Laura Silvestre, MSW is a Program Planner in the Bureau of Hepatitis, HIV, and STIs at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene where she supports the design and development of comprehensive HIV prevention programming for clinical and non-clinical organizations across New York City (NYC).

Laura first joined the NYC Health Department in 2021 and has a special focus on community engagement: co-leading an initiative to increase community engagement into the solicitation process, developing and releasing a research-informed social determinants of health universal screening tool for HIV prevention programs, and supporting the development of systems and policies to ensure community engagement is better incorporated into program planning. Her work and interests include program planning with an equity and social justice lens and participatory grantmaking. Laura is a graduate of the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College where she earned a Master in Social Work with a specialization in Organizational Management and Leadership. Laura also has experience overseeing the delivery of HIV prevention programs at a transgender-led community-based organization working to increase the capacity of transgender community members through advocacy, education and social support.