by Deb Hauser, President

Last week, Doug Kirby, a giant in the field of adolescent sexual health, passed away from a heart attack while climbing a volcano in Ecuador. Doug was only 69. According to those who were with him, just before he died, Doug sat down to rest, looked out over the landscape and said, “Isn’t life great!” Anyone who knew Doug would not be surprised that these were his last words. Doug was just that kind of man—full of life and full of wonderment at the great gifts and challenges the world has to offer.

Doug served as Director of Research at Advocates for Youth, back in the organization's earliest days. His tenure stretched from 1983 to 1988. He left the organization a few years before I got here, but his legacy was clear. His research on school-based health centers, sex education and youth sexual risk taking has guided the field for the last thirty years. To those of us just starting out, he was a giant even then, but he was always available to explain the implications of a piece of research, to talk strategy, or to debate the issues of the day.

I last saw Doug at a CDC meeting in March of 2012 during which he passionately argued for greater political resources to meet the HIV prevention needs of youth in this country. Doug had always been a reasoned voice for evidence-informed sex education. At this meeting he argued forcefully for young people’s rights to sexual health information.

I was lucky enough to sit next to him at dinner that night. We talked about our children, Advocates’ 1 in 3 Campaign, and the international work that he was doing in Uganda. His empathy for those with whom he was working and the depth of his commitment to help alleviate the impact of HIV and AIDS on communities in Africa is what I will remember most from the conversation - along with his devotion to his family. Doug will be greatly missed.

Doug Kirby's obituary