Mary Lazare, MS, MA, is the Principal Deputy Administrator for the Administration for Community Living (ACL), serving as the senior official performing the duties of the ACL Administrator and Assistant Secretary for Aging. She returned to the ACL in March 2025 following service from 2017–2021. Throughout a career focused on improving the health and well-being of people with disabilities and older adults, Lazare has led social services and healthcare systems in building partnerships across industries and all levels of government, modernizing system infrastructure and leveraging new technology, and creating opportunities for innovation in order to better meet the needs of the people they serve.

During her prior tenure at ACL, Lazare spearheaded key initiatives including an interagency task force focused on expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities, a public-private partnership to prevent social isolation, and cross-sector collaboration to align healthcare and aging and disability services to improve health outcomes and reduce costs. Prior to joining ACL, she held leadership roles focused on home- and community-based services for older adults, including long-term care, at Lutheran Senior Services, Ascension Health, BJC HealthCare, and the Jewish Center for the Aged. Lazare holds a master’s degree in gerontology from Lindenwood University and a master’s in business administration and management from Maryville University of Saint Louis.

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