New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well Appoints Cathy Rowe, DrPH, as Executive Director

Trenton, NJ (May 3, 2021) – New Jersey Advocates for Aging Well (NJAAW), a leader in optimizing the aging experience for New Jersey residents since 1998, has selected Cathy Rowe, DrPH, to serve as its new Executive Director.

“Cathy is just the person we need to lead our organization into the future, as we stand at a critical juncture in building a network for healthy aging in New Jersey,” said Steve Leone, Chairman of the NJAAW Board of Trustees. “Her experience and skills align perfectly with our mission to advance policies and opportunities that enable older adults to live with independence and dignity in their communities,” he said.

“I am thrilled to join NJAAW at this pivotal point, as our demographics shift to an older, active population,” Dr. Rowe said. “We need to prepare and rethink what enables residents to age well in our State,” she added

Most recently, Dr. Rowe served as Coordinator for SOMA (South Orange/Maplewood): Two Towns for All Ages, a grant-funded healthy aging initiative in a community with more than 6,000 residents over 60. This cutting-edge collaboration, based on the World Health Organization’s Domains of Healthy Aging, focuses on developing programs to address economic and infrastructure needs for an age-friendly community.

Dr. Rowe has spoken extensively on aging issues at conferences and symposia locally and globally and is an expert on establishing age-friendly communities. In 2020, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging presented her with a “Best Practices for Socially Engaging Older Adults Award” for the “Repair Café” she established – the first of its kind in NJ. An inter-generational event, the cafe brings together people of all ages and levels of expertise to repair and save treasured items. This also helps to keep such items out of landfills.

Dr. Rowe serves on the steering committee for Impact 100 Essex and is a mentor for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Previously, she was a Board member for the Interfaith Hospital Network.

Dr. Rowe earned her DrPH in Health Policy and Management from Columbia University, where she received a Fellowship in Public Policy. Her BA in Economics is from Bates College.

Dr. Rowe can be reached at crowe@njaaw.org.

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About NJAAW

NJ Advocates for Aging Well (NJAAW, njaaw.org), formerly NJ Foundation for Aging, has been at the forefront of revolutionizing the aging experience since 1998. It is the only statewide nonprofit focused solely on providing leadership in public policy and education to enable older adults to live with independence and dignity in their communities. NJAAW’s social action issues include senior housing and hunger, elder economic security, older workers and transportation. The award-winning Aging Insights, a monthly topical TV program produced by NJAAW, connects caregivers, seniors and their families to community-based services and resources. The show is available on NJAAW’s YouTube channel, at njaaw.org and more than 70 public-access stations across NJ (check local listings for channels and times). NJAAW also presents educational forums and an Annual Conference (June 3-4, 2021) offering development opportunities and best practices for professionals entrusted with caring for seniors.