Mayor Sean Reardon is pleased to announce that he has appointed Sara Landry as the next Director of the Newburyport Council on Aging.
Landry will take office Nov. 6, pending confirmation of her appointment by the City Council.
“I’m thrilled to be welcoming Sara to the Newburyport Council on Aging, and I believe her skills and experience make her a perfect fit for the position,” said Mayor Reardon. “Sara has dedicated her career to meeting the needs of seniors in the different communities where she has worked. Her passion comes through when you speak with her, and we look forward to bringing that passion to Newburyport.”
Landry is currently Executive Director of Adult and Senior Programs at the Hobbs Community Center in Pelham, New Hampshire, where she has served since 2011. In this position she oversees the daily operations of the Center, plans and implements programming for seniors, and manages the Town’s transportation programs for seniors.
She also has responsibility for the Center’s budget, facility management, and education and advocacy on issues of concern for area seniors. She serves as the Town’s liaison to the Council on Aging and collaborates frequently with area partners and other municipal officials to advance the needs of older adults in the community.
Prior to her work in Pelham, Landry served as the Director of the Senior Center in Londonderry, New Hampshire for 9 years. There, she was instrumental in creating and opening the Town’s first senior center. She also managed all programming, fundraising, and budgeting for the Town’s Senior Affairs Department.
Landry will succeed Director Paula Burke, who retired from a career in public service on Oct. 6. Burke expanded the role and staffing of the Council on Aging, bringing in a new Outreach Specialist and flexible transportation and facilities support, and led the Center throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are grateful for all of Paula’s service to the senior community in Newburyport, and we look forward to Sara picking up right where she leaves off,” said Reardon. “We are wishing Paula the absolute best for her retirement.”
The mission of the Newburyport Council on Aging is to advocate for older adults, to identify their needs, to develop and implement services and programs to meet their health, economic, social and cultural needs, to encourage maximum independence, and to improve their quality of life. The COA operates the Senior Community Center which helps connect area seniors and provides programming, education, and activities that reach over 800 area seniors a year.