WILMINGTON, DELAWARE (October 17, 2023) – Christopher Moore becomes the Interim Executive Director for AIDS Delaware as John Gardner retires after 10+ years at the helm. Christopher will guide the agency as it prepares to celebrate 40 years as Delaware’s first and largest HIV Service Organization. He will also partner with the AIDS Delaware team and Board of Directors to find the next Executive Director. The goal is to do a thorough search and fill the position by the end of 2024.
John Gardner’s journey into HIV/AIDS advocacy was driven by personal identity and a profound sense of purpose. As a gay man, he recognized the urgent need to address the crisis affecting the LGBTQIA+ community. His passion led him to dedicate over two decades to AIDS Delaware, where he held roles ranging from volunteer to board member to Executive Director. John played a pivotal role in combating HIV/AIDS, raising awareness about knowing one’s HIV status, and securing critical funding to expand essential services for those affected by the epidemic. With his retirement, John aspires for AIDS Delaware to continue thriving, providing education and support, and ultimately contributing to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. “I feel very comfortable stepping down now with the very knowledgeable and tenured staff that is in place and knowing Christopher’s commitment to the Agency,” John says.
Christopher’s commitment to AIDS Delaware was formed when he was a teenager. “It’s the first safe space I found as a queer person to ask questions to and receive answers from people who not only understood what I was saying but also were intent on ensuring I was supported,” he says. “The privilege to lead this agency and find the next great leader is one I take seriously.” He is also very familiar with the workings of the Agency having served as the Secretary of the Board for the past four years.
Before joining AIDS Delaware, Christopher worked for ChristianaCare, most recently as the Director of Community Health. In his 17 years with the state’s largest health system, he worked first as a reproductive health educator, and then as an advocate for education and access to resources, with a particular focus on creating equitable care for LGBTQIA+ individuals. This work included leading the Alliance for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention, one of Delaware’s largest providers of evidence-based HIV and STI-prevention education. He also co-created Camp FRESH, a summer program for youth from the city of Wilmington. In 2019, he designed ChristianaCare’s Community Investment Fund which has since awarded more than $5 million to local not-for-profits focused on improving the social drivers of health, like access to goods and housing. “My career started in education and prevention, and I am thrilled to join a team where both are highly valued,” he says. “In a way, I feel like I have come full circle.”
Christopher is a Sussex County native, a graduate of the University of Delaware, a two-time Ameri-Corps alum, a Jefferson National Service Award winner, and adjunct faculty at Delaware Technical Community College. He splits his time between Wilmington and Toronto, where his partner, Harman, and dog, Bingo, live.
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AIDS Delaware’s mission is to eliminate the spread and stigma of HIV/AIDS, improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS, and promote community health through comprehensive and culturally sensitive services, education programs, and advocacy. AIDS Delaware is the state’s first and largest HIV Service Organization (HSO), founded in 1984 by a group of concerned volunteer activists addressing the needs of the state’s emerging AIDS community. For nearly 40 years, AIDS Delaware has been known as Delaware’s premier HSO working for the health of the human family.
With offices in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown our services include free, confidential HIV testing; case management/client services; education/outreach programs; pharmacy services; food and personal products pantry; drug and alcohol and mental health counseling.
AIDS Delaware, 100 W. 10th Street, Suite 315, Wilmington, DE 19801, 302.652.6776, aidsdelaware.org