President and Chief Executive Officer

Melinda Forstey is the President & CEO of Serving Seniors, where she is responsible for the oversight and overall management of all programs, services, housing operations, and human resources.

Founded in 1970, Serving Seniors is a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to serving low-income adults aged 60 and over. Serving Seniors has created an innovative model of comprehensive services including nutritious meals, housing, and health and social services to over 12,000 seniors annually.

Over the past 15 years at Serving Seniors, Forstey has led multiple affordable housing projects throughout San Diego County, as well as the expansion of Serving Seniors’ nutrition program, which grew from 650,000 meals to over 1.5 million since 2020.

She works closely with the Board of Directors and senior management team to direct Serving Seniors’ growth and strategic response to an ever-increasing demand for services.

Forstey directed the development of the 2021 Serving Seniors Needs Assessment report, a groundbreaking study focusing on older adult homelessness in San Diego. Its findings and proposed solutions are driving public policy with a new recognition of the realities of aging and poverty and was a key driver of the creation of shallow subsidy rental assistance programs with both the City and County of San Diego.

Forstey provides strategic leadership, direction, and structure to the organization, promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to quality. Her leadership has been instrumental in Serving Seniors being recognized as one of San Diego’s Top Workplaces for the past six years by the San Diego Union-Tribune, including being spotlighted in 2024.

Forstey’s current community leadership roles include:

· Chair, National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Program (NANASP)

· Co-Chair, San Diego Elder Protection Council

· Co-Chair Aging and Health Ad hoc Committee for the Continuum of Care

· Member of the Implementing the Master Plan for Aging in CA Together (IMPACT) Stakeholder Committee in partnership with the California Department of Aging

Forstey is also an active member of the San Diego Housing Federation, LeadingAge, and Meals on Wheels California. She holds an MBA in Information Systems from San Diego State University. She received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.