Embodiments of the disclosure concern methods and compositions for immunotherapy for human papillomavirus infection and diseases associated therewith. In specific embodiments, methods concern production of immune cells that target one or more antigens of HPV16 and/or HPV18, including methods with stimulation steps that employ IL-7 and IL-15, but not IL-6 and/or IL-12. Other specific embodiments utilize stimulations in the presence of certain cells, such as costimulatory cells and certain antigen presenting cells.