On 16 October 2015, IAHSA’s Executive Director, Katie Smith Sloan, was named the new President and CEO of LeadingAge. Katie will replace Larry Minnix who is retiring from the post at the end of the year.

Katie will be carrying her leadership of IAHSA into her new role as CEO and President, with the hope of unifying LeadingAge’s work within the USA with the work of IAHSA’s global ageing community.

Katie commented on her new role, “I am deeply honored to be named as LeadingAge’s president and CEO. Expanding the world of possibilities for aging is important, vital, and invigorating work and in the years ahead, older people will dominate our nation’s census.

“I have devoted my career to the field of aging services, and I can think of no better vehicle than this organization for leading a national conversation about what it means to have an aging society, for tackling challenging policy issues, and for reversing prevailing biases against the aging. Doing so will require a vigorous program of engagement in public policy issues and with policy makers. I look forward to that, and to continuing our strong ties with IAHSA.”

IAHSA and LeadingAge History

IAHSA was founded by LeadingAge more than two decades ago with a distinct vision of creating a broader, international platform for the exchange of ideas, resources and solutions in addressing the most pressing issues faced by the world’s elders. Since then, IAHSA has been a close partner with LeadingAge as well as chapter members, IAHSA-China and EAHSA, in maintaining a continued dialogue and exchange of ideas among the world’s leading providers, businesses and researchers in aged care.

LeadingAge on Global Ageing

In 2015, LeadingAge established its position on global ageing and the need for increased engagement with the international community through its “Global Ageing Case Statement: Engagement with Ageing on a Global Scale”:

“…Countries, including the U.S., have each developed their own solutions to this challenge based on public policies and cultural norms. Across nations, there is a wide spectrum of approaches and considerable ingenuity and innovation. But there are also enormous gaps in understanding aging and in the systems and services necessary to address unmet needs.

“Over two decades ago, LeadingAge established IAHSA (International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing) to embrace the broader, global community of ageing services organizations. IAHSA was established with the belief that we have much to learn and much to share and that only by working together will we create a better world in which to grow old. Solutions are viable across borders, knowledge is meant to be shared, collaboration is essential and learning together is fundamental.”

Katie Smith Sloan looks forward to blending LeadingAge’s mission with the work of IAHSA, and continued engagement and collaboration throughout the international community on urgent issues affecting the world’s elders.

Click here to read the full LeadingAge Press Release.