2021 President's Award

Stephaun Elite Wallace PhD

Dr. Stephaun E. Wallace is a research epidemiologist, public health and business consultant, and internationally recognized public health/social justice leader. He has more than two decades of experience in public health and human services (HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases) and social justice efforts, and more than a decade of experience conducting public health research globally.

He is the Director of External Relations for the Fred Hutch-based COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN) and HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN), a Staff Scientist in the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division at Fred Hutch, a Clinical Assistant Professor in Global Health at the University of Washington, and Director of the Office of Community Engagement in the UW/Fred Hutch Center for AIDS Research. Dr. Wallace, a US Army veteran, has earned master’s degrees in management and organizational leadership, and a PhD in public health epidemiology. Dr. Wallace holds membership in, and serves on the board of, numerous regional, national, and international organizations including the International AIDS Society, American Bar Association, American Public Health Association, National Society of Leadership and Success, and numerous other organizations.

In the House Ball Community (HBC), he is known as the Legend Stephaun Blahnik, Chairman of the Iconic House of Blahnik, Inc. For 20 years, Wallace has been an active part of the HBC, and has received numerous ballroom awards and accolades for categories and leadership. Wallace has been in leadership roles in the Houses of Elite, Revlon, Cavalli, and Valentino; cofounded the Western New York Council of Houses, and helped restart the Atlanta Ballroom Alliance. Wallace has also provided consultation to the Centers for Disease Control, and other local, and state, and national health organizations and groups around the country on projects addressing the needs of LGBTQ/HBC communities. Additionally, Wallace co-lead the development of a biomedical HIV prevention-focused intervention focused on the HBC called Project VOGUE. Wallace has been instrumental in supporting the advancement of the HBC in national health policy, as an invited speaker and panelist to a White House commemoration of National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (Obama Administration) in 2014, and was responsible for ensuring the HBC was included in the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy Update. He has secured and managed millions of dollars over the years through grants and fundraising to support LGBTQ communities and HBC. Wallace also served as the project manager and co-lead of the PrEP Education Training focused on HBC hosted by REACH LA in 2015 (funded by Gilead Pharmaceuticals), currently serves as an organizing member of the Keeping Ballroom Community Alive Network (KBCAN), and directly supports many community initiatives in the US and internationally.

—July 2021

About the Award: The President’s Award is presented to a member of the community who has done exemplary work in the community over the past year.