Sarah Lenz Lock Senior Vice President, Policy and Brain Health

We focused on ways to transform how people view and how we can improve brain health. We produced reports and webinar series on the impacts of COVID-19, building equity in brain health, breaking down stigma related to dementia and cognitive decline, and supporting behavior changes that improve brain health. We provided members with tangible value, supporting over 380 AARP events including tele-town halls, conferences, and virtual events in more than 40 states. Our outreach prioritized sharing solutions with those most likely to be experiencing dementia disparities, including women and both Latino and African American communities. Our messages were featured in important forums such as the Milken Institute Future of Health Summit, International Federation on Aging, World Dementia Council, and World Health Organization.

Our work with the Global Council on Brain Health to collect and distribute accessible tools for boosting social connection and fostering joy at home provided a consequential guide during the COVD-19 pandemic, a time when so many struggle with ongoing isolation. Our research on music and brain health offered AARP Concerts substantive guidance and solid evidence that inspired people to dance, sing, and move to music, helping them to engage in exercise and relieve stress, while also promoting socialization.

Indira Venkat Interim Senior Vice President, AARP Research

We informed AARP's policy positions, infused advocacy efforts, and elevated the thought leadership of colleagues across the enterprise with comprehensive, valuable, data-driven knowledge and insights. Our subject matter experts dug into enterprise strategic priorities, offering clarity and nuanced texture on consumer and marketplace data. Our focus on evaluation was strengthened through collaboration with Enterprise Strategy to develop and refine impact measures. We introduced a probability panel with the National Opinion Research Center, producing high quality data on views and behaviors of people 50-plus. We also increased our data advocacy efforts through external collaborations to ensure underrepresented voices were heard.

With a Research liaison participating in each enterprise issue area, we confidently and effectively tailored actionable research to affect enterprise-wide change. This focus on actionable insights was displayed in our more than 400 reports in 2021, including those examining the impact of COVID-19, fraud and identity theft, technology use, rural health, caregiving, housing and community preferences, and drug prices. Reflecting on how we navigated through the second year of the pandemic, I'm incredibly proud of the resilience of the team and of the collective work that squarely addressed AARP's core values.

Jean Accius Senior Vice President, Global Thought Leadership

Our International and Thought Leadership teams accelerated efforts to position AARP as a global thought leader in crafting a vision for healthy aging and building a stronger, healthier, more skilled and adaptable society.

We engaged some of the world's top thinkers and leaders to foster equity in health care, financial resilience, and the built environment, and helped employers reimagine the workplace and embrace the benefits of a multigenerational workforce. We convened a global conference at which hundreds of attendees representing 65 countries were presented with AARP's vision for aging that states everyone has the opportunity to live a longer and healthier life.

The conference expanded on themes that emerged from our Building Equity in Longevity collection of insights and solutions to close the opportunity gaps in health and wealth, as well as the release of the third edition of the Aging Readiness and Competitiveness research. We continued to build strong ties with influential entities around the world, including the United Nations, the National Academy of Medicine, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the World Economic Forum. Finally, our team made significant contributions to seven enterprise-wide strategies to advance AARP's Plan to Win efforts and to achieve our social impact.

Susan Reinhard Senior Vice President and Director, Public Policy Institute; Chief Strategist, Center to Champion Nursing in America and Family Caregiving Initiatives

We mobilized to meet the needs of critical enterprise advocacy efforts during a second pandemic year. We provided in-depth, timely data and analysis and convened key stakeholders to spur effective policy responses addressing the dominant challenges facing older adults and their families. This powerful work touched on the major issues of the year, allowing our expertise to shine.

We spearheaded responses to the nursing home crisis. We developed solutions to improve livability, including helping communities meet the health, transportation, employment, and housing needs of everyone living there. We leveraged data and analysis to deliver on advocacy, education, and outreach outcomes in prescription drugs, Medicare, health care affordability, and Medicaid.

We led the development of a financial institution employee training program to fight financial exploitation and a direct-to-consumer platform to improve financial health. We also promoted accessible solutions for addressing older adults' financial needs, including programs and proposals for Supplemental Security Income, Social Security, and retirement savings.

We maintained our commitment to supporting family caregivers. We identified root causes of disparities in long-term services and supports, and we challenged the health care sector to begin to achieve health equity through a diverse and inclusive nursing workforce.

Dorothy Siemon Senior Vice President, Office of Policy Development and Integration

As older adults faced the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, our public policies served as the foundation for AARP's focus on being a wise friend and fierce defender for our members and people aged 50-plus. Our team served as thought leaders to not only address current and emerging opportunities and challenges, but also to ensure we are prepared to articulate future policy efforts with authority.

Our team provided a well-reasoned policy foundation through the biennial update of The Policy Book and a reimagined Policy Fundamentals, which highlights the paramount goals and underlying values that shape our public policies in alignment with AARP's strategic priorities. We also collaborated across the enterprise by offering guidance on applying policy in new contexts including analyzing legislative and regulatory proposals and examining potential partnerships. This work included responding to hundreds of requests for policy integration on high-profile issues affecting older adults such as vaccines, crisis standards of care, sustainable energy, and emerging artificial intelligence technology.