National Expert on Aging Issues Appointed AARP Virginia State President

BOB BLANCATO WILL REPRESENT MORE THAN 1 MILLION AARP MEMBERS STATEWIDE

RICHMOND _   Bob Blancato brings more than 30 years of national experience in the field of aging with him as he takes on the role of Virginia State President for AARP.

Blancato, of Arlington, began his term January 1 as the chief Virginia volunteer for AARP.  He is President of Matz, Blancato and Associates, a firm founded in 1996, with offices in Washington and New York providing a array of services for clients ranging from consulting and lobbying to advocacy services and association and coalition management.

“We welcome Bob’s experience and leadership to the AARP Virginia team,” said AARP Virginia State Director Bill Kallio.  AARP conducted a statewide search for a state president in the fall of 2012.

At AARP, Blancato will lead more than 200 active volunteers representing the 50+ population including more than 1 million AARP members in Virginia.  Through this leadership position, Blancato will help further AARP’s mission to enhance quality of life for all as we age, by promoting independence, dignity and purpose through education, advocacy and service.

State presidents are a vital part of AARP’s volunteer workforce.  State presidents, supervised by regional volunteer directors, are key leadership partners with state directors and provide a leadership voice on behalf of the volunteers in the state.

Blancato currently serves as the National Coordinator of the 3,000-member nonpartisan Elder Justice Coalition.  He also serves as Executive Director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs.  He was appointed in 2008 by then-Governor Tim Kaine to be on the Commonwealth Council on Aging, served as chair from 2009-2011 and was reappointed for another four-year term by Governor Robert McDonnell in August 2012.

Blancato had a career in public service spanning more than 20 years in both the Congress and the Executive branch.  He served for 14 years as a Staff Director on the U.S. House Committee on Aging from 1977-1991.  In 1993, he was appointed by President Clinton to be the Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging.  Ten years later Rep. Nancy Pelosi named him to the Policy Committee for the 2005 Conference.

As a volunteer, Blancato serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the American Society on Aging.  He is also on the Board of the National Council on Aging and Generations United.  He previously served on the Board of Senior Navigator (2004-2012) and the Greater Washington Urban League.

Blancato holds a BA from Georgetown University and an MPA from American University.  He has been on the adjunct faculty for a number of schools including the New School for Social Research, George Washington University, the University of Maryland and the Brookdale Center at Hunter College.

To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva.

 

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.  AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.  We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with nearly 35 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's millions of members and Americans 50+; and our website, AARP.org.  AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors.  We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.