Charlie Peterson

Charlie Peterson (he/him; él; any pronouns respectfully) serves as Manager, Community Engagement & Clinical Research Education at Project WISH, an infectious disease clinical research site in the College and Department of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He also serves on the AIDS Foundation of Chicago’s (AFC) Associate Board, leading their Partnerships & Outreach Committee and is a voting member of the Illinois HIV Integrated Planning Council (IHIPC), under IDPH, where he sits on the Steering Committee and co-chairs the Reducing HIV Incidence Committee.

Aside from establishing a network of community-based, healthcare, and educational organizations to better promote healthcare messaging, linkage to care (medical, dental; food, clothing, housing insecurity, etc), vaccination opportunities (COVID, flu, Mpox), and self-advocacy, Charlie strives to help provide care to lesser served communities in Chicago, especially Black/African American, Latinx, transgender and nonbinary populations. As a cisgender, gay Latino who has had HIV-positive partners, Charlie has personal experience with fighting to get to functional zero, to help end stigma, and to work for the betterment of our community. Ask Charlie about his furbabies, his passion for animal rights and environmental advocacy, and his hobbies (museums, symphonies, operas, and being a non-snooty foodie).