Executive Committees and Officers

The NGO Committee on Ageing NY is a substantive NGO Committee of the Conference of Non-governmental Organizations (CoNGO) and works to raise world awareness of the opportunities and challenges of ageing issues around the world.

Our Officers

Officers and Members of the Executive Committee
2025-2027

Chair:
William Smith, Global Ageing Network/IAHSA

Vice Chair:
Christopher Hanway, International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers

Recording Secretary:
Mary Beth Morrissey, International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse

Corresponding Secretary:
Ariana Elezaj, International Federation of Settlement Houses and Neighborhood Centers

Treasurer:
Katharine Weiss, Global Ageing Network/IAHSA

Members at Large:
Bethany Brown, AARP
Robin Fenley, International Association of Gerontology & Geriatrics
Kahir Lalji, HelpAge Canada, ILC Canada
Connie Sensor, League of Women Voters
Edwin Walker, National Council on Aging

Past Chair:
Cynthia Stuen, International Federation on Ageing

How Our Committee Operates

The work of the Committee is guided by its Executive Committee which meets on a monthly basis.

Committee members meet regularly from September through June to hear presentations on critical
priorities and emerging issues under discussion at the United Nations and elsewhere, in order to be
familiarized with the topics that have an impact on older persons. Committee members with accreditation to the United Nations are then equipped to make oral and written statements on specific
issues of concern.

● A partial list of relevant functional commissions and UN agencies: the 5-year review and appraisal of the 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA) at the Commission on Social Development, a functional commission of the Economic and Social Council.

● the work of the Programme on Ageing Section within the Department of Economic and Social Affairs

● the work of various entities of the United Nations system, including: Population Division
and related Commission on Population and Development

Statistics Division and related Statistical Commission

● High Level Political Forum (on implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals). The Committee on Ageing is a member of the Stakeholder Group on Ageing which participates in the processes related to implementation of the SDGs.

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and related Human Rights Council

UN Women and related Commission on the Status of Women

World Health Organization