January 21, 2026, Washington, DC—As 2026, the final year of LeadingAge’s 2024-26 three-year strategic plan, begins, the association of nonprofit aging services providers maintains its advocacy focus on issues critical to ensuring older adults’ access to needed care, services and supports. With a new chair at the helm and three new directors joining the board, the DC-headquartered national group is poised to address workforce challenges, funding for affordable senior housing, adequate and effective payment models and more, to support its thousands of members serving older adults across America.

“Our 2024-2026 strategic plan set out ambitious goals centered on supporting aging services staff and members at all levels of our nonprofit and mission-driven members’ organizations,” said Katie Smith Sloan, LeadingAge president and CEO. “We’ve accomplished a lot on many fronts in the past year, including policy achievements like fully reversing the nursing home minimum staffing mandates and stopping proposals to impose per capita Medicaid caps and end the use of provider taxes, advocating for funding for affordable housing as the number of homeless older adults grows and supporting members via a robust suite of education opportunities and in-person events. Still, there’s more to be done. So much more.

“Our country’s population is aging rapidly—and America is not prepared,” Sloan continued. “LeadingAge’s role as an advocate is critical. Aging services issues must be addressed. Lawmakers need to hear from providers on the front lines about the impact of policies they enact on members’ ability to serve older adults and families. That’s a priority—but not our only priority. As our members’ champions, we’ll continue to deliver support, helping them build capacity and organizational strength in myriad ways. Leadership development. Knowledge acquisition. Thousands of people have accessed our Learning Hub’s hundreds of resources in the past year, on topics from navigating Medicare Advantage and life plan community solvency to understanding how to leverage artificial intelligence in aging services. And, of course, in the coming year we’ll deliver more resources, tools and programs to strengthen the aging services workforce.”

That’s a priority, said incoming board chair Christie Hinrichs, president and CEO of Frasier, a purpose-driven life plan community in Boulder, CO, serving nearly 500 older adults across the care continuum. Because without staff, there is no care. LeadingAge strives to strengthen member organizations on multiple fronts: workplace culture, technology, leadership growth. Above all, she says, “we cannot forget that we are in the people business. It is the compassion developed through human connection that gives us meaning.”

In addition to Hinrichs, who chairs the board of directors for a two-year term effective January 2026, succeeding Roberto Muñiz, president and CEO of Parker Health Group, Inc., other changes in 2026 to the board of directors, which brings together senior leaders from across the LeadingAge membership to shape the association’s vision for the future of aging services, include:

Current board member Deke Cateau, CEO of A.G. Rhodes, will be adding the new role of vice chair to his responsibilities.

Three new board members begin terms:

• Vassar Byrd is the CEO of The Kendal Corporation, which offers a full continuum of care, including independent living, assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing across the U.S.
• Allison Ciborowski is the president and CEO of LeadingAge Maryland.
• Nicole Pretre is the president and CEO of Cedar Community, the largest nonprofit senior living organization in southeastern Wisconsin. Cedar Community offers a full range of services supporting older adults across multiple campuses in Wisconsin.

Members of the 2026 LeadingAge Board of Directors: