A Nation will be healed. Every despair will be vanquished. When your willpower rises, every obstacle will vanish. As a resilient survivor—who has become a Nonprofit Owner, Movement Starter, Recovery Coach, Peer Supporter, Harm Reduction Navigator, HIV Advocate, and Public Educator—Sequan Kolibas holds the power to transform every moment into hope and change the reality for the better. Today, the Founder and Executive Director of Hope on T.T.a.P.P., her transition from living in silence to becoming a vocal advocate, is empowering a new generation of social leaders. Behind Sequan’s transformative leadership lies an enthralling journey of grit, resolve, confidence, resilience, positive attitude, patience and perseverance. A Past that Ignited Her Leadership Spirit It began twelve years ago. Sequan Kolibas was given an HIV+ diagnosis in 2013 and lived through years of self-stigmatizing thoughts and shame. She also endured discrimination from medical providers once they learned of her history of injection drug use. “I had heard horrible stories from others in my community about their negative experiences with providers while trying to seek out medical attention. These interactions had left them feeling helpless and devalued. Some of them eventually passed away because of their untreated conditions,” expresses Sequan. It infuriated her that these people—compassionate, intelligent, and carrying stories that could move mountains—were being silenced. While others received dignity, respect, and care, they met with judgment and neglect. Their struggles were dismissed, their voices unheard, and if help came at all, it arrived stripped of empathy and equality. Becoming a Voice of the Voiceless When Sequan Kolibas started to recover, it became her mission to be the voice of her community, to be the voice that would be listened to and the voice that would not leave until it was heard! In her words, she upsets the current medical landscape by challenging providers to see every person who walks through their doors as an equal and deserving human being. She reminded them of the oath they took when becoming a healthcare professional; the oath to help people who were sick, regardless of their personal biases, and to treat them without judgment. So, she decided to start a nonprofit that specializes in stigma-free healthcare for HIV and hepatitis C-positive individuals. T.T.a.P.P. stands for Testing, Treatment and Peer-led Prevention. “It’s life-changing when you can have a relationship with your healthcare provider, in which you feel safe enough to tell them the truth about what you have been doing and the choices you have been making.” Being able to be open and candid about your sexual health without being looked down upon or questioned leads to conversations about prevention options and harm reduction. The majority of people, when they think of ‘harm reduction,’ they think of ‘syringe exchange.’ But anything that keeps you safe is harm reduction, such as wearing a seatbelt while in a vehicle, wearing a helmet when riding a bike, wearing a condom during sex, and taking a pill every day, like PrEP, to lower the chances of contracting HIV. Breaking the Cycle: How She Is Redefining Care and Community with HoT As the power behind Hope on T.T.a.P.P. (HoT), Sequan Kolibas shoulders more than just administrative responsibilities—she is the soul of the mission. What began as a deeply personal fight against stigma and neglect has now evolved into a life-affirming movement spreading across nine counties with a powerful, mobile, judgment-free healthcare model. From managing partnerships with medical clinics to ensuring providers are upholding the values of empathy and respect, Sequan’s role is hands-on and heart-first. “We’re the only mobile rapid point-of-care provider for HIV and hepatitis C in the entire state,” she says with pride. Despite limited resources, she and her sole team member—both women with lived experience—keep the gears turning. They carefully vet clinic collaborations to maintain integrity in service and maximize impact. “We don’t overextend. Every decision we make is with our community’s safety and dignity in mind.” But Sequan’s mission isn’t just about offering services—it’s about shifting culture. Within the communities they serve, HoT isn’t just a medical service; it’s a safe space. The secret to building that safety? Raw honesty and radical relatability. Sequan Kolibas and her team live the stories they advocate for. They’ve walked the same roads—through addiction, through incarceration, through dehumanizing healthcare systems—and emerged with a fire to create better paths for others. “Our strength is in our scars,” Sequan Kolibas often says. “Because we’ve been there, our clients don’t have to explain the shame—we just get it.” To break the cycle of stigma, HoT leads with conversation. They talk openly about drug use, sexual health, HIV, and hepatitis C—not in hushed tones, but boldly, publicly, and without fear. They humanize these issues, stripping away the shame and replacing it with dignity. That’s how Sequan Kolibas believes the fear of testing, the fear of diagnosis, the fear of being seen—all start to unravel. And when someone takes the brave step to walk into a provider’s office, they’re not alone. Sequan Kolibas or her coworker will be right beside them—like training wheels on a bike—making sure the ride starts with confidence and ends with empowerment. “Eventually, they ride solo,” she says, “because we’ve shown them how to advocate for their health and worth.” That’s the real heart of Hope on T.T.a.P.P.: not just surviving, not just accessing care, but owning your voice in a world that too often silences people like Sequan Kolibas. Raising the Volume: A Fierce Fight Against Silence and Stigma Sequan’s mission with Hope on T.T.a.P.P. is not just to provide care—it’s to dismantle the myths, challenge the narratives, and ignite truth in the face of entrenched ignorance. And in a world where silence still kills, she has no intention of lowering her voice. Among her toughest challenges is the gaping void of education surrounding HIV and hepatitis C in her home state. Misinformation isn’t just common—it’s the norm. And layered over that is the weight of outdated, stigmatizing laws that criminalize HIV based on fear, not science. These laws punish

Dr. Richard Larson’s name is etched in the world of operations research not just as a theorist, but as a problem-solver whose career has spanned more than five decades. His influence stretches across city infrastructure, emergency response, education, and public policy. As a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) since 1969, and now Professor Emeritus, Dr. Richard has devoted his life to applying mathematical models in ways that tangibly improve lives. From the optimization of police dispatch systems to the transformation of educational methodologies, his body of work illustrates a rare fusion of academic rigor and practical relevance. Driven by the belief that mathematics can be a tool of empowerment rather than abstraction, Dr. Larson has sought to close the gap between theoretical constructs and their real-world applications. His career serves as a testament to how deeply one person can impact the world when committed to analytical thinking and human-centered innovation. In the classroom, through public service, and within private enterprises, his approach—model-based thinking—has revolutionized the way decisions are made at both individual and systemic levels. This exploration of Dr. Richard’s legacy sheds light not only on his intellectual contributions but also on his enduring dedication to mentoring, teaching, and influencing the next generation of thinkers. He proves that even the most complex mathematical frameworks can serve deeply humane purposes: reducing suffering, expanding access to knowledge, and improving the quality of life for countless people. As he continues to champion these causes post-retirement, his impact only broadens. Lifelong Commitment to Practical Analytics Dr. Richard Larson has long emphasized the importance of mathematics and analytics in addressing real-world problems. Rather than view operations research as confined to classrooms or laboratories, he treats it as a living toolset with vast potential for social impact. From the earliest days of his career, he positioned himself as a translator between the abstract language of math and the tangible needs of communities. The mentorship of Professor Al Drake played a pivotal role in shaping this philosophy. It was Drake who invited a young Dr. Richard to attend MIT—an invitation that would define the trajectory of his life. What began as a student-teacher relationship blossomed into a lifelong intellectual journey, culminating in a 54-year tenure at one of the world’s most prestigious institutions. At MIT, Dr. Richard Larson didn’t just teach theories—he deployed them. Whether he was optimizing ambulance routes or redesigning educational delivery methods, he made sure his work remained anchored in everyday experiences. His approach has consistently emphasized measurable outcomes. By prioritizing public benefit over academic acclaim, Dr. Richard Larson established a reputation not just as a brilliant mind, but as a problem-solver who never lost sight of humanity. Building Models That Save Lives Among Dr. Richard’s most groundbreaking contributions is the Hypercube Queuing Model, a framework that fundamentally reshaped how emergency services operate in urban environments. Co-founding firms such as ENFORTH Corporation and Q.E.D., Dr. Richard extended his influence well beyond academic circles. These ventures sought to democratize access to advanced research, ensuring that ideas developed in institutions like MIT found applications on the streets and in government offices. The Hypercube Queuing Model exemplifies the potency of model-based thinking. By analyzing and predicting call volumes, response times, and resource availability, the model allowed cities to optimize the deployment of police cars, fire engines, and ambulances. The outcome? Faster response times, better resource allocation, and ultimately, lives saved. This project illustrated Dr. Richard’s belief in “useful mathematics”—not math for math’s sake, but for societal betterment. He understood that behind every data point was a person in need, and every improved second in response time could mean the difference between life and death. Making Knowledge Accessible for All Education is another arena where Dr. Richard Larson has left an indelible mark. Recognizing the barriers that prevent many students from accessing high-quality STEM education, he co-founded MIT BLOSSOMS—Blended Learning Open-Source Science or Math Studies. This initiative democratizes learning by offering free video lessons in math and science to students around the world. Working alongside MIT professor Dan Frey and his late wife, Mary Elizabeth Murray, Dr. Richard Larson envisioned a platform where learning could transcend borders, budgets, and bandwidth limitations. By leveraging the power of digital platforms like YouTube, MIT BLOSSOMS became one of the earliest large-scale open-source educational repositories. The initiative reflects Dr. Richard’s broader philosophy: that knowledge should be a public good. Whether through textbooks, lectures, or open-access resources, he has consistently pushed for education that is inclusive, engaging, and globally impactful. Thought Leadership in Operations Research Dr. Richard Larson has not only advanced operations research through practice but also through leadership. He served as the president of both the Operations Research Society of America (ORSA) and the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS)—two of the field’s most respected institutions. Under his leadership, these organizations emphasized interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge dissemination. He championed the idea that the most effective solutions often arise at the intersection of fields—where math meets public policy, or where engineering meets sociology. His influence also extended to nurturing future leaders in the field. Through conferences, journal contributions, and mentorship, Dr. Richard cultivated a culture of openness, curiosity, and real-world impact that continues to inspire. Model-Based Thinking for Daily Decisions In 2023, Dr. Richard Larson released his most recent work, “Model Thinking for Everyday Life,” published by INFORMS. This book distills his lifelong passion for structured reasoning into a guide for laypeople. It offers readers accessible tools to approach everyday dilemmas—from choosing the fastest route home to making financial decisions—with the same clarity and logic used in professional operations research. This endeavor marks an evolution in his mission: bringing model-based thinking out of the lab and into living rooms. With characteristic humility and clarity, Dr. Richard Larson explains how everyone—not just mathematicians—can benefit from analytical models. He hopes the book helps readers realize that good decision-making isn’t just instinctual—it can be taught, practiced, and refined. In doing so, he demystifies analytics and brings its power into