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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2025
Media Contact: info@leadingageca.org
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PARKER MARTIN LEAVES LEGACY OF VISION IN ACTION FOR IMPROVING CARE OF OLDER ADULTS
LeadingAge California President & CEO Jeannee Parker Martin to Step Down After a Decade of Transformational Leadership
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. – Jeannee Parker Martin, President & CEO of LeadingAge California, has announced her intention to step down from the organization’s top leadership role once the Board of Directors selects a new chief executive. The planned transitional period will allow the Board of Directors’ Search Committee time to select a new CEO prior to the organization’s annual membership gathering next year.
During her nearly decade-long tenure, Parker Martin led a period of extraordinary growth and innovation for the state’s largest association representing nonprofit providers of housing, care and services for older adults. Under her leadership, LeadingAge California has significantly expanded its visibility, influence and impact, securing nearly $50 million in grants, driving policy advancements and launching bold initiatives to meet the needs of California’s rapidly aging population.
Chair of LeadingAge California’s Board of Directors Stuart Hartman lauded Parker Martin’s vision and action-oriented leadership, noting that her approach helped prepare California to meet the demands of an aging society while keeping older adults and those who serve them at the center of every solution.
“Jeannee has guided LeadingAge California with unmatched clarity, courage and creativity, forging valuable partnerships at every turn,” Hartman said. “She has transformed the organization into a forward-thinking force for innovation and equity in aging. We are grateful for her exceptional leadership and look forward to honoring her legacy as we prepare for the future.”
Under Parker Martin’s leadership, the organization launched a number of groundbreaking initiatives, including the Age On. Rage On. Campaign calling for a Master Plan for Aging; the Equity Cabinet and DEI Roadmap; the Innovation Forum and Showcase; California Integrated Care at Home; and The Gateway-In Project to strengthen the workforce serving older adults.
LeadingAge California, and Parker Martin in particular, played an integral role in advancing California’s Master Plan for Aging under the leadership of Maria Shriver who built the plan as chair of the California Task Force on Alzheimer’s Prevention, Preparedness and a Path Forward. Parker Martin was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the Alzheimer’s task force and Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee, and to the California Commission on Aging Board of Commissioners.
Prior to her tenure at LeadingAge California, Parker Martin had a distinguished career in healthcare, nonprofit leadership and consulting. She ran a health services consulting organization, advising major healthcare entities including United Healthcare, Marriott Senior Living Services, Gentiva and Sutter Health. Earlier she led Visiting Nurses & Hospice of San Francisco, where she founded the first AIDS home care and hospice program in the U.S., and has advised international organizations such as the World Health Organization and the U.S. Department of State.
Reflecting on her tenure at LeadingAge California, Parker Martin expressed pride in the organization’s evolution and boldness and credits a lot of the organization’s accomplishments to innovative partnerships and out-of-the-box thinking.
“When I joined LeadingAge California in 2016, I couldn’t have imagined the incredible journey ahead,” she said. “We’ve grown from a reactive organization to one that leads with strategy, courage and innovation. Our team has never been afraid to ask hard questions or test bold ideas, and together, we’ve delivered solutions that empower our members and elevate care for older adults across California. It’s been the honor of a lifetime to lead this work and work with incredibly talented people who are dedicated to aging issues, too.”
Parker Martin emphasized that her commitment to issues surrounding aging remains strong, and she is optimistic the state’s toughest challenges ahead can be solved.
“While I will be stepping away from this role, I’m not stepping away from the mission,” Parker Martin said. “I look forward to continuing this work in new and meaningful ways.”
Hartman said the Board of Directors will soon launch a national search for LeadingAge California’s next CEO, with a goal of ensuring a seamless transition by mid-2026.
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About LeadingAge California
Founded in 1961, LeadingAge California is the state's leading advocate for mission-driven housing, care, and services for older adults. With over 800 members across the state including providers of affordable senior housing, residential care facilities for the elderly (assisted living), life plan communities, skilled nursing care, home and community-based services, home health and hospice care. It launched the Age On. Rage On. campaign to spotlight the urgent need to develop a Master Plan for Aging in California.
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