Board Members

Frank Busichio is the Current President of APSC. As a Founding Board Member with Dr. Dreyer in 1963, we are very proud of sustaining the mission and goals of the organization for over 25+ years.

I started AIDS Work in NYC in 1988 with the Gay Men’s Health Crisis/Community Research Initiative. I set up perhaps the first local community partnership in the Country in 1988 known as the Coalition of AIDS Services in Passaic County, New Jersey. I have also worked for NJ DOH implementing HIV protocols in Methadone Clinics, and left to work for Snohomish Health District as the Manager for HIV Prevention and Care Services.

Working under the wisdom of Dr. Hinds, we were able to implement the Needle Exchange, AIDS Housing, Friend-to-Friend, Women’s services, and other assorted programs. After 18 years there, I took on the challenge of Health Care Manager at the Monroe Correctional Complex for eight years.

With an all-volunteer Board and no staff, we work to be a community voice in prevention and care while adjusting to the changing face of HIV/AIDS Work.

Early in the Epidemic Snohomish county social services were overwhelmed by the HIV community's needs. Several people in the community joined together to form APSC (AIDs Project Snohomish County). Ann has been on the board since its inception in 1993. She is a physician and practiced in Snohomish county for over 30 years. Her practice was focused on internal medicine and HIV/AIDs care. She recently retired but still volunteers in the community. She now has more time for her photography and art which she sells to benefit APSC.

In Spring 2006 fellow board member Frank reached out to Jeannine after learning about her through an article in the Everett Herald. Jeannine chose to participate in APSC because she personally understands the importance of the APSC mission as a woman living with HIV/AIDS since March 1993. Jeannine contracted HIV while a Peace Corps volunteer in Nigeria, West Africa. By October 1996, HIV had progressed to AIDS in her body and she was hospitalized with an opportunistic infection - pneumacystic pneumonia – with less than 10 t-cells. Timing was a godsend for Jeannine as she was able to begin the miraculous combination therapy that only became available in 1996, and by January 1997, her viral load was undetectable and her t-cells had risen considerably.

Jeannine has lived a full life with HIV/AIDS, obtaining her MSW in August 1996 and beginning a career as a state social worker that same month. Jeannine has been blessed with two sons, who are now young adults, each HIV negative because of the medication regimen that she adhered to throughout her pregnancies with each. Jeannine believes that her sons are the reason that she was not meant to die in 1996. They are amazing young men.

When not working, Jeannine enjoys walking in North Everett, especially at the Mariana, Grand Avenue, or up Rucker Hill. Jeannine loves to dance to live music at the local casinos or clubs. Reading and Scrabble are other joys. A final passion to note is her love of travel - it's an amazing and beautiful globe with many beautiful cultures and sites to see and experience!

Katelen joined the APSC board in 2015, and has served as board secretary since 2017. Originally from Spokane, Washington, Katelen received her Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Portland, and her Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California.

In her day job, Katelen is the Communications and Outreach Manager at Pride Foundation, where she gets to do the two things she loves most—share space with people who are passionate about social justice, and partner with them to tell authentic, engaging, and powerful stories. Katelen brings these same passions to her roles with APSC, as a Community Action Group member of The AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway, and to her work with European Dissent, an anti-racist organizing collective through the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond.

When she’s not wearing her professional or volunteer hats, you can find Katelen organizing closets and drawers around her apartment for no reason, cooking, or spending time in the woods, where she feels most herself—likely swinging in a hammock by a river with a book (memoir, preferably) and a strong cup of French press coffee.

Much gratitude and honor to our Cheri for 25 years of service with our county’s Needle Exchange Program from Summer 1996 till Spring 2021. She was able to help so many individuals over the years, showing them love and care while advocating for their needs. With AIDS Project Snohomish County, she has been amongst those leading our biannual SnoHomo Bingo fundraising events which we can’t wait to resume in Spring 2022. Cheri is a talented seamstress and shares that talent towards fundraising for APSC, making high in demand pillowcases with perhaps scandalous fabric for the SnoHomo Bingo events. Outside of APSC, Cheri spends time with her family, might be asked to come officiant a wedding ceremony as she is a licensed minister, and recently began a business making and selling prayer flags!

Shakespeare might have forecasted our Mary Kay when he said, “and though she be but little, she is fierce”. Mary Kay was one of the pioneering figures in our local HIV/AIDS community in terms of advocacy. She was amongst those who pushed the powers to be in our local government and community for a needle exchange program to begin in 1994. She has been with AIDS Project Snohomish County for years, emphasizing the role our non-profit in memorializing loved ones lost to HIV/AIDS before the miraculous medications were made available in late 1996. She is open and proud of being a loving mother to her gay son, and through her love for him, also lovingly embraced all in the broader gay community, being part of PFLAG in our community too. Mary Kay’s retired now but in her working years, did state service with DSHS / Children’s Administration, now DCYF. Final tidbits about Mary Kay – when she hosts the quarterly APSC board meetings, we’re thrilled to see all the hummingbirds outside her dining area’s windows. She has about 5 feeders and the sweet, colorful birds can be seen buzzing around gleefully. She also bakes and cooks wonderfully like Brian too!

A long-term member of Snohomish County Gay Men’s Task Force and our AIDS Project Snohomish County, Brian Tilley has contributed countless heartfelt hours over the years through his work involved in coordinating the biannual SnoHomo Bingo and the monthly Friendship Meals. Brian shares his talent of amazing quilt work, leading to in demand quilts at the SnoHomo Bingo events, raising funds for our mission. He shares his culinary gifts too which are appreciated both in what he prepares from chili to baked goods for the SnoHomo Bingo events and at the monthly Friendship Meals. It’s a joy to see Brian aproned out at these events. Brian’s joy for cooking and baking can be appreciated too through his side job at Kate’s Greek & American Deli outside of his volunteer work with both APSC and GMTF. Other pleasures for Brian are a sunny destination with a beach and a drink with family and friends!