In her capacity as Chief Brand Officer, Barbara Shipley brings more than 25 years of experience in branding, marketing and strategic communications to her role at AARP. She is the chief architect of AARP’s Real Possibilities platform and the enterprise-wide brand revitalization strategy. She oversees brand strategy, creative services, advertising, social media and events for AARP and leads the brand integration efforts, from the charitable Foundation and commercial relationships (through AARP Services) to the association’s 53 state offices. She serves on AARP’s Leadership Team and plays a central role on Disrupt Aging and other Thought Leadership initiatives both domestic and international.

Before joining AARP in 2006, she managed the Washington, D.C. office of Ruder Finn, a global marketing and communications firm, where she worked with a number of leading corporations such as GE and major non-profit groups such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Prior to that, she spent more than a decade in various leadership roles with Fleishman Hillard, Inc, one of the world’s largest strategic communications firms. There she led numerous award-winning campaigns for many major brands and associations and managed social marketing campaigns for some of the nation’s landmark social movements.

A native New Yorker, Barbara is a graduate of American University. She is active in the autism education community.