Philadelphia's ActionAIDS welcomes new executive director

At its annual meeting on Wednesday, Philadelphia's ActionAIDS, the largest AIDS service provider in Pennsylvania, bid goodbye to outgoing executive director Kevin Conare and welcomed new director Kevin Burns. Conare, who guided the agency for nine years, in January announced plans to leave ActionAIDS. He and his partner plan to move to their new home in New England. Burns, a 16-year employee at the agency, was promoted to the executive director slot. He served in a number of positions at ActionAIDS, most recently as deputy executive director. "We are fortunate to have such a strong team in the management and staff of ActionAIDS," Pedro J. Rivera, ActionAIDS board president, said in a press release. "That allowed us to have an extremely smooth and promising leadership transition." ActionAIDS was founded in 1986 and currently provides services to more than 3,500 HIV-positive people and 250 families affected by the disease. The organization offers case management, mental health therapy, in-home assistance, housing, housing counseling, support groups, vocational counseling, alternative therapies, and a broad array of volunteer services including a buddy program and peer mentor program. During Conare's tenure, ActionAIDS doubled its programs and revenues.