Donald R. Smith

Director, Tarrant County Area Agency on Aging

Don Smith has served as Director of the Tarrant County Area Agency on Aging at the United Way of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, Texas since 2005. He holds degrees in Psychology, Gerontology and Urban Affairs and has 30 years of experience working for health, human service and governmental organizations including four Texas area agencies on aging. He has also served on numerous state-wide task forces, work groups and committees for the Texas Department on Aging, Department of Human Services, Department of Aging and Disabled Services and Texas Association of Area Agencies on Aging. He currently serves on the Board of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A).

Don has played a leadership role in the formation of community coalitions in Houston, Waco and the Dallas-Fort Worth area to promote evidence based programs, eliminate duplication, fragmentation and streamline access to the health and human services. He has also overseen several large national grants including the Real Choice Systems Change, Nursing Home Diversion/Community Living Program and established one of the first 3 ADRCs in Texas. He also led the design and implementation of United Way’s 10 year $15 million Healthy Aging and Independent Living Initiative which currently provides funding for 11 evidence based and informed programs. Over the past two years Don has also overseen one the largest Marketplace Navigator grants in the nation which serves most of Texas.

He is a recipient of the 2012 Tarrant Area Gerontological Society’s Harriet Griffin Award for outstanding representation of older adults in Tarrant County and the Public Citizen of the Year Award by the National Association of Social Workers – Fort Worth Area Branch. Also under Don’s leadership,  since 2008 the Tarrant AAA has received 3 N4A Innovation and Achievement Awards.

He is a native of Longview, Texas and has two adult children that live in California.