As president of the 4 million-member Alliance for Retired Americans, Barbara J. Easterling leads a grassroots organization that educates and mobilizes retirees for progressive campaigns at the federal, state, and local levels. Easterling led the Alliance's successful efforts to pass the sweeping 2010 health reform law, a landmark act that will help millions of retirees better afford to see a doctor and fill a prescription. Easterling became Alliance president in February 2009, succeeding George J. Kourpias. She was re-elected to a full four-year term in April 2010 at the Alliance's national convention.

In addition to her Alliance role, Easterling currently serves on a number of elected and appointed positions including: auditor of the International Trade Unions Confederation, member of the U.S. State Department's Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, treasurer of the Americans Friends of the Yitzhak Rabin Center, and member of the American Income Life Labor Advisory Board. She has been a leader in the fight to raise money for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Prior to joining the Alliance, Easterling was the first woman to serve as secretary-treasurer of the Communications Workers of America, its second highest office. In 1995, she became the first woman in history to serve as secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, the 13-million member federation of labor unions.