VNA Health Group Leader Appointed to State Advisory Council on HIV, STIs, and Viral Hepatitis

Neptune, NJ (June 17, 2025) – Visiting Nurse Association Health Group (VNA Health Group) is proud to announce the appointment of Shannon Preston, MSW, LSW, Director of HIV Community Services at VNA Health Group and Executive Director of the Prevention Resource Network, to the newly formed New Jersey Department of Health Advisory Council on HIV, STIs, and Viral Hepatitis. Preston will serve as a public member of the Council, which was established under Executive Order No. 381 by Governor Phil Murphy to guide the state’s response to these intersecting public health challenges.

Led by the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH), the Advisory Council brings together government officials and public members to coordinate statewide strategies that combat rising cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and viral hepatitis—conditions that disproportionately impact Black, Hispanic, Latino, and LGBTQIA+ communities.

“I’m truly honored to support the Advisory Council in this role,” said Shannon Preston, MSW, LSW. “Our PRN team is on the ground every day, doing lifesaving work across the community. I look forward to sharing their experiences, insights, and the voices of those we serve to help shape a stronger, more effective statewide response.”

With more than two decades of experience serving vulnerable populations across New Jersey, Preston oversees HIV prevention, harm reduction, and substance use services through the Prevention Resource Network (PRN), a program of VNA Health Group’s Children and Family Health Institute. Under her leadership, PRN provides low-barrier, judgment-free services to individuals who use drugs, including overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, syringe access, wound care, and vital connections to healthcare and treatment.

“Shannon’s commitment to harm reduction, health equity, and community care make her an exceptional voice for this new Advisory Council,” said Christopher Rinn, President & CEO of VNA Health Group. “Her appointment is a testament to the impact that she and PRN have in building healthier, more compassionate communities.”

The Advisory Council’s work will include implementing the state’s Strategic Plan to End the HIV Epidemic by 2025, advancing policies that reduce health disparities, and coordinating public awareness campaigns to expand access to prevention, testing, and treatment.

As New Jersey strengthens its public health infrastructure in the face of shifting federal priorities and rising STI rates, Preston’s participation ensures that individuals with lived experience and those facing systemic barriers to care remain central to the conversation.

About Visiting Nurse Association Health Group

Founded over 110 years ago with a mission to care for the community, Visiting Nurse Association Health Group (VNA Health Group) empowers individuals and families to live their best lives by offering high-quality, compassionate home health, hospice, visiting physicians, palliative and community-based care, private-pay personal care services as well as primary care for medically underserved patients. Today, VNA Health Group is a leading nonprofit provider of home and community-based health services in New Jersey. Its unique partnership model with health systems leverages clinical and technical resources to operate VNA of Central Jersey Home Care and Hospice, Robert Wood Johnson Visiting Nurses, VNA of Englewood, Barnabas Health Home Care and Hospice, and Visiting Physician Services. For more information, please visit https://vnahg.org/. 

As part of its comprehensive approach to community health, VNA Health Group operates the Children and Family Health Institute (CFHI), which serves more than 54,000 clients and families each year. The Institute delivers over 20 life-changing public health programs—including pediatric home care, early intervention, prenatal care, and primary care—providing the care and resources children and families need to live healthier, happier lives. For more information, please visit https://vnahg.org/children-family-health-institute. 

About Prevention Resource Network

Prevention Resource Network (PRN) is a program of the Children & Family Health Institute at VNA Health Group. PRN provides low-barrier services to individuals who use drugs, including overdose prevention and naloxone distribution, syringe access, wound care, and connections to healthcare and treatment. The Harm Reduction Center operates as a judgment-free, trauma-informed space for individuals not ready or willing to enter formal substance use treatment. For more information, please visit https://prnvnacj.org/.