Alex Lawson

Alex Lawson works as a health care researcher and policy analyst as well as on grassroots advocacy, web development and online communications.

Mr. Lawson started his work in health policy in the field of public health with a focus on HIV/AIDS. He started his work on HIV/AIDS six years ago at Heartland Health Outreach in Chicago. He finished a 2-year research project as a Health Educator at Whitman-Walker Clinic in October 2007.

In 2005, Alex founded DC Fights Back, a grassroots advocacy group that focuses on the HIV epidemic in Washington, DC. Mr. Lawson steered the group for two years, helping it grow to over 200 members while garnering local, national, and international media and successfully influencing the local response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Alex created and currently maintains the DC Fights Back website www.dcfightsback.org.

In 2007 Mr. Lawson was awarded the Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association's Charles Hayman award for Public Health. Mr. Lawson also served as the Public Policy Fellow at AIDS Action. He is working on a National Library of Medicine grant funded project to introduce Community Health Workers in the Wards most impacted by HIV in the District. Mr. Lawson also serves as the HIV/AID Subcommittee Chair on DC Councilmember Marion Barry's Poverty Commission.

Mr. Lawson graduated with a Master of Public Policy degree from the George Washington University. He did his thesis/capstone work with the DC Mayor's office and the DC DOH on Emergency Care Reform. Mr. Lawson and his capstone colleagues received the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration's 2008 Research Showcase Award for their work on the DC Emergency Care Reform Initiative.

Mr. Lawson was honored to be given the Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration's 2008 Community Service Award, which is awarded by the faculty of the school for "tremendous contributions to enrich the quality of community service."

In October 2008 Mr. Lawson was inducted into Greater DC Cares' inaugural Class of Change, an award given to, " ten individuals who are leading the charge for social change in the DC region."

You can see some of the websites that Mr. Lawson has built and maintains with the following links:

• DC Fights Back- www.dcfightsback.org
• High 5 Consulting-- www.high5consultingllc.com
• Society of Health Policy Young Professionals- www.dchealthpolicy.org
• DC St. John's College Alumni Site- www.dcjohnnie.org
• DC School Reform Now- www.dcschoolreform.org
• DC Public Education Fund- www.dceducationfund.org
• Judge Roy Bean Band Site- www.judgeroybeanband.com
• Google Knows- www.googleknows.net