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AARP Appoints Former Teacher as New Connecticut President

AARP Connecticut has appointed Don Ciosek, a former Plainville teacher and education lobbyist as its new state president, a top volunteer leader who will serve in behalf of thousands of AARP volunteers and 625,000 members in the state.

In his two-year term, Ciosek, 61, will work with AARP State Director Brenda Kelley, other staff and volunteers to provide a voice on such issues as long-term care, transportation, electric rates, health care reform and economic security.

He also serves as leader of the AARP Connecticut Executive Council, which sets policy in the state. He succeeds AARP Connecticut President Lillian H. Brown of Waterbury, who died last September.

Ciosek, who grew up in New Britain, lives in Middletown with his wife, Roberta, a foreign language teacher in the Westbrook public school system. He began his career as a teacher in the Plainville public school system in 1968.  He earned his undergraduate and masters degrees from Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. (Ciosek also has completed training programs in labor relations and politics from the U.S. Dept of Labor, the University of New Hampshire and the National Education Association.)

After teaching, Ciosek embarked on a 26-year career with the Connecticut Education Association (CEA), serving as CEA’s political coordinator, lobbying local government and the state Legislature on issues affecting teachers in Connecticut.

“Many of CEA’s issues were also issues also at the top of AARP’s agenda: health care, long term care and financial security,” said Kelley. “With his experience in grassroots organizing, political analysis, negotiation, and volunteer management and engagement,
Don has been able to hit the ground running.”

Don also has personal experience with long-term care issues. He helped take care of his ailing mother, and became her legal and medical representative. After his mother died last Memorial Day, Don said he realized he was left with new knowledge, new skills, and extra time on his hands. And that brought him to AARP.

“AARP is uniquely positioned to affect several issues critical to the future of the United States; namely healthcare and the overall financial well being of the general public,” Don says. “I have a strong desire to give back more than I was able during my working career. The work that you do is so very important to all segments of society, especially the retired and elderly. I look forward to working with AARP in any way that I can.”

Other Resources
Association of Retired Teachers of Connecticut
ARTC works closely with AARP Connecticut. See the projects they are working on.
http://www.ctretiredteachers.org/