When Manny Lopes started working at East Boston Neighborhood Health in East Boston after finishing high school, he never thought the “part-time gig” would launch him on a long, successful career in health care. His nonlinear journey extended to other states, but Lopes — nominated as a Power 50 Movement Maker by the Boston Business Journal in 2021 — always intended to return to Boston, where he was raised.
After a successful decade as president and CEO of East Boston Neighborhood Health Center, Lopes recently joined Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. But no matter where he’s worked, Lopes has had a passion for health equity. The genesis for that passion stemmed from growing up in a single-parent household that faced many of the same challenges under-resourced households deal with in low-income communities. “I feel like it’s my responsibility now to make sure that I … try to address some of those challenges and some of those barriers within these communities,” Lopes explains.
In this episode, Lopes delves into initiatives aimed at removing barriers to care, such as Community Care Cooperative; the future of health equity and health care; his belief that executives in all sectors “have a responsibility to be mentors”; and two of his most-prized moments in Boston. Powered by PNC Bank.
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