CARIE is proud to honor Nora Dowd Eisenhower and Tom Snedden with the 2025 Spirit of CARIE Award. Purchase your tickets today to join us in celebrating Nora and Tom at CARIE’s Be The Voice event on May 21st from 5:30pm-8:30pm at the beautiful College of Physicians of Philadelphia.
Nora Dowd Eisenhower
The remarkable scope of Nora Dowd Eisenhower’s advocacy on behalf of older adults leads one to conclude that she must have lived more than one life (so far). Nora was born in Manhattan and attended parochial school on Long Island, New York. She was awarded a Regents’ Scholarship to study at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and attended the Antioch University School of Law. After a three-year stint in England where she worked for the National Council on Civil Liberties (NCCL) in London and as an editor for a legal journal, she returned to the United States, was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and resumed her legal career in 1985.
A partial list of her leadership roles within government and nonprofit organizations at the local, state and national levels includes serving as Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Aging, and Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging. Selected by Governor Rendell as a member of his cabinet, she was twice unanimously confirmed by the Pennsylvania Senate. As Secretary, Nora led the largest expansion of the PACE prescription drug program and oversaw many advances in nursing home reform and policies allowing older adults to age at home. As Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, she chaired the Attorney General’s Special Commission on Aging focused on preventing fraud against older adults.
At the national level, Nora served as Assistant Director for the Office of Older Americans at the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) during the administration of President Obama and as Senior Vice President of Economic Security with the National Council on Aging. During the administration of Mayor Jim Kenney, Nora served as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on Aging during COVID. She helped to develop innovative services for older adults with serious mental illness. Having earlier in her career served as AARP State Director for Pennsylvania, in 2023 Nora was selected as AARP Pennsylvania Volunteer State President, a position she currently holds. CARIE is very proud to claim Nora Dowd Eisenhower as one of our own, as the founding director of CARIE’s federally funded SMP health care fraud and abuse prevention program, and as a national leader in protecting the rights and interests of older Americans.
For the breadth of her achievements and the strength of her advocacy on behalf of older adults, CARIE is thrilled to present NORA DOWD EISENHOWER with the 2025 Spirit of CARIE Award.
Tom Snedden
Since 1984, Tom Snedden has been the Director of the Pennsylvania Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly, otherwise known as the PACE program, stewarding the program under eight Governors. PACE is the country’s largest state pharmaceutical assistance program (SPAP) in the country and is funded through proceeds from the Pennsylvania Lottery. Through the years, Tom and his team have been successful in implementing strategies related to changes in Medicare prescription drug coverage to minimize program costs and maximize benefits that continue to make PACE a model SPAP. In addition to providing prescription drug coverage, PACE also works to protect all enrollees from overutilization and misutilization of medications that improve their quality of life. Tom is a pioneer in utilizing and continues championing data-driven outreach and enrollment strategies to help older Pennsylvanians access and enroll in needed public benefits such as Medicare Part D and the Pennsylvania Property Tax and Rent Rebate program. The coordination that PACE provides helps consumers access multiple public benefits at one time. The PACE Program also sponsors the Pennsylvania Clearinghouse Program, which assists Pennsylvanians 18 years and older with social and life services such as help in locating affordable medications, food programs, housing assistance and transportation.
Asked why PACE is important, Mr. Snedden responded, “The PACE program does a great job of keeping people living independently in their own households, keeping them out of nursing homes and personal care facilities.” Research backs this statement and has shown that PACE participants were admitted to nursing homes an average of two years later than those without prescription assistance. Tom is generous with his time and expertise. He and his team have conducted inservice trainings for CARIE staff and volunteers who found the presentations highly informative and helpful in CARIE’s work and advocacy. All know they can count on Tom!
For his steadfast commitment to ensuring that all older adults, especially those who are low income and financially insecure, have access to essential prescription drugs and other services and supports needed for the greatest health and quality of life possible, CARIE is thrilled to present the Spirit of CARIE Award to Tom Snedden.
