Arjanita Elezaj
Executive Board Member, UN NGO Committee on Ageing, New York
Chair, UNIDOP Programme Subcommittee
Arjanita Elezaj is a former journalist, leader, and advocate with over 30 years of experience in program development, human rights, and nonprofit leadership. She began her career as a journalist in Tirana, Albania, where she conducted investigative reporting and advocated for democratic change. Her career has centered on advancing equity through older adult services, youth engagement, and women’s empowerment within immigrant and multicultural communities.
Currently, she serves as Director of Direct Service Programs at the New York City Department for the Aging, where she manages complex, cross-bureau initiatives and coordinates home-based service contracts. Previously, she served as Deputy Director of Older Adult Services at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, one of the oldest Settlement Houses and social services organizations in New York City.
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 serves as Chair of the UN International Day of Older Persons (UNIDOP) Programme Subcommittee and as UN representative of the International Federation of Ageing (IFA) and the International Settlement Houses and Neighborhood Centers (IFS), both organizations with ECOSOC consultative status. Additionally, as a Board Member of the Center for Workforce Inclusion (CWI), she promotes active, strength-based, healthy aging and positive impact for older persons nationwide.
A frequent speaker on the role of civil society in aging policy, human rights, and community engagement, Arjanita has presented at national and international conferences including the National Conference for the Aging, the Live-On New York Conference, the Commission on the Status of Women, various High Level Political Forums (HLPF) at the UN and has made interventions on behalf of civil society in several stakeholder engagements with the president of the General Assembly at the UN.
Arjanita holds an MPA from John Jay College and a BA in Economics and Business Reporting from Tirana State University. She is a Board Member of the Community Research Fellowship program at New York University School of Global Public Health and continues to champion civic engagement, women’s rights, and intergenerational community building in New York City.