Arjanita Elezaj is a former journalist, leader and advocate with over 30 years of experience in program development, human rights, and nonprofit leadership. Her career has centered on advancing equity through older adult services, youth engagement, and women’s empowerment within immigrant and multicultural communities. As an Executive Board member of both the NGO Committee on Ageing and the NGO Committee on Human Rights at the United Nations, Arjanita actively promotes global inclusion and social justice. She also serves as the UN representative of the International Federation of Ageing (IFA) & the International Settlement Houses and Neighborhood Centers (IFS), two organizations with ECOSOC consultative status.
Currently, she is the Director of Direct Services at the New York City Department for the Aging, and a board member of the Center for Workforce Inclusion (CWI), a leading national organization focused on workforce development and employment opportunities for Americans aged 50 and older.
Previously, she served as Deputy Director of Older Adult Services at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, one of NYC’s oldest settlement houses. Arjanita holds an MPA from John Jay College and a BA in Economics and Business Reporting from Tirana State University.
Previously a fellow at NYU’s Center for Anti-Racism, Social Justice, and Public Health, and later as a Board Member of the Community Research Fellowship program at New York University School of Global Public Health, she continues to champion civic engagement, women’s rights, and intergenerational community building in New York City. For the past four years she has served and continues to serve as the Chair, UN International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) Programme Subcommittee.