Olga Irwin

Experience

Olga Irwin has been involved in the HIV community since 2001. She is a member of the Ryan White Part B Consortium and Ohio AIDS Coalition and a co-chair of Ohio Community Prevention Group. Olga is also the co-chair, outreach coordinator, policy fellowship spokesperson, and policy mentor for Positive Women's Network—USA Ohio. She also has done work with AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AIDS Alliance CORPS trainings, Campaign to End AIDS, the Center for HIV & Policy, Steel Valley Reproductive Justice, and more .  

Olga has put her body on the line in her advocacy work, protesting and being several times arrested. She’s been featured in local media, at press conferences, and rallies to save healthcare. Olga has received the Trailblazer Award through Equitas Health at the Transforming Care Conference. She’s also presented at two conferences: SYNChronicity 2019 and USCA 2019. Olga was in POZ 100 in 2017 and 2018 and was also named one of the magazine’s Amazing Persons.

Olga became a community healthcare worker after attending Cleveland University School of Nursing. In February 2023, she received training to be a certified EKG technician. 

In her free time, Olga—an aunt and godmother to many—loves to dance, crochet, cross stitch, and read. Most of all, she loves to laugh—finding humor in everything, having a good time, and making sure everyone else is laughing and having a good time.