The following is a message from Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee congratulating the new Director of the Administration Aging (AoA) Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs:

It is my pleasure to announce that Becky Kurtz has agreed to join AoA as our new Director of the Office of Long Term Care Ombudsman Programs.  Since 1994, Becky has served as the Georgia State Long Term Care Ombudsman in Atlanta.  Prior to that position, Becky was the Advocacy Coordinator for the Senior Citizens Advocacy Project in the Atlanta Legal Aid Society as well as serving as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York Law Department.  Becky has a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University School of Law and a B.S. from Emory & Henry College in Emory, Virginia.

I am very excited that Becky will be joining AoA.  As the Older Americans Act statute states, "The Director shall serve as an effective and visible advocate on behalf of older individuals who reside in long term care facilities, within the Department of Health and Human Services and with other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Federal government regarding all Federal policies affecting such individuals." 

For many years I have considered her one of the most effective and committed state long term care ombudsmen. I look forward to working with her on behalf of the 1.6 million older people who live in nursing homes and other residential care settings. She is an exceptional advocate.  Please join me in welcoming Becky to AoA.