[San Francisco, CA] The National Caucus on Black Aging ( NCBA ) and SAGE are proud to announce the election of NCBA CEO Karyne Jones as Chair of the American Society on Aging ( ASA ), and SAGE CEO Michael Adams as ASA Chair-elect. Jones and Adams will assume their new leadership roles with ASA, the country's oldest and largest association of professionals in the aging sector.
"I am honored to take on the role of Chair of the American Society on Aging at this critically important time for our aging sector," states Jones, who will become the first African-American woman to lead ASA. "I am deeply committed to ensuring that ASA continues to be the essential resource to cultivate leadership, advance knowledge, and strengthen the skills of those who work with, and on behalf of, older adults," she added.
Jones has led the NCBA since 2003, overseeing all operations of the only national organization devoted solely to providing effective leadership in making minority participation in aging services a national issue and priority. NCBA is one of the largest minority focused organizations in the country, and is recognized as the national leader in senior housing, employment, health and advocacy on behalf of minority seniors. Jones has been honored with the 2014 Washington Brava! Award by SmartCEO Magazine as a top Female CEO, and nationally recognized in Next Avenue Magazine 2016 Influencer in Aging.
"I see it as a great privilege to advance the essential work of the American Society on Aging by partnering with its outstanding new Chair, Karyne Jones," says Adams. "Never has ASA's work been more important than now, as we redouble our commitment to this country's elders in the face of a rapidly aging population and growing doubts about our federal government's bedrock commitment to older Americans," he added.
Adams has served as SAGE's CEO for more than ten years. Under his leadership, the scope of SAGE's work on behalf of LGBT older people has grown tremendously. SAGE has become the national "go to" organization on LGBT aging issues, and an advocacy force at the federal level. Adams has twice been named one of the "100 most influential gay men and lesbians" by Out Magazine, and was featured as a 2016 Influencer in Aging in Next Avenue Magazine.
Founded in 1954 as the Western Gerontological Society, the American Society on Aging is an association of diverse individuals bound by a common goal: to support the commitment and enhance the knowledge and skills of those who seek to improve the quality of life of older adults and their families. The membership of ASA is multidisciplinary and inclusive of professionals who are concerned with the physical, emotional, social, economic and spiritual aspects of aging. Learn more at asaging.org .
The National Caucus & Center on Black Aging, Inc. ( NCBA ) was founded in 1970 to ensure that the particular concerns of elderly minorities would be addressed in the then-upcoming 1971 White House Conference on Aging. Since then, NCBA has helped protect and improve the quality of life for elderly populations, making certain that legislators, policy makers, philanthropists, advocacy groups, service organizations, thought leaders and the public at-large include minority seniors in their programs, policy- and law-making, and giving. NCBA is one of the country's oldest organizations dedicated to aging issues and the only national organization devoted to minority and low-income aging. Learn more at ncba-aged.org .
SAGE is the country's largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT ) older people. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in New York City, SAGE is a national organization that offers supportive services and consumer resources to LGBT older people and their caregivers. SAGE also advocates for public policy changes that address the needs of LGBT elders, provides education and technical assistance for aging providers and LGBT community organizations through its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging, and cultural competence training through SAGECare. With staff located across the country, SAGE also coordinates SAGENet, a growing network of affiliates in the United States. Learn more at sageusa.org .