President Obama this week appointed Helene Gayle, chief executive of CARE, to be chairwoman of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.

The council serves in an advisory role to the president and secretary of health and human services, making recommendations on polices to prevent the spread of HIV, disease research, and how to assist people who have HIV/AIDS.

The role is voluntary and part time, and Ms. Gayle will continue to serve as head of the charity, according to a press statement by CARE, an antipoverty group in Atlanta.

Ms. Gayle previously worked on fighting HIV/AIDS for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.