Our Mission
Ribbon is a national nonprofit organization that provides innovative and culturally-responsive education, programs, and services to health and human service providers and individuals to help facilitate and normalize positive experiences and healthy outcomes within public health systems.
Our Vision
To end the racial, social, and environmental disparities that rob vulnerable communities of health and wealth.
Our Commitment
We are committed to ensuring access to quality, affordable, life-saving health, and essential support services to all individuals, regardless of race, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, culture, or health conditions utilizing an intersectional racial, social, and economic justice lens.
Ribbon Staff
Vanessa Johnson
Shauna R. Cooper
Vanessa Johnson
Co-Executive Director
Vanessa is a 36-year long-term HIV survivor. Her expertise and experience in organizational development for social impact, trauma-informed healing-centered care, HIV harm reduction, entrepreneurship including social enterprising, and disclosure interventions for people living with HIV led her to co-found Ribbon.
Linda H Scruggs
Shauna R. Cooper
Vanessa Johnson
Co-Executive Director
A 35-year HIV survivor with more than three decades of advocacy, leadership, and education in the HIV field. Committed to advancing equity and addressing health disparities, with expertise in training and capacity-building, while working passionately to eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS /chronic diseases
Shauna R. Cooper
Shauna R. Cooper
Director of Programs/Evaluation
Shauna comes to Ribbon with 25+ years of experience in public health, predominantly in chronic diseases. Her interests lie in evaluation and training, reflecting her commitment to advancing public health methodologies and outcomes.
Tamara Combs
Program / Communications Manager
(Consultant)
Experienced senior project manager with strategic expertise in implementing innovative solutions, boosting efficiency, and building organizational infrastructure. Uses data and expertise to launch culturally competent programs that demonstrate effective management, communication, and skills development to sustain organizational and workforce growth.
E. Faye Marshall
E. Faye Marshall
EPIC Program Manager
E. Faye Marshall is the EPIC Program Manager. She has over thirty years of lived and work experience in the field of HIV.
Faye brings a vast amount of knowledge and expertise in her role having previously worked with women and families impacted by HIV.
Denise Drayton
E. Faye Marshall
ROC Sr. Program Associate
Denise has been working in the field of HIV/AIDS for over 25 years: She began working at Exponents Inc. NY.
She finds HIV Prevention Education and Advocacy very rewarding and feels blessed to have the ability as a HIV+ Older Adult to work in a field that is very important to her and be able to provide representation to her community.
Kim Moon
Chris Rhinehart
Chris Rhinehart
Sr. Program Associate
A Woman thriving with an HIV diagnosis. She overcame a decade of depression & turned her trauma into triumph by sharing her story globally as a National & International Speaker, advocating for HIV awareness, prevention, & empowerment. She aims to inspire other women living with HIV to find strength in their experiences & turn their pain into power.
Chris Rhinehart
Chris Rhinehart
Chris Rhinehart
Creative Arts & Communication Specialist
(Consultant)
Visionary, purpose-driven entrepreneur with 20+ years of experience as a podcast director. Skilled in developing successful audio content, audience engagement, and monetization strategies. Leverages industry trends and data to optimize content, driving listenership and community impact through innovative storytelling that captivates, inspires, and pushes creative boundaries.
Emma Furguson
Chris Rhinehart
Margot Kirklnd
Faith Associate
Emma C.V. Ferguson is an educator with a daily passion for working with our youngest learners! She brings to us 30+ years as a public-school leader, experience as a teacher for the union president in the USA, and Anguilla, BWI. Ms. Ferguson is an ally to the HIV community and incorporates HIV education in school systems, as well as an ordained minister in various churches
Margot Kirklnd
Margot Kirklnd
Margot Kirklnd
Sr. Program Manager
For more than 2 decades, Margot has worked in communities of color providing direct care and support services to women and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, incarceration, substance abuse and mental illness.
National Advisory Board
Tori Cooper
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Yolanda Diaz
Tori Cooper is a health and equity advocate, community organizer, educator, published author, and leader in the transgender and HIV communities. Tori is the Director of Community Engagement for the Transgender Justice Initiative.
Yolanda Diaz
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Yolanda Diaz
Yolanda Diaz presently works at Iris House, Inc.- an organization for women, children and families living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Yolanda has been employed at Iris House for the last 10.5 years. In the past, Yolanda has facilitated interventions, provided HIV/STI testing, and worked as a counselor before joining Iris House, Inc.
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Emma C.V. Ferguson is an educator with a daily passion for working with our youngest learners! She brings to us 30+ years as a public-school leader, experience as a teacher for the union president in the USA, and Anguilla, BWI. Ms. Ferguson is an ally to the HIV community and incorporates HIV education in school systems, as well as an ordained minister in various churches.
Daniel Driffin
Emma C. V. Ferguson
Daniel works at the intersection of advocacy and assisting communities impacted by HIV for the past decade in Atlanta, GA. Daniel is the Creator and Senior Advisor of D3 Consulting, LLC.
Cynthia Rodgers
Cynthia is a masterful storyteller, a skilled trainer of trainers and a published author. Since September 2000, Cynthia has served women, infants, children, and youth living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. She’s currently serving as a rehabilitative instructor with AIDS Alabama.
She is known nationally as an advocate for change.
Nathaniel Scruggs
Nathaniel is an advocate and leader for change. For nearly thirty years, he has worked in the HIV community; for twenty of those years, he served as a Case Manager at Total Health Care Inc. in Baltimore City, Maryland (retired).
Nathaniel is committed to working to support communities to fight HIV, provide help to people who use drugs, support insufficient education systems, as well as support those who face unemployment and low life expectancy.