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AARP Illinois Announces New Executive Council Members

AARP Illinois is proud to announce its 2022 Executive Council Members.

The Executive Council (EC) works to establish the state’s strategic priorities and objectives consistent with AARP’s National strategic framework and within AARP’s policies.

In Illinois, this council will help shape and advise the advocacy and outreach work our team does to improve the lives of our 1.7 million members -- and all older adults across the state.

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The council is led by Al Hollenbeck, AARP Illinois' Volunteer State President. Al retired in 2019 after a 42-year career in Civil Engineering. He was President/CEO of RJN Group for 25 years. He is a published author and recognized national expert in the rehabilitation of aging underground infrastructure and has held leadership positions in several state and local engineering societies. Al has a BS and MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Illinois- Urbana Champaign and served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Al has been an advocacy volunteer and a member of the Illinois AARP Executive Counsel since February 2020. He currently serves on the Joliet Illinois Diocese Buildings Commission, the Board of Directors of the RJN Foundation and the Forest Hills Cemetery Association.

Paula Bull-Cooper: Throughout her career Paula has specialized in providing services to the elderly in a variety of settings including home, rehab centers, skilled nursing facilities, adult day centers, and assisted livings.  She is committed to ensuring the needs of seniors are a priority. Paula is a graduate of McKendree University in Lebanon, IL, with a Master’s in Nursing Administration. 

Paula currently teaches as an adjunct instructor in the RN to BSN program at McKendree University.  Prior to joining AARP, Paula served on various boards including the Illinois Home Care Council, the Coalition for the End of Life Care, the McKendree University Nursing Advisory Council, and the Arthritis Foundation. Paula became active as an AARP volunteer in 2019 working with advocacy issues before joining the Executive Council in 2020.

Theresa Collins: Mrs. Theresa Collins is the Chief Executive Officer at Senior Services Plus, Inc. where she has worked since 2008 to provide opportunities and resources to individuals as they age. She has over 25 years of professional experience in social services and management and believes that the work of her agency is life changing. 

Mrs. Collins serves on many professional boards including the Illinois Association of Community Care Providers Homecare Providers in the role of President. She is co-chair of the State of Illinois Community Care Program Advisory Council. She is a member of the Older Adult Services Advisory Council for the state of Illinois and serves as an Executive Council Member for AARP-Illinois. 

She has a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Greenville College and a certificate in Business Management for Non-Profit Leaders through Washington University, Olin School of Business.

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Toyia Hemingway: Toyia is an experienced financial services executive, with over twenty years of experience in banking and payment processing.in major Chicago area institutions.  She has held leadership positions on nonprofit boards and has a history of building relationships in local communities.

Currently, Toyia divides her time among numerous nonprofit boards and commitments including with the Field Museum and SCORE Chicago. Previously, Toyia served as Board President and on committees with the YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago, La Rabida Children's Hospital, Metropolitan Family Services and Women Employed.

Toyia has been an active volunteer in many capacities with AARP since 2018. Recently, Toyia was among the first to volunteer for AARP Illinois in-person summer community events.   Toyia became active as an AARP volunteer in 2018 working with advocacy issues before joining the Executive Council. 

Jane Light: Jane has over 35 years of reporter and editorial experience in the Midwest and New York. She trained journalists in newsrooms across the world including Buenos Aires, Rio, Nairobi, Prague, Budapest, Frankfurt, Moscow, Paris, London, Singapore, Sydney, and Bangalore, India where she lived for a year. Jane holds a BA in Government from Boston University and studied languages including French, in Paris and Italian, in Florence, Italy. She has volunteered at Northwestern Medicine (Chicago) helping patients arrange Health Care POA documents and currently volunteers at Northwestern's Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Center. Jane joined AARP in 2020 volunteering on advocacy, and legislative issues.

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Helen Rosenberg: was Director of the Gerontology Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where she taught for 30 years. Upon her retirement early this year, she knew she wanted to volunteer with AARP because its values are aligned with her own desire to advocate for the benefit of older adults.

Helen holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University. As a recent volunteer with AARP, Helen has come to appreciate the good work that AARP does for all older adults and the importance of volunteers to the success of the AARP mission. She has been very involved with the Healthcare issues since she joined as a volunteer in

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Gregory Scott: Gregory has over 30 years of management experience in the public and private sectors in the Healthcare field. The positions held include Emergency Planning Analyst, Directory of EMS Services and much more. Currently, Gregory works at Carle Health, in the position of RN Program Manager.

Gregory holds degrees from Capella University-Master of Science in Public Safety / Emergency Management, Eastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and is working on a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, anticipated 2022 at Eastern Illinois University. Greg has recently joined AARP Illinois. He is interested in Healthcare issues and got right to work when he attended and spoke to Senator Duckworth at her Roundtable in Southern Illinois on personal experience and issues around Healthcare.  

About AARP Illinois
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