the team

By selecting relevant members of the local and cultural community, staff and volunteers are well versed in targeting/treating/servicing racial/ethnic and sexual minorities, with preferred and needed services. This perspective adds an emphasis on indigenous norms, language and values. We strive to create sustainable communities that offer food, clothing, shelter, safety, and security not as acts of charity, but as acts of parity.

Vaughn Taylor-Akutagawa

Vaughn Taylor-Akutagawa, the Executive Director of GMAD, brings over two decades of leadership in communities of color and is well-versed in nursing, dance, public health, community-based participatory research, behavioral theory, organizational behavior, and institutional psychology. The CDC, Office of Minority Health, SAMHSA, World Health Organization and many U.S. community based organizations have recognized his gender and culturally concordant work. He penned a 300-page manual on health engagement. Recently he developed curricula on HIV and Older Adults with AIDS Community Research Initiative of America. He participated in HIV vaccine and stigma research with the NY Blood Center and Columbia University.

Christopher Johnson

Christopher Johnson, MSW, CASAC came to Gay Men of African Descent in September, 2006 as Clinical Coordinator of their Intensive Prevention Project. He is currently Program Manager of GMAD’s Men’s Wellness Project. He has an extensive history of working in mental health, domestic violence, and substance abuse services. Prior to GMAD he’s been employed by Palladia as Clinical Consultant to the Administration for Children’s Services for 4 years and he worked for six years in other job functions in various team leading capacities. His past work experience is with the homeless population, survivors of incest, work with LGBT, HIV/AIDS, and mental health and servicing families with histories of domestic violence and living with disabilities.