2019 Issue 5 Sep/Oct - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine
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spent her senior year at the<br />
United States International<br />
University in Kenya, where<br />
she held an internship at<br />
an HIV/AIDS orphanage.<br />
There she witnessed babies<br />
born HIV positive being<br />
“dropped off” by their<br />
parents. Here, the seeds<br />
of service were planted,<br />
which she would carry, as<br />
a recent college graduate<br />
and newlywed, to Flint,<br />
Michigan.<br />
Her tenure with<br />
Wellness AIDS Services,<br />
Inc. included positions<br />
in Case Management,<br />
HIV Prevention, Interim<br />
Executive Director, and<br />
Executive Director. Osman<br />
was tapped by the Board<br />
to serve as the Interim for<br />
6 months to either “turn<br />
the organization around<br />
or transition its clients to<br />
another service provider.”<br />
She accepted the challenge<br />
and was able to orchestrate<br />
a successful turn-around of<br />
the organization, which still<br />
flourishes today.<br />
“Even though I was only<br />
24 years old and had no<br />
prior executive leadership<br />
experience, I felt a deep<br />
obligation to the clients<br />
not to shut down,” Osman<br />
stated emphatically.<br />
Building on success<br />
As she experienced<br />
success in her professional<br />
life, success was mirrored<br />
in her personal life too. A<br />
wife and now mother of<br />
two young sons, Amna<br />
earned a Master of Public<br />
Administration from the<br />
University of Michigan. With<br />
greater knowledge, new<br />
skillsets, and a growing<br />
support network, Amna<br />
served as the Director<br />
of the Division of Health,<br />
Wellness, and Disease<br />
Control for Michigan<br />
Department of Community<br />
Health, and was responsible<br />
for operational oversight of<br />
the division which consists<br />
of Health Disparities<br />
Reductions/Minority Health;<br />
Sexually Transmitted<br />
Diseases; and HIV/AIDS<br />
Prevention Education, Care<br />
and Treatment; AIDS Drug<br />
Assistance Program and<br />
the HIV/AIDS Oral Health<br />
Program.<br />
With success came<br />
accolades, appointments,<br />
and additional<br />
opportunities to make<br />
an impact on vulnerable<br />
communities.<br />
Osman credits her<br />
professional success with<br />
not only putting in the<br />
hard work but to “coaches<br />
and mentors that really<br />
“<br />
“WE NEED VOICES<br />
HEARD AT ALL<br />
LEVELS AND NEED<br />
THE COMMUNITY<br />
TO CONTINUE<br />
TO PROVIDE<br />
FEEDBACK AND<br />
RECOMMENDATIONS<br />
FOR CARE TO THE<br />
LGBT+ COMMUNITY.”<br />
supported me.” In these<br />
days of growing awareness<br />
around privilege and<br />
workplace inequities,<br />
Osman shares an important<br />
personal insight, “I just want<br />
to acknowledge that as<br />
women we work extra hard<br />
to be in seats of leadership<br />
Page 18 / focusmidtenn.com / SEP+OCT <strong>2019</strong> / SUCCESS
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