AARP’s new Washington state director is a former public-health official for King County who wants to help older adults “achieve the health and financial security they need and deserve.”

Marguerite Ro will direct AARP’s activities on behalf of nearly 900,000 members in Washington with a goal of “assuring that older adults and their families have the support and resources they need,” she said. That includes, she added, “a myriad of issues – be it the use of technology, navigating health and social services, or feeling secure that they can retire without anxiety of financial concerns. Recent victories like the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which will lower drug prices and out-of-pocket costs, is just one example of what our members can accomplish when they speak out and we work together for change.”

Ko, a native Washingtonian, previously served as director of the Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention section of Seattle-King County Public Health. In 2018, she received the Public Health Leadership Award from the Washington State Public Health Association.

With AARP Washington, Ro leads a team of eight staff members and a cadre of volunteers.  She succeeds Doug Shadel, who is retiring after more than 30 years with the association.

A short AARP interview of Ko can be viewed online at aarp.org/wa.