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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARE USA CEO DR. HELENE GAYLE TO BE HONORED AT BLOOD:WATER MISSION’S SECOND ANNUAL RED TIE GALA
Nashville (October 31, 2013) – Nashville non-profit organization Blood:Water Mission today announced they will honor Dr. Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, at its second annual Red Tie Gala, presented by Noodle & Boo. The Gala is a gathering of local, regional, and national advocates in the international fight against HIV/AIDS. The event will be at the Hutton Hotel on Thursday, November 21 and will honor Dr. Gayle for her longstanding contribution in the global HIV/AIDS pandemic and her ongoing advocacy and commitment for global health and poverty issues. The hosts for the evening will be Rascal Flatts’ lead guitarist Joe Don Rooney and his wife, 2001 Miss Georgia USA’s Tiffany Fallon. The evening will be held in advance of World AIDS Day, celebrated annually on December 1 to highlight the ongoing advancement in health, research and advocacy on the disease. An expert on health, global development and humanitarian issues, Dr. Gayle spent 20 years with the Centers for Disease Control, working primarily on HIV/AIDS. Dr. Gayle then worked at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, directing programs on HIV/AIDS and other global health issues. “We are honored to celebrate the impact that Dr. Gayle has had on the advance against HIV/AIDS,” said Mike Hamilton, President of Engagement for Blood:Water Mission. “Her contributions have enabled organizations like us see greater outcomes in the lives of those we serve, even in the most remote communities of the world impacted by this disease.” "I am humbled to be recognized by Blood:Water Mission. It is an organization that clearly understands that partnering with communities in Africa is the best way to create true, lasting change and find solutions to the critical challenges of water and HIV/AIDS," said Dr. Gayle. Dr. Gayle serves on public company and non-profit boards including The Coca-Cola Company, ColgatePalmolive Company, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the New America Foundation, the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative, and the ONE Campaign. Additionally, she currently serves on the President's Commission on White House Fellowships and the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Public Health Association, the Institute of Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Page 2 Named one of Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women,” Foreign Policy magazine's "Top 100 Global Thinkers," and Newsweek's top 10 "Women in Leadership," Dr. Gayle has been featured by national and international media outlets. She has also published numerous scientific articles on HIV/AIDS and other public health issues. Also being honored is Dr. Judd Walson, Associate Professor in the Departments of Global Health, Medicine, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the University of Washington. He has been recognized for his research in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nepal, Thailand and Bangladesh, focusing on studies of infectious disease, including diarrheal disease, HIV and other infections. Additionally, Dr. Walson is the Co-Director of the Strategic Analysis, Research and Training Program at the University of Washington, providing analytic and research support to project teams at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Walson has built effective partnerships and collaborations with many research and health care institutions, including the Kenya Medical Research Unit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. At the event, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Drew Holcomb will perform, and attendees will learn about the work of Blood:Water Mission and their efforts in the HIV/AIDS fight in Africa, where twothirds of the worldwide AIDS cases are located. Proceeds of the evening will benefit the expansion of Blood:Water’s work in the Suki region of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where an estimated 10 percent of the population is living with HIV/AIDS. “The funds raised at the event will enable us to reach a community where there are currently no other organizations working,” says Hamilton. “We will have the ability to bring comprehensive HIV care and support to high risk families that have yet to receive the care and support necessary to live a long and healthy life.” The presenting sponsor of the event is Noodle & Boo, the premier leader in luxury maternity and baby skin care with a commitment to help children in need across the globe. For more information regarding sponsorships or purchasing tickets, contact Blood:Water Mission at 615550-4296 or events@bloodwatermission.com. ### About Blood:Water Mission Blood:Water Mission is a non-profit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee, established to equip African grassroots organizations to end the HIV/AIDS and water crises. Founded by multi-platinum GRAMMY® Award winning band, Jars of Clay, Blood:Water Mission began in 2004 as a call to personalize the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. Since its launch, Blood:Water has identified countless hidden heroes in Africa, coming alongside their vision for change. Through technical, financial and organizational support, Blood:Water has expanded the reach and effectiveness of African civil society organizations and the communities they serve, partnering with more than 1,300 communities in Africa, providing life-saving water for over 800,000 people in 11 different countries and access to HIV/AIDS treatment care and support for over 30,000 people. For more information and to get involved, visit www.bloodwatermission.com or follow on twitter, @bloodwater. Media contacts: Joelle Polisky (for Blood:Water Mission) Phone: (615) 516-0358
Page 3 Email: jpolisky12@gmail.com Hayley Antonian B|W|R Public Relations (for presenting sponsor Noodle & Boo) Phone: (310) 248-6154 E-mail: Hayley.antonian@bwr-pr.com