Bernard Macias serves as the associate state director for AARP Long Island, Outreach and Engagement.
In this role, he oversees and is responsible for community outreach programming, education, member engagement events, local discount member experiences, federal, state and local advocacy organizing, volunteer recruitment and volunteer resource management of more than 400 very active AARP volunteers across both Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
He serves close to 500,000 members on Long Island, the island has the highest suburban community concentration of AARP membership nationwide. His extensive experience in advertising and marketing, and his expertise in engaging multicultural audiences, brings value and perspective to AARP New York’s work to help 50+ Long Islanders live their best life.
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability, and personal fulfillment.
AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.
Bernard has been recognized for his work at AARP, and has been the recipient of the following awards: 2016 Schneps Media “King of Long Island” Award; Who’s Who 2016 Guide – Long Island Business News; 2017 El Diario EL Award “Campeon de los Hispanos”; 2020 Schneps Media “King of New York” Award.
Macias has over 25 years of professional advertising, branding and marketing experience.
He was the account director at New York City’s d’exposito & Partners, managing AARP’s national advertising and direct marketing account, for all Hispanic/Latino campaign initiatives. Prior to joining d’exposito & Partners, he worked as Management Supervisor at GlobalWorks, a New York multicultural ad agency, managing the Cablevision account, for residential mass, direct marketing and business-to-business initiatives.
Bernard began his advertising career at Wunderman Worldwide in the area of media planning and buying. Later, he worked for Marti Flores Prieto & Wachtel/New York, a division of J Walter Thompson, on Rums of Puerto Rico and Puerto Rico Tourism Company. His interest in the Hispanic market led him to work at The Bravo Group/Young & Rubicam, where he was responsible for the planning and execution of several direct marketing accounts at BravoDirect, servicing clients such as AT&T, Citibank, H&R Block, and USPS.
Macias later moved to McCann Erickson where he brought with him his combination of advertising and direct marketing experience to work on UPS International managing all the efforts in Latin America. His agency work has led him to work in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Puerto Rico.
His passion for understanding all marketing disciplines later led him to work at Long Island headquartered – Don Jagoda and Associates, a 50 year-old and industry-respected full-service promotion marketing agency, where he served as Director of New Business Development for Hispanic Market contest promotion/sweepstakes marketing.
