ACQC Names Rosemary Lopez as Executive Director

ACQC Names Rosemary Lopez as Executive Director

In News by AHF

Respected ACQC veteran with over 30 years of experience in Social Work, with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS, LGBT and women’s rights issues, has served as Interim Director since September, when former Executive Director Philip Glotzer retired after 20 years as head of Queens AIDS organization.

ACQC seeks to improve delivery of lifesaving HIV/AIDS care and services throughout the borough of Queens, which has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS in New York City.

JAMAICA, NY (February 9, 2017) AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC), an affiliate organization of AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), it proud to announce that is has named Rosemary Lopez Executive Director of the respected Queens AIDS organization. Lopez, who brings over 30 years of experience in the field of Social Work with a particular focus on HIV/AIDS, LGBT and women’s rights issues, has served as Interim Director of ACQC since September, when former Executive Director Philip Glotzer retired after 20 years as head of the Queens AIDS organization. ACQC seeks to improve delivery of lifesaving HIV/AIDS care and services throughout the borough of Queens, which has one of the highest prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS in New York City.

“I have known Rosemary Lopez for many years and worked closely alongside her at ACQC and I am very excited that someone as qualified and passionate is now stepping into this crucial role as Executive Director on a permanent basis,” said Philip Glotzer, the former Executive Director of ACQC. “ACQC is in good hands under Rosemary, and the patients, clients and community ACQC serves daily will benefit from her wisdom and years of experience and as a result of her keen stewardship of the organization.”

“We warmly congratulate Rosemary Lopez as she formally assumes the role of Executive Director at ACQC, a position she has served admirably in for the past several months on an interim basis after Philip Glotzer retired,” said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, an affiliate organization of ACQC. “We are also confident that in bringing her experience, vision and leadership—including her many years of service to ACQC—Rosemary is ideally positioned to safeguard the history and future of ACQC and its critical mission of service to the community.”

“It is both an honor and privilege for me to assume the role of Executive Director of AIDS Services of Queens County,” said Rosemary Lopez, who prior to serving as Interim E.D. at ACQC had been working as the Associate Executive Director of Programs and Compliance Officer at the organization. “Philip Glotzer set a high bar in his twenty-year tenure at ACQC, and I take the responsibility of following in his footsteps very seriously. As we continue our work and expand ACQC’s mission of service to the Queens community, I draw strength from what Phil brought to the organization during his tenure, including fostering our alliance with AHF, a partnership that has allowed both AHF and ACQC to strengthen and expand our delivery of services. Together, we now offer a full circle of care with an AHF Healthcare Center and AHF Pharmacy, along with programs which include case management, health education and

prevention services, housing services, legal services, a licensed mental health clinic, a harm reduction and syringe exchange program and a food pantry program—all services which are provided at no charge to our clients. I am truly honored by this appointment and look forward to continue working on behalf of ACQC and the communities we serve.”

Background: Rosemary Lopez

Rosemary Lopez has over 30 years of experience in the field of Social Work. After graduating from Adelphi University School of Social Work, Lopez worked in many different areas of Social Work, but she is particularly bold and outspoken when it comes to issues including HIV/AIDS, LGBT and women’s rights.

Professionally, Lopez has worked with the mentally ill, substance users, and homeless populations. However, she is also still an activist at heart, and was part of the Board for the First Pride Parade on Long Island, and a member of many working committees in Queens. Lopez is a longtime community organizer, oftentimes organizing groups of clients, patients and providers to go to Albany to lobby on issues related to AIDS and HIV.

Currently, Lopez has been working as the Associate Executive Director of Programs and Compliance Officer at ACQC, which she also refers to as the Advocacy Center of Queens County. Her major role at ACQC has been developing and implementing all of ACQC programs and mentoring and overseeing five Program Directors. She is very proud to be a member of LOUD (Latinos Outreach & Understanding Division) and for bringing Luceros to the Latina Group in Queens.

Lopez is also a proud mother of two daughters.

About ACQC

The AIDS Center of Queens County (ACQC) is the largest provider of HIV/AIDS services in the borough of Queens, serving over 10,000 HIV+ clients, and 30,000 community residents in five sites throughout the borough. Our services include case management, harm reduction and syringe exchange program, health education and prevention services, housing services, legal services, a licensed mental health clinic, and a food pantry program. Our services are provided at no charge to our clients.

New AHF Billboards Warn, ‘Syphilis is Serious’
AHF’s New Clinic Brings Cutting-edge Medicine to Odessa