For Ann Conn, now president and CEO of the McGregor Foundation in Cleveland, OH, it was the experience at LeadingAge national’s Leadership Academy in 2007  that compelled her to participate in formal advocacy efforts for the first time.

“Whether talking to our legislators on Capitol Hill or being involved at the state level, it was both an expansion of my experience and [a realization] of the importance of educating those in Congress about aging services,” said Conn, who, since joining McGregor in 2006, has served as chief financial officer and chief operating officer before ascending to the CEO role in 2020. “They aren’t experts and we live in it every day. How do we make sure they understand the challenges that both the industry and older adults face?”

One of the ways that the McGregor Foundation, a private grantmaking foundation, is addressing challenges of serving older adults is through the growth of PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) in Ohio. “During COVID, the PACE program really had an opportunity to shine,” said Conn, noting that from a U.S. population perspective, Ohio has the sixth largest population of adults over 65. As services were being shut down, swiftly affecting older adults and their caregivers, McGregor was able to deploy employees from their adult day centers to provide care in homes, allowing the workers to keep their jobs. 

“As we came out of COVID, there was an opportunity to advocate for PACE expansion in Ohio. Prior to COVID, McGregor was the only PACE program—in one county in the entire state,” said Conn.  In December 2022, legislation to expand PACE beyond Cuyahoga County, as part of House Bill 45, was passed by the General Assembly. 

The following year, in December 2023, $50 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was awarded and paid out in 2024 for the construction of new PACE sites. Expansion of PACE occurred in ten counties, with two more pending. 

To support the PACE programs’ successful growth across Ohio, a state PACE association launched in 2025 to advocate on behalf of providers, participants and staff before the Ohio General Assembly, the Governor’s Administration, and policymakers. 

“We are advocating again for expansion of PACE,” noted Conn, who serves as the group’s board chair. “There’s quite a bit of opportunity to support older adults, both in rural communities as well as suburban areas.” In June 2026, House Bill 750, the PACE Association of Ohio’s legislation, which would fund further expansion of PACE, received an 11-1 favorable vote in the House Health Committee  and will be considered soon after the General Assembly returns in the fall.

Successful Partnerships

Another necessary element for the expansion of PACE was partnerships. Conn highlighted Ohio Living, a LeadingAge member and large provider in the state, as a partner that presented a unique opportunity. “At the time, they didn’t have PACE but they were interested in the model and were willing to advocate beside us,” she said. “We developed strong working relationships with their leadership and partnered with them at their location in Akron.”

Ohio Living, having decided to shrink its two-story nursing home there, had open space. The PACE coalition was able to utilize funds to redevelop the nursing home’s first floor into a PACE center, said Conn. “PACE can support a different part of the local community that [Ohio Living] wasn’t able to do with its life plan community,” she added.

Although nearly 20 years have passed since the Leadership Academy experience that inspired Conn to explore advocacy, she still maintains close ties with members of her cohort and relies on them for friendship and advice. One of the lessons she’s learned is “you have to be open to possibilities and not shy away from things that are difficult and haven’t been done before.” 

Join Changemakers in Philadelphia this October

Being a Changemaker sometimes starts with a simple question: What if we tried this? Ann’s experience shows how one connection can spark many more. As you think about the changemakers in your own organization and across the aging services field, invite them to join you October 25–28 in Philadelphia for the 2026 LeadingAge Annual Meeting, where thousands of changemakers will come together to share ideas and build partnerships. Registration is open now.