Mary Leary

CEO and President

Mary Leary is Mather LifeWays’ chief executive officer and president.  She brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in senior living, health care, and long-term care to guide Mather LifeWays in expanding its leadership presence in senior living, community-based programs, and applied research and education. Mary joined Mather LifeWays to help further its mission to enhance the lives of older adults through lifestyle and residential alternatives that create Ways to Age Well.

Mary previously served as chief operating officer (COO) of Classic Residence by Hyatt, the senior living affiliate of Hyatt Corporation, where she oversaw day-to-day operations of 15 senior living communities, including 4,600 units and more than 2,500 employees.  During her 12-year tenure with Classic Residence by Hyatt, Mary rose to the position of COO following successes in operations, sales, and marketing. Prior to her work at Classic Residence by Hyatt, Mary brought her experience to diverse firms in senior living, health care, and long-term care, including Oxford Development Corporation and American Medical International.

Under her leadership, Mather LifeWays has received awards and recognition from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, the American Society on Aging, the National Investment Center, the National Mature Media, the Health Promotion Institute of the National Council on the Aging, and more.

Mary earned a master’s degree in health policy and management from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in business/health services administration from Cornell University. 

Jean Brophy

Vice President of Senior Living

Jean Brophy is Mather LifeWays’ Vice President of Senior Living and is responsible for overseeing operations of Mather LifeWays’ senior residences.  With more than 20 years of experience in the senior living industry, Jean has managed the operations of several Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs), assisted living communities, and long-term care centers. 

Most recently, Jean served as divisional director of quality assurance for Atria, where she ensured that quality standards were met across 28 independent, assisted living, and memory support communities in eight Northeastern states.  Prior to working at Atria, she served as vice president of operations for Benchmark Assisted Living, where she achieved consistently high levels of resident satisfaction across multiple communities in six states. 

Jean earned her master's degree in Gerontology from North Texas State University.  She also is a licensed Nursing Home Administrator. 

Linda Hollinger-Smith Ph.D

Vice President of Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging

Linda Hollinger-Smith Ph.D., is Vice President of Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging.  She leads a team of applied researchers and staff who are responsible for developing practical, value-added tools and programs for older adults and persons working with older adults in both senior living and community-based settings. 

Previously, Linda served as senior vice president of research of Life Services Network and as Mather LifeWays director of research.  Earlier, she held progressively responsible nursing positions in the Rush-Presbyterian Medical Center system and was assistant dean for academic systems, college of nursing, at Rush University, both in Chicago.

Linda has extensive experience in gerontological research, workforce development, and falls prevention.  She has a Ph.D. in gerontology from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), a Master’s degree in medical-surgical nursing with dual majors in gerontological nursing and nursing services administration from UIC and a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from UIC.  She also has a certification in gerontological studies from the UIC School of Public Health and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

Chris Manella

Vice President and Controller

Chris Manella is Mather LifeWays’ Vice President and Controller, serving as chief accounting officer.  With more than 20 years of experience in financial management, Chris is responsible for budgeting and financial reporting for the organization as a whole.

Most recently, Chris was director of accounting for CC Industries, Inc. and also served as corporate controller for the Enclosures Division of Flextronics International, a publicly traded company.  Earlier, he was chief financial officer and vice president of finance for The Bruss Company. 

A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Chris earned his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from Indiana University and his Master’s degree in finance from the University of Chicago. 

Sara McVey

Vice President of Marketing

Sara McVey is Mather LifeWays’ Vice President of Marketing and is responsible for overseeing branding, advertising, public relations, and e-commerce, for the organization, including the senior residences in Illinois and Arizona, the Mather’s—More Than a Café locations, and the products and services available through Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging.

Prior to Mather LifeWays, she served as vice president of a national advertising agency with offices in Chicago, New York, Tampa, and San Francisco.  She was responsible for obtaining new business, directing marketing efforts, and managing multi-million dollar budgets for notable Fortune 500 companies.  Additionally, she served as international director of sales and marketing for The Carnegie Clubs in England and Scotland.  While living in Scotland, she worked with a diverse team of individuals who were jointly responsible for securing sales from the United States, Europe, and Great Britain.  Sara entered the senior living industry as assistant vice president of marketing for Classic Residence by Hyatt, where she was responsible for managing communication and advertising efforts for communities across the country.  

Sara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in health education and a Bachelor of Science degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh.  In addition, she recently graduated from the University of Chicago’s Executive MBA Program, attending classes in North America, London, and Singapore.  Finally, she is still enrolled in the school of life.

Gale Morgan

Vice President of Sales

Gale Morgan is responsible for the coordination and oversight of sales and occupancy efforts for Mather LifeWays’ senior residences.  Gale has also been instrumental in creating industry-specific customer service training programs with Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging. 

Gale brings more than 20 years of experience in the senior living industry to Mather LifeWays.  Previously, she served as assistant vice president of sales and marketing/training for Classic Residence by Hyatt, where she was responsible for sales and marketing of seven communities, including four CCRC start-ups.  She also served as vice president of sales and marketing for Retirement Community Specialists (RCS) and Retirement Living Affiliates. 

Gale earned her bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Phoenix.

Mary Sullivan

Vice President of Human Resources

Mary Sullivan is Mather LifeWays’ Vice President of Human Resources.  She brings more than 30 years of experience in human resources management as well as consulting experience for service, distribution, and manufacturing companies.

Prior to joining Mather LifeWays, Mary served as vice president of human resources for Cole-Parmer Instrument Company, a global manufacturer and distributor of specialty instruments, where she oversaw 775 employees in 10 locations worldwide.  She has also served as principal at Sullivan and Associates, providing strategic human resources services for a diverse client base, including Rand McNally & Company, Terra International Inc., Baxter Healthcare, United Airlines, Ameritech, and American Hospital Supply Corporation.

Mary earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, and her master's degree in Industrial Relations from Loyola University of Chicago.

Carol Sussenbach

CFO and Treasurer

Carol Sussenbach is responsible for all accounting, finance, and information technology efforts throughout Mather LifeWays, overseeing nearly $375 million in assets as part of the Mather LifeWays Investment Committee.

Carol has more than 30 years of financial management experience and has worked with several Fortune 100 companies, including Swift Independent and Esmark, Inc.  Carol began her career in public accounting with Ernst & Young.

A Certified Public Accountant, Carol earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and her master’s degree from the University of Chicago.

Joe Zajdel

Vice President of Business Development

Joe Zajdel is Mather LifeWays’ Vice President of Business Development and provides oversight and technical assistance for development projects.  Joe has nearly 20 years of experience in building design, construction management, and real estate investment and development. 

Prior to joining Mather LifeWays, Joe was assistant vice president of development for Classic Residence by Hyatt.  He also worked for Mesirow Stein Real Estate, a full-service development and real estate advisory services firm and Bovis-Schal, a construction management firm.  Joe began his career as a structural engineer with Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

In addition to earning his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Joe earned his Master of Business Administration degree with a specialization in finance from the University of Chicago.