Katie White took over as Director of the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA), a regional organization that informs and supports people as they navigate the experience of aging or disability, on June 13, 2022.

White has more than 15 years of experience in the aging field and formerly served as the director of the Age-Friendly Innovation Center (formerly the Age-Friendly Columbus and Franklin County) at The Ohio State University’s College of Social Work. In her role there, she applied education, engagement and research tactics to ensure that communities are inclusive and age-friendly for older adults. Before being appointed as the director, she was the project manager for Age-Friendly Columbus with the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). White was the founding executive director of Village Connections, a non-profit organization that helps senior citizens in German Village remain active and independent while living at home.

White currently serves as team lead for the Ohio Department of Transportation’s Mature Drivers Statewide group and is a member of the COTA Mobility Advisory Board. She is active in her community and serves as the chairs of the Columbus Advisory Council on Disability Issues and the Upper Arlington Commission on Aging. From 2009-2014, she was a volunteer guardian with COAAA, where she acted as a court-appointed decision-maker for individuals with disabilities who weren’t able to make choices concerning their living arrangements, medical care and therapy.

White has a bachelor’s degree in allied health, geriatrics and gerontology and a master’s degree in social work, both from The Ohio State University. She has authored articles in more than 10 publications on the intersection of aging, transportation, social connection, and other social determinants of health.