Candyce Mayer
Candyce Mayer serves as the Chief Financial Officer/Chief Operating Officer of Elea Institute. In this role, Candyce oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization, manages grant applications and approvals, and also oversees project execution. Previously, she served as Chief Financial Officer at JourneyCare and Community First Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. With more than 30 years of experience, Candyce brings a wealth of knowledge not only as an experienced financial leader, but also having worked in the various healthcare sectors throughout her career.
Jeff Boundy
Jeff Boundy serves as a member of Elea Institute’s Board of Directors, serving on the organization’s Investment and Finance committee. Jeff is the President/CEO/and Director of Cornerstone National Bank & Trust Company, a business bank headquartered in the Chicagoland area. Jeff is a CPA and previously served over 15 years on the JourneyCare Board of Directors including roles as VP, Treasurer and Chair of the Board. Some of his prior experience includes serving as Board Chair of Bridge Youth and Family Services, Treasurer of the Village of Palatine and serving with the Palatine Police and Palatine Fire pension boards.
Julia Cormier
Julia Cormier serves on Elea Institute’s Board of Directors, serving on the Investment Committee, Grants Committee, and as Corporate Secretary. She previously served as Chair of JourneyCare and Vice-Chair of Midwest Palliative and Hospice CareCenter. Julia brings over 30 years’ global experience in financial markets including advising asset owners of large pools of capital on investment policy, asset allocation, risk management and investment selection. She has expertise across the spectrum of alternative investments, including private markets assets. Julia has a longstanding passion for the importance of end-of-life care and began her involvement over 20 years ago visiting patients and families at the bedside. She is committed to continuing to make a difference for those affected by serious illness.
Kelly Conroy Kenney
Kelly Kenney is a member of Elea Institute’s Board of Directors, serving on the organization’s Grants Committee. Kelly is the CEO of the Physicians Advocacy Institute, a national advocacy organization representing physicians and patients. Her prior professional and legal experience includes founding K2 Strategies, a health policy consulting firm and nearly twenty years’ experience leading the American Medical Association’s national state legislative and regulatory initiatives.
Kent Mathy
Kent Mathy serves as the Chairman of Elea Institute’s Board of Directors. In this role, he oversees the organization’s strategic planning, governance, and expansion. Kent brings decades of previous board management experience, including his service as Vice chairman of JourneyCare’s Board of Directors.
Mead Montgomery
Mead Montgomery serves as the Treasurer on Elea Institute’s Board of Directors. In coordination with other leadership, he oversees the organization’s financial outlook, budgeting structure, and investment opportunities. Mead’s previous board experience at JourneyCare, Midwest Hospice, and Palliative CareCenter provides key insights for Elea’s financial developments. Additionally, Mead is a member of North Shore Senior Center's Board of Directors, serving as their Treasurer. He recently retired following a long career in business ownership and development through the investments and leadership provided by the firm he founded, Montgomery, Shelton & Company.
Kristofer L. Smith, MD, MPP
Dr. Kristofer Smith serves on Elea’s Board of Directors, bringing over 15 years of leadership experience in population health and value-based care. Previously serving as the Chief Medical Officer at Optum at Home, he oversaw clinical and care management programs for over 1.5 million patients. Dr. Smith also served as a house calls physician for more than a decade, with a focus on palliative care.
Our History
The seedlings of Elea Institute began in 1978 when Horizon Hospice and Midwest Palliative & Hospice CareCenter were founded in Chicago. Eventually, those entities would merge and become JourneyCare, a Chicago based hospice organization staffed by a team of expert clinicians and dedicated volunteers.
In 2022, JourneyCare’s hospice and palliative care functions were acquired by Addus HomeCare, which is one of the nation’s largest home care providers. The sale allowed for the creation of Elea Institute, which strives to build on the collective histories and legacies of countless physicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, chaplains, volunteers, and donors who dedicated their myriad resources and compassion to provide care and comfort to people with serious illness.
Elea Institute remains committed to our heritage and predecessor organizations’ original missions: ensuring all persons have access to high quality hospice and palliative care. To date, Elea Institute has awarded numerous grants and projects that support enhanced access for communities, broaden hospice and palliative services, and provide crucial educational resources, which touch the lives of patients and caregivers.