Brown University alum Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan leads AARP, follows Jo Ann Jenkins – Herb Weiss

By Herb Weiss, contributing writer on aging issues

With AARP Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jo Ann Jenkins announcing her decision eight months ago in a statement by Lloyd Johnson, Chair of AARP Board of Directors, he pledged that his Board would move “diligently to find the right person to lead AARP on the next leg of its journey.”  The Board supported by Heidrick and Struggles, an international executive search and management consulting company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, recruited Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan to serve as its next CEO.

Minter-Jordon, 52, a physician and former president and CEO of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health, a nonprofit group that promotes dental health, will oversee 21 departments at the Washington, DC-based AARP, which has state affiliates in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.  According to Forbes, as of February 2024, AARP had 2,250 employees and was ranked No. 31 in its America’s Best Midsize Employers listing.  The Paddock Post reported that the organization’s total revenue in 2022 was $ 1.8 billion.

Leading AARP into the Future

“Dr. Minter-Jordan joins us with the necessary attributes to successfully guide AARP on the next leg of our journey to help people live better as they age,” says AARP’s Board Chair Johnson in a Nov. 12 statement announcing her hiring. “She is an accomplished physician and innovative business leader who brings to AARP a strong passion for our social mission, demonstrated ability to balance strategic decisions with financial discipline, build strong teams, foster collaboration and lead organizations through rapid change and growth. We’re thrilled to have her leading the fight for what matters most to older Americans during this time of increasing social and technological change,” he says.

According to AARP, prior to Minter-Jordan’s new role at AARP, she served as President and CEO (2021-2024) of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. As a physician and business executive, she played a key role in advising and shaping strategic initiatives aimed at improving dental health care outcomes through advocacy, policy development, and philanthropic efforts. In the spring of 2024, she testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) about the dental care crisis in America.

Before joining CareQuest Institute, Minter-Jordan’s bio noted that she served as chief medical officer and CEO of the Dimock Center, one of the largest community health centers in Massachusetts. During that time, Dimock was recognized as a national model for comprehensive, integrated health and human services.

AARP’s new exec was also active as a Board member to an array of nonprofits.  She served on several boards and committees at BlueShield of California, the Yawkey Foundation, Penn Dental Medicine, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and board emeritus at The Boston Foundation, and Point32 Health. Previously, she held appointed positions at agencies including the Massachusetts Health Planning Council Advisory Committee and the City of Boston Public Health Commission.

Once a Rhode Islander, Brown grad

Minter-Jordan once called Rhode Island her home. She earned both her undergrad degree and doctor of medicine degree from Brown University School of Medicine and a master of business administration degree from Johns Hopkins University Carey School of Business. She also received honorary doctorates from Northeastern University and Newbury College.

“This is a pivotal moment for AARP and the nation,” says Minter-Jordan, noting that for more than 65 years, the nonprofit has been instrumental in improving the lives of older Americans by “helping people age on their own terms and live their lives to the fullest.” 

“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,” she says.

Jenkins’ farewell to AARP

On March 21, 2024, AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, 66, announce her decision to step down when her contract expired at the end of the year.  She began her long-time relationship with AARP in 2004 when she joined the AARP Services, Inc. (ASI) Board of Directors. She served as ASI’s Chair from 2009 to 2010.  In 2010, she became President of AARP’s Foundation, and three years later became AARP’s Executive Vice President and later its CEO.

With the announcement of her departure, AARP Board Chair Johnson recognized her “impressive record of accomplishments in advancing AARP’s mission and serving our members.”   He added, “Jo Ann has led AARP on a transformational journey to redefine the organization’s vision, challenge outdated attitudes and stereotypes about aging, and spark innovative solutions that empower people to choose how they live as they age.”

Among the accomplishments during her tenure, Jenkins championed the multi-generational workforce, healthy longevity, protecting Social Security and Medicare, and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. She has led through a spirit of innovation, creating AgeTech and launching a Digital First journey to help AARP better serve our members in the future.

Under Jenkins leadership, AARP has received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, has been named as one of Fast Company magazines Best Workplaces for Innovators, and for the past seven years has been named as a Washington Post Best Workplace. In 2019 and 2021, Fortune magazine named her as “One of the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders.” Her national best-selling book, Disrupt Aging: A Bold New Path to Living Your Best Life at Every Age, became a signature rallying cry for revolutionizing society’s views on aging.

A fond farewell

In a “Farewell to AARP” posted on the nonprofit’s Advocacy webpage on Nov. 6, 2024, Jenkins reflected on her first speech as AARP’s CEO at an AARP national member event at the San Diego Convention Center.

“That day I made a promise to AARP’s members: “As your CEO, I will be unapologetic in fighting for the wants and needs of people 50-plus. As AARP’s new CEO, I wanted to change the conversation about what it means to grow older. I said we need to “disrupt aging”—to challenge outdated stereotypes and attitudes about getting older and spark new solutions that help people live better as they age. I challenged our members to help me do that,” she recalled.

“We changed not just the conversation about aging but also what it means to grow older,” she stated in that posting. And she concluded, “As I wind up my tenure as the steward of the legacy of our founder, Dr. Ethel Percy ­Andrus, I’m proud that we have lived up to the motto she gave us more than 65 years ago — ‘To serve; not to be served.’ I leave confident that AARP is well positioned to continue building on that legacy.”

“Serving as your CEO has been a tremendous privilege and extraordinary experience. What I will miss the most is you, the members and volunteers, and the exceptional staff whose passion for our mission and commitment to service is second to none,” said in her swan song posting.

“As I bid you farewell, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support, your service and all you do to disrupt aging,” she added, noting that while leaving AARP, “rest assured that I will continue to be unapologetic in fighting for the wants and needs of people 50-plus.”

Jenkins has surely made her mark as the nation’s top advocate.  She leaves AARP in Minter-Jordan’s capable hands.  Good luck to both of you.

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To read more articles by Herb Weiss, go to: https://rinewstoday.com/herb-weiss/

Herb Weiss, LRI -12, is a Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, health care and medical issues for over 43 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories on Aging Boldly and a sequel, compiling weekly published articles, go to herbweiss.com.