Linda R Frank

She is Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health with secondary appointments in School of Nursing and School of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. She is currently the Principal Investigator, MidAtlantic AIDS Education & Training Center, funded by DHHS, HIV/AIDS Bureau with continuous funding since 1988. She has been on the frontlines of the HIV epidemic providing training, consultation and technical assistance to organizations, clinics, community health centers, prisons, and others domestically and internationally. She has held clinical leadership positions in psychiatric inpatient and emergency services at the University of Pittsburgh. She currently direct an MPH program in Infection Prevention and Intervention developing courses in HIV, Global Infectious Diseases, and Infection Control at the Graduate School of Public Health where she directs one of the MPH programs in IDM.

She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing, member of the Public Policy Committee of AIDS United and Chair of the City of Pittsburgh, HIV Commission. In 2000, she received the HRSA, HIV/AIDS Bureau Outstanding Performance Award. In 2001, the Nursing Alumni Award from the Pennsylvania State University, School of Nursing. In 2004, she was named the Distinguished Alumnus, University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing. In 2002, she received the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, Nurse Educator Award and in 2008, the AIDS Nursing Leadership Award. She was honored by the University of Pittsburgh with the Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award in 2010, and in 2021, Pitt’s School of Education Distinguish Alumni Award. She serves on numerous national, international committees, advisory boards, and has presented her work at national and international conferences.

Through her 35 years of work in the field of HIV/AIDS and STIs, she has utilized her expertise in behavioral and psychosocial treatment issues and approaches. As a psychiatric nurse clinical specialist, she has first-hand clinical experience in the behavioral health field as an inpatient and outpatient individual and family therapist and as a clinician in psychiatric emergency services. Dr. Frank has an extensive skill set in developing curricula for health professionals in the areas of HIV, Hepatitis, STIs, mental health, COVID, and substance abuse. I have been involved in the development of books and educational materials on behavioral aspects of HIV and related disorders including research related to substance use screening health professionals.

She has in-depth experience in capacity building, quality management, and organizational development. She has been extensively involved in advocacy for HIV and serves on local, state, and national committees and organizations. During the early years of the HIV epidemic, Dr. Frank’s early work focused on developing curricula and training health professionals on what was known about HIV and related behavioral issues. This included development of innovative curricula on the reduction of perinatal transmission and adherence to ARTs and books chapters that informed HIV care. This early work helped to improve access to HIV care, reduction of stigma, and improved treatment.

This was followed by a 10-year period of state funding in which she focused on HIV issues for incarcerated populations which included development of curricula, conducting training and technical assistance for prison systems, and dissemination of approaches and emerging issues with this population. This was followed by invitations to become involved in international training activities related to HIV prevention, treatment, and substance in the Russian Federation, South Africa, and Vietnam.

She has made significant contributions in evaluating training for health professionals, improving clinician practice, establishing quality improvement initiatives, conducting clinical training, and documenting outcomes of educational interventions including increasing of HIV/HepC/STI testing, uptake of PrEP/PEP, improving clinic and system clinical capacity to improve both the HIV prevention and treatment care continuum.