NEI3A hires new joint director to lead national centers

Brandy Bauer joined the Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) team in August 2024 as the joint center director for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) Technical Assistance Center and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Resource Center. Her role is to ensure that both centers achieve their goals and objectives in accordance with the policies of the U.S. Administration for Community Living (ACL), manage the overall grant processes, collaborate with other ACL national resource centers, and oversee the technical assistance, training, and communications offered by the centers.

NEI3A has housed the national resource centers since their inception. The Centers serve as a central source of information for the 54 SHIPs and SMPs around the country.

Before joining NEI3A, Brandy spent over a decade at the National Council on Aging (NCOA), including as director of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) Resource Center. She has extensive knowledge around public benefits – including Medicare subsidies – for low-income older adults and persons living with disabilities.

Prior to working in the field of aging, Brandy held various communications roles in the health, social services, and human rights sectors in the United States, Afghanistan, and Denmark. She has a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies from Smith College and a Master of Fine Arts in writing from Minnesota State University, Mankato.

We are so excited to have Brandy’s expertise at our agency!