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Meet Our Board

Our Board

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Ruthie Weatherly

Clinical Operations Manager

She, Her, Hers

Ruthie began volunteering in 2008, and served on the board from 2010-2019. Ruthie holds a degree in Human Services and Public Health Education from UW-Oshkosh. Ruthie has been working in HIV/STD/HCV prevention since 2004.

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Kevin Nieves

Board President

He, Him, His

Kevin has been a volunteer at BESTD since 2015 and joined the board in 2019. Currently, he works at a local emergency department as a nurse and is pursuing his NP degree. 

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Ken Barbeau

Board Treasurer

He, Him, His

Ken Barbeau is the Director of Community Programs & Services for the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee.  Ken has been a volunteer at BESTD since 2006 and performs intake for STD clients and/or HIV clients. Since he has an accounting background, he also acts as BESTD Treasurer. 

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Dr. Andy Petroll 

Medical Director

He, Him, His

Andy is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin in the Division of Infectious Diseases where he specializes in the care and prevention of HIV. He also holds an appointment as an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and conducts research at MCW’s Center for AIDS Intervention Research. His research interest is understanding and improving the function of the healthcare system in the prevention of HIV. Dr. Petroll currently serves as the Medical Director for the Board.

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John George

Board Member

He, Him, His

John has been clinic President since 2009. In his spare time, he is an antiques dealer and has 2 dogs with his Partner, Todd.

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Mickey Hart

Board Member

He, Him, His

Mickey is a clinical pharmacist at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin. At BESTD, he is involved with HIV prevention counseling, HIV testing, and management of our medication supply. He joined the board ion 2018. 

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Ryan Schmidt

Board Member

He, Him, His

 

Ryan began volunteering at BESTD in 2022 and is involved with HIV counseling and STD testing. He works as an Emergency Department Technician, and is interested in pursuing a career in medicine. Ryan is passionate about HIV care and prevention and strives to reduce the inequalities and stigmas surrounding HIV. In his free time, he enjoys taking care of his plants, running, and the outdoors.

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Todd Slusar

Board Member 

He, Him, His

Todd works with the Milwaukee Housing. He has been volunteering with BESTD forever and joined the board in 2019. Todd enjoys visiting his lake house in Minocqua, WI.

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Justin Roby

Vice President 

He, Him, His

Justin currently manages the HIV Care Coordination program at Diverse and Resilient.  He is also a 2019 Alumni of the Wisconsin Health Leaders Fellowship program through the Department of Health Services HIV Program.

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Emma Nelson

Board Secretary

She, Her, Hers

Emma Nelson is a Linkage to Care Specialist in the Froedtert Infectious Disease & Inclusions Health Clinics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Emma brings a decade of experience working with people living with HIV to BESTD. She began volunteering with the clinic in 2017 and joined as the Secretary of the BESTD Board of Directors in 2018. Emma is passionate about social justice, civil rights, and environmental activism.  She is a news and politics junkie, loves nature and hiking, and is a proud aunt and cat mom. 

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Bryan Cerro

Board Member

He, Him, His

Bryan is a Medical Laboratory Scientist that works in a clinical oncology laboratory. He graduated with a degree in Biomedical Science - Clinical laboratory science from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in 2014 and has been volunteering at the STD Lab at BESTD since that time. He joined the board in 2020. 

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Kevin Robertson, MD

Board Member 

He, Him, His

 

Kevin is an Assistant Professor in the division of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin. His clinical practice is focused on the LGBTQ+ population including transgender health, HIV primary care, and prevention of HIV. He is passionate about health equity, the outdoors, board games, and his dog, Diane.

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Wolf

Board Member

He, They

Wolf is a current medical student at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is interested in Family and Community Medicine and has a passion for LGBTQ+ health and gender affirming care. Wolf has been volunteering with BESTD since 2021. He loves being outside, doing art, and spending time with his two beautiful children (cats). 

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Ronnie Rivera

Board Member

He, Him, His

 

Ronnie Rivera was born in Chicago and was raised in the city as well as the suburb of Elk Grove Village. Ronnie moved to Wisconsin, where he received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in social work with a minor in LGBTQ+ studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. After graduating, Ronnie moved to Milwaukee, where he continued his career as a social worker.

Over the next seven years, Ronnie worked in the social work realm providing services that are culturally sustaining, equity focused, and trauma informed to people who have historically been excluded and forgotten. Ronnie worked as a school social worker for more than five years before entering his current role as coordinator for the MPS Department of Gender & Identity Inclusion.

Outside of MPS, Ronnie also works at Courage House MKE, the first and only group home in the state of Wisconsin that specifically houses LGBTQ+ residents in the system. Ronnie brings a vast array of LGBTQ+ expertise and draws on professional and personal experiences as someone who identifies as queer, Taíno, and Puerto Rican.

Outside of work, Ronnie is a proud husband, son, and older sibling. He enjoys listening to Bad Bunny’s newest song or reading the latest novels.

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