Katrina L. Balovlenkov
Katrina Balovlenkov, LCSW is the Administrative Director of Montefiore Health System’s AIDS Center and an advocate for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, sex workers, and people who use drugs.
Katrina has a wealth of expertise implementing best practices for the prevention, care and treatment for People Living with HIV/AIDS, and applying public health policies designed to lessen the negative consequences associated with various high-risk behaviors (i.e., harm reduction).
Katrina’s expertise in healthcare and harm reduction strategies derives from her experience as the Program Director for Whitney M. Young Junior HIV Program (2013-2015), the only federally qualified health center in Albany County, New York, as the Interim Executive Director at New York Harm Reduction Educators (2015-2016), a syringe exchange program providing services in Harlem and the South Bronx, and subsequently as the Director of The Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center (2016-2017). Prior to these executive leadership positions, Katrina’s biography includes eight years of direct clinical experience as a therapist and case manager.
Katrina’s community advocacy is exemplified by her membership in the New York City EMA Ryan White Planning Council’s Integration of Care Committee, her role as the community co-chair for NYSDOH AIDS Institute’s Ending the Epidemic Drug User Health Workgroup, and her membership in the New York State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute Consumer Quality Advisory Council and Sentinel Events Work Group.
Katrina regularly travels throughout New York State to speak on variety of public health topics, such as harm reduction in drug use and sex work, and the Undetectable=Untransmittable ( U=U) movement and it’s implications for clinical practice. Most recently, Katrina delivered a presentation entitled “Bringing the Patient Voice to the Improvement Table: Strategies to Meaningfully Engage Consumers in your Clinical Quality Management Program” at HRSA’s 2018 National Ryan White Conference on HIV Care & Treatment.
Katrina was recognized for her work in HIV prevention, education, and advocacy by the New York State Department of Health at each of the 2016 and 2017 World AIDS Day Celebrations.
Katrina is a 2007 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Social Work where she earned her MSW. In 2017, the University bestowed upon her the “Alumni of the Year Award”. Katrina received her LCSW-C in 2011. Katrina also received a certificate in Financial Social Work from the Center for Financial Social Work in 2009. Katrina is currently a licensed clinical social work (LCSW) in New York State. Katrina is a certified Naloxone Trainer of Trainers for Overdose Prevention.