Rodney “Rod” McCoy, Jr. brings his expertise of nearly four decades in HIV prevention and education, as well as his real-life experience as an African American gay/queer man living with HIV. An Oberlin College graduate with his Bachelors in Sociology and Black Studies, Rod has worked in a variety of capacities in the field of HIV Prevention, from Health Educator and HIV Counselor to Training Manager and Program Director. As an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University, Rod established the “HIV, Culture and Sexuality” course for the school’s Global and Community Health Department. With Louis Shackelford of the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, Rod created the “Beyond the Red Ribbon” Sex Positivity training for public health professionals. He also served as a Social Media Influencer with NMAC to disseminate the CDC Let’s Stop HIV Together campaign via promotion of HIV prevention, treatment, and stigma messages through social media posts.

Rod has also served as an HIV 50+ Scholar with NMAC; among his accomplishments was helping to develop their Healthy Living curriculum to include sexual health issues for older individuals living with HIV. Rod is the host of his online self-help series, So Help Me Rod, and the co-host of the podcast “Listen to Daddy” with fellow Leatherman, Daddy Rob, which speaks to issues by, for and about older gay men. He has been a contributing author for Poz and Positively Aware Magazines (where the topics focused on sexual health and aging with HIV). Rod was the keynote speaker for the Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) 2024 HIV and Aging Summit. He also presented on “Sex and Pleasure with HIV/HCV/STI Prevention and Care” for the 2024 Arizona Statewide HIV/HCV/STI Symposium.

Finally, Rod currently works as an independent consultant (including with RAI as a Program Manager for the Status Neutral Needs Assessment project) and he is thrilled to be working in this capacity.