LYNN, Mass. — Element Care, a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and managed care provider for Senior Care Options (SCO), has appointed Calay Ip as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and elevated longtime leader Mary Ellen Dugan to the newly created role of Chief Government Relations Officer (CGRO).
Ip, a healthcare executive with more than two decades of leadership experience, previously held senior positions at Point32 Health and Mass General Brigham Health Plan. She also served as Vice President of Senior Care Programs at Neighbor Health in East Boston. She holds an MBA in Health Sector Management from Boston University.
“In my over two decades of leadership experience across healthcare segments including PACE, SCO, and Medicaid, I’ve found my niche in optimizing operational scalability and leading senior care programs through phases of rapid growth,” Ip said. “I’m honored to join Element Care and make an impact alongside a dedicated team that pushes forward the company’s vision of compassionate, affordable, coordinated care for seniors.”
Douglas Thompson, CEO of Element Care, said the appointment comes at a pivotal time for the organization. “We’re excited to welcome Calay as our new COO, a leader with a proven track record of executing scalable operations and driving high performance initiatives. With Calay’s dedication to optimizing operations within senior care programs, we are confident that she will continue to grow our unique care model for seniors in Massachusetts,” he said.
The leadership transition also includes a new role for Dugan, who has been with Element Care for 15 years and previously served as COO. As CGRO, she will focus on strengthening relationships with government officials and advocating for policies that support PACE and SCO programs. Dugan has more than 25 years of healthcare leadership experience and was instrumental in the development of three PACE centers and the relocation of Element Care’s headquarters.
“Throughout my career, I’ve been committed to improving care for vulnerable and underserved populations, and my time at Element Care has only deepened that commitment,” Dugan said. “I look forward to continuing to serve our PACE community in a different capacity by advocating for policies that will expand access to this life-changing model of care.”
Thompson praised her ongoing contributions. “As we plan for our next phase of strategic growth at Element Care, strong, visionary leadership is crucial. Mary Ellen has been instrumental in shaping our success for the past 15 years, and in her new role as CGRO she will advocate for PACE and SCO models of care and strengthen our voice with policymakers,” he said.
Element Care, which has served at-risk seniors for more than 30 years, provides care to over 1,100 PACE participants and 1,850 SCO members in Essex County, the Merrimack Valley, and Greater Boston. PACE is a federally funded program offering preventive, primary, acute, and long-term care services for older adults.
