Direction Home Akron Canton Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities, the designated office implementing federal and state programs for older adults in Portage, Stark, Summit, and Wayne Counties is welcoming a new President & CEO following the retirement of Gary Cook’s 30+ year tenure. Abigail Morgan, the former Chief Operating Officer, has stepped into his position as President & CEO as of January 1, 2024.
“It’s been exciting, and fast paced” said Morgan about her new position. “We have been planning for the transition for years but there is a difference when the responsibility is yours.”
A Lakewood native, Mrs. Morgan has been drawn to social work since she was a child by observing strong women in her family making real differences through their professions. Ms. Morgan was first introduced to the Aging Service Network while joining her grandparents on their home-delivered meal routes in Toledo when she was a child. She came back to the network during her graduate education and field placement at a provider agency for an Area Agency on Aging in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. She made friendly visits, scheduled transportation and did SHIP Counseling and Part D enrollments for Medicare Beneficiaries. She found her passion working for older populations early in her career through this role, seeing firsthand how complex health insurance and long-term care decisions can be.
“Growing up with these experiences and amazing examples of aging helped me know what success looks like” said Mrs. Morgan. “But I also know how hard it can be to make the first step in asking questions and planning for how we want to age in place. That’s why I’m so passionate about this network and our ability to answer your questions about aging.”
Prior to working at Direction Home, Abby held positions at the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (USAging), Administration for Community Living (ACL), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Abby has a Master's in Social Services and a Master's in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College, and a Master's in Business Administration/Data Analytics from Ohio University.
Mrs. Morgan’s love for Area Agencies on Aging and organizational progress only grows stronger with time, and she knows Direction Home is the organization best positioned to bridge the gap between healthcare outcomes and quality community-based care. “Direction Home does so much right; I feel that we are completely ready to leverage that expertise,” said Mrs. Morgan. “With changes in how health care is funded, new opportunities to support older adults through Medicare, and the shifts in Medicaid long term services and supports, we are at an amazing epicenter of opportunities to expand what we do to help more older adults and people with disabilities stay in the place they want to call home.”
Mrs. Morgan is heavily involved in Direction Home’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Awareness) Committee, and in the Direction Home leadership team. She will continue to visit Washington D.C. accompanied by other DHAD Executives, this time as President & CEO. Mrs. Morgan holds an interest in community organizing and plans to bridge State and Federal policy discussions to local aging services work through Direction Home’s commitment to outstanding and quality care. It is important to her that her leadership not only fosters professional development for the Agency and its staff, but also promotes healthy and positive aging for marginalized populations in the community.
Abby also has other passions that keep her busy. She is a mother to two children, Alice and Jack, is a local volunteer at the Medina Community Garden, and is an avid runner. She and her husband Jason live in Medina and are committed to making their town an even better place to raise a family and grow old successfully. “It’s busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way” she said.
Learn more about Abigail Morgan and the leadership team at Direction Home here: https://www.dhad.org/who-we-are/our-leadership-board-of-directors