Jim Thomas,

Having co-founded a Gay newspaper in 1981 in St. Louis, Missouri, Jim Thomas began covering HIV as a journalist almost as soon as it was recognized and has been involved in one way or another with the HIV epidemic ever since. In 1992, he was a founding member of the Community Advisory Board (CAB) for the AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Unit at St. Louis University and served as its first chair. In 1994, he joined the Global CAB of the AIDS Vaccine Evaluation Group (now the HIV Vaccine Trials Network) and served as chair of that body from 1996 to 2001. He remains a member of that body today as a member-at-large. He joined the AVAC board of directors in 1998.