Andrew Tan is the President of the Kuala Lumpur AIDS Support Services Society (KLASS), which he joined in 2002 as a volunteer. He has been providing support and counselling to newly diagnosed people with HIV and also has served on the Executive Committee of the Malaysian AIDS Council. He is passionate about HIV treatment literacy and has conducted trainings for KLASS, the Malaysian AIDS Council, the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development, Standard Chartered Bank, and other organizations within and outside of Malaysia. He gives talks on HIV sensitization and awareness to medical students and staff of Department of Health district health offices and clinics across Malaysia. He is currently a member of the International Coalition of Older Persons Living with HIV (iCOPe HIV) and is the Community Representative on The Lancet HIV Commission on Ageing and HIV.

Caroline Thomas is the Founder of Peduli Hati Bangsa Foundation, a non-profit organization based in Indonesia of and for people living with and affected by HIV and viral hepatitis. The organization raises awareness about HIV and viral hepatitis and advocates for increased access to diagnosis and treatment. As a person with lived experiences with both conditions, she is passionate about advancing treatment education and access. Since 2019, she also has led a community team working on the micro-elimination of hepatitis C in correctional facilities in Jakarta and Bali in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Law and Human Rights and the Ministry of Health. This program has screened ~17,000 people to date. She also has led community-based research on HIV and viral hepatitis testing among key populations.

Fletcher Chiu is an HIV advocate from and based in Taiwan. He started his engagement in HIV advocacy through working on the implementation of the People Living with HIV Stigma Index in Taiwan in 2017. Around the same time, he also was involved in and empowered by TREAT Asia’s program called “Youth Asia Community for AIDS Treatment and Advocacy (Youth ACATA),” where he received capacity building that strengthened the participants’ knowledge of the psychosocial, economic, cultural, and HIV issues pertaining to people living with and affected by HIV. Since then, he has been involved in various activities at the country and regional levels to build capacity in HIV-related research and communications in the Asia-Pacific. He is passionate about storytelling based on lived experiences and evidence-driven approaches to shape policies that can improve the quality of life of people living with HIV.

Rajkumar Nalinikanta is the President of the Community Network for Empowerment (CoNE), which is a non-profit organization in Manipur, India. He is a former person who used drugs and has lived with HIV for 20 years. He has been working in the field of HIV and viral hepatitis since 2003, both at the state and national levels. He currently serves as a Member of the Steering Committee of the Manipur State Management Unit of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program. Under his leadership, CoNE has delivered impactful programs and models, including of same-day testing and treatment of hepatitis C, the development of a state-specific Standard Operating Procedure on hepatitis C, and treatment of hepatitis C in correctional facilities.

Tanya Laguing, a transwoman leader, established the Decent Image of South Signal Association (DIOSSA) in Taguig City, the Philippines, nine years ago. She transformed the pain of losing her brother into a driving force for community care, advocating for HIV awareness, and more. Tanya has been instrumental in the founding and ongoing success of Lily by LoveYourself operations in Parañaque City of the National Capital Region. This trans-centric hub engages in community outreach, skills, and livelihood programs, trans healthcare, and support groups for transgender people living with HIV. As a TransMother, Tanya has become a beacon for young transgender individuals in Taguig and Parañaque, empowering them to chase their dreams and ensuring that their gender identity does not hinder their life and achievements.

Tharadol Meethupmun is a youth member of the Youth Committee Advisory Board of the Buddy CU Clinic of Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. The group actively engages with the clinic as peer supporters, providing guidance to adolescents and young adults seeking sexual health care services. Additionally, the group collaborates with healthcare providers to enhance youth-friendly services and provide feedback on medical research studies involving youth.