HIV CAPACITY BUILDING ASSISTANCE

The Denver Prevention Training Center provides Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) to health departments, community-based organizations, and their healthcare partners to improve HIV prevention services and care for people with HIV in the West region. We offer consultation, technical assistance, trainings and resources customized to meet the needs of each customer.

Capacity Building generally refers to a process to increase the skills, infrastructure, and resources of individuals, organizations and communities. Capacity building is a key strategy for the promotion, delivery and sustainability of HIV prevention programs.

Our Region

Our region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; as well as the directly-funded jurisdictions of Los Angeles and San Francisco; and six Pacific Island territories including American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, and Palau.

Regional Partners

The Denver PTC CBA program’s primary focus is Clinical HIV Testing and Prevention…

The Denver PTC’s CBA Program

is one of three organizations that are proud to offer tailored technical assistance to CDC-funded health departments, community-based organizations, and their partners located within the West Region.

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Our Service Areas

CBA SUMMITS

Delivering one-day to multi-day summits on a variety of topics including medical mistrust, affirming care, and emerging topics in HIV  prevention and anti-racism. Contact us to learn more.

LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Facilitating online learning communities on enhancing HIV prevention services.
If you fall within the West Region and work in a state or local health department, join us for our monthly West Region learning community. Contact us to learn more.

Equity and Anti-racism Work

Assisting organizations to be more equitable and anti-racist. We provide training on anti-racist clinical care, stigma for people with HIV, and a variety of other topics based on organizational needs.

In-person, Virtual, and Hybrid Workshops

Delivering tailored, state-of-the-art workshops in a variety of formats to reach learners.

CBA Resources

Providing HIV Capacity Building Assistance resources and materials. Please visit our resource page to download resources. 

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Helping individuals and organizations to provide more effective HIV prevention services.

What We Focus On

Routine and targeted HIV testing

Referrals to prevention and essential support services

Linkage, retention, and reengagement in care

Behavioral interventions for persons living with HIV

Our Amazing Team

Our Amazing Team

Our Amazing Team

Elizabeth Rumbel

(she/her/hers)

Senior CBA + DITC Learning + Development Specialist

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Elizabeth Rumbel

Senior CBA + DITC Learning + Development Specialist

Elizabeth Rumbel (she/her/hers) found her way to the public health field after many years of doing public health work without knowing it.  She joins the Denver PTC with extensive experience working to address structural determinants of health through community-based organizations. Elizabeth merges her workforce development expertise with her passion for systems level change by providing training and project management support to the Disease Intervention Training Center, Capacity Building Assistance team, STD Regional Training, and Denver Health’s Center for Addictive Medicine. The common thread of her professional experiences is working to ensure that all people have a just opportunity to live the longest and healthiest life possible. Elizabeth is a proponent for wellbeing and her favorite practices to unwind and recharge are “lifting heavy things,” spending time outdoors with family, and planning trips to see every U.S. National Park.

Julia Weise

(she/her/hers)

CBA + DITC Consultant

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Julia Weise

CBA + DITC Consultant

Julia Weise (she/her/hers) manages several Linkage to Care projects, including HIV treatment, PrEP initiation, HIV jail transitions, and cardiovascular patient navigation. With over 25 years of experience at Denver Health and the Denver Prevention Training Center, she loves her diverse and somewhat fragmented role of program manager, clinical supervisor, trainer, and consultant because every day is different and meaningful. A Social Worker by background, Julia’s favorite aspect of her work is relationship building and collaboration with colleagues and (local and national) partners.

When she’s not increasing the capacity of clinical settings to provide outstanding individualized health care services to all or advancing equitable health care delivery, Julia is happiest when the sun is shining, and there is something fun and active to do in the beautiful outdoors of Colorado (summer preferred!)

Bev Wasserman

(she/her/hers)

CBA Nurse Consultant

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Bev Wasserman

CBA Nurse Consultant

Bev Wasserman (she/her/hers) provides capacity-building assistance and training for clinical and non-clinical organizations offering HIV services. Beverly has four decades of experience as a practicing registered nurse, most of which has been in HIV clinical services, more recently providing capacity building and technical assistance for the HIV workforce. Beverly has a key focus on uplifting health and racial equity in clinical care, along with supporting Health Systems change. Bev holds the belief that we must always create space to include the communities we serve as partners to inform programming and that we must care for the healthcare workforce while promoting equitable care and services to communities.

When not in the office, Bev enjoys time with her family, friends (non-human too), yoga, travel, and spending time in nature.

Terry W. Stewart

(he/him/his)

CBA + DITC Consultant

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Terry W. Stewart

CBA + DITC Consultant

Terry W. Stewart (he/him/his) has been providing training, consultation, and management services in the STD/HIV prevention field for over 32 years, with experience spanning across academic, community-based non-profit and public health settings. Terry’s expertise includes program management, staff and leadership development, curriculum design, and training and facilitation, as well as the design, implementation, and evaluation of behavioral interventions. He joined the Denver PTC in 1998, coordinating behavioral intervention training, and later leading the PTC. He now provides consulting services (TWStewart Consulting, LLC). During Terry’s time with the PTC, he oversaw the regional, national, and international work of a dynamically talented team responding to the evolving needs of health professionals working in STD/HIV.

Truly believing everything happens for a reason, Terry transformed the grief and loss from the early years of the HIV epidemic into inspiration and passion, moving from business management to public health management. While Terry has no regrets, he might have been an architect in a different lifetime.

Sarah Rowan

(she/her/hers)

DPTC Faculty

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Sarah Rowan

DPTC Faculty

Sarah Rowan (she/her/hers) has a mission to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV and HCV, and to end HIV and HCV transmission. To that end, she divides her time between clinical care, research, teaching, and public health programming. She attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma, spent her residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital, and completed an infectious diseases fellowship at the University of Colorado. When not seeing patients or working to make the world healthier, Sarah likes to play board games, paint and draw, go for morning runs with friends, travel with family, or overcommit to volunteer projects at her kids’ school.

Yomi Obafemi

(she/her/hers)

Clinical Consultant

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Yomi Obafemi

Clinical Consultant

Yomi Obafemi (she/her/hers) provides medical guidance for the Denver Sexual Health Clinic, in addition to delivering STI/HIV prevention, management, and care to individuals. She enjoys finding new ways to make electronic health records more provider friendly, traveling to new places, and getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods. A behavioral economic term called the sunk-cost fallacy changed her life; it refers to when people continue a behavior or task because they’ve invested many resources into it rather than because the activity is productive or profitable. It’s changed her approach to work and life by helping her clarify which activities in life/work to continue versus those that do not require additional effort. Yomi strongly believes that all human beings deserve access to affordable housing, healthcare, and reliable sources of food/water.

If Yomi could be anything in the world, she would choose to join the Marvel Universe as a member of Wakanda’s elite female Special Forces Team, the Dora Milaje – great outfits, no bad hair days and general fierceness - what else needs to be said?

Katie Langland

(she/her/hers)

CBA + DITC Consultant

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Katie Langland

CBA + DITC Consultant

Katie Langland (she/her/hers) conducts HIV/STI training, develops new curricula, and provides capacity building assistance services. She has been in HIV prevention for over 15 years as a bilingual master trainer, and hworked with the Southern African Prevention Initiative to bring comprehensive and evidence-based training to over 500 participants in sub-Saharan Africa. Katie is very passionate about immigrant health and rights and has worked in this arena domestically and internationally. Katie is the first person in her family to obtain a master’s degree and worked full-time while doing so. She tries to visit a new country each year and enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and trying yummy foods. She believes little, kind acts make a big difference. Serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala and Panama changed her life and has been her proudest accomplishment to date!

Hermione Hurley

(she/her/hers)

DPTC Faculty

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Hermione Hurley

DPTC Faculty

Hermione Hurley (she/her/hers) provides outpatient clinical care for people living with HIV and substance use disorders. She hopes to increase low threshold care for treatable conditions and to improve transitions for those who are justice-involved. Since emigrating from New Zealand in 2009, Hermione has enjoyed integrating into American culture and health care. She enjoys helping people gain control of their health decisions to  move towards their future goals. Hermione loves skiing, hiking, and knitting. Her life was changed by travel to far-flung parts of the globe, including Antarctica and the Arctic. She believes strongly in improving access to healthcare and feels grateful to be working in her dream job.

Misty Gutierrez

(she/her/hers)

Project Specialist

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Misty Gutierrez

Project Specialist

Misty Gutierrez (she/her/hers) provides administrative support to the Denver Prevention Training Center’s Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) program and the Disease Intervention Training Center (DITC). Misty assists with preparing and developing products, providing logistics support for training events, and managing program registration data. She is the jack of all trades around the office and enjoys every minute supporting and collaborating with her colleagues. Her previous position was in the Denver Sexual Health Clinic, where she found herself intrigued by all things STD/HIV related. She is passionate about making a difference in the community.

If you get an auto-reply from Misty, she is probably enjoying the outdoors, being a plant mom, learning a new recipe, or spending time with family and friends.

Lisa Frederick

(she/her/hers)

CBA + DITC Consultant

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Lisa Frederick

CBA + DITC Consultant

Lisa Frederick (she/her/hers) provides trainings for the PTC’s Disease Investigation Training Center and contributes to the PTC’s HIV prevention Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) services. Lisa states the best part of the job is working with such a creative, dedicated, and loving team. Lisa’s life changed in 1998 when she lost her brother to an AIDS-related illness. She has devoted 20 years to HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, and sexual health. Her expertise extends to strategic planning and capacity building in organizational sustainability. Her passion and commitment are enhancing Black women’s health focusing on reproductive health, intersectionality, and resilience. Lisa channeled that passion by creating and leading a 3-part virtual roundtable discussion focusing on Black women’s health across the lifespan with over 2,500 participants.

She's not all work and no play and believes everyone must have laughter in their life. Lisa loves shopping, traveling, and spending time with her family including her little doggie Pia.

Tai Edward Few

(he/him/his)

Associate Director

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Tai Edward Few

Associate Director

Tai Edward Few (he/him/his) manages the daily activities of the Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) program at the Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC). Additionally, he oversees the development and implementation of tailored capacity building in-services for clinics implementing HIV testing and prevention programs for persons living with HIV. In addition to Tai’s work at the Denver PTC, he is a member of the Denver Health’s Health Equity Committee and has a passion for social justice and racial equity. Tai’s favorite aspect of his job is assisting agencies in developing culturally responsive and equitable programs. Outside of work, he enjoys watching TV and movies, especially British police procedurals and Agatha Christie murder mysteries. When not watching TV or a good movie, he records and listens to podcasts on politics, current events, TV, movies, and African American history. If Tai weren’t working for the Denver PTC, he would be a history professor.

Zami Tinashe Hyemingway

(Zami/he/him)

CBA Manager

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Zami Tinashe Hyemingway

CBA Manager

Zami Tinashe Hyemingway (Zami/he/him) is the Capacity Building Assistance (CBA) Manager, at the Denver Prevention Training Center (PTC). Zami leads an amazing team of subject matter experts, to provide technical assistance and capacity building work to clinics, health departments and community-based organizations (CBO’s). Zami has over 14 years’ experience in developing and implementing health behavior and health promotion programs, including being a founding staff member for Gender Health SF formerly known as Transgender Health Services. Zami’s favorite pieces of this work, is being able to assist agencies in building their skills to provide heart centered, culturally responsive and person first care and programs.

When not working at the Denver PTC, you will find Zami going on hiking adventures with his dogs Whitney and Houston, volunteering with local Black owned farms, and hosting wellness retreats and workshops that teach community members and organizations how to thrive and maximize their potential.

Azul DelGrasso

(he/him/his)

Senior CBA Learning + Development Specialist

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Azul DelGrasso

Senior CBA Learning + Development Specialist

Azul DelGrasso (he/him/his) centers his efforts on providing training and technical assistance to healthcare partners and organizations across the country, with an emphasis on cultural responsiveness, social determinants of health, and HIV testing in clinical settings and retail pharmacies. He is a Ph.D. student at the California Institute of Integral Studies in Philosophy. Azul led the first rapid HIV testing program and training in Mexico and is one of the only two counselors who tested high-risk individuals in all 48 states of the continental US as part of the Magic Johnson HIV Testing Tour in 2010. Azul is a Denver native and has his first master’s degree in Latin American Studies from California State University Los Angeles, and his second master's degree in Ecopsychology from Naropa University. When he is not working towards ending the HIV epidemic, he is probably working on his photography.

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