American Society on Aging Names New Chief Executive Officer
The American Society on Aging (ASA), an association of more than 5,000 professionals who are dedicated to improving the quality of life of older adults and their families, has announced the appointment of Peter Kaldes as chief executive officer. Kaldes was previously a leader and advocate in aging in South Florida as president and CEO of the South Florida Institute on Aging (SoFIA).
Kaldes will provide strategic leadership to amplify ASA's national reputation as the preeminent leader in the field of aging. Kaldes also will help to grow ASA's membership and expand member engagement in policy development and advocacy, as well as help define leading-edge practices in terms of diversity, inclusion and equity for older adults.
"Peter is an energetic, passionate leader and collaborator." said Karyne Jones, ASA Board Chair. "His work in South Florida's senior communities identifying socio-economic challenges and implementing innovative solutions is impressive and will richly inform ASA's strategic vision to improve the lives of older adults nationwide per the Strategic Plan adopted by ASA's Board of Directors last year."
Kaldes will be introduced to ASA members at the organization's annual conference, Aging 2020: Examining the Needs of Today's Diverse Older Adults, which takes place in Atlanta, March 24 through March 27. At that conference, a multidisciplinary community of practitioners, educators, administrators, policymakers, business leaders and researchers will explore issues and policies that impact the increasingly diverse and multicultural older adult population.
"I am honored and energized to be joining the ASA, whose members tirelessly work to improve the lives of older adults," said Kaldes. "I am eager to help ASA expand the field to include voices that will help us change the discourse on aging and catalyze new ideas to empower everyone to thrive as they age."
As president and CEO of SoFIA, Kaldes successfully rebranded the 55-year-old nonprofit with a new name, mission and innovative programming, which brought fresh energy, vitality and purpose to senior-facing services in South Florida. Under his leadership, SoFIA developed a 3-year strategic plan and launched many new initiatives to close the gap in socio-economic well-being for older adults including:
- initiating a widely popular senior technology training program, SoFIA Tech, to improve and enhance social and civic engagement;
- partnering with SAGE, a national advocacy and services organization for LGBT elders, to launch new services for South Florida's LGBT elders; and
- piloting SoFIA Fellows, a program that allows retired adults to return to the nonprofit workforce to seek purpose and additional income through training and internships.
During Kaldes' tenure, he recruited a new leadership team, helped diversify the Board, partnered with leading South Florida businesses, and led SoFIA in improving internal processes and systems. Under his leadership, SoFIA was awarded several new grants from distinguished national and local foundations that allowed the organization to substantially expand its work.
Prior to joining SoFIA, Kaldes was a senior executive in JPMorgan Chase's Office of Corporate Responsibility where he managed a $20 million philanthropic program that supported strategies to increase economic opportunity in cities around the world. Previously he was a senior economic advisor in the Obama White House leading efforts to grow the U.S. economy following the Great Recession. Kaldes also worked in the U.S. Senate advising Senator Debbie Stabenow on economic development policy. He began his career as an attorney with the global firm of Weil, Gotshal, and Manges, LLP.
Kaldes graduated from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and earned his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
About ASA
Founded in 1954 as the Western Gerontological Society, the American Society on Aging is an association of diverse individuals bound by a common goal: to support the commitment and enhance the knowledge and skills of those who work to improve the quality of life of older adults and their families. Visit www.asaging.org for more information.
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