Dedicated. Innovative. Mission-driven.
2Life Communities is led by a highly skilled group of thoughtful, seasoned professionals who make every decision with the well-being of Massachusetts' older adults in mind.
Front Row Leadership
Winter 2022
As a mission-driven organization, every member of the 2Life team has an opportunity to make a difference for those we serve. We are particularly proud of management practices that empower every person to be a leader -- whether by providing exceptional service to residents, contributing innovative ideas, or spreading the word about 2Life's mission. In this rotating segment, we highlight people from throughout our organization who lead by example and exemplify the mission of 2Life Communities. You can view all of our Front Row Leaders here.

Peg Coles
As the Colman House renovation progresses, Peg knows to expect the unexpected. She also recognizes that unexpected changes can make some residents anxious. She stays attuned to their concerns and makes sure people feel heard and their feelings validated.
While listening is important, Peg is a doer, as well. She’s a skilled problem-solver, always seeking effective ways to work with residents to help them successfully live in community. That includes connecting individuals with outside resources to help maintain their independence and health—whether they need transportation, housekeeping or a personal aide. Peg collaborates with families when their involvement is needed. And she continually works to create opportunities for residents to engage with others, an essential part of living in community.
Spend a few minutes talking to Peg and you’ll experience her special gift: the ability to create a bubble of calm, even in the midst of a sometimes disruptive construction project. At the heart of Peg’s approach is a deep empathy for the people at 2Life.
“They are so deserving of our kindness and support,” Peg says. “They all deserve to be comfortable and secure, living lives of joy and fulfillment.”

John Bjorklund
During the early days of the pandemic, with our campuses under lockdown, John thought music might give people a respite from the stress and isolation of sheltering in place. John and two of his bandmates were the first performers in our popular “window concerts,” starting with the Golda Meir House, where he was on the maintenance team at the time. From inside their apartments, residents were treated to a one-hour set of acoustic music. The trio moved from one side of the building to the next, giving everyone a “front-row seat” to the concert.
Since then, John and his band have performed at other 2Life campuses. He also helps out at other events—whether it’s taking the plunge in the dunk tank at a 2Life carnival or setting up for an outdoor winter party. For John, it all comes down to enhancing the lives of others.
“Helping to make life better for the people at 2Life is fun for me. I get as much out of the experience as they do,” John says. “It’s wonderful that we are encouraged to think outside the box and given opportunities to do things that bring joy.”

Lucy Tsitlenko
Residents have come to rely on Lucy for help with a wide range of needs—from understanding and responding to letters and notices to service provider referrals to applying for permanent resident status. As a notary public, Lucy also helps make important documents official.
When the war in Ukraine broke out last February, many Russian émigrés—including dozens of 2Life residents—stopped receiving their Russian pensions due to sanctions. Lucy swung into action, crafting letters to the Social Security Administration to explain the problem and following up to advocate for raising existing social security benefits to help close the income gap. Our Resident Services team extended this effort, reaching out to assist impacted residents across 2Life campuses. Through this effort, and with support from U.S. Representative Jake Auchincloss, the benefits were successfully increased, restoring a critical sense of financial security for the residents impacted.
“I like to see the result of what I’m doing and know that I’m making a difference for people,” Lucy says. “When people come to me with a problem and then leave my office not upset anymore, that means so much to me.”
Corporate Leadership
Community Executive Directors
Board of Directors
Jeffrey Sacks
Board Chair
Jeff Sacks is a leading community development attorney. His clients include large community development corporations, senior housing providers and housing authorities as well as a variety of large institutional service providers. Jeff often represents nonprofit organizations that are embarking on major real estate projects that allow their organizations to deliver their services in new and innovative ways. He works with his clients in using federal low-income housing and historic tax credits to develop affordable housing and mixed-use developments.
Jeff has also worked with a range of public housing authorities to transform of some of the most outdated public housing projects in the Commonwealth into new and vital communities that continue to serve their low-income residents. He served as a public housing authority commissioner for more than 20 years and, in 2013, worked on new legislation in Massachusetts to modernize and reform the Commonwealth’s public housing system. Much of Jeff’s nonprofit work involves advising nonprofit boards of directors about the most efficient and effective legal and financial approaches for fulfilling their corporate missions.
Jeff served as the first chair of the Newton Community Preservation Committee and has worked with that program for more than ten years. This unique state and local partnership provides funding exclusively for community housing, open space preservation, historic preservation and recreation facilities in cities and towns across the Commonwealth.
President & CEO
Amy Schectman
Treasurer
Norman Posner
Clerk
David Zaltas
Policy Board
Donald Bloch
Laura Efron
Lynne Elfland
Howard Furman
Robert Gifford
Catharyn Gildesgame
Stacy Goodman
Merle Grandberg
Harvey Greenberg
Donna Kalikow
Bernard Kaplan
Wendy Kraft
Noah Maslan
Adam Scott
Bill Shaevel
Barry Shrage
Harold Stahler
Candace Steingisser
David Trietsch
Harold Tubman
Emeritus
Lenore Asher*
Mickey Cail*
Irwin Chafetz
Joan Cutler*
Ellen Feingold
Robert Helman
Clifton Helman*
Rudolph Kass*
Irma Schretter
Mildred Guberman Kravetz
Norman Leventhal*
Paul Rosenberg*
Melvin Scovell
Marc Slotnick*
Stephen P. Snyder
Alan Solomont
Peter Ulin*
Elaine Werby*
George Wolfe*
*of blessed memory