Local Services
2025 Pat Jollota Lifetime Leadership Award - Mike Reardon, Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington
2025 Pat Jollota Lifetime Leadership Award - Mike Reardon, Executive Director of the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington
For more than 27 years, Mike has been a steadfast leader and advocate at the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington. His enduring commitment reflects a deep passion for supporting older adults, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers across our region.
Over the 16 years I have had the privilege of working alongside Mike, I have witnessed the kindness of heart and integrity he brings to every aspect of his work. His leadership is grounded in a set of unwavering core values that continue to shape our agency's mission.
Access: Mike champions equitable systems that recognize both needs and strengths, striving to eliminate barriers that disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
Accountability: He upholds a high standard of ethical performance, ensuring that our agency remains a reliable and transparent steward of the public trust.
Client Choice: Mike works with our staff to empower individuals to make decisions aligned with their personal values and goals, reinforcing dignity and autonomy.
Collaboration: He fosters strong partnerships with community organizations, contractors, legislators, and our Advisory Council to strengthen the safety net for older adults.
Respect: At the core of his leadership is a genuine respect for the inherent worth of every person, regardless of their background or circumstances.
In 2012, Mike posed a vital question to our Information and Assistance Specialists: What is the greatest unmet need among the calls we receive? The resounding answer was dental care. Recognizing this gap, Mike spearheaded a research initiative to better understand the oral health challenges facing older adults in our community.
As a result, in 2013, the agency launched the Senior Oral Health Program, which continues to serve clients today. Mike has never lost sight of the fact that our work is about people, not processes. It is easy to get caught up in the administrative side of things, but Mike always brings us back to our purpose. One shining example of this program’s impact is shared through Bob’s story, featured in a video produced by our Clark County partner, Battleground Health Care.
Mike’s connection to the community extends far beyond the office. Whether visiting congregate meal sites, riding with a home-delivered meal volunteer to visit with a client, hosting townhalls, or even hitting the dance floor, Mike genuinely listens to the voices of those we serve. One memorable moment was attending the Senior Prom in Wahkiakum County last year with his lovely wife, Misa.
Events like these remind us of the joy and resilience of the people we support, and Mike always returns from them inspired and uplifted. His legacy is not only measured by years of service but by the meaningful, lasting impact he has made on lives throughout Southwest Washington. We are incredibly fortunate to have had his leadership guiding this important work.
Question 2 - Tell us some specific ways that the person or organization that you are nominating has made an impact on the quality of life of seniors and their families?
Mike’s commitment to improving the quality of life for older adults and their families extends far beyond his professional responsibilities. It is deeply personal. I have witnessed his passion firsthand at community events like HOPE Dementia Support and Battleground HealthCare fundraisers, where he not only shows up but also offers his personal support through donations. This is who Mike is—a leader who invests his time, resources, and heart into the people and causes he believes in.
When Mike assumed the role of Executive Director, he made it a priority to strengthen the agency’s presence and voice in the community. One of his early initiatives was the creation of a dedicated communications staff position, ensuring that strategic outreach and advocacy became embedded in the agency’s work. This decision has significantly enhanced visibility and connection with those we serve.
Under Mike’s leadership, legislative advocacy has become a core pillar of the agency’s efforts. He has championed critical programs such as Senior Nutrition, Care Coordination, Case Management Services, and Dementia Care. By empowering Advisory Council members to take an active role in municipal and legislative advocacy—and by mentoring senior management in policy engagement—Mike has cultivated a culture of civic responsibility and action.
He also fosters innovation and collaboration as essential tools for meeting evolving community needs. A powerful example of this is the agency’s response to concerns raised by Advisory Council member Kevin Callahan regarding the vulnerability of residents in manufactured home parks.
Clark County, and the entire five-county region, faces significant challenges around affordable housing. While local governments strive to address these concerns through housing plans and new developments, one vital resource is often overlooked: manufactured home parks. According to the 2020 census, there are more than 15,000 manufactured homes across our region, with approximately 11,000 located within 157 privately owned parks. These homes represent the largest pool of unsubsidized affordable homeownership opportunities, yet they remain at risk. Many parks are zoned for higher-density or commercial redevelopment, leaving moderate-income households vulnerable to displacement.
Recognizing this, Kevin drafted a resolution urging local governments to:
• Acknowledge the value of manufactured home parks in their housing strategies
• Consider adopting protective zoning to prevent park conversions
• Promote resident protections, such as fair rent practices and enhanced notice of increases
Mike not only supported this initiative but worked closely with Kevin to bring the proposed resolution before the Council of Governance, securing its endorsement. His support turned a community concern into a formal call to action and further demonstrated how Mike empowers others to lead and effect meaningful change.
Under Mike’s leadership, AAADSW now serves more than 27,500 individuals throughout the service area. From advocating for vital services to championing housing equity, Mike’s legacy is marked by compassion, innovation, and a deep sense of responsibility to those we serve. His leadership has elevated the agency, inspired the team, and left an indelible mark on the lives of so many throughout Southwest Washington.
Question 3 - How does this person or organization collaborate with others to make a difference in the lives of seniors in our community?
Mike plays a pivotal role in advancing community-based aging and disability services throughout Southwest Washington by fostering strong, strategic partnerships with local organizations. Under his leadership, the Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of Southwest Washington collaborates with 48 community partners to implement 83 active contracts across the region. These partnerships are vital to expanding access to essential services, strengthening the local safety net, and delivering person-centered support to older adults, individuals with disabilities, and family caregivers.
Once every four years, AAADSW develops an Area Plan in accordance with federal and state mandates. This strategic blueprint outlines the agency’s priorities and guides funding, partnerships, and service delivery across the five-county Program Service Area, which includes Clark, Cowlitz, Klickitat, Skamania, and Wahkiakum Counties.
The Area Plan addresses four primary issue areas:
• Healthy aging
• Expanding and strengthening services that prevent or delay entry into Medicaid-funded long-term services and supports
• Person-centered home and community-based services
• 7.01 Planning with Native American Tribes and Tribal Organizations
In 2021, under Mike’s visionary leadership, AAADSW launched the Area Plan Grant Initiative. This strategic effort was designed to advance the agency’s mission and fulfill the objectives outlined in the Area Plan. The initiative aims to:
• Advance AAADSW’s mission and Area Plan goals
• Address underfunded or unmet service needs
• Strengthen partnerships with community-based organizations
• Reduce the burden of isolation, disability, and chronic disease
• Promote long-term services and supports that allow individuals to age in place with dignity
By prioritizing innovation and collaboration, this initiative has expanded the agency’s reach and impact across Southwest Washington, ensuring more equitable access to critical services.
AAADSW is proud to support a diverse range of community programs that align with the Area Plan’s objectives. A few key initiatives include:
Clark Cowlitz Fire & Rescue – Community Aid Navigation (CAN) Program
This program addresses the risk of falls in the homes of older adults and individuals with disabilities by providing fall prevention education, in-home safety assessments, and installation of safety equipment. It aims to reduce injuries, delay or prevent long-term care placement, and help individuals age safely at home.
CDM Caregiving Services – RUOK Program
This program offers free, daily telephone check-ins for isolated individuals living alone in Clark, Klickitat, and Skamania Counties. The personalized call schedule helps identify early medical or safety concerns and serves as a vital point of connection for vulnerable residents.
Council for the Homeless – Rapid Rehousing Project
Focused on Clark County residents aged 60 and older or adults with functional disabilities, this program transitions individuals from homelessness or unstable housing into permanent and secure living environments. It promotes creative, housing-first solutions tailored to the needs of older adults.
Housing Authority of the City of Vancouver – Music Therapy for Social Connection
This program delivers group music therapy sessions to thirteen properties, helping reduce isolation, improve emotional well-being, and foster connection among residents. It includes interpretation services for non-English speakers, making it a culturally responsive intervention for social inclusion.
These programs reflect the collaborative spirit and strategic innovation that define the 2024–2027 Area Plan. By empowering community-based organizations and investing in person-centered solutions, AAADSW continues to strengthen the support system for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers across the region.
Mike’s legacy of leadership is not only measured by years of service but by the meaningful, lasting impact he has made on lives throughout Southwest Washington. We are incredibly fortunate to have had his leadership guiding this important work.
