A. Cornelius Baker

Antonio Cornelius Baker (September 30, 1961 – November 8, 2024) was an American public health advocate and policy expert who worked in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and advocacy. He held leadership roles in organizations such as the National Association of People with AIDS and Whitman-Walker Clinic and contributed to global health initiatives through his work with the U.S. Department of State and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). He served as Confidential Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Health from 1989 to 1992.

Early life and education Baker was born on September 30, 1961, in Sodus, New York. He spent part of his early childhood in Apopka, Florida, raised by his maternal grandmother, Fannie Baker, before moving to Syracuse, New York, to live with his mother, Shirley Baker, who worked as a social worker and family services coordinator for New York State Correctional Services. His father was Adel Robinson.

Baker pursued an education in comparative literature with a focus on theater at Eisenhower College.

Career Baker was an arts editor for Washington City Paper in 1983. Around the same time, he became involved in LGBTQ movements and public health advocacy, raising funds for local gay organizations such as Brother, Help Thyself.

In 1992, Baker became policy director at the National Association of People with AIDS, eventually rising to the position of executive director. His tenure included the establishment of National HIV Testing Day on June 27, an effort to destigmatize testing and integrate it into routine healthcare practices.