The John A. Hartford Foundation Board of Trustees announced Kathy Greenlee as this year’s recipient of The John A. Hartford Foundation Trustees Award. Kathy was recognized for her decades of dedicated government service and advocacy on behalf of older adults and people with disabilities, especially those needing long-term services and supports, those at risk of elder abuse, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and rural Americans.
Within the field of aging, Kathy has served with distinction at nearly every level of government, including as the Kansas State Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Kansas Secretary of Aging. Kathy also was appointed by President Obama as Assistant Secretary for Aging in 2009. During her tenure at AoA, Kathy spearheaded the creation of the Administration for Community Living (ACL) with the purpose of advocating for independent living and community engagement. She also worked with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help implement the Affordable Care Act.
Since joining ADvancing States full-time in 2022, Kathy has served as Senior Director of Elder Justice, most recently leading the association’s analysis of the Final Adult Protective Services (APS) Rule and providing in-depth technical assistance and expertise to states.
“Kathy is a most deserving recipient of this prestigious award. Her depth of knowledge about the issues facing older adults and her willingness to think boldly to solve difficult public policy issues is unrivaled. We are grateful to have her expertise in service of our state members who work tirelessly to deliver high-quality person-centered home and community-based services to older adults and individuals with disabilities.” said Martha Roherty, Executive Director of ADvancing States.