BRIGHTON— Amy Schectman, a leading voice in affordable senior housing and longtime champion of aging in community, will retire this fall after more than four decades of public service and 15 years at the helm of 2Life Communities. Schectman will step down as Saul and Gitta Kurlat Chief Executive Officer effective October 2, 2026, the organization announced Thursday.
Lizbeth Heyer, who has served as 2Life’s president for the past two years and has been with the organization for 12 years, will assume the role of CEO following Schectman’s retirement. The transition follows a shared leadership model the two leaders have maintained since 2024 and was unanimously approved by 2Life’s board of directors.
“I feel very proud of the work we’ve done at 2Life to advance aging in community as the path to optimal aging,” Schectman said. “Creating communities of loving kindness is sacred work, especially important in a society that often ignores or dismisses older adults. In passing the baton to Lizbeth and the next generation of affordable housing leaders, I am confident that our work has provided a firm foundation for continued progress at this critical time for the industry.”
During Schectman’s tenure, 2Life Communities experienced significant growth and innovation, doubling its housing portfolio to more than 1,800 apartments across 12 properties in the Boston area and serving more than 2,000 older adults. Under her leadership, the organization elevated public awareness of senior housing issues, emphasizing the role of social connection in healthy aging, and launched Opus by 2Life Communities—an innovative continuing care retirement community model designed to meet the needs of middle-income older adults.
Schectman brought extensive public-sector experience to 2Life, having previously served in senior leadership roles in Massachusetts state government, including director of public housing and rental assistance and director of capital planning and budgeting. She was also planning director for the Boston Housing Authority and Brookline’s first economic development director, and has served on the boards of several major statewide housing organizations.
Heyer, widely recognized as an expert in affordable housing and housing–healthcare integration, has played a central role in shaping 2Life’s growth and strategy since joining the organization in 2014. She has led the development, acquisition, and modernization of more than 1,000 subsidized apartments and integrated a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) partnership into 2Life’s housing model. She currently serves on the board of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association.
Before joining 2Life, Heyer held leadership roles at the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, where she helped preserve and reform the state’s public housing system, expand rental voucher programs, and launch the HomeBASE initiative, which provided housing to more than 6,000 homeless families. Earlier in her career, she worked with the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation and as a community organizer focused on preserving affordable housing.
“My career has been defined by deeply meaningful work, a commitment that has intensified during my 12 years at 2Life,” Heyer said. “As the need for affordable senior housing grows and the social safety nets our seniors rely on face immense challenges, I am incredibly proud to lead 2Life into the future at this pivotal moment.”
Schectman will continue to serve as CEO through October 2, while Heyer remains president during the transition period. The organization has been consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work and named one of Massachusetts’ Top 100 Women-Led Businesses.
