BOSTON —

The state has named a Northeastern University associate professor known for work with older Americans as Secretary of Elder Affairs.

Alice Bonner was named to the post Thursday by the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker.

Bonner

Prior to joining Northeastern, Bonner was a deputy associate regional administrator for the Northeast and director of the Division of Nursing Homes for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

She also worked as Bureau Director of Health Care Safety and Quality at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and served as Executive Director for the Massachusetts Senior Care Foundation.

Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Marylou Sudders said the fastest-growing segment of the population includes those age 85 and older.

People over 60 make up 20 percent of the state’s population. That number expected to grow to 26 percent by 2030, according to HHS. — AP