The 11th symposium on children and adolescents with perinatal HIV exposure: Session 2 - Mental wellbeing of children and adolescents with perinatal exposure to HIV

Dr. Renata Arrington Sanders is currently the Division Chief of the Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine. Prior to Dr. Sanders assuming the role of Division Chief, Dr. Sanders was an Associate Professor in the Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with joint appointments in Infectious Diseases, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Departments of Epidemiology and Health, Behavior and Society. Dr. Sanders completed a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University, a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Sanders completed her Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Sanders research interests includes: gender affirming care, caring for sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY), optimizing adolescent and young adult sexual health, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention interventions. Dr. Sanders has utilized her knowledge and expertise to produce 87 original research articles, 12 peer review articles and has served as a co-author and/contributor to a plethora of book chapters and education materials. She is a recent graduate of the Transform Program for the Association of American Medical College. She served on the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee (CHAC) on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention & Treatment from 2023-2025 and currently is a Scientific Member on the US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents —a working group of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. She is the first adolescent-medicine trained physician to serve on the International AIDS Society Governing Council; and serves on the Scholarship Program, Stigma Advisory Board and Abstract Review Committees; Collaborative Initiative for Pediatric HIV Education and Research; the Research Review Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Board of Directors of SIECUS, Sex Ed for Social Change, and American Sexual Health Association. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Health have funded her work to develop intersectional interventions for SGDY (R01 DA043089, R01 DA059022).

Dr. Renata Arrington Sanders is currently the Division Chief of the Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine. Prior to Dr. Sanders assuming the role of Division Chief, Dr. Sanders was an Associate Professor in the Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with joint appointments in Infectious Diseases, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Departments of Epidemiology and Health, Behavior and Society. Dr. Sanders completed a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University, a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Sanders completed her Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Sanders research interests includes: gender affirming care, caring for sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY), optimizing adolescent and young adult sexual health, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention interventions. Dr. Sanders has utilized her knowledge and expertise to produce 87 original research articles, 12 peer review articles and has served as a co-author and/contributor to a plethora of book chapters and education materials. She is a recent graduate of the Transform Program for the Association of American Medical College. She served on the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee (CHAC) on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention & Treatment from 2023-2025 and currently is a Scientific Member on the US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents —a working group of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. She is the first adolescent-medicine trained physician to serve on the International AIDS Society Governing Council; and serves on the Scholarship Program, Stigma Advisory Board and Abstract Review Committees; Collaborative Initiative for Pediatric HIV Education and Research; the Research Review Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Board of Directors of SIECUS, Sex Ed for Social Change, and American Sexual Health Association. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Health have funded her work to develop intersectional interventions for SGDY (R01 DA043089, R01 DA059022).

Kedibonye Thankane is a research nurse at the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership in Gaborone, Botswana, leading multiple research studies with mothers living with HIV and their children.

Dr. Thandiwe Mashunye is a medical doctor with a background in public health, specializing in health systems strengthening, epidemiology, and biostatistics. As the Head of Programs and Government Relations at Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, Thandiwe plays a pivotal role in the Friendship Bench scale-up strategy, which focuses on integrating the model within government structures in Zimbabwe. The primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for all by improving access to mental health services. Her role involves developing and implementing strategies that align with government health policies and programs, as well as building and maintaining relationships with government officials, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to ensure support and collaboration toward integration.

Kedibonye Thankane is a research nurse at the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership in Gaborone, Botswana, leading multiple research studies with mothers living with HIV and their children.

Dr. Renata Arrington Sanders is currently the Division Chief of the Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine. Prior to Dr. Sanders assuming the role of Division Chief, Dr. Sanders was an Associate Professor in the Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with joint appointments in Infectious Diseases, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Departments of Epidemiology and Health, Behavior and Society. Dr. Sanders completed a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University, a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Hygiene and Public Health. Dr. Sanders completed her Residency in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and a Fellowship in Adolescent Medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Dr. Sanders research interests includes: gender affirming care, caring for sexual and gender diverse youth (SGDY), optimizing adolescent and young adult sexual health, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention interventions. Dr. Sanders has utilized her knowledge and expertise to produce 87 original research articles, 12 peer review articles and has served as a co-author and/contributor to a plethora of book chapters and education materials. She is a recent graduate of the Transform Program for the Association of American Medical College. She served on the CDC/HRSA Advisory Committee (CHAC) on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention & Treatment from 2023-2025 and currently is a Scientific Member on the US Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents —a working group of the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council. She is the first adolescent-medicine trained physician to serve on the International AIDS Society Governing Council; and serves on the Scholarship Program, Stigma Advisory Board and Abstract Review Committees; Collaborative Initiative for Pediatric HIV Education and Research; the Research Review Committee of the American Board of Pediatrics, American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Board of Directors of SIECUS, Sex Ed for Social Change, and American Sexual Health Association. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Health have funded her work to develop intersectional interventions for SGDY (R01 DA043089, R01 DA059022).

Dr. Thandiwe Mashunye is a medical doctor with a background in public health, specializing in health systems strengthening, epidemiology, and biostatistics. As the Head of Programs and Government Relations at Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, Thandiwe plays a pivotal role in the Friendship Bench scale-up strategy, which focuses on integrating the model within government structures in Zimbabwe. The primary goal is to enhance the quality of life for all by improving access to mental health services. Her role involves developing and implementing strategies that align with government health policies and programs, as well as building and maintaining relationships with government officials, policymakers, and other key stakeholders to ensure support and collaboration toward integration.