Katie Smith Sloan Named To Head LeadingAge

LeadingAge national has a new leader.

Katrinka (Katie) Smith Sloan, has been named as the new president and CEO of LeadingAge. She was chosen unanimously by the LeadingAge Board of Directors, who met in Chicago last week to make the final decision, after an extensive national search.  

Board Chair David Gehm sent an announcement to members and state affiliates on Friday afternoon. “Katie Smith Sloan will make a superb president and CEO of LeadingAge. When we announced the search process in February, we pledged to identify an ‘impressive leader,’ and she is most certainly that,” said Gehm in a press release posted to the LeadingAge web site.

Ms. Sloan is currently chief operating officer and senior vice president, as well as executive director of the International Association of Homes and Services for the Ageing (IAHSA).

“I am deeply honored to be named as LeadingAge’s president and CEO,” Ms. Sloan said in a release. “Expanding the world of possibilities for aging is important, vital, and invigorating work and in the years ahead, older people will dominate our nation’s census. 

“I have devoted my career to the field of aging services, and I can think of no better vehicle than this organization for leading a national conversation about what it means to have an aging society, for tackling challenging policy issues, and for reversing prevailing biases against the aging. Doing so will require a vigorous program of engagement in public policy issues and with policy makers. I look forward to that, and to continuing our strong ties with IAHSA.”

LeadingAge New York president and CEO James Clyne said that Katie Sloan is a perfect choice for this important role. “Katie understands the challenges facing all parts of the aging services sector. She knows the organization very well and is clearly a collaborator. We are very excited to work with Katie in her new role,” he said.

The announcement comes weeks before the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo, being held in Boston from November 1-4, where Ms. Sloan is expected to be introduced in her new capacity and address attendees during a plenary session.

Contact: John Broderick, jbroderick@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8835.