AARP Missouri Advocacy Director Retires

Twenty-nine year employee Norma Collins hung up her legislative hat as Associate State Director for Advocacy in September and offered parting thoughts to share:

“Arriving at AARP in 1985 was exciting. To have the opportunity to work for an organization that was celebrating the achievement of 20 million members was astounding at that time. Working in an area office (as they were called) serving seven states brings back memories of a cadre of volunteers working to “serve and not be served” in a variety of capacities: Tax-Aide, Driver Safety (called 55-Alive at the time), Women’s Initiative, Minority Affairs Initiative, Citizen Representation Program (CRP), to name a few of the programs.

I held many job titles: associate area representative; state and community representative; legislative representative; advocacy representative and associate state director – advocacy. It was not until 1995, the big reorganization at AARP that took me to Seattle where I served as a legislative representative and later an advocacy representative. By that time, there were numerous reorganizations and job title changes.

My return to the state of Missouri as the advocacy representative for Missouri was exhilarating since I was moving back to my home and family after spending four and a half years in the West Region office. These milestones will be a constant memory. But more than that, it has been a great ride for 29 years and will certainly be a segue to my ‘What’s Next’.”

Congratulations Norma on a wonderful career!!!