AARP names Robyn Motley Senior Vice President, GM of group's media properties

(June 14, 2012) AARP has announced that it has appointed Robyn Motley and Myrna Blyth to lead the organization's media properties in the newly created positions of Senior Vice President & General Manager, and Senior Vice President & Editorial Director respectively.

"I can't think of two people more suited to lead our media properties and communications teams than Myrna and Robyn," said Kevin Donnellan, Executive Vice President & Chief Communications Officer, AARP. "Myrna's reputation as a thought leader precedes her and it's no secret she's one of the most respected game changers in the media industry."

Added Donnellan, "Robyn brings an impressive combination of experience, vision, and clear leadership abilities, developed over the course of a distinguished career with top tier media companies. Working together, I have no doubt these two powerhouses will catapult AARP's communications vehicles to unprecedented levels of relevance to our members and everyone age 50+."

Ms. Motley now oversees sales, operations and business matters for AARP's print, digital and broadcast properties. Having worked with various media companies, she has a proven track record of being a stabilizing influence in challenging, and constantly changing, business environments.

Ms. Motley is a native Washingtonian who began her media career at The Washington Post, and she has held numerous leadership positions with multi-media companies, operating newspapers, websites, radio, television and cable stations. She previously worked as Advertising Sales & Service Manager for The Washington Post Company, a diversified education and multi-media company, operating Kaplan Education, The Washington Post, The Herald, the Gazette and Southern Maryland newspapers, television/cable stations and websites.

Ms. Motley is also active in her community and most recently served on the Boards of Leadership Broward Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. She is also a former President and board member of Rainbow House and former Vice-president and board member of Big Brother Big Sisters in Chicago. Her recent honors and awards include African American Luminary Award in 2011, African-American Achievers Recognition Award in 2009 and Women of Achievement Award for Extraordinary Community Service in 2008. Prior to joining AARP, Motley served as Regional Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer for the Sun Sentinel, Orlando Sentinel and WSFL-TV. 

A publishing icon who has mastered the art of relevance throughout her career, Ms. Blyth now oversees all editorial content creation for AARP's media properties which include AARP The Magazine, AARP Bulletin, www.aarp.org, AARP's book division and AARP's radio and broadcast outlets. Throughout her career, she has made stellar contributions to various top-tier outlets as an editor, commentator, media strategist, entrepreneur, publisher and author.

As editor-in-chief and publishing director, she successfully led Ladies' Home Journal, strengthening its iconic presence in the lives of American women. She was the founding editor and publishing director of More, the first magazine targeting women over 40, astutely recognizing an opportunity and engaging this group with cutting-edge lifestyle content. She also penned the New York Times bestseller Spin Sisters that critiqued the very media form that she understood so well.

Most recently, Ms. Blyth held the position of editor-in-chief at ThirdAge.com where she led the site's efforts in reaching Boomer women. Among her many awards and accolades are being named "Publishing Executive of the Year" by Advertising Age and she received the Magazine Publishers Association Henry Johnson Fisher Award, the industry's highest honor.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.
 

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