A Chilmark resident and former business executive in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors has been named executive director of Island Grown Initiative, the organization announced Tuesday.

Rebecca Haag was most recently chief executive officer of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts and the AIDS Action Council and Foundation, a national advocacy organization. She led the creation of what became a national AIDS strategy adopted by President Obama in 2008.

During her 11-year tenure at AIDS Action, the HIV infection rate in Massachusetts dropped 52 per cent, a press statement said.

She also formerly held senior executive positions with Hill, Holiday, Work/Family Directions and the global consulting firm, PWC. She earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wells College in 1974, and an MBA from Boston University in 1983. She has earned numerous awards and recognition for her work, including an honorary degree in human services from Simmons College in Boston in 2011.

Founded in 2005 by Ali Berlow who was its first executive director, Island Grown Initiative aims to increase the supply and demand for locally grown foods through a variety of programs, including educational programs in the schools. IGI was reorganized two years ago when it moved to Thimble Farm in Oak Bluffs, where it runs the Farm Hub. IGI also operates Island Grown Schools and the Island gleaning program.

“The mission of IGI resonates deeply to me — to give everyone access to food that they can afford and which will enhance the health of their families,” Ms. Haag said in the press statement. “A local, sustainable food system not only promotes economic and job growth for the Vineyard, it impacts the overall health and wellness of our community. I look forward to working with so many other Islanders who are already committed to this important work.”

Ms. Haag lives in Chilmark with her wife Mary Breslauer and their two dogs, Georgia and Otto.