Angela Hospice CEO Announces Retirement with Successor Named
In a significant development reported today, Angela Hospice’s President and CEO, Marti Coplai, has declared her plan to retire in December. Immensely dedicated and proven executive, Jamie LaLonde, currently serving as the Executive Director, has been entrusted with the responsibility of stepping in as Coplai’s successor the same month.
Angela Hospice extended a warm welcome to Coplai in the year 2015, where she engaged as the executive director and emerged into the role of president and CEO in March 2019. Her leadership during her tenure propelled significant initiatives, turning the organization into one it is today, and providing a guiding path for likely sustainability in the future.
The recent illustrative initiative led by Coplai is the expansion of Angela Hospice services to North Oakland County. Coplai’s grand vision extends beyond the core 15-bed hospice residence at Lourdes Senior Community to include comprehensive services community-wide, such as grief support groups and educational outreach.
New Leadership on the Horizon
LaLonde came on board at Angela Hospice in May 2021 as the director of the Angela First Care Program before ascending into the executive director’s role in January 2022. Adjacent to her tenure with the hospice, LaLonde rendered her vast skills and knowledge to Glacier Hills Retirement Community as the administrator of memory care and resident services. She also wears the hat of an adjunct lecturer with the elite University of Michigan School of Social Work.
Expressing her sentiments about the upcoming role, LaLonde affirms, “For almost 40 years, Angela Hospice has been a community resource that has helped countless people and their families walk the journey through the end of life experience and beyond. I feel fortunate to have earned the opportunity to be part of its continuing legacy and lead this organization into the future. I continue to be humbled each day working alongside such an incredible team and be able to bear witness to the life experiences of people who are in our care.”
A Commitment to Quality Care
LaLonde has been instrumental in designing the current Palliative Care Program structure at Angela Hospice. She efficiently led the daily operations of the organization, earning it a 4-star hospice status rating granted by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
In the face of her experience leading multi-tier, multi-license senior living communities, LaLonde exhibits a keen interest in the potential expansion of Angela Hospice’s in-patient and at home hospice, and its educational and grief care services.
The news marks a transitional phase for Angela Hospice, opening the next chapter under the guidance and leadership of Jamie LaLonde. The dedicated team at Angela Hospice remains committed to their mission as they continue to provide valuable services to the community, surrounded by compassionate care, impeccable leadership, and a legacy of community service.
