2025 Excellence in HIV Leadership Award
Photo credit: Nina Ramadan
Each year, the Global AIDS Policy Partnership (GAPP) recognizes a U.S. policymaker whose leadership has helped to advance progress toward ending HIV as a public health threat. This year, we have chosen Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) for her record of collaboration, pragmatism, and dedication to the global HIV response.
Throughout her career, Senator Collins has demonstrated a deep commitment to bipartisan cooperation and evidence-based public health. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she has helped safeguard the resources that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and UNAIDS depend on to deliver lifesaving treatment, care, and prevention services around the world. These programs remain pillars of the global HIV response, protecting millions of lives and strengthening health systems in the countries most affected by the epidemic.
In 2025, Senator Collins’ leadership played a critical role in protecting U.S. global HIV investments at a time of significant political uncertainty. She publicly opposed proposed rescissions that would have cut funding for PEPFAR, helping ensure that the program was ultimately removed from the rescissions package and its funding preserved. Her voice was instrumental in maintaining the bipartisan commitment that has defined the U.S. response to HIV for more than two decades.
GAPP was honored to present Senator Collins with the 2025 Excellence in HIV Leadership Award in recognition of her contributions and in gratitude for her continued partnership in the global effort to end HIV as a public health threat. Her leadership underscores the enduring impact that committed, bipartisan champions can have on the health and well-being of millions of people worldwide.