Adrian Shanker (he/him) is a seasoned policy and non-profit leader with specialized policy expertise in LGBTQI+ health policy, data equity, and access to care strategies. Adrian has worked at the nexus of LGBTQI+ policy and health policy at the federal, state, and municipal levels.
He served in the Senior Executive Service in the Biden-Harris Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Policy and Senior Advisor on LGBTQI+ Health Equity at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and previously served as a member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.
Following his service in the Biden-Administration, Adrian launched Shanker Strategies LLC, a boutique consulting practice offering non-profit management, LGBTQI+ health, and government relations / advocacy consulting. He also currently serves on the LGBTQ Victory Fund’s National Campaign Board, which endorses and raises funds to elect pro-choice, LGBTQI+ candidates to federal, state, and local offices across the nation.
Prior to his federal service, Adrian served as Commissioner on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, the state’s civil rights enforcement agency, where he served from 2018-2022 at the appointment of Governor Tom Wolf with unanimous confirmation by the state senate. He also served the Wolf Administration as Commissioner and Health Committee Co-chair on the Pennsylvania Commission on LGBTQI+ Affairs.
The majority of Adrian’s career was in non-profit leadership. He served as executive director of LGBTQI+ community centers in Pennsylvania and California and served as board president of Pennsylvania’s state equality organization during the marriage equality fight. In Pennsylvania, he founded and developed Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center to a $1.6M agency with 24 FTEs, a 13,000 SF mortgage-free facility, and robust programs in community health, original research, positive youth development, fine art galleries, and a community archive. In that role, he created and broadly implemented the biannual Pennsylvania LGBTQ Health Needs Assessment in 2015, 2018, 2020, and 2022. In California, he led a $2.9M Ryan White agency that provided HIV case management, PrEP navigation, and harm reduction services.
Adrian earned a Graduate Certificate in LGBT Health Policy & Practice from The George Washington University and a B.A., cum laude, in Political Science and Religion Studies from Muhlenberg College.
Adrian has received numerous awards for his leadership and advocacy impact, including:
- Out in National Security Out Leaders List
- GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality Achievement Award
- Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center Legacy Award
- City and State PA inaugural Pennsylvania Healthcare Power 100 list
- Lehigh Valley Business Healthcare Hero Award
- Philadelphia Gay News ‘Person of the Year’ 2012 and 2018
- Human Relations Commission of the City of Allentown Human Relations Award
Adrian has edited two anthologies, Bodies and Barriers: Queer Activists on Health and Crisis and Care: Queer Activist Responses to a Global Pandemic and authored chapters in three additional books.
Image description: professional headshot of Adrian, a white man wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt, and orange tie. He is wearing an intersex-inclusive pride flag pin and standing in front of a grey background. (photo credit: DeMarcus Bolds)