Who We Are - Philadelphia Corporation For Aging

We are anchored by the Older Americans Act (OAA)

When the Older Americans Act was signed into law in 1965, it was largely considered the most significant piece of aging legislation to date. The OAA is reauthorized by Congress every few years. The 1973 reauthorization of the OAA created Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) to oversee and deliver vital home and community-based programs. Today, there are over 600 AAAs throughout the US providing OAA programs to older adults in their communities. Federal AAA oversight and allocation of OAA-authorized funds is conducted through the Administration for Community Living (ACL). Within the commonwealth, the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (www.aging.pa.gov) allocates ACL funding and governs the 52 AAAs that serve Pennsylvanians locally.

Our Mission
PCA’s mission is to improve the quality of life for older Philadelphians and people with disabilities and to assist them in achieving their maximum level of health, independence and productivity.

Our Vision
To be a caring organization that values and supports people as they age.

Our Values
PCA stands for excellence, compassion, and dignity, expressed through our responsive and nurturing culture.

We are Philadelphia County’s Area Agency on Aging

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) has been an established AAA since 1973 and serves older adults and adults with disabilities in Philadelphia County. PCA provides vital programs that allow individuals to remain engaged in their communities and empowered in their homes. PCA is a private nonprofit, funded primarily through federal and state sources including Pennsylvania lottery funding.

We are who to contact first for person-centered programs and services for older adults and adults with disabilities in Philadelphia.

PCA is the first place for older Philadelphians and adults with disabilities to turn to for information and services to help maintain or improve the quality of their lives. One of the region’s largest nonprofits, PCA collaborates with approximately 200 contracted providers on over 30 person-centered programs and services to help older Philadelphians and adults with disabilities living in Philadelphia. In cooperation with aging advocates and AAA associations at the state and national levels, including Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A) and USAging, we also work to spotlight older Philadelphians and bring visibility to their needs.

This is who we have been for over 50 years. And this is just some of what we have accomplished: PCA Infographic>>

Leadership & Governance

Najja R. Orr, DBA, FCPP

President & CEO

In 2020, Dr. Najja R. Orr assumed the position of PCA’s President & CEO, at a time when services for Philadelphia’s older adults required swift adaptation to meet growing demand. This included delivering more than 3 million meals to older Philadelphians through home-delivered and community-based meal programs. Prior to coming to PCA, Orr worked for the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging since 2002 and served as that agency’s director from 2011 until he joined PCA in 2017 as the chief strategy officer, leading the agengy’s planning department.

Orr has served on several boards during his tenure in the aging field and currently holds leadership positions as chair-elect of the board for the American Society on Aging, a board member of Comprehensive Care Connections and OATS (Older Adults Technology Services), and southeast regional board representative for the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging (P4A). He is also a member of the Mayor’s Commission on Aging. Additionally, Orr has served as chair of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging Cultural Diversity Advisory Council.

Orr received his doctorate from Temple University in 2022. He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from Drexel University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Morehouse College. Orr was inducted as a fellow at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia in 2021 and was recently selected as one of the 2022 Nonprofit Power 100 honorees by City & State Pennsylvania. In addition to being a staunch advocate for older adults, Orr is also a dedicated husband and father of four.

Laura I. Weinbaum

Chief Operating Officer

In January 2023, Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) announced that Laura I. Weinbaum, MBA, MGA, had been selected as its new Chief Operating Officer. As an executive leader with 25 years of experience in operations, organizational development, data and quality assurance, training, fiscal management, and advocacy, Laura comes to PCA from Project HOME, another Philadelphia nonprofit, where she spent more than 20 years. There, Laura helped lead the organization to empower adults and children to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty through housing, opportunities for employment, medical care, and education.

With a strong leadership legacy in non-profit, Weinbaum also spent a few years in technology consulting in New York and redevelopment in the City of Philadelphia.

As incoming COO, Weinbaum will work closely with President and CEO Najja R. Orr, MBA, DBA to take the 50-year-old PCA to the next level of accomplishment as an Area Agency on Aging, identifying new funding streams and developing pivotal strategic partnerships – guiding PCA into new arenas that will bring about long-term growth and opportunities.

During her extensive career, Laura has received numerous accolades including being featured in Philadelphia Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” and chosen as one of “101 Next Generation Connectors” by LEADERSHIP Philadelphia.

Weinbaum also has several publications to her credit including “Estimating the Local Economic and Fiscal Impact of Project HOME” and “Saving Lives, Saving Money: Cost-Effective Solutions to Homelessness in Philadelphia.”

She holds several leadership positions in the Philadelphia community: Board Chair, Commonwealth Housing Development Corporation; Leading for Change Fellow, Drexel University LeBow College of Business; and Adjunct Fellow, University of Pennsylvania Center for Public Health Initiatives.

Weinbaum has an MBA from Quantic School of Business, Washington, DC; an MGA from University of Pennsylvania; and a BA from Columbia University in New York City.

Mark Meade, MBA

Chief Financial Officer

Mark Meade, MBA, was appointed Chief Financial Officer of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging in April 2026, bringing extensive experience in financial leadership, strategic planning, and organizational growth. Meade is known for bringing clarity to complex financial environments and for partnering closely with executive leadership and boards to strengthen financial structure, transparency, and decision making.

Prior to joining PCA, Meade served as Chief Financial Officer at Goodway Group, where he spent nearly 17 years leading financial strategy and operational oversight while maintaining a strong, people-centered culture. His work included financial infrastructure development, capital optimization, and long-range planning, including mergers and acquisitions support.

Meade brings deep expertise in audit and compliance oversight, financial system modernization, and operational excellence. He has led enterprise resource planning (ERP) implementations, strengthened financial controls, and enhanced reporting capabilities improving real-time financial visibility. As CFO of PCA, Meade works closely with President and CEO Najja R. Orr and the executive leadership team to ensure financial sustainability, strengthen internal operations, and support the organization’s strategic priorities, including the PCA 2.0 vision, through responsible stewardship of public resources in service of older Philadelphians and people with disabilities.

Meade holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Temple University. He currently serves as a board member and treasurer of the Sourland Conservancy, where he supports the organization’s financial oversight and sustainability.