After a remarkable and fulfilling career spanning over 38 years with On Lok, Eileen Kunz will be retiring from her role as Chief of Government Affairs and Compliance at the end of September.
Eileen joined On Lok in 1986, initially working as a project coordinator on a grant to test the replication of On Lok’s care model outside of San Francisco’s Chinatown/North Beach neighborhoods. Her work alongside On Lok’s founders, Marie-Louise Ansak and Dr. William Gee, and On Lok leaders who created the On Lok model, played a pivotal role in the development and expansion of the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Her efforts were instrumental in the formation of the National PACE Association (NPA) and securing PACE’s status as a permanent Medicare and Medicaid provider.
Throughout her tenure, Eileen has been a key player behind On Lok’s PACE expansion across San Francisco, Alameda and Santa Clara counties. Eileen's unwavering advocacy for On Lok’s mission has been crucial in advancing our organization’s growth. She has built and led essential teams in legal/corporate compliance, policy, government and community affairs, and On Lok PACEpartners.
Eileen has been dedicated to promoting access to PACE nationally and in California, as well as better care for older adults throughout her career. Her collaboration with the first California PACE programs laid the groundwork for CalPACE, the nation’s inaugural state PACE trade association, aimed at expanding access to PACE in California and addressing the challenges faced by PACE providers and the seniors they serve. She has been a member of the CalPACE Board of Directors and served in leadership roles including as Board Chair. She has also served on several state and local advisory committees with the goal of improving services for seniors and persons with disabilities, including the California Olmstead Advisory Committee, California Long-Term Care Insurance Task Force and the San Francisco Long-Term Care Coordinating Council.
In her reflections, Eileen shared, “It has been wonderful to be part of this special organization and witness its growth in serving more older adults. I’m proud of our achievements, from the expansion of PACE to the addition of the On Lok 30th Street Senior Center and the launch of new services like Openhouse + On Lok Community Day Services, On Lok Enhanced Care Management and On Lok Medically Tailored Meals. I am deeply grateful for the incredible teams at On Lok and the care they provide to our participants and the older adults we serve. It has been an honor to work alongside all of you.”
Please join us in congratulating Eileen on her retirement and thanking her for her decades of dedication and service.
