Nancy LeaMond is a nationally recognized leader on health, retirement security and other issues important to older Americans. Her career spans nearly 40 years in the government and nonprofit sectors and as AARP’s chief advocacy and engagement officer, she is responsible for driving the organization’s social mission on behalf of Americans 50-plus and their families.
Ms. LeaMond leads government affairs and legislative campaigns for AARP – widely seen as one of the most powerful advocacy organizations – and oversees AARP’s public education and outreach initiatives designed to help Americans take charge of their health and better plan, work, and save for retirement. Notably, in addition to leading efforts to update Social Security and advocating for other retirement savings initiatives on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures across the country, Nancy’s team of 700 staff and 18,0000 volunteers produce and deliver unbiased tools and information to help people make effective financial decisions.
Ms. LeaMond has been named by The Hill as one of the “Top Lobbyists” every year since 2011. In 2020, Nancy received the first ever Lifetime Achievement award from the Women in Government Relations. The National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics also recently named Nancy one of its 2020 Top Lobbyists. In 2016, she received the What’s Next Boomer Business Innovation Award for Vision, Leadership and Integrity, and she was named one of Next Avenue’s 2017 Influencers in Aging.
Prior to AARP, she served as the chief of staff and assistant U.S. trade representative for congressional affairs at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). In this role, she oversaw operations and management of the 200-person agency. She coordinated public affairs, private sector outreach, policy development and legislative strategy for the enactment of landmark trade legislation. She successfully managed legislative efforts that helped secure passage of major presidential legislative initiatives, including the North American Free Trade Agreement, the Uruguay Round (GATT) and China MFN. She worked extensively on health care and pension issues before entering the trade field, beginning her career in the Public Health Service, the Medicaid program and the Department of Commerce. She served in the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education and later on Capitol Hill as chief of staff to a senior member of Congress in the Democratic leadership. In addition, she served for five years as president of the Congressional Economic Leadership Institute, a nonprofit and nonpartisan forum for education and dialogue with members of Congress on economic competitiveness and trade issues.
Ms. LeaMond holds a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a master's degree in public policy and city planning from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. She is a former trustee of Smith College and currently serves as a member of the KB Home National Advisory Board on home and community development and as a member of the United States Conference of Mayors Business Council Steering Committee.
