Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation

Officers

The Trustees of Elizabeth’s estate serve as the Officers of ETAF. This team, handpicked by Elizabeth, establishes and leads the organization’s strategic vision.

Barbara BerkowitzOfficer

Barbara began working closely with Elizabeth as her lawyer in 1989. Eight years later, with Elizabeth’s support and encouragement, Barbara established her own law practice, Berkowitz & Associates and Elizabeth was her first client.

Tim MendelsonOfficer

Tim worked as Elizabeth’s executive assistant for more than 20 years and currently serves as Co-Trustee of her estate, per her request.

Quinn TiveyOfficer

Grandson of Elizabeth Taylor, Quinn Tivey carries on her legacy and passion as a sought-after speaker and representative of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

Catherine BrownExecutive Director

As the Executive Director of ETAF, Catherine sets the organization’s strategic direction in partnership with the ETAF Officers. Prior to this role, she served on ETAF’s Advisory Board for many years and had the privilege to work with Elizabeth on two major fundraising events benefiting people with HIV and AIDS.

Jake ArmanDirector of Programs

As the Program Manager of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF), Jake ensures that the organization’s programmatic efforts in advocacy and grantmaking are implemented and aligned with the foundation’s mission and strategic plan. Jake received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from Whittier College with an emphasis in Creative Writing & Journalism and a...

Joan HicksProgram Manager

Joan received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Oregon, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Global Health. Her undergraduate career allowed her to explore a passion for being an advocate for underrepresented populations through interdisciplinary research and volunteer opportunities. Furthering her commitment to global health issues by joining the ETAF staff,...

Elizabeth WoodsSenior Fundraising Manager

Elizabeth has BA in Political Science and a minor in Spanish from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Through her studies and internship in college she gained a passion for working towards a future in which everyone has access to quality healthcare, housing, food, and education. She most recently worked in fundraising at Inner City Law...

Executive Advisory Board

ETAF gratefully receives valuable insight from diverse executives to reach the foundation’s strategic planning, marketing, fundraising, partnerships, and public relations goals.

Meet our Executive Advisory Board

Elena BacaPartner, Employment Law Department | Paul Hastings LLP

Elena Baca is the Global Chair of the Paul Hastings Employment Law Department and leads a diverse group of more than 80 lawyers in 10 offices around the world. Ms. Baca is recognized as a leading trial lawyer by many noted publications. She has been consistently ranked by Chambers USA and The Legal 500 as...

Joe CristinaVice President (Retired), Mattel Inc. and HIV Advocate

As a former executive at Mattel, Joe Cristina’s professional life was dedicated to bringing fun and joy into the lives of children for more than three decades. In 1993, Joe was faced with a dilemma—his health had been deteriorating due to HIV, he had lost two life partners to AIDS along with many friends, and...

Christina FrancisPresident, Magic Johnson Enterprises

In January 2019, Christina Francis became the first female President of Magic Johnson Enterprises (MJE) where she is responsible for managing and directing the corporation’s day-to-day operations including strategy and business development, while overseeing the organizations ownership properties and prestigious partnerships including JLC Infrastructure, SodexoMagic, Capital One, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Football...

Carmen VillarVice President for ESG and Corporate Citizenship | Gilead Sciences, Inc.

Carmen Villar is an enterprise thinker, creative strategist, and impact obsessed ESG leader. She is currently the Vice President for ESG and Corporate Citizenship at Gilead Sciences, where she oversees Gilead’s ESG strategy and leads corporate giving as well as the philanthropic work of the Gilead Foundation. Together, with her team, they are developing the...

Jeff AssafSenior Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer | ICG Advisors

J. Jeffrey Assaf is a Senior Managing Director as well as the Chief Investment Officer and Investment Committee Chairman of ICG Advisors. In addition to setting the firm’s strategic direction and managing client relationships, Mr. Assaf supervises all portfolio construction and modeling. Prior to founding ICG in 2009, Mr. Assaf was a Senior Managing Director...

Susan ChokachiFounder and CEO | Chokachi Consulting

Susan Chokachi is the Founder and CEO of Chokachi Consulting. A creative business leader with over 30 years of experience in fashion and luxury, Ms. Chokachi previously held several executive roles at Gucci, where she worked for 25 years. Most recently, Ms. Chokachi was EVP, Chief Brand & Client Officer, responsible for the brand’s global communication,...

Advisory Board

ETAF is fortunate to receive guidance from programmatic counselors who are experts in the fields of AIDS-related healthcare, research, and policy.

Meet our Advisory Board

Chela DemuirPresident and Executive Director, Unique Woman’s Coalition

Queen Mother Chela has been in service to the LGBTQ community with a journey that expands over two decades. Although Chela has a formal education as a journalist, after working many years with the LGBTQ+ community, with expertise in trans issues, she realized that access to culturally competent support and services for black trans people...

Michael Gottlieb MDHIV Physician

Dr. Gottlieb is the physician who first described the new disease that would later become known as AIDS. He has been involved with AIDS for the life of the epidemic, and remains prominent in HIV treatment and research. A founder of the American Foundation for AIDS Research, Dr. Gottlieb was physician to actor Rock Hudson...

Tina HoffSenior Vice President and Director of Health Communication and Media Partnerships, Kaiser Family Foundation

Tina Hoff is a Senior Vice President and Director of Health Communication and Media Partnerships at the Kaiser Family Foundation where she oversees multi-faceted public information partnerships with leading media and corporate partners alongside health departments, national leadership groups, community organizations, foundations and others to address pressing health and social issues.

Michael KaplanPresident and CEO, Melanoma Research Alliance

Michael Kaplan joined the Melanoma Research Alliance as President & CEO in 2016. Building on more than 25 years of executive non-profit and public health leadership experience, Mr. Kaplan has a proven record as a passionate supporter of health research and policy.

Trish KarlinVice President of Global Business Planning, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Trish Karlin is the Executive Vice President, External Affairs and Business Development, for EGPAF. Trish leads a global team that directs business planning, resource development, marketing and communications for EGPAF’s international programs, which represented $140 million in HIV service delivery, advocacy and research in 2013.

Queen Victoria OrtegaNational President, FLUX

Queen Victoria believes in leadership through service. Currently she serves as Queen of The Royal Court. Through her role as Queen, she leverages her intersectionality to advise and guide organizations and systems. She also serves as the National President of FLUX, a network of trans leaders dedicated to raising the profile of trans and gender non-conforming communities. Her majesty has...

John PellerPresident and CEO at AIDS Foundation of Chicago

John Peller has served as AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s President & CEO, where he oversees the over 115-person staff and nearly $30 million budget. John started at AFC in 2005 as AFC’s state lobbyist, served as Vice President of Policy, and was named CEO in 2014. Since then, he has worked with the Board of...

Gary Tigges, MD

Dr. Gary Tigges was born and raised in Bancroft, Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of Iowa in 1988 and a Medical Degree from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1992. Dr. Tigges completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Texas-Houston in 1995....

Lynda Tyer-Viola, RNC PhD FAANDirector of Women’s Services, Pavilion for Women, Texas Children’s Hospital

Lynda Tyer-Viola, RNC PhD FAAN is the Director of inpatient nursing and operations for the Pavilion for Women at Texas Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Clinical Professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

Ambassadors

ETAF is graciously supported by a roster of ambassadors. These are exceptional individuals who lead and advocate in their communities, and use their platforms to help carry forward Elizabeth’s voice and vision.

Meet our ambassadors