member of the Alabama Alcohol, Drug Abuse Association and Alabama
Counseling Association and ADMH – Statewide Prevention Advisory Board. Merriweather has served as
a presenter and trainer at several national, state and local conferences to address a wide assortment of
behavioral health topics.
Bretia Gordon, Ed.D., MPA
Training Host/Closing Summation Speaker
Bretia Gordon serves as the Education and Training Officer for Medical Advocacy and Outreach (MAO).
Dr. Gordon earned her Doctor of Education in Human Services Administration from Nova Southeastern
BBS 2021 - PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES – Page 7University, her Master of Public Health Administration Degree from Troy University, and a Bachelor of
Arts Degree in Psychology from Tuskegee University. She is currently working on her Master of Public
Health degree at the University of Alabama Birmingham. Her 15 plus year career has afforded
opportunities to serve in various capacities in the fields of Public Health and Human Services. As a
dedicated educator and researcher, Gordon’s research interests are in HIV Prevention, Veterans Issues
and Minority Health disparities. In 2019, She was chosen to serve as an Ambassador for the inaugural
Black AIDS Institute’s Black Women’s Ambassador Program. She is especially interested in furthering the
agenda to end the HIV epidemic through coalition building and creating innovative and strategic
methods targeting underserved populations and minority communities in the South.
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