AARP Arkansas Intern Carole DeLaney

Marcus Eubanks for AARP Arkansas

AARP Arkansas is pleased to announce that Carole DeLaney has been selected for our 2025 internship. With more than 25 years of experience working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector, Carole comes to AARP Arkansas with a passion for our Livable Communities program.

When asked how Carole became interested in humanitarian causes, she shared that she was exposed to opportunities through Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. at the University of Central Arkansas, Conway.

Carole’s professional career started as an Education Assistant, later advancing to Health and Nutrition Coordinator at the Community Action Program of Central Arkansas (CAPCA) Head Start. She then served as Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Her work with FEMA began in rental resources, where she eventually transitioned to the sales department and was later invited to join the internal affairs division as a permanent employee, managing disaster response in specific U.S. regions.

Her career has also included roles as an adjunct instructor, care coordinator, and community education specialist with Arkansas PBS. Throughout her career, Carole has maintained a commitment to community service, volunteering with organizations such as the Arkansas Red Cross as a First Aid and CPR instructor, Habitat for Humanity, Bethlehem House as a resident associate, Big Brothers Big Sisters as a school-based mentor, Conway Animal Services, and as a foster parent through DHS.

Carole’s passion lies in empowering others to have a voice and a seat at the table. After being out of college for two decades, she was accepted into the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, where she is pursuing a master’s degree in public service with an emphasis on Social Entrepreneurship.

Her key outreach program at AARP focuses on the Livable Communities program, which aligns with her school capstone project addressing housing affordability and homelessness in Central Arkansas. Her efforts center on creating sustainable, equitable housing solutions that strengthen communities and improve lives.