Andy Ilves was named executive director of The NAMES Project Foundation AIDS Memorial Quilt in 1998, after many years of involvement with the Quilt and HIV/AIDS-related organizations. Ilves was instrumental in bringing the Quilt to an international audience. Ilves also served as chief of the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, as chief of staff in the office of San Francisco Supervisor Terence Hallinan, and as press secretary for Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre.
Ilves developed his interest in human rights issues while working as a journalist, editor, and researcher with Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty in Munich, Germany. Ilves is fluent in French, German, Dutch, and Estonian.
Ilves serves on the board of Mobilization Against AIDS, is a member of the World Affairs Council, and has been involved in civil-rights work with the NAACP.