Jerome Montgomery

Jerome Montgomery blends a background in engineering with a passion for community health. A Chicago native trained in electrical engineering and software development, he spent much of his early career working on avionics systems and industrial automation. In the early 2010s he joined Project VIDA’s board of directors in Chicago’s Little Village, intrigued by its mission to provide culturally competent HIV prevention and wellness services to Latino communities. When the founding executive director retired in 2018, Montgomery stepped in as interim leader; within months he was appointed executive director and undertook a major organizational overhaul. He diversified funding streams, created a data‑driven program evaluation framework and expanded services to include a wellness center offering mental‑health counseling, acupuncture and food‑pantry support. During the COVID‑19 pandemic he partnered with Howard Brown Health to transform Project VIDA into one of the city’s first drive‑through testing sites and later a vaccination hub. Montgomery has forged collaborations with local schools to provide sex‑education curricula, launched a youth leadership academy and works with public officials to advocate for equitable HIV funding. Outside of Project VIDA he mentors engineering students and advocates for STEAM education for children of color.