VP of Public Policy and Engagement

Indiana Minority Health Coalition

Tony Gillespie has more than 20 years of experience working at the state and community level addressing HIV/AIDS and many other chronic disease issues and health disparities. In the late 90s Gillespie saw that African American gay men were dying at alarming rates without adequate HIV related services. In response Gillespie co-founded Brothers Uplifting Brothers, a grassroots HIV/AIDS service organization in Northwest Indiana. The agency provided HIV housing/homelessness programs, and primary and secondary prevention services. 

In 1999 Gillespie joined Indiana Minority Health Coalition, a statewide organization that works to decrease the incidence of chronic disease and health disparities in minority communities. He successfully led a Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) planning grant process to provide HIV primary medical services for people living with HIV. He also successfully led a National Centers for Disease Control (CDC) initiative that resulted in the formation of two community based organizations that address HIV/AIDS in minority communities, and a Office of Minority Health funded initiative to build capacity in faith and community based organizations to address HIV/AIDS at the community level. He has served on numerous federal, state and local community advisory boards. 

Gillespie served as Chair of the Northwest Continuum of Care Network addressing affording housing and homeless issues; was a Technical Assistance Provider for the Indiana HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (CPG); served on the Board of Directors for a federally qualified community center.

In 2006 Gillespie was named the regional, state and national Citizen of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers. In 2010 he received the Indiana Statewide HIV/AIDS Outstanding Service award, and in 2011 he was awarded the Indiana Governor’s Award for Achievement in Health and Physical Fitness recipient.

Most recently Tony has co-authored articles on institutional and structural barriers of HIV testing, and the capacity of Indiana’s community health centers to provide HIV/STI standard of care. He has also had posters and oral presentations accepted at the United States Conference on AIDS, the National STD Prevention Conference and the American Public Health Association national conference. In 2014 he was recognized by the Obama administration for his ongoing work in address HIV and other health disparities.