AFAN business development director started as volunteer

When Kirk Ryder volunteered to help build a float for Aid for AIDS of Nevada, he had no idea that before the year was out, he’d be working at the nonprofit as the business development director.

“The float was for the Pride parade, and it was raining that day, so everyone was behind,” Ryder said. “I had a friend at AFAN who was working on it and called me to see if I could help.”

While he built, organized and helped bring the float together, Antioco Carrillo, executive director, noticed him and his skills and began to ask him questions, trying to sort out who he was and where his skills came from. Ryder was looking for a new position in the area, and he sent in his resume. The parade was in September. By November, he was on the AFAN staff.

He was familiar with the nonprofit and had attended its annual Black & White Party and walked in the annual AIDS Walk Las Vegas. His first big event for the charity was helping put together this year’s installment of that event.

“It was amazing to me to see everyone in the organization come together,” Ryder said. “Everyone got together and did what they needed to do. Everyone worked really hard for a lot of hours. We were there at 4:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. It was the best teamwork I’d seen since I was doing Broadway shows. That’s the same kind of teamwork. It’s people from all different areas coming together to produce one thing, to make one thing happen to affect a lot of people.”

Ryder attended the Juilliard School from 1985-88. He left at the end of his junior year to begin dancing professionally and returned at the end of what would have been his senior year to finish a few requirements for graduation. He performed as a chorus dancer in “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Guys and Dolls,” “My Fair Lady” and others.

His post-dance career includes working at the William Morris Agency, talent relations for Showtime Networks Inc. and director and field marketing liaison for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at the Miss America Organization. He came to Las Vegas with the beauty pageant and remained here when it moved back to New Jersey.

“My main job with AFAN is to go after nontraditional sponsorships,” Ryder said. “Other people handle grants. I’m looking for companies who want to contribute and have their name associated with the organization. When a company like Henderson Steel comes on board, that’s terrific. That’s what’s great about Las Vegas. There’s so many people here, cultures, companies, businesses and communities, and you never know who’s going to lend a hand.”

He said his position does not typically include stage management, but because he has that background, he was backstage during the 28th annual Black & White Party, making sure everyone was where they were supposed to be at the right time.

The money that is raised at the event goes to client services, helping individuals with HIV/AIDS in a variety of ways.

“We have 4,000 clients, and we help them with case management, accessing services, transportation to and from medical appointments and housing,” Ryder said.

The charity also helps with mental health therapy, which typically begins when a client is diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

“Psychotherapy is something we added a few months ago,” Carrillo said. “We see clients from the beginning, through diagnosis and all the way through their progression.”

The organization is celebrating its 30th anniversary. When it was founded, HIV/AIDS was a quick death sentence. Today, it can be managed with medication, but the costs are beyond the means of many of those afflicted.

“It is not an inexpensive disease,” Ryder said. “The medications are completely out of reach for someone who has lost their job, whether it is because of the disease or not. Because our clients are living longer, they have greater needs, and we have to rise to provide more and greater services.”

Ryder hasn’t regretted his decision to stay in Las Vegas and leave show business for charity work.

“I think we do great work here for a lot of great people,” he said. “I couldn’t think of a more honorable place to be.”

Contact East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor at ataylor@viewnews.com or 702-380-4532.