Episode 311 Phillip Yeager & Tony Morrison
Discussion: The Silent Threat – Preventing an HIV Resurgence with Tony Morrison & Phillip Yaeger
Listen to the Episode | Read the Transcript | World AIDS Day December 1st, 2025
In this critical discussion, we are joined by two formidable voices in the fight for health equity: Tony Morrison, award-winning journalist and founder of The Morrison Group, and Phillip Yaeger, CEO of Radiant Health Centers. Together, we explore the fragile state of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in 2025 and the dangerous reality that federal funding cuts pose to our progress.
For decades, community-based clinics like Radiant Health Centers in Orange County have been the firewall preventing the spread of HIV. Through Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding and accessible care, we nearly eliminated the disease. However, as we face drastic reductions in federal support this year, we stand on the precipice of a crisis. Without the safety net of neighborhood clinics offering PrEP, testing, and comprehensive care to the uninsured, we face a serious opportunity for HIV to resurge.
The Funding Crisis: How the 2025 federal budget cuts to the Ryan White CARE Act and CDC Prevention grants are dismantling the infrastructure of local health clinics.
HIV Resurgence Risk: Why the loss of free/low-cost services for the uninsured could lead to a spike in new transmissions for the first time in years.
Health Equity & LGBTQ+ Care: The vital role of safe spaces like Radiant Health Centers in providing stigma-free medical care.
Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U): The science is settled, but access to the medication that makes U=U possible is under attack.
Community Action: How local advocacy and private donors must step up to fill the gap left by government retrenchment.
"We didn't just treat a virus; we built a community safety net. If you cut the funding, you don't just lose a clinic—you lose the progress of a generation." — Phillip Yaeger
The battle against HIV/AIDS is no longer just medical; it is political and financial. As discussed in this episode, the resurgence of HIV is not a theoretical risk—it is a predictable outcome of stripping resources from the clinics that serve the most vulnerable.
This episode is a wake-up call: the tools to end the epidemic exist, but without funding, they remain out of reach for those who need them most.
Guest Biographies
Tony Morrison
Founder, The Morrison Group | GLAAD Award-Winning Journalist & Advocate
Tony Morrison is a celebrated media strategist and the founder of The Morrison Group. A former Senior Producer for Good Morning America, Tony made headlines and history when he publicly shared his journey of living with HIV, instantly becoming a leading voice in the movement to destigmatize the virus.
His advocacy work focuses on the intersection of media representation and public health, challenging the "undetectable" narrative to ensure it includes "unashamed." With a career spanning over a decade in top-tier broadcast journalism, Tony uses his platform to amplify LGBTQ+ stories and advocate for those living with chronic conditions. He brings a deeply personal and professional perspective to the funding crisis, highlighting how storytelling and visibility are crucial when government support wanes.
Phillip Yaeger
CEO & Executive Director, Radiant Health Centers
Phillip Yaeger is the dynamic CEO of Radiant Health Centers (formerly AIDS Services Foundation Orange County), the leading provider of specialized LGBTQ+ medical care and social services in the region. With a tenure marked by compassionate leadership, Phillip has overseen the evolution of Radiant from a crisis-response agency to a comprehensive healthcare hub.
Under his direction, Radiant has expanded its services to include family planning, mental health counseling, and youth programs, all while maintaining its core mission of ending the HIV epidemic. Phillip is a fierce advocate for community health centers, tirelessly lobbying against funding cuts that threaten the lifeline of medical services for the underinsured and uninsured populations in Southern California.
Support Radiant Health Centers:
Donate Page: https://www.radianthealthcenters.org/give
Radiant Health Centers Official Website: https://www.radianthealthcenters.org
This is the main hub for their medical clinic, HIV testing, and social services
Episode 311
Hosted by: Jeanne Pepper
Guests: Tony Morrison and Phillip Yaeger (CEO & Executive Director of Radiant Healthcare)
Email for Morrison Media Group (HQ): HQ@thetonymorrison.com
Muck Rack Profile (for articles/media): @thetonymorrison
Executive Producer: Jeanne Pepper
Producer: Eli Moskowitz
Original Theme: Jay Bernstein
Special Thank You to our volunteers
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