LEGACY LIFECARE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- President
- President of JGS
Adam Berman is President and CEO of the Legacy Lifecare (LL) as well as the President of Chelsea Jewish Lifecare (CJL) and JGS Lifecare (JGS), the founding affiliates of LL.
During Adam's tenure, CJL grew from a small provider with only two sites and approximately 225 employees to one of the largest non-profit senior living and healthcare providers in New England, with a full continuum of senior care services across five campuses and over 1000 employees. Berman started at CJL as the Nursing Home Administrator of the organization's flagship property on Lafayette Avenue in Chelsea. He went on to become Vice President of Business Development and then Chief Operating Officer, a role he held until he was appointed President in 2014. In addition to other accomplishments, Adam led the 2014 acquisition of Aviv Centers for Living, as well as the dramatic multi-million-dollar renovation of the Katzman Center for Living.
Adam was appointed President of JGS in 2019. In this role, Adam is responsible for the day-to-day management and operations of the organization, as well as working with the board on forming its long-term strategy.
Mr. Berman earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology/anthropology from Roger Williams University and a Master of Business Administration from MIT Sloan School of Management. He serves as Vice Chair and Director of the Massachusetts Senior Care Association and is a past member of the Board of Trustees of Leading Age of Massachusetts.
Adam resides in Lynnfield with his wife Sondria and daughters Sasha and Kira.
Job Titles:
- Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- CEO of Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
- Chief Philanthropy Officer and Founding Executive
Barry Berman serves as Chief Philanthropy Officer of Legacy Lifecare. In addition, Barry serves as CEO of Chelsea Jewish Lifecare and JGS Lifecare, the founding affiliates of Legacy Lifecare. Mr. Berman began his tenure in Chelsea in 1977; he expanded and rebuilt the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, the flagship property of Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, in 1983. From there, he built the Cohen-Florence-Levine Estates, Massachusetts' first mixed-income assisted living which opened in 1996. Mr. Berman then led a team that developed the Florence and Chafetz Home for Specialized Care in 2001, a more enhanced assisted living targeted to those with dementia and other compromising conditions.
Additionally, Mr. Berman is responsible for developing the award-winning Leonard Florence Center for Living, the first urban Green House® model nursing home in the nation. The Center, which opened in February 2010, provides skilled nursing care in a home environment to the elderly and those with medical and physical disabilities. Three of the Green House® homes at the Leonard Florence Center are dedicated to those living with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) and MS (multiple sclerosis), the first such residences in the nation.
A graduate of Bentley College with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Philosophy, Mr. Berman also earned a Master of Science in Rehabilitative Administration from Assumption College. Barry served on the Board of Directors of the Chelsea Soldier's Home for many years. Notably, he is the recipient of the prestigious "Leaders of Tomorrow" award from Long Term Living magazine and received the "Award of Honor" from LeadingAge for his work in expanding the world of possibilities for aging services.
Barry Berman resides in Boxford, MA with his wife Cindy and enjoys spending time with their two children and five grandchildren.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
Betsy Mullen, RN, MS, LNHA, serves as Chief Operating Officer of Legacy Lifecare. She has 45 years of experience in the health care industry working in settings across the heath care continuum. Ms. Mullen also oversees the day-to-day operations at Chelsea Jewish Lifecare (CJL.)
Betsy joined CJL 37 years ago when the organization was a single, stand-alone nursing home as the Director of Nursing. Additionally, she has held the positions of Executive Director at all the skilled nursing facilities and the assisted living facilities, Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations and Chief Clinical Officer during her tenure at CJL.
A proven leader in the culture change movement in Massachusetts, Betsy helped to develop, open and operate the first urban model Green House facility in the United States, an innovative and radical departure for delivering long-term care, post-acute and specialty care to elders and the young disabled population. As a member of the Peer Network Board for the Green House Project, she remains active in the culture change movement across the United States. Currently, she serves on the Board of Trustees for LeadingAge Massachusetts
Ms. Mullen is the recipient of many Mass Aging prestigious awards such as the Program Innovation of the Year Award for Barry & Betsy's - A Different Store for People Who Make a Difference; the Program Innovation of the Year Award for European Day Spa; and the Program Innovation of the Year Award for Travel the World Program.
Betsy received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Boston College and a Master of Science in Nursing from Boston University. In addition, she holds a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator License.
A resident of Byfield, MA, Betsy enjoys spending time with her family, including her two grandchildren. Betsy enjoys hiking, kayaking, and spending time with her family, including her grandson Stephen and granddaughter Emily.
Betsy's personal and professional development are often guided by the words of Maya Angelou "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- Managing Director of Legacy Lifecare Consulting
Jeffrey Landa serves as the Managing Director of Legacy Lifecare Consulting (LLC), which was formed to address the needs of mission and values-based organizations. LLC's goal is to support and mentor other organizations while ensuring that their identity and mission remain reflected in its care and operations.
Jeff most recently served as CFO of parent company Legacy Lifecare (LL) since 2016. During his tenure, he oversaw the growth from campuses in Chelsea and Peabody, which now include senior care campuses in Longmeadow and West Roxbury, MA. In addition, he worked closely with lenders on several major debt restructurings in an effort to further strengthen LL's balance sheet, and position the organization for continued success.
Prior to joining Legacy Lifecare, Jeff was co-owner and CFO of Roush & Associates, a regional management and consulting firm providing a wide array of services to predominantly not-for-profit senior care organizations. As an accomplished and trusted advisor to governance and senior leadership, he had the opportunity to solve financial, operational, reporting and regulatory issues for several premier eldercare providers throughout the Northeast. As part of several clients' strategic planning processes, he authored over $300 Million in Certificate of Need filings for more than two dozen health care providers seeking to build, replace or renovate skilled nursing and rehab facilities in Massachusetts.
Success in the market led to increased demand and larger scope consulting projects. This in turn led to the creation of management and development companies, infusion of capital, and the addition and rapid growth of several related operating entities. As co-owner of these Radius/Roush companies, he and the team focused on turn-around and management engagements, and later on acquisition opportunities, eventually resulting in acquiring, managing, improving performance and selling several skilled nursing facilities during the 2000s and early 2010s.In addition to working with clients on a daily basis, Jeff was co-owner of several senior care facilities in Massachusetts and Rhode Island until the successful sale of the entire portfolio of Radius HealthCare properties in 2012, when the holdings numbered 1,300 beds and nearly 2,000 employees.
Job Titles:
- Chief Finance Officer
- Chief Financial Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
Jennifer Santerre is the Chief Finance Officer of Legacy Lifecare. In this role, Ms. Santerre oversees all the financial operations of the organization, including financial reporting, planning, budgeting, and systems of internal controls for the business unit. Beyond her core responsibilities, Jenn works with her team to help shape policies, procedures and initiatives that benefit the finance department and underlying business units.
Prior to joining Legacy Lifecare in November 2021, Jenn worked in public accounting for approximately 17 years. Most recently, she was a Principal with a regional public accounting firm, providing audit and accounting services to non-profit organizations. Jenn specialized in organizations subject to Single Audit and Uniform Guidance requirements.
A CPA who earned dual B.S. degrees in accounting and mathematics, Jenn holds an MBA from Clarkson University. She is a member of the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of CPA's. Jenn also serves as treasurer for The Community Family, Inc., a nonprofit that provides adult day health care.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- Vice President of Clinical Quality
Job Titles:
- Chief Strategy Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- LL in 2019 As Vice President of Strategy and Operational Excellence
Katherine (Kae) Santos, MBA is the Chief Strategy Officer of Legacy Lifecare (LL), a leading and innovative network of nonprofit senior care organizations (Affiliates) that provide high quality and compassionate post-acute and residential care in Massachusetts. As CSO, she oversees the organizational strategies for advancing clinical and operational excellence at LL. Working with senior leadership, Ms. Santos leads the formation, facilitation, tracking, communication and achievement of annual strategic goals. She also manages the evaluation of prospective Affiliates and integration of new Affiliates into LL as well as assists the CEO with board communication and engagement.
Ms. Santos joined LL in 2019 as Vice President of Strategy and Operational Excellence, leading and facilitating efforts that enhance and expand a culture of service excellence and continuous improvement. In 2022, she became Regional President, Chelsea of Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, a founding LL Affiliate. As Regional President, she managed the strategic direction and operations of two award-winning nursing homes (Leonard Florence Center for Living and Katzman Family Center for Living), a highly regarded assisted living residence (Cohen Florence Levine Estates and Florence & Chafetz Home for Specialized Care), and five-star rated Chelsea Jewish Home Care and Hospice. Together, these services offer a comprehensive continuum of care for seniors and individuals living with neurological conditions.
Throughout her career, Ms. Santos has established herself as a leading expert in healthcare quality and performance improvement. Prior to joining LL, she spent seventeen years working in this field at Brigham Health, most recently as the Director of Service Excellence and Performance Improvement at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital. Ms. Santos is also on the leadership board of the Massachusetts Healthcare Lean Network, a grassroots organization with over 400 members and 100 healthcare organizations across Massachusetts and New England that promotes learning within the healthcare quality and process improvement field.
Ms. Santos is also passionate about sharing her experiences and teaching healthcare leaders how to lead quality improvement in their own organizations. She is a highly trained and experienced instructor of Lean, Kaizen, Work-Out, and Change Acceleration Process by GE Healthcare Performance Solutions. Ms. Santos also holds several teaching positions at Harvard Medical School, frequently serving as faculty in both the master's degree and certificate programs attended by healthcare leaders across the globe. She is currently the Lead Program Director of the Safety, Quality, Informatics, and Leadership Program and the Leadership in Medicine: Egypt Program, the Associate Program Director of the Master of Healthcare Quality and Safety, and the Capstone Director of the Leadership in Medicine: Southeast Asia Program.
Ms. Santos earned her Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry from Harvard. She also holds a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration on Business Analytics, from MIT Sloan School of Management. Kae resides in Boston with her husband, Abraham, and three sons, Benjamin, Matthew, and Jonathan.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- Senior Director of Home and Community Services
Madeline (Maddy) Presz is the Senior Director of Home and Community Services at Legacy Lifecare. She brings extensive clinical healthcare experience to the organization, including home health and hospice care, clinical operations, and nursing.
Previously Maddy was the Executive Director of Spectrum Home Health and Hospice at JGS Lifecare, a Legacy Lifecare campus affiliate. In this role she oversaw the daily operation of the home health and hospice program, including supervision of the team, financial performance, and delivery of quality care, as well as providing direct care.
Ms. Presz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Elms College and an Associate of Science degree in nursing from Springfield Technical Community College. Maddy is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Honor Society for nurses.
Job Titles:
- President of Operations for Chelsea Jewish Lifecare
Megin Hemmerling is the President of Operations for Chelsea Jewish Lifecare. Ms. Hemmerling will oversee all areas of operations for the Peabody and Chelsea campuses.
Megin joined Chelsea Jewish Lifecare in 2014, when CJL acquired Aviv Centers for Living, which was previously known as Jewish Rehabilitation Center (JRC). She served as Director of Jewish Rehabilitation Services at JRC for ten years.
Ms. Hemmerling holds a Master of Science in Management of Aging Services/Gerontology from University of Massachusetts Boston and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from University of New Hampshire. She is a resident of Melrose, MA.
Job Titles:
- Executive
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- Office Administrator
Nancy V. Milewska is the Executive Office Administrator of Legacy Lifecare. She started working for Chelsea Jewish Lifecare, an affiliated organization of Legacy Lifecare, in 2007. Nancy is ACEA certified, with over 30 years of experience supporting C-level executives, operations and management. With a proven track record, Nancy works diligently to improve the corporate administrative processes by creating efficiencies. Ms. Milewska is a strong gatekeeper who has earned a reputation for delivering concrete results to meet the challenging business needs of the executive team.
Nancy resides in Peabody with her husband and three children. She is an avid spin instructor and gives back to the community by volunteering at St. Anne's Parish and the Torigian Family YMCA for fundraising and special events.
One of Nancy's favorite sayings is: "Nothing great comes from staying in your comfort zone." She consistently seeks to procure new knowledge that will help provide additional support to the organization.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of JGS Lifecare
Robert Whitten is the President of JGS Lifecare, Legacy Lifecare campus affiliate. Rob, who has worked in the skilled nursing field for 19 years, has an extensive healthcare background. He is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator. Throughout his career, Rob has demonstrated a strong commitment to providing exceptional care and support to individuals in need.
Rob journey in long-term care began while is he was in college, working within the maintenance department of a 250-bed skilled nursing facility. He soon oversaw the scheduling of the nurses, and then served as Marketing and Admissions Director. Rob's expertise spans the non-profit sector, specifically in terms of nursing home administration, independent livings, assisted livings and licensed rest homes.
A graduate of Johnson and Wales University, Rob holds a bachelor's degree in marketing and attended the University of Connecticut's School of Business Long-term Healthcare Management Program. Rob resides in Connecticut with his wife and two children. He enjoys spending quality time with his family, creating lasting memories together.
Job Titles:
- Chief Clinical Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
Job Titles:
- Chief Business Development Officer
- Member of the Legacy Lifecare Management Team
- Managing Director, Integrated Services
Terry Halliday is the Chief Business Development Officer at Legacy Lifecare. In this role, Ms. Halliday is responsible for strategy and business development, direction and marketing. She also manages business development at Chelsea Jewish Lifecare (CJL), overseeing the assisted living and skilled nursing residences as well as the home and hospice care divisions for all five Chelsea Jewish Lifecare campuses through the state.
Terry joined Chelsea Jewish Lifecare in 2014 when CJL acquired Aviv Centers for Living. In 2018, Terry was promoted to the Vice President of Business Development at CJL. Terry's previous experience includes business development and strategy for privately held, for profit and publicly traded organizations.
Ms. Halliday holds a MA in Health Care Administration and a BA in Liberal Studies, both from Framingham State College. A resident of Framingham, Terry is an avid runner. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, including her son Jared.