Meet the AARP New Jersey Executive Council

By: States: New Jersey | Source: AARP.org | January 23, 2008

AARP New Jersey's Executive Council guides our strategic direction and helps define our priorities for advocacy and community outreach in the state. It is a diverse group made up of distinguished men and women with a wealth of experience in issues that affect people over 50.

Sy Larson, State President
Beginning in 1952, Sy spent ten formative years as a Business Agent for the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, followed by eight years as a high school teacher. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science in 1971 and began a twenty-year tenure as Professor and Chair of the Department of Labor Studies at Rutgers University. Upon retirement in 1991, Sy extended his engagement in public advocacy to include issues pertinent to mature New Jerseyans.

Marilyn Askin, Chief Legislative Advocate
A resident of West Orange, Marilyn Askin has practiced what is now called elder law since 1978. Her distinguished career includes defending the rights of older Americans, both as a sole practitioner in her West Orange office and for 15 years as director of Senior Citizens Legal Services of Essex County.

Lois Hull, Independent Living
Lois is Director of Special Projects at UMDNJ. She previously served as Director of the New Jersey State Division on Aging and has great expertise regarding the state's aging network and service infrastructure. She conducted the first independent nursing home survey in New Jersey and implemented the first nursing home advocacy program in the state.

Lucille Joel, Long-Term Care
Lucille is a Professor at Rutgers University and is First Vice President of the International Council of Nurses. A two-time elected president of both the American Nurses Association and the New Jersey State Nurses Association, she previously established and directed the Rutgers Teaching Nursing Home Project for 15 years.

Jim Dieterle, State Director
Jim joined AARP after holding senior-level positions in customer service management with Public Service Electric & Gas Company. He co-founded NJ SHARES, which provides utility bill assistance to thousands of otherwise forgotten middle-income families with financial emergencies. He also co-founded the Partnership Committee and initiated a rural health clinic which provides primary health care to poor farmers and their families in rural Kenya. Jim received his Bachelor Degree in Economics from Rutgers.

Ken Lindhorst
Ken has over thirty years experience with AT&T, and is considered an industry leader in global Telecommunications. His leadership resulted in the Basic Telecommunications Agreement at the World Trade Organization (WTO), significant reform at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and cooperative liberalization at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization. Prior to joining AT&T Ken was a college professor at Louisiana Tech University, an attorney, and a lobbyist.

Ida Castro
Ida is the Chair of the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA) Taskforce on Healthcare Diversity. She serves as the Haywood Burns Chair for Civil Rights at the CUNY School of Law, where she is responsible for developing the curricula and teaching seminars on public interest law and for developing student's interest in employment and civil rights law.