Originally from Trinidad and Tobago, Arlene is a community psychologist who recently retired from the CDC. While there she worked as a behavioral scientist focusing on capacity building as it relates to HIV prevention. She received her BA in Psychology from the University of Tampa, MA in Counseling and Human Development from Clark Atlanta University and PhD in Community Psychology from Georgia State University. After beginning her public health work, she realized a need to augment her education and completed an MPH from Emory University. Arlene is also a veteran and retired from the US Army Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As a Black lesbian her work and adult life has included finding ways to show up in an authentic manner and make space for others to do the same. Currently she works as a consultant on an HIV prevention project focused on encouraging Black women to view PrEP usage as an act of self-care, she is also growing a garden and a forest.