Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! In this week’s edition of Latino Empowerment, the National Hispanic Council on Aging is celebrating Robert “Bob” Blancato. The NHCOA Team knows Bob as one of our very own Board Members, and an integral part of our impact in serving Hispanic and Latino American older adults, their families, and caregivers, but he is so much more!
Bob wears a lot of hats, taking on work and responsibilities for a variety of entities including NHCOA. He’s the President of Matz, Blancato & Associates in Washington, DC, a firm that offers strategic consulting to many entities that wish to make an impact in Washington, DC. He and his colleagues have come to know Washington DC well through many years of experience. Bob himself has more than twenty years of experience in public service, seventeen of which were within his role as a Senior Staffer in the House of Representatives. In 1995, he was appointed to the position of Executive Director of the 1995 White House Conference on Aging, by President Clinton.
Throughout his decades of experience, Bob has gained a strong affinity and understanding for older adults in the United States, and especially their relation to legislation in the area of public health. Not only is he an NHCOA board member, but also for the National Council on Aging (NCOA). Bob is also the Executive Director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP), the National Coordinator for the Elder Justice Coalition, and he currently serves as the second vice chair on the AARP Board of Directors.
A seasoned expert in advocacy and policy, Bob has testified before Senate and House committees many times. Most recently, in 2022, Bob came before the House Appropriations Labor-HHS Education subcommittee to provide his highly valued perspective. In the same year, Bob was inducted into the American Society on Aging’s Hall of Fame, and in 2023 he was awarded Generations Unted’s highest advocacy award.
The National Hispanic Council on Aging is proud to celebrate Bob for the cherished guidance he provides to our work and to the many other organizations trying to protect and improve the lives of older Americans—truly, Robert “Bob” Blancato is an excellent example of Latino Empowerment, worthy of our admiration and respect.
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month, Bob!
Recent Comments