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Nicole Elinoff graduated the same year as UCF\u2019s 50th anniversary. Now, she spends her days involved in outreach activities in the Central Florida community, working to spread HIV prevention throughout the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing able to educate and raise awareness in others about HIV is some of my favorite work,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Elinoff is the sexual minority health coordinator at the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. She also serves as the regional HIV prevention coordinator for Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Brevard counties.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a native Floridian and Central Florida community member, I take HIV very seriously,\u201d she said. \u201cFlorida is disproportionately impacted by HIV.\u201d<\/p>\n
The state of Florida is at the top of the list for new HIV cases. Out of the entire United States, Miami-Dade area is ranked the number one location for new HIV cases. Closer to home, the Orlando metropolitan area is ranked fifth.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn 2012, I lost one\u00a0of the closest people in my world to AIDS-related complications,\u201d Elinoff said. \u201cSince then I\u2019ve made a commitment to do everything I can to prevent new HIV cases, raise awareness and help break down HIV-related stigma.\u201d<\/p>\n
When her uncle passed away, Elinoff wanted to advocate for better HIV prevention. This desire led to her becoming a training facilitator, teaching others how to properly administer HIV testing. She also helps the testers and counselors become certified to do so.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy favorite part of my job is being able to conduct these trainings and equip these individuals with the skills, drive and passion to become the best HIV tester and counselor they can be,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Elinoff has been inspiring others since her time at UCF. She was a member of Voices for Planned Parenthood, the Young Women Leaders Program, UCF\u2019s Women Studies program and the Psychology Advising Department. She was also the president of the National Organization for Women (NOW).<\/p>\n
\u201cAs president, one of my proudest accomplishments was ensuring the organization\u2019s sustainability,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen I entered that leadership role, the organization didn\u2019t have many members. It was surviving on the backs of a few people. At the end of my term as president, the organization had many new members and is now, many years later, stronger than ever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elinoff also mentored seventh-grade grade girls in Seminole County and their UCF Big Sister counterparts.<\/p>\n
\u201cMentorship is an extremely valuable aspect of transformational leadership as it works to build and strengthen communities,\u201d she said. \u201cMy understanding of leadership was greatly shaped through these activities.\u201d<\/p>\n
While studying for her psychology degree and women\u2019s studies minor, Elinoff found herself increasingly more involved in social justice activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am grateful for my education, as it helped change and shape my personal worldview,\u201d she said. \u201cI was able to build a framework of understanding around people\u2019s cognition and behaviors as well as social societies\u2019 influences on individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elinoff advocated for reproductive justice, comprehensive sex education, feminism, mental health and overall healthy behaviors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a firm understanding of the intersections of race, poverty and gender,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of which greatly impact health outcomes for communities and individuals. This experience helped create a strong foundation for my HIV work.\u201d<\/p>\n
After she graduated in 2013, she balanced nonprofit HIV work as a volunteer with a job as a server to sustain her daily expenses. Eventually, after a season spent working 60 to 70 hour work weeks continuing her path to a career in HIV prevention, she achieved the role she has now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I originally took the training to become a tester, back in 2014, I had no idea that years later I would be the person conducting the course,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Now she builds and provides new training or works on developing new collaborations. Others are grow into leadership positions through her help.<\/p>\n
\u201cHIV testing is such an important role in the healthcare continuum, and helping build new testers gives me so much joy,\u201d Elinoff said. \u201cThere is so much people don\u2019t know, and this information can help save someone\u2019s life and empower them to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nicole Elinoff graduated the same year as UCF\u2019s 50th anniversary. Now, she spends her days involved in outreach activities in the Central Florida community, working to spread HIV prevention throughout the area. \u201cBeing able to educate and raise awareness in others about HIV is some of my favorite work,\u201d she said. Elinoff is the sexual […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":23253,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[31,38,13,22,28,29],"tags":[130,1551,5710,2429,5709,4733,2783,5713,5712,5711],"class_list":["post-23252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-news","category-breaking-news","category-news","category-psychology-departments","category-top-news","category-ucf-news","tag-aids","tag-hiv","tag-hiv-prevention","tag-national-organization-for-women","tag-nicole-elinoff","tag-planned-parenthood","tag-psychology","tag-sex-education","tag-women-studies","tag-young-women-leaders-program"],"yoast_head":"\n