Leadership

Jeremy Hanson Willis was appointed Chief Executive Officer for Rainbow Health (formerly JustUs Health) in April 2019 to guide the transformation of the merger between Minnesota AIDS Project, Rainbow Health Initiative, and Training to Serve into a united organization working for health equity for those at the intersection of health and identity as a racial, sexual, or gender minority. Rainbow Health especially centers LGBTQ+ people, Black, Indigenous, and Communities of Color, and other communities affected by HIV and other diseases of injustice.

Under Jeremy’s leadership, Rainbow Health has expanded its mental and chemical health services, and launched new programs for COVID community outreach, a free tele-PrEP/STI clinic, and aging services for older LGBTQ+ adults and people with HIV. Jeremy believes that Rainbow Health’s legacy of fighting HIV for nearly 40 years can help fuel a sorely needed health equity movement in Minnesota.

Felicia Ring started at Rainbow Health in February 2022 as the Finance Director, and was promoted to Chief Administrative Officer in July 2023. Felicia is a Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP), and has been working in nonprofits for over 20 years in various direct service, management, and admin roles. She started in youth development and focused on finance the past 10 years. She is currently the Treasurer on Hope House’s board of directors.

Kristen Barlow, CFRE, has an extensive background in nonprofit fundraising, specializing in donor engagement, stewardship, database management, prospect research, and volunteer management. They are a Certified Fundraising Executive, and Certified Transition Coach. Additionally, Kristen has a background in the arts, and as a successful professional coach and fundraising consultant.

Phil Duran has been an attorney for over 20 years. His work has focused on people living with HIV and the LGBTQ+ community, with a particular lens towards competent and gender-affirming care for LGBTQ+ youth and seniors. In 2022, Phil was one of two lawyers in the United States cited for legal review and contributions to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH)’s Standards of Care.

Raquel Sidie-Wagner joined Rainbow Health in March of 2023. Before her time at Rainbow Health, she spent a decade in leadership roles at a disability services provider in Minnesota, leading programs that broadened access to the community, employment opportunities, and the arts for people with disabilities. Raquel became a community and political organizer alongside this work, spending thousands of hours doing direct community outreach by talking about candidates and issues, up to and including directing field programs for political campaigns. In the community, Raquel has spent years organizing to support neighbors experiencing unsheltered homelessness in encampments and once in transitional or permanent housing, learning to navigate the extensive systems and resources necessary to help people. Outside of her time at Rainbow Health, Raquel is the community engagement specialist for a transportation advocacy organization that seeks to repair the harms caused by environmental racism and active divestment from communities of color in and around Minneapolis. Raquel attended the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She lives in South Minneapolis and plays music locally with her band.

Antonio Raquel is an experienced Technology and Operations Manager with broad capabilities in Information Technology acquisition, installation, training, and management. He started in Operations at Rainbow Health in 2014 (then the Minnesota AIDS Project), and has been the Technology and Operations Manager since 2018. Antonio has a Certificate in Cybersecurity from the University of Minnesota and focuses on cybersecurity in the nonprofit industry. His current responsibilities also include facilities management; office administration; budgeting and contract negotiation; client relations and social service case management; and personnel recruitment, training, and leadership. In addition, Antonio has served on the Board of Directors for Ford House since 2017.

Wendy Berry has been the Human Resources Director at Rainbow Health since July 2019. Wendy is a leader in human resources with 13+ years of experience serving organizations, managers, and supervisors with guidance and support in all facets of the HR world – talent acquisition, benefits and payroll, policy administration and management, employee relations, change management, employee engagement, diversity, inclusion, equity, and more. They hold a Bachelor of Arts from Metro State University in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Wendy is also a member of the City Council for the City of West St. Paul, and serves on the Board of Directors for the League of Minnesota Cities. She is a strong communicator well-versed in city, state, and federal employment laws and regulations.

Aj Lezama joined Rainbow Health in 2019 as an Administrative Assistant and has been managing our 340b Telehealth Program since 2022 – a program that connects MN residents with free telehealth services for HIV prevention, STI/STD prevention and treatment, HIV care services, and more!

Belinda Charleson-Green began her work with Rainbow Health in July 2013 as an HIV Case Manager. From the start of her work with the agency, she was a vocal advocate for expanding support services targeting women living with HIV. Her persistence led to the implementation of HERR Day Out. She has coordinated all aspects of this organization’s peer-facilitated support for women living with HIV. This work has included the organizing and facilitating Health Education and Risk Reduction events, psychosocial support services, self-care events, advocacy, volunteerism, social events and more. In 2020. She successfully secured funding to fully transition into her current role as a full-time Supervisor of the peer support program.

Chris is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (#304674). Over the years, he has worked in various positions within the chemical health field, including: Chemical Dependency Technician, MICD Residential Admissions Coordinator, MICD Residence Manager, Chemical Health Assessor, and Chemical Health Case Manager. He has always been most passionate about helping individuals who are experiencing active addiction.

Chris works from a client-centered perspective that highlights people’s experiences and values. By doing this, they find their strengths and prioritize these within each plan of care. He specializes in working with the LGBTQIAA2S community and people who are living with HIV, specifically around the intersections of chemical dependency, mental health issues, and homelessness in their lives.