Michael J. Gifford

Michael J. Gifford has been a leading force in the fight against AIDS across the country for more than 25 years. He currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vivent Health (formerly know as the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin).

During his tenure, Mike has led the transformation of Vivent from a social service agency into the nation’s premier HIV health care provider. Known as an HIV leader who applies the best principles of for-profit management and leadership to the non-profit sector, Gifford has helped grow Vivent from a $2 million to a $120 million corporation. The Vivent HIV Medical Home is the country’s leading model for providing integrated AIDS services to assure people with HIV have unfettered access to medical, dental, mental health, pharmacy, and social services, regardless of ability to pay, in order to succeed in managing their HIV disease. It is the only HIV Medical Home recognized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. In 2010, his social entrepreneurism led to the creation of the Vivent Pharmacy, assuring that patients receive all of the medications they need and creating a new revenue source to help sustain and expand HIV services. Today, Vivent patients are significantly exceeding national benchmarks and goals for HIV disease and overall health management.

Mike has developed Vivent into a national organization with the opening of the HIV Medical Home in Denver, Colorado and St. Louis, Missouri. He is leading the process of bringing the HIV Medical Home to additional cities across America. This effort expands services that are driving better health outcomes for people living with HIV and helping to reduce health care costs. As a national leader in the evolution of service delivery to people with HIV, he has provided in-depth technical assistance and consulting to AIDS organizations in 26 states.

Mike received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and International Relations from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Executive MBA program.