TRU Leadership

Since coming to TRU in 2020 as the first Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Wensel has worked with TRU to expand our Community Palliative Medicine Program, grow our Hospice program to care for more patients, and help our PACE program to serve more participants. He will now be serving as the first Chief Medical Officer for TRU and St. Paul’s Senior Services with the affiliation of the 2 organizations. Before joining TRU, he spent 10 years as Chief Medical Officer for hospice, palliative care, home health, and PACE at Midland Care in Topeka, Kansas. There, David was instrumental in developing the PACE program. He also helped to start the palliative medicine consultation service at St. Francis Medical Center in Topeka and one of the first outpatient palliative medicine clinics in a community oncology practice at Topeka’s Cotton O’Neal Cancer Center. He is a past chair of the Membership and Communities Committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and served as the President of the Hospice Medical Directors Certification Board. He has also served on the Governance Committee for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine and as the Chair of the Medical Leadership Committe for the National PACE Association and served on their Board of Directors. He is currently appointed as Clinical Adjunct Faculty for the University of Colorado and teaches in the Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program. He was the first author on the 3rd chapter of the new 4th edition of The Hospice Physician and Medical Director Manual for the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Michael McHale assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at St. Paul’s Senior Services on April 11, 2022 after more than 22 years of executive management and development experience in the senior care and hospice industries.

McHale began his career in senior living administration at St. Paul’s Nursing & Rehabilitation Center (McColl Health Center) in 1999, where he served as Associate Administrator and offered support during the initial phase of the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) application process.

Before returning to St. Paul’s in 2022, McHale served as the President and CEO of TRU Community Care in Boulder, Colo., where he improved operational performance and expanded services including hospice, home health, palliative care, memory care and PACE.

Additionally, McHale has served as the President & CEO of Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care in Illinois; Chief Operating Officer (COO) and CEO of Hospice of the Chesapeake, Inc. in Maryland; Vice President of Business Development and Sales at The Washington Home and Community Hospices in Wash. D.C.; Corporate Director of Marketing and Access Services at Hospice of Michigan; and Director of Access Services at the San Diego Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc.

McHale has demonstrated success throughout his impressive 22 years of experience in hospice care, palliative care and senior healthcare services including PACE. His leadership in operational and fiscal management, strategic planning, market development and program growth consistently result in enhanced quality of care, innovative care delivery, operational efficiencies and leadership excellence.

In his role at St. Paul’s, McHale will collaborate with the Board of Directors and the leadership team to ensure the continued growth and refinement of services that fulfill the goals of St. Paul’s. He will be responsible for strategic development and growth activities that increase the scope and scale of the company, as well as overall profitability. Additionally, he will ensure the smooth and efficient operation and financial performance for all communities, programs and services.

Throughout his career, McHale has served on multiple rotary club boards and is published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management for his innovation in hospice tele-health services. McHale holds a Master of Health Care Administration from National University, a Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, in Political Science from Georgia State University, and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in the State of California.

He joined St. Paul’s in April 2023.

George has 15 years of Health Care experience with oversight in Financial Planning & Analysis, Accounting, Claims Processing, Revenue Cycle, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Health Plan, and Contracting. He has a proven track record of improving back-office finance functions, along with operational financial performance.

Before joining St. Paul’s, George served various leadership roles including Sr. Director of Finance at Ascension Health. There he was overseeing over 40 business units, including Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), Skilled Nursing Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities, Independent Living Communities, Home Health, Hospice, Day Care, and LTACH service lines.

George has a Bachelor of Arts in Finance & Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. In addition, he holds a Master of Business Administration, with a concentration of Finance, from DePaul University in Chicago.

Sophia Lukas brings over 20 years of experience in the senior care industry to her role as Chief Operating Officer at St. Paul’s Senior Services. Her connection to St. Paul’s runs deep—she began as a volunteer while her mother worked for the organization and later completed her Administrator-in-Training program there. Sophia holds a B.A. in Biology and Spanish from the University of San Diego and a Master’s in Long-Term Care Administration from USC’s Davis School of Gerontology. She is licensed as both a Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) and an Administrator for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE). Sophia has held leadership roles at both for-profit and nonprofit organizations, including HumanGood and WellQuest Living, where she served as Vice President of Operations. At St. Paul’s, she oversees operations across all service lines, drawing on her deep industry knowledge and passion for mission-driven care.

I’ve been serving San Diego seniors for more than 17 years. Prior to joining St. Paul’s PACE, I worked with the County of San Diego’s Aging & Independence Services. I believe in St. Paul’s PACE and its vision and purpose. We get to know seniors as a whole and provide personalized care. They often share stories about life and lessons on love and resilience – and it is truly a highlight for me!

Cory Fish joined St. Paul’s in 2017, bringing over 20 years of Human Resources experience, including more than a decade in executive leadership. Known for his strategic approach, Cory has strengthened every facet of HR, from recruiting and retention to employee relations and benefits. He led the successful rollout of Dayforce, St. Paul’s HR Information System, making the department fully paperless by 2018. Now overseeing HR for both St. Paul’s and its affiliate, TRU Community Care, Cory is focused on unifying teams and enhancing the employee experience through mentorship, professional development, and data-driven practices.

Mark Valladolid joined St. Paul’s in 2012 as the organization’s first IT Manager and brings 25 years of experience in Information Technology. Since then, he has led the transformation of St. Paul’s tech infrastructure, most notably implementing an Electronic Medical Records system across all residential communities and supporting the launch of new sites, including all PACE locations and The Manor on Bankers Hill. Under his leadership, the IT team has grown from two to seven, and his expertise in Cisco Networks and Cybersecurity continues to guide both daily operations and long-term planning. In his new role, Mark is focused on expanding technology-driven care delivery, embracing innovation, and pushing boundaries to elevate service beyond traditional models.