Jimmy Leon Gibbs is a lifelong resident of the Cary/Raleigh North Carolina area earning accolades in music education at Fayetteville State University. He pursued two additional degrees at North Carolina State University. He has an M.Div. and is a non- practicing RN. He has worked in radio, television, and print media as a reporter, on air personality, and creator of the show “Snapshot” on WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC. He has had long careers at Marriott Corporation, The Herald Sun as the society columnist and retired at IBM. His passion is HIV education, advocacy, scientific research, and community engagement.

He is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and is a trained interim minister. He serves as an On Call Chaplain at Wake Med, Wake Med Cary, and Wake Med North Hospitals.

He serves on both the Eastern North Carolina Association Board and the Southern Conference Board of Directors and the personnel committee of the United Church of Christ. He currently serves as Vice President of the Affordable Community Residence Association Board, and President Emeritus. ACRA provides housing and supportive services for people living with disabilities and HIV.

He also serves on the UNC Community Collaborative Board for the UNC Center for AIDS Research in Chapel Hill. He serves on the Faith and Spirituality Inter-CFAR Working Group, HANC Covid Task Force, HANC Legacy Working Group, Implementation Science Collaborative Initiative, The Duke HIV Research and Treatment CAB, and a host of other committees. He is asked to participate in workshops and panels throughout the US and abroad. He served as coordinator and chair of the 2019 planning committee of the 20^th anniversary of the UNC CFAR CAB when it hosted the annual meeting on the campus of UNC.

He is the former longtime secretary of the National CFAR CAB Coalition. In its annual meeting in November 2021 was elected Chair. This organization promotes community engagement, CAB mentoring and approaches to scientific and research collaboration.

He is a former president and board member of The Mallarme Chamber Players, The Durham Symphony, The Durham Art Guild, The Durham Civic Center Authority, The Chamber Orchestra of the Triangle, and a Charter Member of Planned Parenthood of Greater Raleigh. He is also a member of the Catawba Clergy Cohort.

He serves as a consultant and Intentional Interim for Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ.

He lives in Raleigh with his partner Anthony Woodward and their two fur babies TommyCat and Nutmeg.