Lora Connolly is director of the California Department of Aging, which administers the Older Americans Act services through the state’s 33 Area Agencies on Aging, as well as the Medicaid HCBS Waiver (which annually serves approximately 11,000 older adults), and certifies more than 240 Adult Day Health Care Centers for Medicaid participation. The California Department of Aging developed the current State Plan on Aging 2017-2021 with a focus on promoting the independence and well-being of older adults, persons with disabilities, and their families. The State Plan outlines specific goals, objectives, and strategies that CDA believes it can achieve with existing resources. For the past 16 years, Connolly has also co-managed a series of federal Administration on Aging Dementia Grants, in partnership with the state’s regional Alzheimer’s organizations. When Gavin Newsom, California’s new governor, began his term among a growing crisis of senior poverty in the state, Connolly served as cooauthor of Governor Newsom's Master Plan on Aging, one of his top three priorities mentioned in his State of the State Address.