News
River Road Books To Host Talk By Author Regan Hofmann
By Ryan Fennell
FAIR HAVEN - Regan Hofmann, editor-in-chief of POZ magazine, the leading HIV/AIDS magazine in the United States, and author of I Have Something to Tell You: A Memoir, will be appearing at River Road Books in Fair Haven on February 25 at 7:30 p.m.
Hofmann has been living with HIV since 1996.
Although Hofmann is at the forefront of raising HIV/AIDS awareness at her post at POZ magazine as well as frequently participating as a panelist or keynote speaker at various conferences nationally and internationally, that hasn't always been the case.
Hofmann hid her diagnosis from the public for 10 years before revealing to the world that she was HIV positive when she appeared on the cover of POZ magazine declaring her diagnosis.
Prior to her decision to appear on the cover of the magazine to reveal her HIV positive status, Hofmann had been a contributor for the magazine as an anonymous columnist. The column frequently explored the notion of disclosure by telling a new person for each column. Hofmann had not revealed her disease to anyone other than a handful of close friends and family.
However, after joining the editorial staff at the magazine in 2006, Hofmann felt that it was not only the right time but that it was necessary to reveal to the world that she was HIV positive because of what she perceived as AIDS awareness being at an all-time low.
Hofmann's recently released memoir I Have Something to Tell You tells Hofmann's story leading up to and the events in her life after contracting HIV. It also details the 10 years Hofmann spent accepting her diagnosis and the journey she embarked on to help remove the stigma associated with the disease.
Hofmann is a native of Princeton, and currently resides on a farm in Hunterdon County.
Hofmann graduated from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut with a B.A. in creative writing. Hofmann went on to account management and copy-editing positions at high profile advertising agencies.
In 1995 Hofmann founded and published an arts and entertainment magazine entitled Poets, Artists and Madmen. The magazine was short lived but Hofmann continued writing as a freelance journalist for various publications and magazines including POZ.
In addition to becoming the editor-in-chief of POZ magazine she is also the editorial director for the magazine's parent company, Smart + Strong.
Hofmann is also a board member of amFAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, and The Names Project.
She has also traveled internationally on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to speak about fighting AIDS stigma.
