Keynote Speaker

Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez

New York City Mayor Eric Adams appointed Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez as Commissioner to the Department for the Aging in March 2022. As Commissioner, Cortés-Vázquez has worked to create equity and increase diversity around the older adult centers across the city, she also implemented the first-of-its-kind Aging   Cabinet for Older New Yorkers to unify city agencies to work together and tackle the problems affecting older adults. She continues to work to advance the NYC Aging mission to eliminate ageism, ensure the dignity and quality of life of older adults, and support caregivers as she did with the previous administration under former Mayor Bill de Blasio. Before being appointed Commissioner,  Lorraine served as Senior Advisor to de Blasio in the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. 

Before serving in the Mayor’s Office, Cortés-Vázquez was Senior Vice President of Corporate  Relations and Government Affairs at EmblemHealth, where she was responsible for  EmblemHealth’s relationships with key government, community, and industry stakeholders, better positioning EmblemHealth for new growth opportunities. Cortés-Vázquez was also the Executive  Vice President for Multicultural Markets and Engagement at the American Association of Retired  Persons (AARP) where she developed a comprehensive 5-year strategic plan. At AARP, she ensured that the interests of multicultural age 50-plus audiences were integrated into everything  AARP does, to increase multicultural presence among AARP membership and increase AARP’s involvement in those communities.  

Before joining AARP, Cortés-Vázquez was New York State's 65th Secretary of State, and the first  Hispanic appointee to serve in that role. She also served as Vice President of Government and  Public Affairs at Cablevision Systems Corporation, a leading media, entertainment, and telecommunications company. She brought to this position a distinguished career in the nonprofit,  government, and corporate sectors that extends more than 30 years. Her work in the nonprofit sector has gained her national recognition and numerous awards.  

From 1998 to 2004, Cortés-Vázquez served as President of the Hispanic Federation, a nonprofit network of Latino health and human service agencies with a footprint throughout the East Coast. She has extensive experience creating community partnerships to leverage civic participation and increase the visibility of educational initiatives. In the early 1990s, she served as Executive  Director of ASPIRA of New York, the nation's oldest and largest nonprofit Latino youth leadership development and education advocacy agency. 

Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez obtained her undergraduate degree from Hunter College and earned a master’s degree from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public  Service. She is a Toll Fellow and has earned certificates from Harvard University’s John F.  Kennedy School of Government and Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. 

She is dedicated to her family, particularly her nieces, nephews, and grandsons.
 

Molly Bernstein, Senior Director of Elder Justice at NYC Department for the Aging, leads a portfolio of services aimed at supporting justice-involved and impacted older adults, including the Elder Justice Community providers, the Elderly Crime Victim Resource Center, and the Tenancy and Eviction Support Services programs. With over a decade of experience in public health and civic leadership, Molly has spearheaded multi-agency initiatives that have transformed how justice-impacted older adults are supported in New York City. She collaborates with city agencies to strengthen policy frameworks in criminal justice and housing, ensuring comprehensive, community-based support for older adults facing complex challenges.
 
Before joining NYC Aging, Molly served as Deputy Director of the Office of Just Health Design and Special Projects at NYC Health + Hospitals/Correctional Health Services, where she was instrumental in expanding medical and behavioral health services for justice-involved patients, including Geriatric and Complex Care patients. Prior to joining City government, Molly was a Supervisor at BronxWorks HomeBase, providing critical assistance to clients at risk of eviction and homelessness, especially those affected by domestic violence.
 
Molly holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Cape Town, where her research focused on intimate partner violence among pregnant, HIV-positive women. Her work is driven by a commitment to health equity, ensuring that programs meet the unique needs of vulnerable and underserved communities.