Lucilia Prates-Ramos
Statewide Director
Lucilia Prates has been the statewide director for the Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program since 2002. Prates has over 40 years of experience in advocating for immigrant and other vulnerable populations. An immigrant herself, Lucilia has worked with immigrant and refugees from all corners of the world. As the director of the MA SMP Program, she has made consumer engagement the core of the SMP Program message: Engaged healthcare consumers are the first line of defense to protect, detect and report healthcare errors, fraud and abuse, which have financial implications on each one of us and can have devastating health-related outcomes.
Prates has served on numerous boards of directors and advisory committees. She currently serves on the board of the Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) and is the president of MHQP’s Consumer Health Council. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Public Health Council since 2007, a gubernatorial appointment. Prates holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts and has studied in Portugal, Spain and Eastern Europe.
Carole Appleton
Program Coordinator
Carole Appleton joined the MA SMP team as Program Coordinator after a 25-year career in professional hockey, event marketing, and non-profit management in Western MA. More recently, she worked on the Covid-19 response and the vaccination roll out. Carole is an advocate for people with disabilities and elders who have been victims of fraud and abuse. Carole is a graduate of Norwich University and Boston University. A native of Newburyport, she enjoys working with programs that empower children, veterans and athletes with disabilities.
Lori Laviolette
Outreach and Education Coordinator
Lori Laviolette is an Outreach and Education Coordinator with the Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program. Laviolette, a recent graduate of the Massachusetts School of Law, comes to the MA SMP Program with a professional history of legal advocacy. Prior to joining the MA SMP team, Lori worked as a Legal Advocate for Portal to Hope, a non-profit organization committed to ending the cycle of violence against women. Lori is a published researcher with Tufts University Human Nutrition Research Center on a study focused on exercise and aging. Her dedication to advocacy, whether in domestic violence or healthy aging, is evident throughout her career. She lives in Haverhill, MA, with her son, David.
Sara Sturdivant
Outreach and Education Coordinator
Sara Sturdivant serves as an Outreach and Education Coordinator for Massachusetts SMP Program. Sara is a graduate of The New School in New York, she brings expertise in fundraising, non-profit management, and social media strategy. Sara is deeply committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a particular focus on advocating for the LGBTQIA+ community. Previously, she was the long-time Director of Music for Saint Mary Parish of Georgetown and Rowley, Massachusetts. She currently serves as the Collaborative Keyboard Artist for First Parish Unitarian of Portland, Maine, and is deeply involved with Saint Mary Schola of Falmouth, Maine, and City Theater of Biddeford, Maine. Sara resides in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with her family.
