AARP has a new CEO: physician and public health advocate Myechia Minter-Jordan

AARP has tapped Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan as its new CEO while promising a “new chapter” of advocating for Americans who are 50 and older and their families, the group said on Tuesday. The organization, which claims nearly 38 million members, touted Minter-Jordan’s career as a physician and public health advocate, and as a business leader who has worked to improve the health and wellness of individuals and communities.

While AARP repeatedly touts its nonpartisan status—it neither supports nor opposes candidates for offices—it devoted a rather significant portion of its announcement to highlighting the voting trends of older Americans. Since last week’s election, AARP has been dissecting how voters ages 50-plus cast their ballots.

In a statement, Minter-Jordan pointed to the association’s legacy over the past 65-plus years of helping to improve the lives of older Americans, age on their terms, and live their lives to the fullest, while teasing some changes in its future.

“This is a pivotal moment for AARP and the nation,” she said. “As AARP looks ahead, we have exciting opportunities to empower, uplift, and make a positive impact on the health, wealth, and wellness of the more than 110 million Americans ages 50 and older and the entire country.”

Working to protect Social Security and Medicare

AARP long ago distanced itself from a direct connection with retirees—in 1999, it officially rebranded as AARP in lieu of the American Association of Retired Persons—and has since opened up membership to adults 18 and older. But the core of its advocacy still focuses on older Americans, including to protect Social Security and Medicare, support family caregiving, lower the costs of prescription drugs, and shift public narratives on aging.

Minter-Jordan joins Washington-based AARP after serving in previous executive leadership roles at three Boston-based healthcare organizations. Most recently, she launched the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health in 2021 and served as president and CEO until July, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In September, a Boston Globe columnist included Minter-Jordan among an “alarming pattern” of at least 10 Black CEOs who had recently left prominent leadership posts in the past year.

Minter-Jordan attended Brown University for her undergraduate studies and medical degree and completed an MBA at Johns Hopkins University. She succeeds Jo Ann Jenkins, who announced in March that she would be stepping down when her contract is up at the end of the year, after a decade leading AARP.