Health advocacy leader stepping down

By Alice Dembner, Globe staff

John McDonough, the exuberant leader of the advocacy group Health Care for All, plans to step down on Aug. 1, he told his staff and others late yesterday.

After 5 years at the helm, McDonough said he believes it is time for a change for the organization and for himself. McDonough, a former state legislator, said in an interview that he has no immediate plans, but will explore “what I want to do with the rest of my professional career.” He turns 55 in May.

McDonough said he is proudest of the organization’s role as a leader in Massachusetts’s efforts to bring health insurance to everyone in the state. McDonough has overseen a staff of 35 people who have also launched efforts to improve access to dentists for low-income people, address racial and economic disparities in healthcare and improve children’s mental healthcare.