Justin Ostergard

Growing up in rural Illinois, Justin experienced some of the healthcare system’s challenges from a young age. Howard Brown was the first example of LGBTQ* healthcare that he saw at his first Pride Festival in 2008. From then on, healthcare access became a personal passion of his.

Over the years, he’s organized fundraising events and contributed to the missions of the American Red Cross, ACLU, Colorado Health Network, AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Center on Halsted, and Howard Brown. He had the privilege of spending two years working at Colorado Health Network on their HIV/STI testing & outreach team as well as their Development team through their 50th anniversary. In tandem, he served as a research assistant for the CDC’s National HIV Behavioral Surveillance study providing care, resource coordination, and stipends to all participants.

After moving back to Illinois in 2024, he immediately began volunteering with Howard Brown Health in a variety of roles at Brown Elephant, Outreach at Sheridan, event support and greeting at Halsted, and supporting the 50th Anniversary Gala. From there, he’s been honored with the opportunity to serve on the VGC.

And most importantly, off the clock, he’s the proud dog dad to his sweet girls: Xochi and Jenny. When they’re not on walks, he’ll most likely be playing in recreational gay sports leagues or getting crafty at home with a glue gun.