Celebrating Martha McLeod as She Retires from a Career Rooted in Community
After a career spanning more than three decades in public health, policy, and public service, Martha McLeod, Vice President of Community Engagement at New Futures, is set to retire in December.
Martha joined New Futures seven years ago as the community engagement coordinator for the New Hampshire Alliance for Healthy Aging (NHAHA), helping older adults get involved in advocating for policies that help Granite Staters age where and how they want. She later became Vice President of Community Engagement, where she has led New Futures’ efforts to engage, train, and empower grassroots individuals and organizations across all of our policy areas.
Martha came to New Futures with a blend of experience. Over a 30-year career in community and public health, she served as Executive Director of a rural health network, worked as a nutrition consultant in the Division of Public Health Services at the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, and provided nutrition education directly to young parents through a community food program. She also served two terms as a state representative in the New Hampshire General Court, sitting on the Commerce and Finance Committees and representing North Country constituents. Whether she was sitting across the table from a young parent or across the aisle from a fellow lawmaker, Martha has always understood that good policy starts with listening to the people it affects.
“Martha has a gift for showing people that their stories matter at the State House,” said Michele Merritt, President at New Futures. “Over the past seven years, I have watched her empower hundreds of Granite Staters to realize they do not need to be policy experts to make a difference. Her leadership in growing our community engagement program has been transformative, driven by her deep sense of civic duty and belief in policy change. It has been a privilege to work alongside her, and the impact she has left on New Futures and our state will stay with us for years to come.”
As New Futures expanded into new policy areas, including child care and healthy aging, Martha led our community engagement team through a period of significant growth, bringing on new staff and building the infrastructure to support advocates on every issue we work on. She oversaw the growth of our advocacy training program, helping more Granite Staters learn how to share their stories, testify before legislative committees, and connect with their elected officials. She launched a weekly healthy aging e-newsletter that kept people across the state informed about legislation affecting older adults and caregivers. Most importantly, she grew our healthy aging advocate base so that older adults and the family members who care for them have a real voice in the policies and systems that shape their lives.
“Martha has been amazing to work with! She will be a real loss to the healthy aging work,” said Dawn McKinney, Policy Director at New Hampshire Legal Assistance. “Martha always brings it back to people. She never gets discouraged or deterred despite decades of experience with what can sometimes be slow progress.”
For many advocates, Martha was the person who first opened the door. Lori Raymond, a Senior Medicare Patrol Specialist at the Partnership for Public Health, first connected with New Futures through an advocacy training and soon found herself testifying at the State House in support of legislation to strengthen New Hampshire’s Medicare Savings Programs, which help older adults afford their health care.
“Martha is such a wonderful beacon of light!” said Lori. “Martha took the time to help me speak on this bill and was so kind and patient with me during the entire process. She encouraged me and provided the support I needed on my first day of speaking on behalf of the bill. I am so grateful to have been a voice advocating for such an important bill, all thanks to Martha!”
Since then, Lori has returned to the State House multiple times to share the experiences of older adults navigating high Medicare costs, and this year she helped launch an Advocacy Steering Committee at her workplace to train her own colleagues to speak up for the communities they serve, passing on the same encouragement Martha gave her. It’s exactly the kind of ripple effect Martha has worked to create: one advocate empowered, who then empowers others.
Back home in the North Country, Martha is currently serving on her second term as Grafton County Commissioner for District 2, where she brings her deep knowledge of public health and community needs to her local government.
“Martha brings a strong commitment to public service, thoughtful leadership, and a deep understanding of the unique challenges facing North Country communities,” said Julie Libby, Grafton County Administrator. “As Chair of the Grafton County Board of Commissioners, she leads with conviction, determination, and a genuine dedication to the residents she serves. Her willingness to tackle complex issues, advocate for the needs of county residents, and balance the responsibilities of county government with the interests of taxpayers reflects her experience, strong principles, and unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in the communities she represents.”
On behalf of everyone at New Futures, thank you, Martha. You’ve built a community of advocates who will keep showing up for New Hampshire long after this chapter closes. Congratulations on your retirement. We hope it’s filled with time on the trails and slopes of your beloved North Country, and plenty of time with your grandchildren.
