The 2026 Ruby Gala Makes Intersectional HIV Treatment Possible

Glamour, dedication and advocacy united once more at this year’s Ruby Gala. The black-tie fundraiser supports the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic, Nashville’s first nonprofit medical home for people living with HIV. 

VCCC opened its doors in 1994 when effective HIV therapy didn’t exist. Since then, the clinic has helped patients live normal lifespans and stop the virus from spreading. Medical director Sean Kelly — one of Nfocus’ 2024 Fresh Faces of Philanthropy — hopes that, by providing essential services and educating the community about HIV, VCCC will be a leader in ending the epidemic altogether. 

To accomplish this, Sean and his colleagues work to minimize barriers to healing, including homelessness, food insecurity and, most of all, stigma. VCCC transports patients to and from treatments to make care more accessible. The clinic also doubles as a food bank, offers dental services and provides substance use disorder treatment to prioritize well-rounded care. 

At this year’s gala, co-chaired by Sean and board member Meghan Jahn, excitement set Marathon Music Works ablaze as guests retreated into a coastal Moroccan oasis. Grand palm branches and cozy candles ornamented the space, creating a welcome solace after January’s frigid ice storm. 

As revelers ventured into the dining room, conversation filled the air — but quickly fell to a hush once Sean welcomed the crowd. He presented the Raffanti Award — named after the clinic’s founder, Stephen Raffanti — to Olivia Cholewa, a VCCC outpatient triage nurse and nurse practitioner for the Music City PrEP Clinic. 

Olivia’s interest in LGBTQ+ wellness drew her to VCCC, which she says focuses on the “humanity of health care.” Through her practice, she’s become hyperaware of the role stigma plays in HIV treatment, and she works to address the layers — culture, money and access — that contribute to overall health. “The science is there, but the stigma is much harder to treat,” she said.

Much of Olivia’s impact manifests through her advocacy work, where she lectures Vanderbilt University students on practicing queer-affirming care while also prioritizing community education and representation. “One conversation can shape a practice,” she said, before receiving a standing ovation. 

As all memorable parties do, the gala ended with dancing — a fitting nightcap for a jubilant evening of fundraising.