SAAF

Meet Our Team

Click each profile below to learn more about our team.

Dr. Cherise Rohr-Allegrini, Ph.D., M.P.H.

CEO

Dr. Rohr-Allegrini is an infectious disease epidemiologist with more than 25 years experience in public health. She came to SAAF after serving as San Antonio Program Director for The Immunization Partnership, a Texas non-profit dedicated to preventing disease through vaccination education and policy. She earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and MPH in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from Yale University, and PhD in Tropical Diseases from the University of Notre Dame. She is a graduate of the Latina Leadership Institute and is a housing and community advocate, serving on the Mayor’s Housing Task Force, the City’s Planning Commission, and the Community Advisory Board for The Pride Center’s Strengthening the Colors of Pride. She lives with her spouse, two kids, dog and many cats in Lavaca, where she leads the neighborhood association.

Monica Lerma

Chief Administrative Officer

Monica Lerma, Senior Financial Officer, oversees all billing and bookkeeping for SAAF, as well as all financial administration and grant billing maintenance. Monica brings with her in-depth knowledge of administration and financial performance. She possesses a M.B.A. in Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and a B.B.A. in marketing from the same institution.

Dr. Heta Javeri, MD

Medical Director

Rene Gonzalez, MSN, FNP-BC.

Medical Provider Clinic Director

Vanessa Zuniga

Director of Community Health

Coming Soon.

Khalen Garcia

Director of Communications and Development

Khalen Garcia, Director of Communications and Development, holds a Bachelor of Communications specializing in public relations with a minor in sociology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. In 2015, he started his career at SAAF as the Development Assistant learning how to develop our annual events including the Run & Walk for AIDS and the WEBB Party.

The San Antonio AIDS Foundation has always been an organization he has been passionate about and he wants to make a difference in the community. Khalen hopes to bring awareness to the community by promoting our services and showcasing the powerful individuals that encourage self-growth, acceptance, and resilience guiding through their sexual health.

Theresa Haywood-Castile

Director of Food Services

My name is Theresa Haywood-Castile. Since becoming a part of the SAAF family in 1996 I have been lucky enough to experience the many departments and see firsthand all they do for our Texas communities. In 1999, I was an HIV test counselor and shortly after in the early 2000’s I became a Volunteer Coordinator and worked with the City of San Antonio probations program! In 2011, I took a small leave of absence when I was diagnosed with (AML) Acute Myeloid Leukemia but I returned in 2012 stronger than ever and ready to get back aiding in the fulfillment of SAAFs mission!

Being allowed growth and the ability to try out different roles is what led me to discovering that my true passions were in the kitchen! The heart and soul of SAAF – the one place that allowed for one on one, in depth, interaction with our clients. With a little hard work and determination I am now VP of Food Services. The position I am in has allowed me to build a dedicated team focused on providing the best meals & services to our clientele.

Annie Boyce, LBSW

Director of Client Services

Annie Boyce is the Director of Client Services at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. She directs a staff of professionals who provide medical and non-medical case management, housing services, and financial & medication assistance. Annie began her career at SAAF in 2012 as a medical case manager after earning a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Texas State University in 2011. In 2017, she was promoted to lead case manager and in 2021 promoted to her current position as Director of Client Services. As a Licensed Baccalaureate Social Worker (LBSW), she has been a valued employee at SAAF with over 9 years of experience in social services.

When Annie is not at SAAF supporting clients and staff, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family. She has future plans to travel more and focus on self-care.

Francisco J Ramirez MS LPC-S

Director of Mental Health Services

Francisco J Ramirez MS LPC-S is the Director of Mental Health Services. He has a bachelor's degree from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City in Psychology and Communication. His Master's in Counseling Psychology is from Our Lady of The Lake University in San Antonio. He is licensed as a Professional Counselor by the State of Texas. He is an adjunct Professor of Psychology at Northwest Vista College.

He has worked people with addiction issues in a Mexican Government agency, Desarollo Intergral de la Familia (DIF). He has worked with the HIV population in San Antonio since 2003 with Mujeres Unidas Contra el SIDA and the Center for Health Care Services, with dual diagnosis population. He has been at SAAF since 2016.

His goal is to diminish the stigma for the LGBTQ community and to educate to stop the spread of HIV. Francisco works to give clients the tools to cope with life issues. He is passionate about traveling to new places and meeting new people.

Chester Smith

Director of Environmental Services

Coming Soon!

Alan Mauricio

Education Program Manager

Alan Mauricio has been with SAAF since 2015 where he began his career in sexual health as a test counselor. During that time, he acquired the training and knowledge for HIV, STIs, and phlebotomy. During his first year, he saw the need to educate the community about sexual health. Drawing on his passion for education, he moved and brought his experience as a test counselor into SAAF’s Education Program. Now overseeing the program as the Education Program Manager, he presents to teens, young adults, and adults in the San Antonio community in the major school districts and drug treatment facilities. Alan is also on the steering committee for End Stigma End HIV Alliance of San Antonio (ESEHA).

Gabe Medina

Testing and Outreach Program Manager

Gabriel Medina joined the San Antonio AIDS Foundation (SAAF) as a Testing and Outreach Specialist in 2019. In 2020, he was trained to assist the education program with presentations in SAISD regarding HIV/STI’s and sexual health awareness. In 2022, Gabriel was promoted to SAAF’s Testing and Outreach Program Manager. Currently, he oversees the testing department and overall operations of the testing program. Gabriel is also serving as Co-Chair to the Prevention Task Force in San Antonio, where a dedicated group of community health workers from different ASO’s and CBO’s around San Antonio meet monthly to help prevent the spread of HIV in the community.

Lianna Villegas

Quality Management Officer

Lianna Villegas, Quality Assurance Manager, oversees compliance throughout the organization with community partners such as, Ryan White, UHS, HUD and COSA. She has been with the San Antonio AIDS Foundation since 2018 in the quality assurance department. Lianna brings knowledge in ASO specific programs and data bases. She has a B.S. from UTSA, in Community Heath and Preventative Services. She has many years of community service under her belt and loves that she is able to continue doing so in her career.

George Purnia, Jr.

340B Program/Medical Billing Director

George H. Purnia, Jr., joined the San Antonio AIDS Foundation as of October 4th, 2021. George and his partner Danny relocated to the San Antonio, Texas just over three years ago from Denver, Colorado. George has worked in the medical field for the last seventeen years. His experience includes Medical Compliance, Medical review, and Medical Billing which oversees patients getting proper care based on procedures and guidelines. He has over 23 years’ experience within insurance, healthcare, and healthcare management. George is currently attending Grad school at Colorado Technical University to obtain his Master of Science in Healthcare Management (MSHCM) degree. George has two grown children; both boys who are 25 and 23 years old. His eldest son is a Colorado Springs Firefighter, and his youngest is active duty military in the Army (Go Army). George enjoys spending time with his family and partner with quality time outdoors, i.e., swimming, biking, running, boating, and shopping. George has joined SAAF to help make a difference within our community.

Mari Ceballos

Pharmacy Manager

Mari Ceballos is the Pharmacy Manager for The Care Clinic Pharmacy at the San Antonio AIDS Foundation (SAAF). She received her Doctorate of Pharmacy from Texas A&M University in 2016 and a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in 2007.

She has worked in the healthcare field for over 15 years and previously worked as a strategic territory manager for McKesson Medical-Surgical where she was recognized as a “Rising Star”.

She is an active member of the Texas Pharmacy Association and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

Mari is a passionate pharmacist and is dedicated to providing seamless care to advocate for the SAAF community.

She lives in Cibolo with her husband and two children where they enjoy exploring area trails and discovering new eateries.