Alberto Cortes

Alberto moved to San Diego in 1983, after serving the United States Navy from 1979 to 1983. He served the submarine force on the USS Dace SSN 607. Soon after arriving he joined Dignity San Diego and also started volunteering with the San Diego AIDS Information Line (one of the first responses to the AIDS epidemic in San Diego).

He has worked in the field of HIV in San Diego for over 30 years. His work has included some of the initial HIV prevention efforts in South San Diego County targeting the latino/a community, other HIV prevention efforts targeting communities of color; as well as involvement in the establishment in the first needle exchange program in San Diego County. For 16 years he has served as Executive Director of Mama’s Kitchen. Initially focused on the nutritional needs of people living with HIV, Mama’s Kitchen has expanded its mission to service people with critical illnesses, including HIV, cancer, congestive heart failure, and diabetes. In the process close to 9 million meals have been delivered to San Diego county residents.

Alberto serves on the San Diego County HIV Health Services Planning Group (over 25 years on and off), a group that prioritizes services to be funded by federal HIV funds. He is a founding member of the LGBT Community Leadership Council.  Over the years Alberto has served on many nonprofit boards of directors including McAlister Institute, Being Alive San Diego, San Diego Men’s Chorus, Gay Men’s Chorus of San Diego, and Being Alive San Diego. For the last six years he has been a peer mentor to nonprofit leaders through the Fieldstone Leadership Network. And he sings second tenor with the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus.